Natural Ageing of Fabrics in Upholstered Furniture

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Wellington (The Wash House)

‘Just like ourselves, many fabrics will age gracefully and this is all part of their charm.’
When purchasing a new piece of furniture, or reviving an old one, there are numerous factors to consider in addition to the initial look and feel of the fabric. The longevity of an item is relative to the environment in which it lives, it is important to research fabric types and the specific yarn type and construction to ensure that your selection aligns with your unique needs.
Due to regular wear and tear your furniture will show signs of aging, which may be accelerated by having unknowingly chosen a textile that is not fit for purpose. However, just like ourselves, many fabrics will age gracefully and this is all part of their charm.

Ask and You Shall Receive: Before committing to a purchase it pays to consider not only what you want, but what you need from an item. Perhaps you want a two-seater couch in a natural colour with a textured weave, that will look beautiful in front of the Mizu Garden curtains you hung earlier in the year. While what you need, is a couch that is fit for a couple who live on a modest budget in a sunny villa, with young grandchildren who visit most weekends.

This is the brief that the interior design salesperson requires to suggest fabrics which will reward you with performance and beauty, while also managing your expectations about how the textiles will age. Allow us to help them to help you, by sending you in prepared.

Fabrics are all different. They can be constructed from natural fibres such as silk, cotton, linen, and viscose, or man-made fibres such as polyesters and acrylics, or a blend of each. Fabrics made from natural fibres have their own unique personality in the way they age and look after some wear, which can contribute to a design aesthetic. Natural constructions will not be as durable in the long-term as a synthetic textiles, because they are more susceptible to pilling, fading, seam slippage and staining. Therefore, a greater level of care is required.

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