Protect Your Furniture With Performance Fabrics
Discover how textiles like Revolution and Crypton can boost your upholstery game without cramping your style
Get to know performance fabrics. Thanks to technical developments in recent years, there’s a whole new category of upholstery fabric: performance fabrics. These remarkable materials can handle spills and other dirt with ease — and often without sacrificing softness. There are several types of performance fabrics, all approaching stain resistance in a slightly different way.
Revolution. Revolution fabrics by STI are woven from Olefin yarn, and they achieve their remarkable stain-fighting capabilities without the use of chemicals. These fabrics aren’t just easy to clean, they’re also durable, fade-resistant and don’t fuzz or pill. As an added bonus, they’re beautiful and soft and come in any number of colors and textures.
What is Olefin? Olefin (aka polypropylene) is used to make milk jugs and is a common fiber in indoor-outdoor rugs. Revolution fabrics are made from Olefin that has been solution-dyed — the dye gets mixed into the liquid polymer before the yarn is created. This makes the fabrics virtually unstainable. They can be cleaned with almost any household cleaner, including bleach, but water is usually enough to handle most situations.
What is Olefin? Olefin (aka polypropylene) is used to make milk jugs and is a common fiber in indoor-outdoor rugs. Revolution fabrics are made from Olefin that has been solution-dyed — the dye gets mixed into the liquid polymer before the yarn is created. This makes the fabrics virtually unstainable. They can be cleaned with almost any household cleaner, including bleach, but water is usually enough to handle most situations.
Crypton. Crypton technology results in a fabric that doesn’t absorb liquid — you can thank an impenetrable moisture barrier for that. So a spilled drink will just bead on the surface, letting you wipe it up with a clean, dry cloth. As an added benefit, Crypton fabrics have built-in stain and odor resistance and are antimicrobial.
How does Crypton work? Unlike spray-on treatments that are applied to finished fabric, Crypton is embedded in every fiber and will never wear off. The “Cryptonizing” process can be applied to any fabric that meets specific fiber and construction requirements, so you can find Crypton fabrics in almost any material, including cotton, rayon and polyester.
How does Crypton work? Unlike spray-on treatments that are applied to finished fabric, Crypton is embedded in every fiber and will never wear off. The “Cryptonizing” process can be applied to any fabric that meets specific fiber and construction requirements, so you can find Crypton fabrics in almost any material, including cotton, rayon and polyester.
Indoor-outdoor fabrics. One of the most obvious places for performance fabric is on a piece of furniture that’s going to live outside, but these fabrics also provide durability indoors. In fact, a lot of performance fabric is billed as “indoor-outdoor.” Today’s indoor-outdoor fabrics are virtually indistinguishable from indoor-only materials. They’re available in different weaves and textures, even velvet. Sunbrella is one well-known manufacturer, but there are a number of others.
How are they made? Indoor-outdoor fabrics are made from solution-dyed acrylic — the dye is added before the fibers are created. As a result, they are colorfast and won’t fade from exposure to the sun. They also resist stains, shrinkage, mildew and insects. Quick-drying and wrinkle-free, these easy-to-clean fabrics can look like new for years.
How are they made? Indoor-outdoor fabrics are made from solution-dyed acrylic — the dye is added before the fibers are created. As a result, they are colorfast and won’t fade from exposure to the sun. They also resist stains, shrinkage, mildew and insects. Quick-drying and wrinkle-free, these easy-to-clean fabrics can look like new for years.
Microfiber. Microfiber isn’t technically a performance fabric, but it has a reputation for being stain-resistant and durable, so we wanted to mention it here. Microfiber refers to the thickness of a fiber, not to a specific type of fiber such as acrylic or cotton. These fabrics can stand up to many thousands of rubs before the fibers give out — this is how durability is usually tested. And because the fibers are so thin, they can be woven incredibly tightly. This helps liquids bead up on the surface rather than soaking in immediately.
Microfiber drawbacks. Microfiber tends to create static and can be clingy. As a result, the fabric tends to hold on to lint and pet hair. Microfiber has also been known to stretch and distort, especially if it’s on a cushion that gets a lot of use. And while liquids might bead up at first, they will soak in and leave a stain if you don’t blot them up immediately. Liquid that ends up drying on the fabric will also leave a mark, as will oil from hair and skin.
Browse microfiber sofas
Microfiber drawbacks. Microfiber tends to create static and can be clingy. As a result, the fabric tends to hold on to lint and pet hair. Microfiber has also been known to stretch and distort, especially if it’s on a cushion that gets a lot of use. And while liquids might bead up at first, they will soak in and leave a stain if you don’t blot them up immediately. Liquid that ends up drying on the fabric will also leave a mark, as will oil from hair and skin.
Browse microfiber sofas
Where to use performance fabrics. While you needn’t choose performance fabrics for all your upholstered pieces, it’s a good idea to do so in certain areas.
1. Dining areas. Go with a performance fabric on bar stools and dining chairs that get used daily. Performance fabrics are less important for formal dining rooms if you use them only a few times a year.
2. Sunny spots. Revolution and Sunbrella fabrics are fade-resistant and will protect furniture near a sunny window.
3. Desk chairs. If you work from home, there’s a good chance your desk chair receives heavy, daily use. And ink is often involved. It’s a good idea to opt for a performance fabric here.
1. Dining areas. Go with a performance fabric on bar stools and dining chairs that get used daily. Performance fabrics are less important for formal dining rooms if you use them only a few times a year.
2. Sunny spots. Revolution and Sunbrella fabrics are fade-resistant and will protect furniture near a sunny window.
3. Desk chairs. If you work from home, there’s a good chance your desk chair receives heavy, daily use. And ink is often involved. It’s a good idea to opt for a performance fabric here.
Protecting nonperformance fabrics. If you happen to fall in love with something that isn’t a performance fabric, there are still ways to boost its stain resistance. This won’t be as good as a performance option since the treatment is applied to the surface rather than being inherent to the fibers, but it can still help with dirt and spills.
Scotchgard and Vectra are furniture-protection sprays that can be applied by you or a company near you that provides the service.
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Scotchgard and Vectra are furniture-protection sprays that can be applied by you or a company near you that provides the service.
More
Why You Really Can’t Go Wrong With Cotton
Sofa Secrets: How to Choose the Right Seat Depth and Cushions