Performance Fabric and its Benefits

Easily blot the spill off of the surface

Image by Crypton

Performance Fabric and Its Benefits

one are the days when families with children and/or pets had to live in a home where upholstered Gpieces were afflicted by grease, mud,

ink, crayon marks, and ketchup, food, coffee, and juice stains. Households with busy children or pets had to have upholstery either done in white removable covers - so they could be bleached - or in an unflattering tone in order to easily hide dirt. The same was true for those who like to entertain - red wine spills were feared or mourned. Sofas and chairs had to be replaced or re-upholstered sooner than expected. An expense many regretted having to face sooner rather than later.

Creating great design around these challenges was frustrating.

In the last few years, the design world has been taken by storm with a type of fabric that has been a game changer for designers and homeowners alike. Such fabric was first designed for outdoor spaces due to its mold/mildew resistance. Not too long after, it became the preferred fabric for busy indoor and outdoor households. They named it Performance fabric.

Very easy to clean, extremely durable, with a high ability to withstand the wear and tear of everyday life, performance fabrics are made of synthetic and natural fibers. They are resistant to fading, water spills, stain, mold, mildew and are antimicrobial. They are also well known for drying quickly - thus preventing unwanted water stains on their surface. Some can even be bleached.

As their popularity grew, so did their quality and styles. Indoor performance fabrics are very soft, come in a variety of colors, patterns, and types such as linen, velvet, bouclè, vinyl, woven, and so on. They are elegant yet sustainable. Thanks to them, the fear of having a gorgeous room and not being able to fully enjoy it, without worrying, is over.

3 | Riche Home and Lifestyle

Dirty feet, mud, and food stains are a thing of the past.

Image by Canva

What makes this fabric so amazing is its natural or synthetic fibers. Each type of thread that composes a performance fabric has different characteristics and performance traits. The ones listed below are woven by chemical-free threads.

Olefin - upcycled fiber, stainresistant without PFC (perfluorochemicals), quick-drying, low static, washable and easy to clean, resists moisture and mildew, resists stains, and low resistance to high heat.

Acrylic - resembles wool, washable and cleanable, can be dyed, repels water, resists shrinkage and wrinkles, leaves lint balls, and burns easily.

Polyester - durable, washable, resists abrasion, resilient to most chemicals, quick-drying, blends well with other fibers, and stain removal can be an issue.

If you are tired of wiping your upholstery or fearing you will have to replace it much sooner than expected, those days are over. I recently used a performance fabric in a custom piece for a client with a pet and she is thrilled.

If you’d like to make the upholstery in your home spill- and stain-proof, schedule a call to talk to me at studiorichedesigns.com. I’d love to help.