Nylon Upholstery fabric
Nylon upholstery almost always comes in a blend. Nylon is what you might call a super fiber. It was first invented in 1935 and was used to make women’s stockings, which back in the day were made of 100% silk. Since then, vinyl has become one of the most widely used materials ever made by human hands.
Nylon is inexpensive, versatile, strong, it has elasticity, it’s lightweight, it dries quickly, it’s durable, and it’s fairly resistant to heat and UV rays. Nylon upholstery fabric is used across all sectors, from hospitality to health care. It’s also used in a lot of upholstery blends for furniture fabric.
Nylon is typically stronger and more durable than polyester, cotton, and wool. The reason is that has a stronger molecular structure. It’s not a spun fibre like cotton and is instead made as a continuous filament polymer. This means the strands are tighter, so the fabric is more resistant to being frayed.
This is why most high-quality carpets are made from nylon, usually 100% nylon and not a blend. Considering people walk all day over carpet, constantly rubbing and causing friction, 100% nylon holds up the best for the longest. And as a fiber, nylon doesn’t absorb moisture and it can’t become a breeding ground for bacteria or mildew. It’s also more resistant to heat and won’t melt as easily as other synthetic fabrics. It is also highly stain resistant and fade resistant, along with being resistant to mildew, abrasion, and sunlight, so it can be used both indoors and out.
What is Nylon Used for?
Nylon is used in a wide range of different applications. Because nylon isn’t generally something used by itself, it comes in various blends. This means nylon is used in conjunction with other fabrics to make them stronger, such as wool.
Wool naturally comes from a sheep and is a great material for absorbing moisture. On the other hand, nylon is man-made and extremely durable. When the two fabrics are combined, they make things like winter coats. Nylon makes the cotton stronger and more durable.
Nylon by itself is used in a lot of sports clothing. It is almost always used with things like compression shirts and shorts where it is important that no moisture is retained. For example, a 100% cotton shirt is going to soak up sweat and take longer to dry, but when nylon is added to the blend, shirts and shorts are less likely to retain moisture and will dry faster.
Plus, nylon is ridiculously thin. Even though it might not seem like much, having your athletic-wear made from nylon means carrying less weight while exercising or running. Nylon is also better because it doesn’t allow for chafing, whereas cotton definitely does.
Nylon is basically a second skin. It wicks away moisture from the body and fits tightly to your form. This is why compression gear is made out of nylon. This is also why nylon is often used in hiking clothes and even shower curtains.
Is Nylon Used for Upholstery?
Yes, nylon is used for upholstery. But it’s almost never used alone. You won’t find a couch upholstered only in nylon. Remember that this stuff was created for women’s stockings. It’s not the kind of fabric you want to be sitting on.
Nylon is only going to be one ingredient in your upholstery fabric. A lot of modern fabrics are mixed with synthetic fibers, from nylon to acrylic and even polyester. Polyester is often blended with other fibers to get rid of wrinkles, while acrylic is a synthetic fiber that imitates wool.
Nylon is blended with different fibers to create the strongest of upholstery fabrics. It makes any fabric more resistant to wrinkles and can prolong the life of furniture.
Nylon is used more heavily in decorative fabrics, like curtains, rugs, and carpets. Nylon is a favourite material for drapes and curtains because it’s more affordable than natural fabrics and can still be dyed easily to look great.
Is Nylon Fabric Expensive?
No, nylon fabric is not expensive. Because nylon is a synthetic fabric, it is more affordable than natural fabrics that take way more work to produce. Natural fabrics must be farmed from animals. This takes more work than just creating fabric in a lab. Nylon is produced quickly and inexpensively, meaning it doesn’t cost very much when it comes to upholstery.
Is Nylon Upholstery Fabric Durable?
Nylon is one of the strongest threads currently in use for upholstery. It has a very high strength-to-size ratio, especially when compared to something like polyester thread. Nylon thread also offers huge flexibility and stretch. Its high tensile nature makes it ideal for the heaviest fabrics found in your home.
For a couch that lasts decades, nylon is ideal. Sofas, love seats, car seats, stools, welcome mats – any piece of furniture or decor in your house that sees heavy traffic can benefit from nylon. Nylon can be added to just about anything to make it more durable. If you want a soft yet strong, resilient couch, try pairing nylon with another fabric to get the best result.
Nylon is a general-purpose fabric. It’s just one of those things that’s found in a lot of everyday materials. The only downside to nylon is that it has a relatively low UV resistance. This means it doesn’t do well in the sun. For this reason, nylon upholstery is not recommended for outdoor use.
What Is Made of Nylon?
Nylon isn’t really known as a popular upholstery fabric. Sure, it is used in lots of blends, but nylon’s main purpose has never been upholstery. Nylon is used to make things like sleeping bags, seat belts, tubing, dental floss, and the material found in parachutes. Just from that short list of things, you can see how strong nylon fibers are.
If you look around your room right now, you’ll probably see half a dozen things made from nylon. It’s one of the most versatile materials and is available to use in just about every application. Clothing, the interiors of cars, furniture upholstery, and so much more. Nylon accounts for at least 12% of the synthetic fibres manufactured today.
When choosing upholstery fabrics, nylon has a myriad of benefits, however if you would like more information on other upholstery fabrics, check out the this related article – How to choose upholstery fabric
