If you are looking to imbue your living space with some style and sophistication, you should consider using wool fabric in your upholstery efforts. Wool is not only suitable for clothing! In fact, it can be used for upholstery and has its own set of benefits which make it a great choice for upholstery.
Read on to find out more.
Advantages of Wool Upholstery Fabric
You will want to weigh the pros and cons of wool upholstery fabric before you make any final textile decisions. Luckily, wool upholstery fabric has plenty of advantages, which we will explore further below.
Durable
One of the great advantages of wool upholstery fabric is how durable and resilient it is! The natural fibers that occur in Merino wool have a crimped appearance, which means that they are able to spring back into place easily, even when the fabric has been pressed or sat upon for long periods of time. This means that your wool upholstered chairs or sofa will be able to remain in top shape for years after being brought into the home, without issues like compressing, wrinkling, or creasing!
Easy to Take Care Of
Wool fabrics are also easy to clean and otherwise take care of. Wool fibers have a protective coating that occurs naturally, which helps to prevent stains. Because of this, it is possible for you to put your upholstery in the washing machine, rather than hand washing and hand drying it. Of course, this is not something that will be physically possible unless your upholstery is removable. It also has anti static properties that prevent dust from collecting on its surface.
Lasts Long Term
Wool upholstery fabrics are able to stand the test of time, due to some of the advantages discussed above, such as their durability and ease of care. There are innovations that make wool upholstery fabrics very fine and soft to the touch, rather than the scratchy and coarse textile that you may expect. Wool upholstery fabric is also easy to work with, as it does not fray and will not crease or wrinkle.
Environmentally Friendly
Wool being a natural fiber can be a pro and a con– it can make the textile more expensive, but it is also an advantage because it is environmentally friendly. Wool is produced year round by different breeds of sheep, and because of this, it can be considered to be a renewable resource. It is also biodegradable, unlike many synthetic fibers, and even adds nutrients into the soil as it deteriorates!
Plenty of Options
Last but not least, there are so many options when it comes to wool upholstery fabrics. You can find fabrics in all sorts of prints and colours, so you have many options to choose from and will be able to find the perfect swatch to match your existing space or aesthetic with ease. Originally, wool fabrics were mostly plaids or tartans, but that is no longer the case! Textile creators have begun to branch out into other patterns, prints, and colour combinations.
Disadvantages of Wool Upholstery Fabric
Of course, while wool upholstery fabric has plenty of advantages, there are also some disadvantages that come with this material, too. Below, we will go over some of these disadvantages.
Expensive
Wool fabric is luxurious and can give you a crisp, tailored look in your living space. However, it is also one of the more expensive upholstery textiles. This is in part because it is a natural fiber. Natural fibers are usually more expensive than synthetic, manmade fibers, because it costs less to create these manmade fabrics. Producing wool fabric is a longer process and there is not as much of it available as compared to synthetic fibers, which therefore drives the price up.
Can Be Uncomfortable
Have you ever put on a wool sweater, only to find yourself itchy and uncomfortable? That is one of the drawbacks of wool– it can be uncomfortable and scratchy, especially when it is not blended with another fiber to soften it. This is an issue that you can run into with wool upholstery fabrics, too. In order to avoid this, you will want to look for wool textiles that are not 100% wool and are instead blended with a synthetic fiber, such as polyester. This will make the fabric suitable for upholstery and to be sat upon.
As you will likely not be sitting on the wool fabric in a way that has it coming into contact with your bare skin– like it would if you were wearing a wool sweater– this issue may not even be something you need to consider at all. However, it is still something worth being aware of.
Interested in getting you piece of furniture re-upholstered? We can help! At Calgary Interiors we offer reupholstery services along with design consultations, custom furniture and more!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is wool fabric good for upholstery?
Wool fabric is a great, durable choice for upholstering your furniture that will last many years. Typically, though, wool is blended with a synthetic fiber to create an upholstery textile, rather than using pure wool for upholstery. This makes the fabric easier to clean and take care of.
What is the most durable fabric for upholstery?
Leather and microfiber are two of the most durable fabrics that are used for upholstery. When it comes to microfiber, you should be sure to check that the fabric is 100% polyester, so that the fabric is resistant to stains, fading, or water marks. Microfiber is also easy to clean and stands up well.
Is wool a good fabric for chairs?
Wool can be a great choice for upholstering chairs! Wool fibers are very resilient and can spring into place again after being pressed or sat upon. This shows that wool fabric can be durable and chairs that are upholstered with it can look their best for years without issues such as wrinkling, cmpressing, or creasing.
Is wool upholstery fabric itchy?
Wool upholstery fabric can be itchy, but typically, because it is blended with a synthetic fiber, it is actually a soft and smooth material. Wool upholstery fabric is usually much less itchy than, say, a wool sweater might be.
