Fabrics are made of fibers that are either natural or synthetic. Natural fibers are the fibers found in nature like cotton or linen and have a very long history in the making of furniture. Synthetic fibers were developed in the early 20th century. Many were made so that they could be blended with natural fibers in order to compensate for the natural fiber drawbacks. This also allowed for textiles to be made less expensive.
Listed below are the common fibers you will find while shopping for furniture and their strengths and weaknesses.
Cotton:
-
- Most widely used fiber for weaving
- Fibers hook and cling together creating durability and strength
- Cleans well
- Absorbs dyes well and has superb colorfastness
- Has a “soft hand” and drapes well
Wool:
-
- Springy, soft & resilient fiber
- Takes dye well
- Has memory, resists wrinkling
- Is lightweight compared to bulk
- Tailors well, easy to shape and crease with steam
Silk:
-
- Continuous filament that is spun from a silk worm cocoon
- Takes dye well for deep, rich color
- Most luxurious fiber
- Resilient and elastic, holds its shape
- Has poor abrasion resistance
- Poor colorfastness
- High production costs
Rayon:
-
- Exhibits great strength
- Receptive to dyes & finishes
- Low production costs
- Excellent blender with other fibers
- Brings sheen & clarity to its blended fibers
- Some wrinkling possible
Nylon:
- Has high tensile strength
- Has good elasticity
- Easy to clean & dries quickly
- High abrasive resistance
- Has a “fair hand”
- Resistant to mildew, mold and soil rot
Polyester:
- Blends well with other fibers
- Has good strength
- Has good colorfastness
- Has good abrasion resistance
- May pill occasionally
Acrylic
- Has a luxurious feel and appearance
- Excellent draping ability for softness and tailoring
- Economical
- Easy to clean
Olefin
- Extremely lightweight
- Abrasion & fade resistant
- Easy to Clean
- Economical
- Resists wrinkling
Microfiber
- Finely extruded filament that is light, comfortable and breathable
- Fine as silk & has appearance of suede or velvet
- Stain resistant and durable
Bassett Green Fabrics:
Environmentally Friendly Fabrics is a new term to describe fabrics that are manufactured differently to improve the environment. Using natural fibers, like combinations of cotton and linen, and blends of recycled polyester allows the fabrics to be labeled as environmentally friendly. Our yarns dyers buy their dyes and chemicals from dye manufacturers who are members of the ETAD (Ecological & Toxicological Association of Dyes and Organic Pigments Manufacturers). Bassett’s carefully selects the yarns to have a high absorption rate which means a decreased use of rinse water creating less waste water, therefore having a low impact on our environment.
Related posts: