Fabric is the part of a sofa guests touch, the part that wears first, and the part most likely to delay your project. For commercial seating, choosing it is a technical decision as much as an aesthetic one.
We upholster in bouclé, velvet, linen, performance fabrics and full-grain or corrected leather, and source custom materials on request. This is how we advise clients to choose between them.
Start with abrasion: the rub test
Abrasion resistance is measured by rubbing the fabric until it wears. Two tests are common: Martindale (used widely in Europe and Asia) and Wyzenbeek (“double rubs”, common in the US). Industry guidance, such as the Association for Contract Textiles’ performance guidelines, generally treats the following as typical thresholds:
- General contract use — around 20,000 Martindale cycles / 15,000 double rubs
- Heavy-duty contract use (lobbies, restaurants, high traffic) — around 40,000 Martindale cycles / 30,000 double rubs
Ask for the test result on the fabric’s specification sheet. A beautiful fabric with no stated rating belongs on a cushion, not a lobby sofa.
Fabric types and where they work
- Performance fabrics — engineered for stain resistance and cleaning; the default for hotel lobbies, restaurants and family-heavy spaces.
- Bouclé — textured and forgiving of wear; check the loop size, as large loops can snag on luggage and jewellery.
- Velvet — rich and premium; choose a commercial-grade (often polyester) velvet with a stated rating, and expect visible pile marks.
- Linen and linen blends — relaxed look; pure linen creases and stains, so performance linen blends are safer for commercial use.
- Leather — full-grain ages well; corrected-grain is more uniform and easier to clean. Both need care in hot, humid conditions.
Dye lots: the hidden consistency risk
Every production batch of a fabric is dyed separately, and two lots of the “same” colour can differ visibly under hotel lighting. For any multi-room project we buy the entire fabric requirement in one dye lot before cutting starts — including for orders delivered in phases — and cut in roll sequence. Our Chiang Mai hotel order is an example: 90 pieces in one performance bouclé lot.
Fire performance
Hotels and public buildings may have to meet flammability requirements set by local regulation, an operator’s brand standard, or the destination country on export orders. Requirements differ, so confirm the standard before choosing fabric; it affects which fabrics qualify and the documentation you need.
Bangkok’s climate
Heat and humidity matter. Natural fibres and leather can mark, stretch or develop mildew in poorly ventilated spaces; outdoor-adjacent seating (terraces, pool decks) needs solution-dyed, outdoor-rated fabric and quick-dry foam rather than standard interior materials.
Customer’s own material (COM)
You can supply your own fabric. Tell us early: we will confirm the quantity required per model during sampling, and check the fabric is suitable for upholstery before it is cut.
Frequently asked questions
Do you sell upholstery fabric by the metre?
No. We are a furniture manufacturer; fabric is supplied as part of the upholstered pieces we build, or you can supply your own (COM).
What fabric do you recommend for a hotel lobby?
Usually a performance fabric with a heavy-duty rub rating, in a mid-tone that hides wear. Our hotel lobby modular project used performance linen.
Can curtains or cushions match the sofa fabric?
They can be made from the same fabric and dye lot; plan quantities together so all the textile is ordered at once.