Performance fabrics: perfect for home interiors

Upholstery fabrics are the most visible component of any sofa, chair, or other piece of furniture. Their design and quality affect the look and feel of the entire room. The right upholstery fabric can make your room feel warm and welcoming, while the wrong one can make it feel cold and impersonal.

Performance fabrics: more than a buzzword

Performance fabrics are not just another marketing gimmick – in fact, they’re an essential part of modern interior design. The reality is that performance fabrics are a great solution for many interior spaces.

Performance fabrics have become increasingly popular in the home furnishings industry over the past few years, but what exactly makes them different than other types of fabric? The answer is that performance fabrics are made with specific properties in mind. For example, they may have stain resistant properties, which means they can handle liquids better than regular fabrics.

Performance fabrics offer many benefits to architects, designers, and clients alike. They are durable and easy-care, helping to reduce the maintenance costs associated with a project. They also help to insulate against heat loss in the winter months and heat gain in the summer months.

More benefits of using performance fabrics in interior design

• Lower costs in the long-term: Performance fabrics can reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs, which will ultimately save you money. Plus, buying once and buying well means you’ll save money you’d have to spend if you bought a lower-quality product only to discard it a few months down the road.
• Reduced environmental impact: The manufacturing process for performance fabrics generally uses less water than traditional textiles and less energy than traditional dyes. The result is fewer chemicals being released into our environment as well as lower carbon emissions during production.
• Highly customisable: Performance fabrics come in an array of colours, patterns and textures that can be customised to suit your needs perfectly.

The most common types of performance fabrics:

• Stain-resistant upholstery and drapery - these fabrics have an added coating or treatment that prevents stains from setting into the fabric. This makes them ideal for areas where you don't want to worry about spills or food.
• Moisture-repellent/wicking - these fabrics have a special treatment that helps them draw moisture away from your skin, so you stay dryer during exercise or other physical activity. This makes them great for athletic wear like leggings and workout tops!
• Sun-protective - these fabrics have been treated with UV protection, so they won't fade when exposed to sunlight. FibreGuard Outdoor fabrics are a great example of this, as they incorporate the original FibreGuard fabric stain free technology with a few added extras, including solution-dyed polyolefin yarn, especially for outdoor use.

Taking the best part of every fibre to craft the highest performing fabric possible

In the past few years, high-performance upholstery has become a hot trend in the furniture and textile industries. The fabric is made of different fibres and have different properties that make them ideal for certain uses. To help you understand the difference between each fibre, we've put together this short guide.

What do interior performance fabrics feel like?

The hand-feel of high-quality upholstery fabric is one of the most important factors in the decision-making process. The hand-feel of a fabric is a direct result of its density, thickness, and composition.

The hand-feel of upholstery fabric varies widely depending on the type of fabric and how it has been constructed. Softer fabrics are usually made from finer yarns, which are spun more tightly together to create a denser fabric that feels thicker. However, some softer fabrics can be produced with thick yarns for a less dense feel or even with thin yarns for a lighter weight.

The hand-feel of high-quality upholstery fabrics is unique.

The hand-feel can also be influenced by other factors such as thread count, pile height and pile direction. Some fabrics have an open weave that allows air to flow through them more easily than solid weaves, which makes them feel cooler in hot weather and warmer in cold weather.

If you want to add some comfort and luxury to your home, consider using performance fabrics for interior design.

Performance fabrics are comfortable to touch and sit on because they do not contain any lint or loose fibres that come off during use or washing. These fabrics have a high thread count which makes them durable and able to withstand lots of wear and tear without tearing or fraying easily.

High-performance furnishing fabrics are changing the entire home interior industry

To understand exactly what these fabrics are, we must look at their purpose in the grand scheme of home décor. These ultra-versatile fabrics are designed to be stain resistant, moisture resistant and easy to clean. They are ideal for busy households with kids and pets. Performance fabrics are also great for ultra-glam interiors, as well as headboards, pillows, and window treatments.

High-performance upholstery fabrics — These fabrics have been specially produced to resist staining and fading by using advanced technology such as UV protection or stain repellent coating on the fabric surface. The fibres used in these fabrics are also very fine so they can be cleaned easily with a vacuum cleaner or wet cloth. If you want something that will stand up well against everyday wear and tear, then this type of fabric is ideal for you!

High-performance drapery fabric — Drapery fabric is great for covering windows because it blocks out light from outside but let’s in natural light from inside which makes it perfect for bedrooms where people sleep during night-time hours! Drapery fabric comes in many different colours, patterns

Ideal for busy households with kids and pets

Performance upholstery and drapery are more durable than traditional textiles, meaning they can withstand high levels of activity and wear, so they're perfect for use in active households. In addition to being more durable than wholly natural fibres such as cotton, performance fabrics offer other benefits that make them ideal for interior design projects:

• They're wrinkle-resistant, so they don't need ironing after washing.
• They have low shrinkage rates (often less than 5 percent).
• They can resist stains better than other fabric does.

Textiles tips for new interior designers

Interior design is an art that is often taken for granted, but it's also a science. The interior design process starts with selecting the right materials for the job, and this includes fabrics.

Fabrics are used in almost every room of your home — from upholstery to draperies and even flooring. They can make or break an interior design project, so you want to choose wisely. Consider the purpose of the room. A dining room, for example, needs different fabrics than a living room does, so think about what type of use each room will receive before selecting.

Look at samples closely and compare multiple options side by side. You may be able to find similar products that offer better value or quality than others — but only if you take the time to look closely at all options before deciding.

Don't limit yourself to just one store when shopping for upholstery fabrics or other materials for your home's interior design projects. You might find something better at another store somewhere else! It doesn't hurt to check out several different stores before making a final decision on what material you want to use in each area of your home.

Performance fabrics are transforming home interiors

Performance upholstery is certainly a great investment, whether we're talking about outdoor furniture or indoor upholstery. And they can prove useful almost anywhere in your home—from the living room to the kitchen and dining area to your patio or deck.

When you consider the flexibility and longer lifespan of performance fabrics, you'll understand the value in the investment.