Stain resistant fabric: the full story
Stain-resistant fabrics are the best choice for furniture, upholstery, drapery, and curtains. They're performance fabrics with an emphasis on cleanability. Stain-resistant fabrics are available in many different styles, colours, and textures so you can choose the one that suits your home décor best.
What are stain resistant fabrics?
Stain resistant fabrics are made from high performance fibres, which have been specially treated with a coating to provide stain resistance. These fabrics are used in upholstery, drapery, and home textiles.
Stain resistant fabrics are stain repellent, stain resistant and colourfast (won't fade). When you buy a garment or accessory made of stain-resistant fabric, you can expect it to be durable against everyday stains like grease, water, and wine.
Related: How to Pick the Best Upholstery Fabric for Your Furniture
How are stain resistant fabrics made?
These special properties in furnishing fabrics are thanks to mechanical solutions, such as different weaving and knitting patterns, modifications to the fibres, or by ‘finishing’ of the textiles.
Finishing of the textiles is a process that involves the application of a variety of chemicals to the fabric to create a protective coating that prevents liquids from penetrating the fabric.
This ‘finishing’ coating can also be applied to naturally stain-resistant fabrics such as wool or cotton, to further improve their durability.
Other methods can also be used, such as the application of hydrophobic or hydrophilic coatings, which cause liquids to bead up and roll off the surface of the fabric. Many of these treatments can be applied in the dyeing process and are often combined with special dyes that create a permanent stain-resistant effect.
Yes, some fabrics are naturally stain resistant
Examples of fabrics that are naturally stain resistant include wool, cotton, and linen.
- Wool is naturally water-resistant, and its fibres are tightly packed together, making it difficult for liquids to penetrate.
- Cotton is also highly absorbent and is often treated with a hydrophobic finish for added water resistance.
- Linen is highly durable and has a low absorbency, meaning that liquids are not easily absorbed into the fabric.
- Additionally, some synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon are also naturally resistant to stains.
- Read more about natural and synthetic fibres: 13 Things About Textile and Fabrics You May Not Have Known
A short history of stain resistant furnishing fabric
As lifestyles and activities shifted throughout the 20th century, the demand for better ‘performing’ fabrics was booming. Manufacturers stayed ahead of the curve only if they could innovate fast enough to meet demands for certain properties, such as providing increased strength, elasticity, or durability.
This shift in consumer needs and desires meant that fabric manufacturers had to evolve to keep up with the times, and as a result, the industry saw a steady rise in demand for fabrics that could offer these specialised properties. In fact, the textiles industry is seeing the same rush of rapid evolution today, but in a different direction: sustainability.
Technology advanced so much that our modern conception of finishing textiles has been possible since the 1960s, creating stain resistant fabrics and fire-retardant fabrics, as well as fabrics that just performed better overall, resisting stretching and wrinkles, and, sometimes, even microbial life!
Great advancements in dye technology were happening too, and suddenly working with traditionally difficult-to-dye fibres was a possibility. This has opened a whole new realm of possibilities for designers, giving them a greater range of options when creating unique and stylish fabrics.
Benefits of stain resistant fabrics
Stains are a problem in the home just as much as in commercial environments.
No matter how careful you are with your pasta sauce or how much attention you pay to where you put your hot-off-the-grill ribs, there's always a chance that something will end up on your teak dining table, fabric sofa, or dining chairs.
That's where fabrics that resist stains really shine. They're like a sidekick who only jumps in with a friendly helping hand when necessary.
These fabrics are designed to be more resistant to wear and tear and can help keep furniture looking like new for longer. Additionally, they are often more comfortable than traditional fabrics and come in a variety of colours and patterns, helping to enhance the aesthetics of a space.
- Durability. One of the major benefits of using stain resistant furnishing fabrics is the durability they provide. These fabrics are designed to be more resistant to wear and tear, and can help keep furniture looking like new for longer. Additionally, stain resistant fabrics are easy to clean and require less maintenance, helping to prevent any unwanted spills from becoming permanent.
- Comfort. Stain resistant fabrics are often more comfortable than traditional fabrics, making them ideal for furniture that is used frequently. These fabrics are designed to be breathable, helping to keep furniture cool and comfortable. They are also usually softer than traditional fabrics, helping to create a more relaxing and inviting atmosphere.
- Aesthetics. Stain resistant fabrics can also help to enhance the aesthetics of a space. These fabrics come in a variety of colours and patterns, making it easy to find the perfect one for your space. Additionally, stain resistant fabrics are often easier to keep clean, helping to keep furniture looking fresh and new for longer.
Tips for cleaning stain resistant fabric sofas
The best way to keep your sofa clean is to avoid spills and stains. If you have kids or pets, it’s a good idea to have a spray bottle of water on hand in case of spills.
If the spill happens, blot up as much liquid as possible with a clean cloth (or paper towels), then use club soda or water to dilute the stain. Blot again with another clean cloth, then let dry completely before applying any cleaning products.
Stain-resistant treatments are designed to help prevent stains from setting in and making it difficult for them to come out later. The treatments don’t always work perfectly — especially if there's a lot of traffic on the furniture — but they do make it easier for you to remove stains when they do occur.
FABRICS EDUCATION FOR A MORE INFORMED FUTURE
We hope that we’ve helped you understand the world of stain-resistant fabrics, especially when they’re used for upholstery and drapery applications.
We guarantee that FibreGuard's collections of stain resistant fabrics can handle anything your pets, kids, visitors, patients, and co-workers can do. Our performance fabrics are designed to be "life-friendly" - they can handle anything life throws at them! FibreGuard’s upholstery fabrics are engineered from the inside out to perform, so no wonder they’re easy on the hands (and eyes).