what is upholstery fabric

Upholstery fabric is the material used to cover furniture, such as chairs, sofas, and other cushioned pieces. It is a padded covering that hides the stuffing and holds it all in place, as well as creating a decorative finish. Upholstery fabric can be made from any yarn or thread that is woven or knitted into a textile, such as cotton, linen, wool, hemp, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, acrylic, and rayon. The fabric used for upholstery needs to be tough and heavyweight to withstand the rigors of daily life, and it usually has woven patterns rather than dyed-in patterns. The durability of a fabric can be determined by its "double rub" rating, which measures how many times a fabric can be rubbed before it shows signs of wear. Upholstery fabric is backed with latex, glue, or other textiles to add stability to the fabric, which helps with durability and abrasion resistance in the long term. Some upholstery fabrics are not backed because they are woven for slipcover fabric, which can stretch and move better than fabrics with backing.