What’s The Most Durable Furniture Fabric?

La-Z-Boy Southeast | March 14, 2022

One question we receive on a regular basis is, “What is the most durable furniture fabric?”

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we understand most of us are really tough on our furniture.

This is why we want furniture fabric that’s going to hold up despite constant abuse.

For the ultimate in durability, certain types of leather fabric will be your best bet.

However, some people prefer something besides a room full of leather furniture.

In this article and video podcast, we’ll take a look at some of the most durable furniture fabric options.

What Causes Furniture Fabric To Deteriorate?

Dirt and dust has the ability to cause fabric to wear down over time.

These tiny particles are able to bury themselves among the individual fibers of your furniture.

Friction between the dirt particles and fabric will take place anytime someone takes a seat.

This repeated friction between ultimately causes the fabric fibers to break down.

For example, think about a piece of string being pulled tight.

If you continually rubbed a sharp rock back and forth on the string, it would snap.

The same thing happens to your fabric every time you sit on your furniture.

Microfiber Furniture Fabric

Synthetic microfiber is typically the most durable furniture fabric available in today’s market.

Microfiber’s durability can be attributed to its ultra-fine fibers.

These fibers are tightly woven to create a powerful layer of protection.

Furniture covered with synthetic microfiber fabric does a great job of holding up against dirt, dust, and most liquids.

Canvas Furniture Fabric

Canvas fabric has many of the same qualities of microfiber. But it sacrifices softness and overall comfort because of the larger fibers.

This fabric made its way into the industry by covering outdoor furniture.

People noticed it was able to withstand abuse from hurricanes, tornadoes, and large wildlife.

So, they decided it could handle the everyday wear and tear indoor furniture endures.

Canvas is an extremely durable furniture fabric. However, most folks don’t prefer it’s rough texture and lack of long-lasting comfort.

Cotton & Linen Furniture Fabric

Microfiber and canvas are two of the most durable furniture fabrics. However, cotton and linen also have very strong fibers.

Cotton and linen must be woven tightly in order to be considered durable.

A tight weave is less likely to allow dirt, dust, and liquid to penetrate. Plus, it’s able to prevent snags.

Snags occur when fibers aren’t woven tightly. Loose fibers will catch on clothing or other objects and cause holes in your furniture.

Eventually, these small holes will potentially turn into fabric tears.

How to Find Durable Fabrics

As you can see, there are many durable fabric options on the market today.

Look for fabrics that offer the most durability without sacrificing comfort like microfiber, cotton, and linen.

After all, you could simply purchase a cinderblock sofa and never have to worry about it wearing out. But who wants to do that?

Be sure to ask your sales associate or the furniture manufacturer what type of testing their fabrics go through.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, all of our fabrics are put through a testing procedure rated two times the industry standard.

Torturous machines stretch, pummel, and pound our fabrics repeatedly to test them for durability.

Check For Weave Tightness

You can see how tight the fibers are woven by taking a close look at the furniture.

Be on the lookout for gaps in the weave where dust and dirt can get in.

Lightly pull and prod fabric samples to see if they easily separate in your hands.

The best ones will maintain their shape and have very little give.

If the fabric passes the test and it’s made out of:

Synthetic Microfiber
Cotton
Linen

Then chances are it’ll hold up for a long time.

Check Out These Additional Resources

We hope these tips help you find a furniture upholstery that’s durable and comfortable.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, you can see our full range of fabric options and receive free samples.

Here are some additional online resources you may like to check out:

We’d be happy to help you find the most durable furniture fabric at any of our locations in NC, SC, or GA.