Acetate - cellulose fiber that features wood pulp as its major raw ingredient (window treatment commonly) Features good draping qualities (low durability)

Acrylics - made from fossil fuel (same family as polyester and nylon), durability and soft feel, mothproof, but heat-sensitive (popular in velvets)

Chintz - printed cotton fabric that usually has been glazed (English country style), the fabric is a plain weave woven on a plain loom, subject to fading and not very durable compared to woven patterns

Cotton - a vegetable fiber from the cotton plant, strong and durable, can be used to make various others fabrics, dye easily and are typically colorfast

Cupro - cellulose fiber similar to viscose rayon, it is very strong and can be fashioned into finer yarns.

Linen - comes from the vegetable fiber of the flax plant, unless treated it is extremely prone to wrinkling and creasing (not used for damp areas)

Modacrylics - blends with natural or other manmade fibers

Modal - a modified rayon, this fiber looks like cotton, made from cotton waste or wood and used in fabric blends to upgrade or offset some of the weaker characteristic of the natural or synthetic fibers present in the blend.

Nylon - derived from petroleum, nylon is typically used in a blended fabric, inherent strength and wrinkle resistant, highly absorbent, heat-sensitive

Polyester - used in fabric blends with natural fibers, its processed nature as a material that is chemically produced from petroleum derivatives is not glaringly obvious, fast drying, low absorbency, good for heavy use in the home as an upholstery fabric

Rayon - among the first manmade cellulose fibers

Silk - hand-dyed in rich, abstract colorations, or left in a natural-looking neutral to work with a monochromatic room palette, it is appearing with increasing frequency in contemporary design schemes. Unbend silk fabric is 100 percent natural animal fiber extracted from the cocoons of the silkworm larvae. Heat-sensitive, strong fabric and not easily prone to wrinkle

Wool - all-natural animal fiber made from the coasts of sheep or goats, wool is valued for its insulating warmth. Pleasing complement to the lodge look. Wool can retain body heat but absorbs spills. Make sure that a stain-resistant treatment has been applied to any wool fabrics. (It is subject to shrinkage and can be attacked by moths).

Double-Cone Coil Springs - Introduced in 1828 the coil spring has lead the way to major changes in furniture during the nineteenth century. The double-cone coil spring is the best quality of springs for sofas and large chairs for which a deep, comfortable, resilient seat is a desired-and it is also the most expensive. Made from heavy coiled metal, these seat springs are shaped like an hour-glass. They are available in various degrees of compression, including soft, medium, and hard, determined by the size of the center coil.

No-Sag Springs - made from continuous wire shaped in a zigzag, they are much more affordable then the Double-Cone Coil Spring

Down- A favorite material for bed pillows and comforters, down also is considered a luxury stuffing for upholstery furnishings. Is consists of the feathers from birds, or the light, fluffy undercoating, on which there is no quill shaft, from older ducks, geese, and other water fowl. Tends to leave body imprint on the seat, which requires fluffing and reshaping-a maintenance feature some consumer choose to avoid, even at the loss of the more comfortable seat.

Foam Rubber- One of the most expensive and best stuffing for new upholstered furniture, foam rubber is rubber that contains air bubbles. It is available in slab form for use as a stuffing material. Classic foam rubber tens to break down and granulate over time, and is no longer widely available, having been replaced by the newer high-resiliency (HR) polyurethane foam, which does not deteriorate.

Tow- a flax plant fiber, tow is firm and easy to work with. Its chief use in upholstery is as a firm foundation (first stuffing) for more resilient stuffing materials.

Bottoming - - as the word indicates, this is the muslin cover tacked to the underside of an upholstered area. Usually CAMBRIC is the choice of most upholsters. It is a black cotton fabric and is used as a dustcover.

Burlap - A sturdy fabric woven from yarns made from the coarse fibers of jute or hemp, burlap is used to cover springs and to serve as a protective layer between them and the stuffing material. Burlap is tacked to the furniture frame after the springs are tied, with its edge folded back to give double thickness beneath the tack heads. Available in different weights from 7.5-16 ounces. A 12-ounce weight is recommended for custom pieces when one can afford to pay for superior strength.

Cotton Felt - Cotton spun into sheets, cotton felts is used as a pad over coarse stuffing and in between temporary and final covers.

Wadding - A thin layer of cotton contained between two sheets of soft paper, this material is used like cotton felt, as a topping for coarse stuffing and as a bridge between temporary and final covers.

Webbing - This material used as a base or platform for the upholstery springs and stuffing material. Because it is the foundation material, it must be extremely strong to ensure maximum load-bearing for a comfortable seat over time.

Fabric Care

1. Fabric must be protected from the sun
• Shades should be drawn during the day, and awnings should be used whenever possible.
• The winter sun and reflection from the snow can be even more harmful than the summer sun
• Colors can fade by oxidation, which occurs when fabrics are kept in storage for long period with airing
• Impurities in the air may cause as much fading as the direct rays of the sun

2. Use a reputable dry cleaner that specialize in home furnishing
• Vacuum fabrics often
• Dry cleaning should be done at normal intervals before excessive soil has amassed
• Very few fabrics are washable

3. Be tolerant of normal fluctuations in lengths of draperies
• Few fabrics are completely stable
• All fabrics breathe and absorb moisture, which causes stretching and shrinking
• Fabrics placed near cooling and heating vents may react to a much greater degree

4. Fabrics wear out
• Wear will vary with the amount of the use the fabrics has to ender
• A favorite chair will not last as long as a seldom used show piece

5. Applied finished may help fabrics resist soil and stain
• Different finishes help fabrics resist spotting, but they are not the solution to all the problems
• Light colors are likely to benefit most

6. Synthetic fibers
• Synthetic yarn has made impressive strides in advancing the technology of weaving, but they cannot perform miracles.

As compiled by the Decorative Fabrics Association

Clean Code Information

The following recommended cleaning codes are devised as the results of tested performed by the fabric manufactures, but there is no guarantee of these fabrics or the clean-ability thereof.

F - Dry clean using fluorocarbon or petroleum solvent only. Used reduced cycle, moisture, and/or heat. Professional cleaning is recommended. CAUTION: Use of water-based or detergent-based solvent cleaners may cause excessive shrinking. Water stains become permanent and unable to be removed with solvent cleaning agents. To prevent overall soil, frequent vacuuming or light brushing, to remove dust and grime, is recommended.

P - Dry clean in solvents except trichloroethylene. Used reduced cycle, moisture, and/or heat. Professional cleaning is recommended. CAUTION: Use of water-based or detergent-based solvent cleaners may cause excessive shrinking. Water stains become permanent and unable to be removed with solvent cleaning agents. To prevent overall soil, frequent vacuuming or light brushing, to remove dust and grime, is recommended.

S - Clean this fabric with pure solvents. Professional cleaning is recommended. CAUTION: Use of water-based or detergent-based solvent cleaners may cause excessive shrinking. Water stains become permanent and unable to be removed with solvent cleaning agents. To prevent overall soil, frequent vacuuming or light brushing, to remove dust and grime, is recommended.

SW - Clean this fabric with water-based cleaning agents, foam or pure solvents. Professional cleaning is recommended. To prevent overall soil, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommend.

W - Clean this fabric with water-based cleaning agents foam to remove overall soil. Many household cleanings agents are harmful to the color and life of a fabric. Professional cleaning is recommended. To prevent overall soil, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommend.

WS - Clean this fabric with water-based cleaning agents only, do not use solvents. For oil based stains use solvent cleaners.

WW - Use water based cleaning agents only. Do not use solvents. Blotting or hand washing is recommended for stain removal. Do not over wet. Excessive brushing or vacuuming may degrade the finish.

X - Clean fabric only by vacuuming or light brushing to prevent accumulation of dust or grime. Water-based foam or solvent-based cleaning agents of any kind my cause excessive shrinking or fading.