Fabrics for upholstery workshops
We supply three materials that work beneath the upholstery: stretch stockinette for wrapping foam, FR Crib 5 fire retardant fabric and featherproof cushion inlet. They are ideal for bespoke upholstery, refurbishment and furniture for hospitality venues.
What comes back to the workshop
Three situations that end in rework or a complaint. Each of them has its source in the layers beneath the upholstery.
Foam wears against the upholstery from the inside
In a seat, foam works every time someone sits down. Without a layer between it and the upholstery that it can slide over, it rubs directly against the fabric — and with a removable cover, there’s added resistance every time the cover is pulled on. The furniture then comes back for repair, even though the upholstery still looks good.
A cushion loses filling through the casing and seam
Feathers and down escape through a weave that is too loose and, above all, through a poorly made seam. The customer notices after a few weeks: the cushion goes flat and stray feathers appear on the upholstery. Topping up the filling won’t fix anything.
The customer requires a test the upholstery doesn’t pass
For furniture going to a hotel or a restaurant, the specification may name a specific fire retardancy test. Changing the top fabric then means changing the whole design, while a barrier layer placed beneath the upholstery solves the problem with no visible difference in the furniture.
Three materials, three jobs
We offer three materials for the inner layers of furniture. Each does a different job, and none can replace the others.
The properties of stockinette are described on the stretch fabrics page, and the scope of testing for FR materials on the Crib 5 fire retardant fabrics page.
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Stretch stockinette |
foam wrapping and a slip layer beneath the upholstery; 30–100 g/m², white or black, two-way stretch |
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FR Crib 5 fabric |
upholstery, furniture lining or a barrier beneath the top fabric; 100% cotton |
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FR Crib 5 inlet |
inner casing for feather and down cushions; 100% cotton, featherproof and downproof |
How an upholstery workshop works
Three ways of working in which material is chosen quite differently than in series production.
Bespoke upholstery
Single pieces and short runs made to the client’s measurements. Here the material has to suit the foam the workshop already has on hand and the chosen finishing method. At this scale, what matters most is being able to order a sensible quantity.
Furniture refurbishment
An old piece is stripped back to the frame, and only then can you see what’s inside. The inner layers have to be rebuilt from scratch: stockinette over the foam, cushion casings, and sometimes a barrier layer too, if the furniture is going to a hospitality venue. The difficulty is choosing material for a construction that nobody designed with it in mind.
Furniture for hospitality venues and public buildings
Restaurants, hotels and public spaces. Here the material is decided by the client’s specification, not by the workshop. The specification says whether a layer with test-proven fire retardant performance is needed and what document has to be shown at handover.
What our role is
A workshop usually works on a construction it didn’t design itself, with whatever foam it has on hand. That’s why, before we recommend a material, we ask about the type of furniture, the upholstery method and where the furniture is going. The last answer determines whether a fire retardant layer is needed at all.
How we help workshops
Frequently asked questions from upholstery workshops
We’ll match the material to your furniture
A short note is all we need: what the furniture is, how it’s upholstered and where the finished piece is going. We’ll send back a proposal with specifications and, for fire retardant materials, the available documentation.