“Is this fabric good for upholstery?” is a question that we get multiple times a day here at Housefabric.com. The majority of fabrics that we carry are considered multipurpose home décor fabrics, meaning that they are a weight that can be used for upholstery, drapery, pillows, and bedding. However, you can use a double rub rating to find out if a fabric is suitable for your upholstery project.

When talking about upholstery fabrics, double rubs give you an idea of the durability of the fabric. A tool is used to measure abrasion against a fabric before it shows wear, essentially measuring how many times you could sit down and get back up before it would show wear. It does not test for durability factors for circumstances where the fabric may be punctured or pulled like with dog or cat nails. Any fabric rated between 3,000 and 15,000 double rubs is suitable for residential upholstery. Some sources recommend 3,000 rubs per year of use, but you would have to sit down and get back up 8 times each and every day to have that much wear in one year. Even a well loved chair is unlikely to see that much use.

So why do you see rub counts into the hundreds of thousands? Well, recently customers have been more interested in high rub count fabrics. Fabrics above 15,000 double rubs have traditionally been used for commercial uses, and up until a few years ago residential customers were not looking for fabrics that tested this high. Many older fabrics show a rub count of “Tested to 15,000 Double Rubs” or “Exceeds 15,000 Double Rubs” because the testing machine was turned off at this point as it is considered heavy duty for residential use and was not worth the added expense to continue testing further. Some newer designs show a higher rub count even though they are the same fabrication as the old designs simply because the machine was left on longer as more people are looking for higher rub counts.

Are you looking for fabric for a commercial use such as an office or a waiting room? The durability rating for commercial or contract fabric is as follows:
Contract Upholstery Minimum: The absolute lowest double rub rating you want for office grade furniture is 15,000. This is considered the best for the average office.
Heavy Duty: 15,000-30,000 double rubs.  This heavy-duty upholstery offers increased durability, making it ideal for offices that operate around 40 hours per week, hotel rooms, and dining areas that see moderate traffic.
Extra Heavy Duty: 30,000+ double rub. You will find this super durable grade fabric in high traffic waiting rooms, theaters, stadiums, airport terminals, and restaurants. It is designed to offer maximum durability without showing signs of wear.

There are many factors that play into the durability of a fabric including weave, fiber, tensile strength, and expected use. The double rub count is not a guarantee and is only meant to be used to help you make the best choice for your needs.

From  the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, for their elaboration and complexity of design and surface decoration. Most textiles are a variation on rectangular or square pieces of woven palm leaf fiber enhanced by geometric designs executed in linear embroidery and other stitches, which are cut to form pile surfaces resembling velvet. Women are responsible for transforming raffia cloth into various forms of textiles, including ceremonial skirts, ‘velvet’ tribute cloths, headdresses and basketry.
In Kuba culture, men are responsible for raffia palm cultivation and the weaving of raffia cloth.[1] Several types of raffia cloth are produced for different purposes, the most common form of which is a plain woven cloth that is used as the foundation for decorated textile production. Men produce the cloth on inclined, single-heddle looms and then use it to make their clothing and to supply foundation cloth to female members of their clan section. The cloth is coarse when it is first cut from the loom, so it is then pounded in a mortar, which softens it and renders it ready for the application of surface decoration, for which women are responsible. (text from Wikipedia)

The Making of Kuba Cloth

The process of making Kuba cloth is extremely time consuming and may take several days to form a simple placemat size piece. The men first gather the leaves of the raffia tree and then dye it using mud, indigo, or substances from the camwood tree. They then rub the raffia fibers in their hands to soften it and make it easier for weaving. After they’ve completed the base cloth the women embroider it. They do this by pulling a few threads of the raffia fibers, inserting them into a needle running the needle through the cloth until the fibers show up on the opposite end. They then take a knife and cut off the top of the fibers, leaving only a little bit showing. Doing this hundreds of times forms a design. The designs are seldom planned out ahead of time, and most of the embroidery is done by memory.

The Kuba people, who developed this and many other fabrics were very resistant to using European cloth; and for many years seldom used machine made fabrics. When researching this and other cloths that the Kuba people developed, it is not hard to understand why they resisted the change so much. Each fabric, each pattern, and each design in  traditional Kuba fabrics  has great meaning. On the basis of what a person wore; you could interpret much about them. Social status age, marital status, and a person’s character were just a few of the things a piece of cloth symbolized to these people.

Own a piece of this fabric today; not only will you be sharing in the culture of these ingenious people, but you will experience the true art of the Kuba people as well. Made in Congo. (text from Africa Imports)

Mud Cloth

From Mali – Bògòlanfini or bogolan (Bambara: bɔgɔlanfini; “mud cloth”) is a handmade Malian cotton fabric traditionally dyed with fermented mud.[1] It has an important place in traditional Malian culture and has, more recently, become a symbol of Malian cultural identity. The cloth is being exported worldwide for use in fashion, fine art and decoration. (text from Wikipedia)

Each piece of mud cloth has a story to tell! The symbols, the arrangement, color and shape, all reveal different secrets.

The Making of Mudcloth

The making of mudcloth is a time-consuming process, normally taking four days to a week to complete depending on weather. Each piece is made of 100% cotton, and is completely and totally hand-made.

The men start the process by weaving cotton thread on a loom. The loom is normally hand-held and makes a strip of cloth 5″-6″ wide. After they weave around 9 panels they sew them together and then traditionally the women paint and design the cloth.

A mudcloth artist deals in a specific field. Each concept is taught and learned over a long period of time. A person wishing to work in the art of mudcloth has to be taught how to make each of the different dyes out of organic substances, as well as how each of the substances will react with the fabric and fixatives.

The first step in making the cloth is to set it in a fixative solution made from tea. The mud designs are then hand-painted and the tea sets into the fabric. Mud used to make mudcloth is usually mixed with water and set aside for about a year.

Using twigs or metal instruments the artist paints the designs with the mud, saturating the area so it will not wash out. After being washed the process is repeated and then dried and put in another solution to make patterns stand out more. On black and white fabric, a soda is painted on the areas with no patterns causing then to be white. (text from Africa Imports)

Click here for HouseFabric.com African Influence Fabric Collection

Denim has been used in the USA since the mid 19^th century.  Denim gained popularity in 1873 when a tailor named Jacob W. Davis manufactured the first pair of “rivet reinforced” denim pants.  At this time, clothing for laborers was not very durable so the popularity of denim jeans began to spread rapidly and Davis was quickly overwhelmed with requests.  Davis wrote a proposal to Levi Strauss & Co that had been supplying his denim fabric.  He proposed a patent on the design for the rivet reinforced denim pant and Levi was so impressed with the possibilities for profit that they hired him to be in charge of the mass production that would take place in San Francisco

Why is Denim Blue?

Denim was traditionally colored blue with dye produced from the plant Indigofera Tinctoria but today most is dyed with synthetic indigo dye.  The most common denim is indigo denim, in which the warp thread is dyed, while the weft thread is left white.  As a result of the twill weaving process, which is a diagonal ribbing that distinguishes it from canvas and cotton duck, creates denim’s signature fading characteristics.

Types of Denim and Common Uses

While the original denim was a 100% cotton material, you can now get it in a variety of materials, including blends that give you the same wonderful look of 100% cotton denim would with some great additional features.  The types of denim are cotton serge denim,  dry or raw denim, selvage denim, stretch denim, and poly denim.   Dry or raw denim, as opposed to washed denim, is a denim fabric that is not washed after being dyed during its production. Selvage denim (also called selvedge denim) is a type of denim which forms a clean natural edge that does not unravel. It is commonly presented in the unwashed or raw state. Typically, the selvage edges will be located along the outseam of the pants, making it visible when pants are cuffed. Although selvage denim is not completely synonymous with unwashed denim, the presence of selvage typically implies that the denim used is a higher quality. Stretch denim  is usually about 98% cotton and 2% Spandex for ease of movement.  Poly denim is made of a polyester and cotton blend.  It is usually lighter weight and dries faster than 100% cotton denim.

Denim is very popular for use as slipcovers and upholstery. It is a durable fabric that is easy to use and wears well. Many denims now come in pre-laundered or a washed finish to make them even easier to use for slipcovers. White and natural colored denim are very popular to give that Pottery Barn look. Custom denim slipcovers give an even cleaner look and fit than commercially available slipcovers.

Denim at Housefabric.com

Denim at Housefabric.com

Classic Indigo Denim

Classic Wrangler Denim

Heavy Denim White

Pictured: Ombre Loop BK Greystone, Aria Blue Surf, London Slate

Crypton is suitable for a wide variety of uses including upholstery, slipcovers, drapery, and more.

Easily clean up spills on upholstered items such as kitchen and dining chairs. Feel free to entertain in your living room when you have pieces upholstered with Crypton. Wine and tomato stains come right out of this stain resistant fabric.

Slipcover: According to Crypton’s cleaning instructions Crypton fabric can be machine washed, so it makes a great choice for slip covers. For more information on cleaning Crypton see our previous post: Crypton Fabric – Part 2: Cleaning Crypton

Update: As of 2018 Crypton is no longer recommending machine washing, but it is still suitable for slipcovers that will be spot cleaned.

Pictured: Elan Damask Indigo, Sky North Sea, Primotex BK Ink, Sky Baltic

Crypton is great for families. Have no fear of the sticky fingers of the little ones with this super fabric. Crypton prohibits the growth of mold and bacteria such as E coli, MRSA, and Staphylococcus, as well as viruses like IV and hepatitis. Crypton has been 3rd party certified as containing ultra-low or no VOCs.

Some ideas for uses for families:

• Cushions for rocking chairs and gliders
• Changing pad covers
• High chair cushions
• Diaper bags
• Nursing pillow covers
• Floor cushions for the playroom

Pictured: Horizon Natural, Horizon Hessian

Our newest Crypton Arrivals are the textured solids called Horizon in versatile neutrals.

Some additional ideas include dog beds, bags and computer cases. The possibilities are endless with durable stain resistant fabric. What will you do with it?

• Crypton Fabric – Part 1: Super Fabric
• Crypton Fabric – Part 2: Cleaning Crypton

Crypton Fabric can stand up to pizza and cola

If you missed Part 1, see it here.

Many stains come out of Crypton fabrics with just water, but for tougher stains, see the video below.

It is important to rinse all soap from the fabric as any leftover soap can attract new dirt.

Pictured: London Vanilla, Horizon Natural, Primotex BK Ivory

How to Clean Crypton Home Fabric

Spot Cleaning

Wipe away the excess mess with a dry, clean towel.  Mix together a simple soap and water solution. We recommend mixing ¼ teaspoon enzyme laundry detergent, like Tide® or Cheer®, with 1 cup warm water.  Apply the solution and agitate with a soft bristle brush.  Blot with a clean towel and rinse.  Repeat if necessary.  And remember, soap attracts dirt so make sure to rinse thoroughly.

The spot cleaning method of stain removal can be used for most light to medium stains.

1. Before spot cleaning, blot up liquids on the surface with a clean, soft towel and brush off any loose dirt.
2. Prepare a cleaning solution of 1/4 cup mild soap, such as Woolite® or Dawn® dishwashing liquid, per gallon of lukewarm water.
3. Apply the cleaning solution using a misting spray bottle.
4. Work the solution into the affected area by lightly scrubbing the area with a sponge or soft bristle brush. Make sure to work from the outside of the stain inward so as not to spread the stain and rinse your sponge or brush frequently.
5. Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
6. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residues, as residues will attract dirt. Blot excess moisture with a clean, soft towel or sponge.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 as needed.
8. Allow fabric to air dry.

Extraction Cleaning

The extraction cleaning method of stain removal can be used for most medium or ground-in stains.

1. Before wet-cleaning, blot up liquids on the surface with a clean, soft towel and vacuum the upholstery.
2. Prepare a cleaning solution of 1/4 cup mild soap, such as Woolite® or Dawn® dishwashing liquid, per gallon of lukewarm water.
3. Apply the cleaning solution using a misting spray bottle.
4. Work the solution into the affected area by lightly scrubbing the area with a sponge or soft bristle brush. Make sure to work from the outside of the stain inward so as not to spread the stain and rinse your sponge or brush frequently.
5. Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
6. Wet-vacuum or blot excess moisture with a clean, soft towel. Follow directions on filling the Ruby Extractor machine with the proper solution; wet the area with pre-spray, and vacuum up the solution. Be sure to extract the entire surface of the upholstered furniture to achieve uniform cleanliness.
7. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residues, as residues will attract dirt.
8. Repeat steps 3-7 as needed.
9. Allow fabric to air dry.

Machine Washing

Update: As of 2018 Crypton fabrics are not recommended to be machine washed.

Crypton Home fabric is also machine washable, so it is a great choice for slipcovers. Machine wash cold with mild liquid enzyme detergent, like Tide® or Cheer®. Tumble dry low temperature only. Do not bleach. Do not iron. Do not dry clean. Avoid washing with sharp objects (such as zippered items) that could damage the product.

Disinfecting

Crypton Fabric can be disinfected using Crypton’s Upholstery Disinfectant and Deoderizer spray. We do not recommend using bleach on Crypton Fabric.

Crypton fabrics are antibacterial and prohibit the growth of mold, bacteria, and viruses.

All information courtesy of http://crypton.com/support/cleaning-care/home-fabrics/

See our selection of Crypton Home fabrics at Housefabric.com

• Crypton Fabric – Part 1: Super Fabric

Pictured: Primotex BK Ivory, Sky Silver Lining, Posh Ikat Pewter, London Parchment

We absolutely love Crypton’s line of home fabrics and we are excited to share more information with you. When a customer mentions that they have kids or pets and they are looking for something easy to clean, they are the first fabrics that we recommend.

Kid proof with Crypton Fabric

Crypton fabric has the stain protection woven into the fabric, not just applied on top, so don’t worry about it wearing off. The solid and jacquard fabrics in the Crypton line have a moisture barrier that protects the fabric from spills seeping through and is guaranteed to never separate.  Not all fabric can be “cryptonized” and all Crypton fabrics have passed rigorous testing to provide you with the performance that Crypton is known for. In addition, Crypton has been improving its technology for over 20 years and have developed a process that does not affect the look or feel of the fabric.

Pictured: London Slate, London Vanilla, London Parchment

The London fabrics are one of the first Crypton fabrics that we started carrying. It is a thick and durable basketweave.

Most stains come out with just water, but for tougher stains, we recommend a bit of Tide or Cheer laundry detergent mixed with water. Make sure to rinse well as any leftover detergent can attract more dirt. Keep an eye our for our next post which will detail how to clean Crypton Fabrics.

Pictured: Primotex BK Ink, Primotex BK Linen, Primotex BK Ivory

Primotex is a soft tweedy fabric with a chenille thread woven into the basketweave.

Crypton is proud to support American workers and American textile mills. All of their processing is done in a state-of-the-art environmentally responsible facility in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.

Pictured: Sky North Sea, Sky Baltic, Sky Silver Lining, Sky Linen, Sky Oat

Crypton Sky fabric is soft with a linen texture and easy to use for any decorating project.

Crypton Home fabrics do not require any specific equipment and can be treated in the same manner as any other upholstery fabric.

Find the rest of our Crypton Home fabrics at Housefabric.com

•  Crypton Fabric – Part 1: Super Fabric
• Crypton Fabric – Part 2: Cleaning Crypton

Pictured: Arya Jet, Skyline Black, Kalah 2 Jet, Harliquin 2 Jet, Molokai 2 Jet, and Alberi 2 Silver

There are few color combinations that are as timelessly chic as black and white. We are excited about the new Duralee Black and White wovens that we just got in recently. Kalah has been very popular in blue and is now available in black and white.We can’t wait to see what people make out of it.

The girls in the shop have been oohing and ahhing over Alberi, which has a touch of silver in the branch print. We are also very fond of the new graphic prints with their clean lines. Check out our pinterest board for ideas on how to use black and white in both modern and traditional applications.

See our selection of Duralee’s Black and Whites at HouseFabric.com

DID YOU KNOW…
Cosmopolitan Magazine listed black and white as one of the 15 biggest fashion trends for Spring, 2015. As stated in Cosmo’s October 4, 2014 edition, “It’s hard to call black and white a trend since it literally never goes out of style, but it looks so damn good that it’s worth taking a moment just to remind yourself.”

*Charles Manning, 15 Biggest Trends of Spring 2015, The 70’s are totally the new 90’s, Cosmopolitan, 10/4/14

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/news/a31787/15-biggest-trends-of-spring-2015/

Bansuri, a popular ikat from Echo Design, shown here in multiple colorways

Alice Guercio the Vice President of Product Coordination at Kravet answers your questions about Ikat Fabrics

One of the most popular trends in interior design today is ikat. The word ikat comes from the Malaysian word ‘mengikat’ or to tie, bind or wrap around. The proper pronunciation of the word has long been debated; however, the correct way to pronounce is ‘ee-kaht’ not ‘eye-cat.’ This ancient style of weaving uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye where the warp and/or the weft yarns are dyed before the fabric is woven on the loom. The result of this process is a motif which is “blurred” in appearance. This ‘cloudy’ look comes from the slight bleeding of the dyes into the resist areas.

Click here to hear how to pronounce “Ikat”

Ikat is a universal weaving style common to many world cultures and is likely to be one of the oldest forms of textile decorations now. It is extremely difficult to determine where the technique originated. It probably developed in several different locations independently. For instance, during the 19th century, the Silk Road deserts of Bukhara and Samarkand were famous for their fine silk Uzbek Ikat. India, Japan and many South-East nations such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand have weaving cultures with long histories of ikat production. In addition, these designs were also common in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico.

Ikat couch done in Dwell Studio Batavia Ikat Citrine Photo From Design Gush

The ikat design is created by tying areas of the threads into bundles using grasses, wax or even plastic to prevent penetration of the dye. What this means is the weaver needs to figure out where on the loose threads the dye should go in order for it to form the proper pattern when it is woven. For more exact patterning, a weaver will typically use warp ikats, where they can see the pattern on the loom. With a weft ikat, the pattern is less exact because the design is not visible until it is already woven. The most difficult is the double ikat. This is when both the warp and weft are dyed to create the pattern. This form of weaving requires the most skill for precise patterns to be woven and it is considered to be the highest form of ikat. As you add colors, the process becomes more complicated.

Many design motifs may have ethnic, ritual or symbolic meaning. Traditionally, ikats are symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige. Today, ikat has become a generic word used to describe the process, the cloth itself and the type of motif that is created as a result.

El Convento Mesa Ikat Print by Nate Berkus

Check out Kravet’s Blog for the rest of the article and to see the video of how Ikat is made.

Find more Ikat fabrics at Housefabric.com