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Upholstery

Upholstering is an art. It is a task in which you face a blank canvas, a surface to cover and discover, whether it be a chair, a wall, a headboard, or a sofa, with a fabric that will bring color, design, warmth, and comfort – life – to the object and to the space. Hence the importance of a good connection between the element to be upholstered and the chosen fabric.

When choosing the elements of this combination, basic factors must be taken into account, such as whether the surface to be covered is straight or curved, for example. In the case of a curved object, very thick or rigid fabrics will give rise to complications and possibly wrinkles on the surface of the piece. Straight and more angled surfaces are, in general, much easier to upholster since the fabric can be cut and adapted to the structure with less difficulty.

Another factor to take into account when choosing upholstery fabrics is whether the future upholstered surface is going to be for daily or decorative use; since most upholstered pieces are for sitting on (sofas, armchairs, dining chairs), this greatly influences the selection of the fabric.

Anecdotally, one of the best-known “secrets” of the textile sector is that there is a test to measure the resistance of a given fabric to abrasion, use, and friction – the so-called Martindale test. In this test, the fabric is rubbed in a machine to determine at what level of friction the first fiber will break. Of course, it must be taken into account that this is a mechanical test; it is never 100% real since the strength or resistance of an upholstery fabric is never exactly the same. This is due to the impossibility of the same person – with the same weight and always at the same moment – actually sitting on a given upholstered surface. However, the Martindale test is still a useful metric.

The fact is that companies specializing in chairs and seating are increasingly concerned about the upholstery fabrics to choose from. This is because the dialogue between the upholstery and the piece is increasingly important, as is the dialogue of the finished piece with the environment in which it is going to be located. The sofa, for example, is usually the main element of a living room, and, in a way, of the entire home. It is all about dialogues between textiles, a topic that has always been an integral part of our daily work.

 Equipo DRT: fabrics that speak, listen, decorate, inspire, and remember.

ARMCHAIR UPHOLSTERY FABRICS

The feel of a fabric, how pleasant and resistant it is, is the main factor to take into account when choosing fabrics to upholster armchairs. This is a piece in which maximum design and style is required without losing one iota of the comfort we seek in an armchair or sofa.

It is a surface on which, unlike a curtain, the fabric is in continuous friction, rubbing against the body. As the fabric is in constant contact with the user, the manufacturing quality is of the utmost importance.

In addition, an armchair is a key piece in a room, so color and texture are even more important when selecting the upholstery fabric.

UPHOLSTERY FABRICS

Allow us to make some suggestions about some of the wonderful upholstery fabrics that Equipo DRT offers from our ample catalog: the Altair upholstery fabric collection and the San Carlo, Perseo and Scala velvet collections.

Altair is a plain, solid color, textured upholstery fabric with a luxuriously refined, soft, and resistant feel, all thanks to its fine chenille yarns. Altair provides a natural, bright look, and works well for sofas, armchairs, chairs, and upholstered walls. The range of 19 colors stands out, ranging all the way from neutrals to blacks, with lilac, Klein blue, forest green, and oranges in between. Utility, elegance, and luxury, all united in one fabric.

San Carlo is a high quality, plain cotton velvet. A heavy, opaque fabric, designed for upholstering sofas, armchairs, chairs, and cushions, as well as for making drapes. The Naples opera house, known as San Carlo, served as the inspiration for this velvet collection by Equipo DRT, as it is a place where velvet fabric displays all its splendor, luxury, and delicacy.

Perseo is a 100% Trevira CS washable and fire-retardant velvet upholstery fabric. It is machine washable at 30º and has a very soft feel. It is also very resistant, with a Martindale number of 100,000 cycles. Perseo is ideal for chairs and sofas both in homes and in hotels and contract facilities. Available in 26 colors.

Scala is a rich, elegant 100% linen velvet for upholstering sophisticated decorative pieces. Its pure lines combine texture and structure in a range of 26 colors.

DINING CHAIR UPHOLSTERY FABRICS

Upholstery fabrics for dining chairs are essential elements of decoration, and not just nowadays; if we look back at previous decades, we find both upholstered cushions for dining chairs as well as dining chairs with upholstered backs. In other words, upholstered surfaces could be found either on the cushions or on the structure itself. This fashion continues – also in retro mode – with fabrics that transport us back to those times.

For dining chairs, either plain fabrics or those with very small designs are desireable since normally the surface is not overly large; if we use fabrics with large patterns, these may not fit properly in the allotted space and must usually be cut, ruining the sense of the design.

STAIN RESISTANT FABRICS

When choosing a fabric for upholstery, a balance must be found between comfort and usability. In other words, you have to be doubly practical: the fabric must be both removable from the structure and washable.

Among the collections of washable fabrics from Equipo DRT, the Perseo velvet line stands out. Made from 100% Trevira CS, it is a washable and fire-retardant velvet with a soft and very resistant feel that is machine washable with water at 30º.

In addition, we also have fabrics with Teflon finishes that repel liquid and, in case a stain develops, can even be washed with bleach. This is the case of our Elba collection, a plain outdoor fabric to upholster cushions and sofas for patio and garden furnishings, as well as deck and pool area furniture. In addition, these are color-fast textiles, resistant to color loss from exposure to sunlight.

Much more than stain resistant fabrics!

Goa

Goa

980 Lava

100% Linen

Ref 21973

140 cm

Tarkan

Tarkan

001 Blanco

100% Lin.

Ref 21304

320 cm

Perseo

Perseo

335 Azul

100% Trevira CS

Ref 20846

140 cm

Perseo

Perseo

010 Cava

100% Trevira CS

Ref 20835

140 cm

Gran Mogol - velvet

Gran Mogol - velvet

0735 Unico

50% Alg.
50% Visc.

Ref 20005

140 cm

Goa Velvet

Goa Velvet

238 Taupe

50% Cot. 50% Visc.

Ref 22028

140 cm

Elba

Elba

989 Piedra

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 18557

150 cm

Hendrix

Hendrix

989 Piedra

52% Pol. / 48% Trevira

Ref 20993

300 cm

Thira

Thira

229 Vison

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 21126

140 cm

Maiz

Maiz

000 Natur

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 21736

140 cm

Maiz

Maiz

238 Taupe

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 21727

140 cm

Kameni

Kameni

229 Vison

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 21138

140 cm

Saler Outdoor FR

Saler Outdoor FR

001 Blanco

100% Acr. Outdoor FR

Ref 21400

140 cm

Floralis Outdoor Fr

Floralis Outdoor Fr

335 Azul

100% Acr. Outdoor FR

Ref 21392

140 cm

Dedalo

Dedalo

999 Negro

51% Trevira
49% Pol.

Ref 16866

300 cm

Oaxaca

Oaxaca

111 Lima

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 21744

140 cm

Oaxaca

Oaxaca

341 Mar

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 21743

140 cm

Palladio

Palladio

661 Rioja

65% Alg./Cot
35% Pol.

Ref 20420

300 cm

Tarkan

Tarkan

014 Greige

100% Lin.

Ref 21305

320 cm

Duncan

Duncan

335 Azul

79% Vis.
21% Pol. (Fur 100% Vis.)

Ref 20949

140 cm

Savina Outdoor FR

Savina Outdoor FR

220 Arena

100% Acr. Outdoor FR

Ref 21442

140 cm

Cabrera

Cabrera

115 Amarillo

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 20230

150 cm

Win

Win

001 Blanco

61% Cot. 39% Lin

Ref 20526

300 cm

Tuareg

Tuareg

228 Tierra

63% Alg./Cot.
37% Lin.

Ref 21598

140 cm

Tuareg Velvet

Tuareg Velvet

880 Multicolor

66% Alg/cot.
31%Vis.

Ref 21618

140 cm

Tuareg Velvet

Tuareg Velvet

445 Verde

66% Alg/cot.
31%Vis.

Ref 21632

140 cm

Tuareg Velvet

Tuareg Velvet

335 Azul

66% Alg/cot.
31%Vis.

Ref 21633

140 cm

Formentera

Formentera

115 Amarillo

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 20222

150 cm

Alboran

Alboran

116 Oro

50% Pol.
50% Alg./Cot.

Ref 380

300 cm

Caspio

Caspio

999 Negro

85% Pol.
15% Alg./Cot.

Ref 21542

137 cm

Dorinde

Dorinde

0735 Unico

58% Pol.
52% Trevira

Ref 21104

295 cm

Gran Mogol

Gran Mogol

0735 Unico

100% Alg./Cot.

Ref 19971

140 cm

Kasandra

Kasandra

0735 Unico

58% Pol.
52% Trevira

Ref 21110

295 cm

Lalaika

Lalaika

0735 Unico

58% Pol.
52% Trevira

Ref 21105

295 cm

Mantegna

Mantegna

0735 Unico

85% Pol. 15% Alg./Cot.

Ref 21615

137 cm

Navoi

Navoi

0735 Unico

100% Pol.

Ref 21078

137 cm

Palladio Lurex

Palladio Lurex

991 Plata

65% Alg./Cot
35% Pol.

Ref 20421

300 cm

Patchwork

Patchwork

880 Multicolor

49% Alg/Cot.
46%Vis.

Ref 21634

140 cm

Prado

Prado

880 Multicolor

49% Alg/Cot.
46%Vis.

Ref 21636

140 cm

Formentera

Formentera

444 Oliva

100% Acr. Outdoor

Ref 21119

150 cm

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