This discussion is literally never ending and both sides don’t seem to understand each others point of view. Both types have specific qualities and different advantages and disadvantages, in this article I’ll tell you all know about the two types an let you decide which one you prefer. When we talk about synthetic and natural materials we have to mention leather too. The war there is even more fierce, sometimes even comes to extremes.But about that later on, now we’ll compare the most common synthetic and natural fabrics used for upholstery, carpets, curtains etc. The weaving is different for each of the different purposes, but that doesn’t change the qualities of the material. Therefore we can talk just about the fibres and you’ll know it applies to the products as well. So we’ll start with the natural materials and their qualities – cotton is one of the most widespread materials used in the manufacturing of clothes, carpets and upholstery.
Natural Fabrics
It’s main advantage besides the natural origin is it can be dyed in any colour to match any interior. Moreover cotton is soft to the touch and resistant to fading, but since it is highly absorbent, spills become stains really easy. This material is not appropriate if you have small children or pets, you’ll also have to vacuum it regularly if you don’t want dust and dirt to build up. Another often preferred material is wool but it is quite expensive.
Like all natural fabrics it brings warmth to the place, makes you cozy and relaxed so I think every house should have something made form natural fabric. Again we have high absorbency, but unlike cotton wool is easier to clean, therefore you won’t have a lot of trouble even it a stain occurs. Next comes linen, but I don’t recommend it, because it is quite delicate, not very durable and can be damaged by sunlight, causing its colours to fade.
Another not very durable material is jute, although it is soft and brings luxury to your home, it is easily stained and the colours fade if expose to direct sunlight for long period of time. And we’ve came to the most expensive and beautiful material of all – silk is a fabric which will make you look like aristocrat, but you’ll have to pay the price. This material is suitable for formal areas with low traffic because it is easily stained and not durable, moreover it requires professional cleaning care.
Man-made Fabrics
Here is the other side of the coin – the synthetic fabrics, some of them have the feel of natural ones but with different qualities. That is the case with this one – acetate, to the touch is like silk and it also looks like it but it is man-made. Although it is cheaper, acetate has the same flaws as natural silk, low degree of durability and tendency to wrinkle. Moreover it is sensitive to sunlight and stains, therefore it is not suitable for busy households with lot of traffic.
If you want to have something that resembles wool here is the perfect option – acrylic, it doesn’t have the problems genuine wool have so it is a good investment. It is resistant to wearing and tearing, fading, wrinkling and staining. An important note this applies for high quality acrylic, if you want something cheaper don’t expect it to last long. There is also something for the cotton lovers – rayon which can also be manufactured to look like silk.
It’s main advantage is it is resistant to mold, fading and mildew, but unfortunately it is not very durable and you’ll have to replace it after a few years. We’ll continue with a well known material – polyester, all you have to watch out for are greasy stains. It is fade, mildew, wrinkle and stain resistant in addition to the high durability it has. This leaves us with two types of synthetic fabrics and the first one is nylon which has similar properties like polyester, but it is sensitive to the sun.
Last but not least is the microfiber which is becoming more and more popular due to the many benefits it provides. For starters it requires little maintenance, it is lint free, it is soft and the most important it has high degree of stain resistance. Unfortunately here are also disadvantages like the price, although it has fallen a lot over the years not all people can afford it even nowadays. Moreover microfiber is not very durable, so it can’t really pay off the investment.
The Issue Of Genuine And Faux Leather
I’ll just say a few words here because the subject itself is really wide and if it has to be properly discussed it will take a lot of time. Again we have two types of leather real and man-made, as the second is much more affordable. Unfortunately if we have to compare them regarding the durability only one type of real leather can be referred as highly durable. I’m talking about high quality full-grain leather, jackets and motorcycle suits are made from it and it literally can last forever.
Moreover this type of leather is easily maintained and cleaned, all it needs to preserve the good looks is regular conditioning. Unfortunately the price is high and most of the general public can’t afford to have leather coach for example. Of course there is a type of genuine leather which is affordable, but has a lot of flaws, I’m talking about suede. Although it is wonderful to the touch I don’t recommend it at all. Whatever type of fabric you choose keep in mind that I needs occasional professional cleaning, so choose wisely the company which services are you going to use.
