What fabric to choose for upholstering a sofa if there is a cat in the house

Cat lovers are ready to put up with all the peculiarities of their behavior, including their constant desire to scratch their claws on upholstered furniture. Now we have learned how to make special anti-vandal upholstery for sofas, which retains its original appearance even after close acquaintance with your favorite cats. These are mainly materials with a non-woven texture, in which there is no interlacing of threads. We recommend sofas in anti-vandal fabrics from the PUSHE factory - https://pushe.ru/divany/

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What is flock

One of the most common durable upholstery options is flock. Its second name is microvelor. This fabric is created on the basis of cotton and polyester and is coated with a mixture of nylon and nylon.

Flock resembles velvet, has a small pile, can be painted in any color, and is highly durable and wear-resistant. It withstands more than 80 thousand cycles according to the abrasion factor, thanks to which it received the “title” of wear-resistant fabric.

In addition, flock has the following characteristics:

treated with water-repellent impregnation;
does not fade when exposed to sunlight;
does not wrinkle;
repels not only water, but also dirt;
Easy to clean first with a dry and then slightly damp cloth.

Important! When deciding what fabric to choose for upholstering a sofa if you have a cat, you should not forget that the purchased model should not have wooden decorative ornaments.

Natural fabrics

The main advantage of this type of upholstery material is excellent ventilation, thanks to which the sofa “breathes” freely. Despite this, natural fabric very quickly loses its attractive appearance.

Choosing fabric for upholstering a sofa is not as simple a task as it might seem at first glance. Before making a decision, you need to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each option being considered.

I would like to say right away that if there are animals or small children in the house, then it is not recommended to purchase a sofa with delicate, expensive and difficult-to-use upholstery. In this case, you should opt for a durable material that will be hard to damage with claws or permanently leave a drawing with a felt-tip pen on it.

If you are the “life of the party” and friends often gather in your house, then the sofa upholstery should be abrasion-resistant, otherwise it will very quickly lose its appearance. If you purchase upholstered furniture solely for decorative purposes, then you can choose the most expensive and beautiful upholstery materials that will bring an atmosphere of luxury and wealth to the interior.

We have decided on the basic rules for choosing upholstery material, now let’s move on to comparative characteristics.

Anti-claw sofa covering

Anti-claw upholstery fabric for upholstered furniture impregnated with Teflon has become very popular among pet lovers. This material is made so that a cat's claws trying to scratch it will instantly slide off the surface and leave no marks on it. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to scratch their claws on such upholstery, cats lose interest in them.

Properties and characteristics of this upholstery:

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increased strength;
resistance to wear and abrasion;
resistance to deformation;
the ability to allow air to pass through, that is, to “breathe”;
comfortable sensations upon contact with the skin;
wide selection of different colors.

Important! Any type of upholstery fabric can be marked “anti-claw”: flock, microfiber, artificial suede and others impregnated with Teflon.

Manufacturers

The main ones are presented in the table:

Brand name	Product Features	Price, rub./m
Galaxy	Anti-vandal, pleasant to the touch, microfiber with Teflon	1107
	Neutrality of shades and prints with a predominance of vintage style
"Anti-claw"	Anti-vandal flock with Teflon impregnation	790
	Delicate pastel shades
"Verona"	Wear-resistant microsuede	890
	Rich color map
	Can be used for any type of furniture

Furniture suede upholstery

In appearance, the artificial type of furniture suede is no different from natural fabric. Its pile is created on the basis of polyester, and then impregnated with a Teflon composition. It has the following properties:

increased strength;
necessary durability;
resistance to wear, abrasion, deformation;
practicality, thanks to a simple and easy method of home cleaning;
resistant to cat claws.

Buyers value faux suede for its increased durability and practicality, which justify its cost.

Natural materials

All fabrics suitable for upholstering a sofa can be divided into three large groups: natural, synthetic and artificial. Each species has its own representatives, a number of advantages and disadvantages.

Upholstery fabric is considered natural if it contains at least 30% natural fibers.

Wool is made from the natural covering of animals, such as sheep or goats. This is an environmentally friendly, very warm material that is resistant to dirt and odors. Dense felted wool becomes windproof.
Cotton is a plant fiber that is sensitive to light. Absorbs moisture perfectly, “remembers” its shape after heating, wrinkles easily and is quickly wiped off.
– fabric made from plant fibers, smooth and matte. Dense fabric, over 380 g/m, is used for upholstery independently, in its pure form. This material is safe for health and environmentally friendly.

Natural fabrics:

excellent air permeability;
do not cause allergies;
pleasant to the touch.

Flaws :

wear out quickly;
crumple;
shrink after washing;
are expensive.

Microfiber upholstery covering

Upholstery made of synthetic fabric called microfiber is also durable, anti-vandal, and easy to maintain. Its structure is similar to suede, it has the advantage of increased wear resistance, and has a wide range of colors. Its general characteristics are:

strength;
resistance to scratches and deformations;
ease of care;
easy cleaning from stains;
affordable price category.

Important! Microfiber is resistant to damage from pet claws because the base of the material is not intertwined and cannot be caught on.

Which one to choose: recommendations from experts

The material for furniture should be chosen based not only on its beauty, but also on the disposition of the pet.
The upholstery of a cat-proof sofa should be selected taking into account the behavior of the pet. If he likes to play pranks and constantly destroys furniture, then elegant velor, expensive leather material or luxury eco-leather fabrics are not suitable. When choosing a vandal-proof coating, professionals recommend taking into account the following criteria:

Performance. The density and strength of the structure should be sufficient to not leave marks from cat claws. At the same time, the presence of defects, defects and deformations, as well as stains of dirt, is unacceptable on the selected panel.
Colors. If the anti-vandal sofa is in the access of several pets, then you should pay attention to dark shades or bright prints. Coverings in light colors without a pattern will require more frequent cleaning. Some experts recommend choosing a color based on the color of the cat's fur.
Easy to care for. Anti-vandal protection should be easy to clean with available means - soapy water and a sponge. At the same time, cleaning old stains with stain removers or other more aggressive agents should not leave any lightened areas.
Type of coverage. This could be solid upholstery, a separate bedspread or a cover for furniture that the cat has already torn up.

Varieties

Almost any sliding fabric with a dense weave of fibers can be called anti-vandal. Materials with such characteristics are divided into two groups, depending on the base.

On a non-woven basis

The most popular anti-vandal fabrics for furniture upholstery in this group are flock, relax, and artificial suede. Flock consists of cotton and polyester, an adhesive base, and a layer of nylon or polyamide fibers. The fabric turns out to be quite dense. This prevents furry pets from catching on the surface and damaging it. This fabric with protection against cat claws has the following advantages:

It is tactilely pleasant; sofas with such upholstery are comfortable to use at any time of the year.
The material is easy to care for. To remove dirt, simply wipe the surface of the sofa with a damp sponge or vacuum it.
Long service life. According to the Martindale test, flock goes through about 50 thousand abrasion cycles.

At the same time, there are several significant disadvantages:

When the fabric comes into contact with drinks and other substances containing alcohol, the structure can be significantly damaged.
The flock is highly electrified, attracting dust.
The material stretches after some time. As a result, the anti-vandal fabric loses its shape, forming unsightly waves on the sofa.

Relax is also based on pile and a cotton-polyamide backing. But it has the main difference from flock - a thin layer of isoprene, which gives the surface elasticity. In addition, there is also a special protective layer Antistain, consisting of carbon fiber. Based on the listed properties, the best answer to the question of what upholstery to choose for a sofa if there is a cat in the house is, of course, relaxation. There are several options for the described fabric on the market:

classic - has small fibers, an excellent copy of suede;
joy – very similar in appearance to flock;
Lakshmi is a good choice for those who love leather;
Eureka - cannot be distinguished from velvet, but does not have the disadvantages of this material.

Faux suede is the third contender for the best pet-proof sofa cover. It has the following composition: cotton, polyamide, polyester pile, adhesive layer. This anti-vandal material for sofa upholstery has its advantages:

allows air to pass through;
retains an attractive appearance for a long time.

Flock upholstery

Sofa made of classic relax fabric

Fabric relax joy

Relax lakshmi

Relax eureka

Faux suede

On a woven basis

Anti-vandal covering for sofas can have a fabric backing. Animal claws can pass right through, but due to the tight weave, they do not leave puffs. A few examples: chenille, microfiber, jacquard, tapestry. The first fabric on the list is formed by intertwining chenille threads in a spiral pattern. The fabric is distinguished not only by the Anti-claw effect, but also by other positive qualities:

pleasant to the touch;
has a long service life;
hypoallergenic.

It is important to remember that chenille easily absorbs moisture, and it takes a lot of time to dry completely. Therefore, the best cleaning method is dry.

Although the material is positioned as anti-vandal, its softness and fluffiness are very attractive to cats. Because of this, the service life is significantly reduced.

The next representative is microfiber. Such a fabric is nothing more than an interweaving of high-density synthetic threads. Due to this, no snags are formed on it, although outwardly the fabric looks thin. Practicality and additional density are provided by the Teflon layer. Externally, microfiber is similar to suede, so sofas with anti-vandal coating made from this material are not only durable, but also attractive.

An equally popular pet-resistant upholstery is jacquard. Often when asked what Anti-Claw fabric is, this material is given as an example. But not ordinary, but impregnated with Scotchgard. The interweaving of the threads in it is much denser. Jacquard is very easy to care for: just wipe with a sponge dipped in soapy water to remove dirt. It does not electrify and looks like expensive fabric.

Tapestry is a fabric that is formed by interlacing jacquard threads. Their thickness, unlike the jacquard itself, is much greater, due to which the fabric is quite dense

The tapestry attracts attention with its variety of patterns and designs.

Chenille upholstery

Microfiber lining

Jacquard covers

Tapestry sofa

Relax

The main difference between this fabric is its multilayer structure and special processing.

The bottom layer is made of cotton and polyester, which gives the fabric durability. Next is a layer of isoprene or artificial rubber, which has the property of restoring its structure after mechanical stress. Therefore, your sofa will not be afraid of any scratches.

The outer layer deserves special attention in relaxation fabric. Regardless of the color and texture, which can be very diverse, it has one unique feature. Thanks to the special ANTISTAIN technology and the presence of carbon fibers, all kinds of contaminants that may arise in everyday life are easily removed from the surface of the relaxation table; In addition, it is very difficult to set fire to or melt.

Varieties of furniture fabrics by face layer

Depending on the formation of the front layer, fabrics for upholstery of sofas can be divided into two large groups:

Woven (chenyl, , , , suede);
Non-woven (flock, leatherette).

The pattern on such fabrics, accordingly, can also be woven (weaving colored fibers) and printed (dying the finished plain material).

Chenille is a velvety fabric with a complex woven pattern. Manufacturing technology allows the use of up to 18 intertwined threads. Translated from French, the word “chenille” means caterpillar - the basis of the fabric is fluffy fibers. The material perfectly absorbs noise.
Tapestry is a one-sided, lint-free fabric made by cross-weaving threads. The manufacturing technique allows you to create beautiful decorative patterns and ornaments.
Jacquard is a fabric with a large, raised, repeating pattern or design. Fabric weaving can be simple or complex. Jacquard can be made from both natural and synthetic fibers. This is a very strong and durable material.
Boucle is a fabric made from (usually) woolen threads with small knots. Plain weave combines the threads into a distinctive, slightly knobby weave. Also made from viscose and cotton.
Artificial suede – imitates . It is more durable and therefore ideal for furniture upholstery. Fabric composition: cotton, polyester, glue and Teflon coating that protects against water and dirt.
Leatherette – . It is a combination of a base and a characteristic coating.
Flock is a combination of a base made of various materials (polyester, cotton, nylon) and soft pile (also often made of nylon). Flock does not get wet, but allows air to pass through well. This is a dense, wear-resistant material.
Furniture fur consists of a woven base (for example, cotton) and long synthetic pile. Imitates natural wool, used to decorate upholstery or entirely to create luxurious upholstered furniture. Very impressive upholstery, but...
Velor is a wool fabric with soft, delicate pile. It differs from velvet in having a longer pile. For upholstery, a mixed fabric of wool, cotton and synthetic fibers is used.
Microfiber (Velsoft) is made from polyester. This fabric does not pill, dries instantly and does not allow liquid to get under the upholstery.