Whether you want to preserve the original look of your furniture, replace worn fabric, or add a modern touch to an older piece – we can help.
Visit our showroom for a no-cost consultation where we can discuss your requirements and help you find the ideal fabric - the choice of fabric types is bigger than you think
From a traditional pattern for a chair to seating fabric that is tough enough for kids, The Fabric Stores, the largest upholstery fabric warehouse in Mansfield, has a great range of upholstery fabric on rolls and in pattern books from leading UK fabric converters.
If you are not sure what fabric is suitable for your project we are here to help, please contact us for advice.
The Fabric Stores sells a wide range of beautiful upholstery fabrics, suitable for all tastes from traditional to modern, patterned to plain to contemporary, from leading UK fabric suppliers.We have an incredible selection of upholstery fabrics on offer perfect for chairs and sofas.
We stock and supply hard wearing fabrics for upholstery and we also have a faux leather in over 50 colours which has a Martindale rating of 350,000 rubs and is suitable for contract use.
We also work with, and are happy to recommend a few selected
local upholsterers.
In addition we also stock a very large selection of short roll ends and offcuts at massively discounted prices which are ideal for recovering dining chairs.
Please note: Fire regulations may require you to use F.R. treated fabric or a flame retardant barrier cloth. Again we are happy to advise.What is the Martindale Test?The Martindale test is a measure of the durability of a fabric. The test is carried out on upholstery fabrics to check their suitability for various uses – i.e. decorative chairs, heavy-traffic areas or commercial furniture. The test is also known as the 'rub test', and tests for abrasion resistance.
It is an internationally recognized test and gives the most true to life results. Using a Martindale machine, a piece of fabric is stretched between two discs, one which oscillates sandpaper or wool across the fabric until signs of distress show. The Martindale number is the amount of times the discs can oscillate before the fabric shows signs of distress.
- Decorative (less than 10,000 rubs) - Recommended for decorative purposes (i.e. cushions and accents)
- Light Domestic (10,000 to 15,000 rubs) - Recommended occasional use domestic furniture
- General Domestic (15,000 to 25,000 rubs) - Recommended domestic furniture in everyday use
- Heavy Domestic (25,000 to 30,000 rubs) - Suitable for heavy-duty domestic use and light hospitality use
- General Commercial Use (30,000-40,000) - Suitable for general hospitality use
- Commercial Grade (40,000 plus)- Suitable for heavy hospitality use
Please note there are many other factors that can affect the wear and tear of upholstery on a piece of furniture, including chemicals used in washing the fabric, UV exposure, embedded dirt, and surface treatments such as soil guard or flame retardant treatments and a high rub count does not mean the fabric will be impervious to cat claws.
Where the fabric is upholstered will also affect the fabric's lifespan - it will last longer when upholstered to soft foam, rather than hard wood.
