The Micro Fiber Market

[baileyuph]

How do custom reupholstery business view this product in terms of

Durability?

Cleaning?

Workability?  (Meaning do you like to reupholster in it)

Stability?  (especially when cutting and sewing)

Comments:

This product has been on the market long enough for most to have considerable exposure to it.  I have done repairs on a lot of it and find it to be strong to the pull but not resistant to abrasion.  It cleans well with steam.

Working characteristics (my opinion) are difficult due to instability and needle holes can be a problem.

I read a technical background on he material, the material itself isn't or wasn't new when it came out.  Instead, what was new is the "process" used to manufacturer it.  It is a process that takes small fibers, that were previously not being used, and compiles them in a piece of fabric.  Very impressive bit of technology, to say the least.  It took something (small fibers) that were being thrown away and transforms them into a marketable item.

Bottom line in my business is we do not promote the reupholstery using micro fiber.  To be fair, there are several fabrics that are set aside when it comes to promoting reupholstery.  Something that is stable and doesn't ravel so easily, there are a lot of thin fabrics on the maket that do ravel. 

Anyone have a favorite fabric that is more workable?

Doyle

[sofadoc]

I don't really understand why customers come through the door of my shop wanting micro-fibers, since every "cookie-cutter" sofa in every store already has it.

Micro-fibers can be cantankerous to sew. I guess I'd prefer a chennille, or a nice mid-weight tapestry. I hate sewing those paper-thin micro-suedes.

I'm not surprised to learn that micro-fibers are made from everything they could sweep up off the floor.

[byhammerandhand]

As a person that does a lot of cleaning I **LOVE** microfiber.    It cleans so easily and predictably.  Never had a problem with it.   Even ink will come out with just a little cleaning solution.    The only flaws I see with it are
* It can't handle heat.  Embers from tobacco, candles, incense, etc will quickly melt holes in it
* It leaves open needle holes.   Good if you have to hand-stitch up an open seam (just hit the old holes).   Not so good if you need to move a seam out.

I had a customer (now out of business) that was a mfr rep for fabric.  He explained to me once how they make ultra-suede microfiber.   It's just like they make sandpaper -- apply glue to a substrate, then electrostatically bond fibers to the surface.

The definition of a microfiber is less than one gram of mass per 9,000 meters (<one denier).

Chenille, on the other hand is my cleaning nemesis.  Getting it wet at all will affect the resilience.   The typical case from a spilled drink (even water) will be dark from one viewing direction, just right from 90 degrees to the side and light from 180 degrees away.   No way to fix this.   Also it can mat down from regular use.

http://www.mwifibercare.com/faqs.html#chenille

[gene]

I have recommended micro fibers when asked about ease of cleaning.

When doing a barrel back chair or a piece of furniture that has many complex curvilinear surfaces I suggest not using microfibers. There's no stretch to some of them at all - the non woven ones I would suspect.

I once had a barrel back chair that was structured in such a form that I had pleats at the bottom of the inside back. These pleats were covered by the seat cushion.

gene

[Joys Shop]

I once did a chair in microfiber, for a woman who owned multiple cats

When I delivered the chair, one of the cats did what cats do.  She jumped on it to inspect it
Her claw got caught in it and ripped it

That was the last time I sold microfiber to anyone

In the cheap (discount furniture) stores in our area, every piece of furniture is covered in the stuff

When a customer asks me about microfiber, I ask them if they want their expensive job to look like they bought it from one of those "furniture" stores?

I refuse to use it