Natural plant fiber used for cushioning chairs before foam.

[suzieqallt]

I am re-upholstering a chair that is almost 100 years old.  I do not want to use form.  What is the natural plant material called used at that time and where do I buy it? 

[MinUph]

Your cushion might be filled with several thing. Moss (grows on trees in the south), Cotton (grows on a plant) Kapok (I'm not sure where it grows), or a blend of these things or something else. If you take a closeup picture of the filling it might help. It may also be hair (horse, pig, etc)

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

With the age of the chair, I would be surprised if it didn't have a mixture of some kind of animal fur/natural (probably cotton) stuffing.

Virginia

[baileyuph]

If LATEX was in it originally (as a note, it would be dried and dusty by now), you might still be able to get that product.  It isn't poly foam, latex is made from certain plants and trees.  The Lac - tic bug played a role in transplanting the milky substance to the trees where the grown, when ready, was harvested  and processed into the latex type cushion foam - this was used before polyfoam (a synthetic) came into use (great filler!).  Actually latex was used pretty much as the cushion material in the 50's,  That is if one didn't use down (feathers) or springs and cotton.

I am sure seeing the chair was be a high point of interest.

Have a happy experience with that chair.

Doyle

[gene]

Straw is another possibility. If you still have some of the old stuffing post a pic and we may be able to help.

This guy does a lot of authentic restoration work. He may be able to help you. http://www.buckminsterupholstery.com/

If you do not have any of the original stuffing, research where the chair was made and you may be able to find out what materials were used at that time and place.

Post before and after pics if you can. I'd love to see them.

gene

[suzieqallt]

I am having trouble uploading my picture.  Says it can't access file, upload path.  I don't know how to do that.  I have the file in my main document list, plus I tried it again by copying to my pictures section.  Does anyone have a suggestion? 

[MinUph]

PLease read
http://www.upholster.com/upholstery-forum/index.php?topic=7472.0

[suzieqallt]

I don't know how this works with Picture Bucket, but I'm trying it.

[suzieqallt]

Amazing.  I guess I did it right.  Anyway, this is a picture of the batting.  It looks to me like a combination of hair and plants.  What do you think?

[suzieqallt]

Some of the fiber is distinctly more coarse than what I believe to be hair.  I just want to add to my education, but I don't have to have the exact anyway.  I just want to know where to get some the same or like it. 

[MinUph]

Well Susie you did it Congrats.
  It sure looks like pig hair but it is kind of hard to tell in the picture the type of hair. I don't think it is moss or other plant based fill. You can order hair from a quick google search brings me here..
https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/hsearchresult.aspx?keyword=Horse%20Hair&gclid=Cj0KEQiAwrbEBRDqxqzMsrTGmogBEiQAeSE6Zb0gDbPNi0Cb-kgX9Lz0lSGL0Xqg2Sh8bbZ-SohwmxQaApj58P8HAQ
If you have a supplier you use they might be able to help also. Rockford supply also carries it. Both are blends of horse and pig. But either would work. This is very time consuming fill to work with. If you are new I would recommend learning about it first. Youtube should have some videos on the subject.
  You can replace it with other filling as long as the client isn't expecting to stay original with the piece.

[gene]

It's wrinkled up like pig hair, my first thought, but I'm wondering if it might be coir - shredded coconut husks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coir#/media/File:Coir_fibery.jpg

Also there are no tie downs that you would expect to see with pig or horse hair.

Light a few fibers with a match and you will be able to tell by the smell if it is animal hair or a plant product. Be careful, it will probably go up in flames very quickly.

Gene

[byhammerandhand]

Gene has a good idea -- pull out some and burn.  This chart is for fibers, but gives you some idea what to look for in the burn and ash, and smell.

http://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/Burn-Test-Chart.html

[suzieqallt]

Thank you very much, all of you. There is no customer to consider.  It is my chair passed down from generation to generation.  It had a very fancy but warn-out, needlepoint on it that I thought I would try to duplicate.  I'm pretty handy; but when I looked into it, I decided it was way out of my league for needlepoint and would take me forever.  Very fancy with varying texture and 15th century-dressed man and woman.  I was unable to find a antique  needlepoint pattern for a chair.  I couldn't even draw the pattern because it was too detailed.  So I settled for some upholstery fabric that seemed to respect the chair's heritage. So, I guess I will order the batting and the nails, and I'm set to start working on it.    I don't need much batting because I have kept what was in the chair.  I have already oiled and stained the wood.  It will look great when I am done.