When you think about performance fabrics on furniture, what’s the first image that comes to mind?

Maybe you’re envisioning the classic disaster scene when you combine red wine and a white sofa or toddlers eating spaghetti on upholstered dining room chairs. In both scenarios, a performance fabric could indeed make inevitable clean up much easier. And yet, performance fabrics can offer so much more than stain resistance.

While the performance fabric movement is nothing new, the features that fall into the performance category have evolved over the years, along with the manufacturing and marketing surrounding this topic.

Let’s start by defining the term “performance fabric.”

What is Performance Fabric or Performance Upholstery? 

You won’t find a solid dictionary definition, but here’s the foundational idea:

Performance fabric is a textile that is designed and processed to improve upon natural durability, cleanability, overall longevity, and, in some cases, stainability.

Natural durability can include resistance to abrasion and pilling, while cleanability involves both liquid and stain resistance along with the ease of cleaning methods required. All of the above impact overall longevity, along with more aesthetic factors like color fade resistance.

And what about sustainability? More than just a buzzword, the idea of sustainability covers eco-conscious manufacturing and material sourcing as well as the toxicity level of fabrics. For example, the absence of PFAs — a class of chemicals that doesn’t break down naturally — would be considered more sustainable or eco-conscious.

Synthetic fabrics may contain PFAs as part of the treatment process to make them more durable and resistant to damage; however, natural fiber blends can also be considered performance fabrics, though the degree of performance may vary.

And that takes us to the next major point about performance fabrics: Performance is relative. 

Because the general term ‘performance’ covers multiple feature benefits, what matters to one person may not be as essential or valued to another. So, here are some things that could be important to your home or your shoppers.

7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Performance Fabric 

Whether you are in-market for new furniture yourself or your team helps customers decide, here is a list of considerations to increase satisfaction and decrease buyer’s remorse.

1. Aesthetic: Style and decor preferences can play a role in which fabric might look the best.
2. Color: The desired hue could impact the best performance features to consider. (Example: choosing a more stain-resistant fabric for a white sofa.)
3. Price: Price points can vary depending on the level of performance; however, an investment in a higher quality performance fabric could yield a better ROI by lengthening the item’s longevity.
4. End use: Will this piece of furniture be used a lot or a little? Will it be indoors or outdoors? Exposed to sunlight, or not? These are questions that will help determine the most-needed performance features for things like wear-and-tear, stain resistance, and even UV resistance.
5. Fiber contents: While the fiber type relates to aesthetic preference, it can also be tied to sustainability. For those looking for an eco-friendly or nontoxic option, natural fibers or natural blends will be more desirable.
6. Finish: Some performance fabrics are treated with finishes to create greater resistance to fading or liquid saturation. However, while these finishes heighten durability, they can also affect the softness or feel of the fabric.
7. Overall lifestyle: While all of the above will help narrow down which type of performance fabric is best for each customer, considering lifestyle is also key. Everything from kids and pets to frequently hosting or cleaning up messes can and should be included in the discussion around which fabric makes the most sense long-term.

Google Search Interest for Performance Fabric Keywords 

Here’s a look at Google Trends search interest on this topic has evolved over the past 10 years.

Google Trends search interest

As you can see, “performance fabric sofa” searches outperform “performance fabric furniture,” yet both have a similar trajectory with heightened interest over the 18 months. And looking back across the chart, this topic saw a slight bump around the time of COVID, when everyone was spending more time at home.

CLICK HERE for an overview of Google Trends and how to use it. 

The consumer interest in performance fabric is clear. The question is, how can Independent retailers better understand and capitalize on this growing movement to drive interest in the furniture category and ultimately to increase sales?

Education on Performance Fabrics is Important 

Beyond this basic overview, educating your team and your customers will not only strengthen your authority and expertise in the performance fabric space, but will also provide a better customer experience and enhance purchase satisfaction.

Get to know the fabrics you sell.

Consider whether in-store product demonstrations — or links to demonstrations online — could boost your selling strategy.

Reach out to your Vendor partners for more information on the performance fabric options available.

NMG Vendors Offering Performance Fabrics 

Many Nationwide Marketing Group furniture and bedding Vendors offer performance fabric products and continue to evolve in this category as new technologies and processes become available. Here are a few examples:

Best Home

At High Point, Best Home promoted its new Tried & True program, featuring performance fabrics sourced locally from STI out of King’s Mountain, North Carolina. The program offers a wide assortment of STI’s Revolution performance fabrics “paired with a selection of [Best Home’s] products to provide peace of mind when it comes to budget-friendly protection from spills and stains.”

Chromcraft

A new NMG Vendor partner, Chromcraft, also offers an extensive selection of fabrics. Many are easily cleanable using a water-based solution, and even a few are considered pet-friendly.

Mega Motion

Mega Motion offers exclusive high-performance fabrics to provide added protection for its lift chairs. MegaGuard® uses water-based technology to keep liquid from penetrating through the fabric, preventing messy stains and odor buildup. And Lexi Sta-Kleen® is a medical-grade, stain-resistant fabric that is easily cleanable with a bleach solution.

Capel Rugs

In the rug category, Capel Rugs offers a lineup of Capel Easy Care rugs, Capel Conserve — a collection of sustainably made rugs, and outdoor rugs featuring fade- and weather-resistant yarns that are also easy to clean.

Bedgear

In the bedding category, Bedgear has a line of performance sleep accessories including breathable pillows, plus moisture-wicking sheets sets, duvets, shams, comforters, and more. Bedgear’s breathable fabrics provide a cooling effect to help regulate body temperature resulting in a deeper sleep.

This is not an exhaustive list of our Vendor partners with performance fabric products in the furniture and bedding space. To learn more about all of the options available for NMG Members, visit MemberNet or chat with your NMG representative.