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Polyester Velvet...Durable?

sturdy
14 years ago

I am looking at sofas and was wondering if 100 percent polyester velvet is durable? I have 3 kids and a dog. The cleaning code is W (water) and the slipcovers can be washed in the washer. Will the velvet wear well? (i.e., not go thread bare quickly)

Comments (5)

  • laura11106
    14 years ago

    Most of the 100% polyester fabrics that look like velvet are microfibers. The durability will usually depend upon how heavy (thick) the material is and whether it has a good backing on it. This has nothing to do with the length of the fiber. Hopefully, your dealer will have a swatch of the material that you can examine. You should be able to tell by feel whether it feels light and flimsy or thicker and more durable.

  • kateskouros
    14 years ago

    the most durable velvet for upholstery is mohair ...hands down. it cleans up very well and will live through DECADES of abuse. my MIL has an upholstered mohair velvet chair and the velvet is in better shape than the frame. it is over 50 years old. it shows no signs of fading or any other damage from light. we used mohair velvet on our english club chairs, bought ten years ago and they look brand new. the downside: i've never spent so much on fabric EVER. won't even talk numbers, but if you want longevity there is no comparison.
    we have two kids and a gross, shedding cat.

  • scsteiner
    14 years ago

    Just checking on the person with two kids and shedding cat with mohair velvet. Is your cat on the chairs often? If so I would imagine they leave hair/fur behind. Do you need to vacuum it often? and does the hair clean up easily?

  • kateskouros
    14 years ago

    the cat does shed, unfortunately. i have a dyson right now which i'm not too happy with but it does the job fairly well. it's an upright so it's difficult. we'll be moving into a new home in a few months and i plan to have everything professionally cleaned before it goes in. we'll have central vac in the new house so it will be much easier. the kitty will be living in the mud room with her own cushy bed ...no more furniture napping!
    for now i would never let her nap on our sofa (chenille) or chairs (cotton). i never worry about the mohair, though!

  • kateskouros
    14 years ago

    sorry, but need to need to clarify: clean up depends on the vacuum. but in terms of maintenance, the mohair easily releases fur. my kids are also not banned from using the chairs and they do so without me worrying about them. very costly, but keeps me sane.