When it comes to buying contract furniture for your public building, one of the most important things you’ll have to do is decide upon the furniture’s fabric. What your furniture is going to be used for, the setting in which it will be used, and other factors will all influence what fabric is best for your furniture. If you want to find out more about which contract fabrics are best for you, keep reading…
What is contract fabric?
Contract fabric – as the name suggests – is fabric which is used on contract furniture.
As contract furniture is designed for use in high-traffic, public environments, it features very robust designs and manufacturing methods.
The same goes for contract fabrics.
Contract fabrics are designed to withstand far more wear, tear, and general use than the types of fabrics you find on domestic items of furniture, and are compliant with different regulations (including fire retardancy).
Contract fabrics also tend to be far more ‘advanced’ than domestic fabrics. What we mean by this, is that some contract fabrics feature special treatments and materials which provide characteristics such as making the fabric waterproof or wipe-clean etc.
The key point here is that if you’re intending to buy furniture for a public building, you need to ensure it is upholstered in a contract-quality fabric.
What are the different types of contract fabrics?
As you’d expect, there are a vast number of contract fabrics available for your furniture. To make things easier for you to find the right fabric, we group our most popular contract fabrics into one of three categories:
Below, we’ve detailed the main characteristics associated with each of these three types of fabrics.
Standard contract fabrics
As their name suggests, standard contract fabrics are the standard fabrics you’ll find on contract furniture. These are usually the most cost effective choice too.
This means they are hard wearing, with a suitable Martindale rub rating, and are fire retardant. Here at Rosehill, our standard contract fabrics are offered in two levels of fire retardancy; Crib 2, and Crib 5. These are suitable for low hazard and medium hazard settings, respectively.
Treated contract fabrics
Treated contract fabrics are those fabrics which have some form of stain treatment, and/or possess special materials which impart useful characteristics to them.
For example, treated contract fabrics can be waterproof, stain resistant, stain repellent, antimicrobial, antifungal, UV-resistant, and more.
Contrary to popular opinion, these fabrics aren’t just vinyls, but include traditional-looking fabrics too. This is thanks to advances in recent years which have allowed manufacturers to add special characteristics to fabrics.
Premium contract fabrics
Premium contract fabrics are fabrics which use higher-end, more expensive materials to achieve luxury finishes. They do this whilst remaining contract quality, being able to withstand lots of wear, tear and general use.
Here at Rosehill, our premium contract fabrics include tweed-effect fabrics, wool-blend fabrics, luxury velvets, soft faux leathers, fabrics with patterns, prints, and more.
Use versus durability
When it comes to selecting a contract fabric for your furniture, there’s a very important factor that you need to think about.
Is the fabric you have selected suitable for a) the item of furniture it is being used on, and b) the environment/setting in which it will be used?
To put this into context, consider the following example.
Say you’re selecting a series of chairs for your GP surgery waiting room. You decide upon the Mia Beam Seating. This excellent bench seating is designed to withstand the rigours of being sat on hundreds of times a day.
That’s why the Mia Beam Seating has a five-year guarantee.
However, if you decide to have the Mia Beam Seating upholstered in a fancy fabric which only has a guarantee of two-years, you’ll find that the upholstery of your seats becomes worn out and damaged far too quickly.
Tip – when selecting contract fabrics, make sure that you select fabrics which have an equivalent guarantee to the item of furniture that they will be covering.
Fabrics for chairs vs fabrics for soft seating
This is a rarely talked about, yet crucially important point when it comes to the selection of contract fabrics.
There are two ‘types’ of fabric:
- Fabrics for chairs – fabrics which are designed for use on individual chairs and operator chairs etc.
- Fabrics for soft seating – fabrics which are designed for use on sofas and other forms of soft seating.
Fabrics for soft seating are generally multi-purpose and suitable for use on any type of seating, however some fabrics are only suitable to upholster single standard chairs or task models.
In other words, it’s inadvisable to try and upholster a sofa in a fabric which is only designed for use on standard chairs or operator chairs. This is due to the stretch and composition of the fabric. When you have a larger upholstered section (for example on a sofa), an unsuitable soft seating fabric might not sit quite right, and can lead to gaping or bagginess.
If you’re in doubt as to which type of fabric you require, our expert team can advise you.
Note – in many instances, we have done the hard work for you. You’ll find that certain seats on our website are only available with a limited range of fabrics. That’s because we have excluded unsuitable fabrics.
Can you use domestic fabrics on contract furniture?
We are occasionally asked if it’s possible to upholster items of contract furniture with domestic fabrics.
Unfortunately, it is not. We only upholster contract furniture with contract fabrics.
As we outlined in the point above regarding ‘use versus durability’, there’s not much point upholstering a piece of contract furniture in a fabric which will wear out much more quickly than the chair itself!
Contract fabrics and fire safety
As you’ll probably be aware, furniture that is used in public buildings needs to be highly fire-resistant and adhere to a range of fire safety regulations.
The same applies to the fabric used on that furniture.
We’ve written a very comprehensive guide which sets out the fire safety standards that contract fabrics need to adhere to. The guide also sets out which standards fabrics must meet for use in certain environments.
Can you get environmentally-friendly contract fabrics?
Many public-facing organisations – be they schools, offices, libraries, or other public institutions – now have environmental targets which they have to meet.
These targets take many forms, with one being an eco-friendly procurement policy. In other words, if you buy something for your organisation like furniture, it needs to be made from environmentally-friendly materials.
The good news is that the manufacturers of contract fabrics have picked up on this trend and are now releasing fabrics which are made from recycled materials.
One popular example at the moment, of a fabric made using recycled materials, is the Rivet. This fabric is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester from used plastic bottles.
Contract fabric colours
Contract fabrics are available in a constellation of colours. Think of a colour, and you can probably find a contract fabric in it!
Which brings us to our next point…
Mixing colours across an order
We are often asked if it’s possible to buy a set of chairs in different colours, and still receive a bulk buying discount.
For example, you want to buy six of our Crosby Dining Chairs for your restaurant. But you want two in Cobalt Blue, two in Ruby, and two in Dark Chestnut.
An order like that is entirely feasible. You’ll retain your bulk buying discount, even if your chairs are upholstered in different coloured fabric. However, the bulk buying discount will only apply if you are buying the same model chair.
As per the example above, as long as you are buying six Crosby Dining Chairs (and not six different models of chair), then you’ll get the discount.
Two-tone upholstery
We know that some people like to purchase chairs which are upholstered with two different colour fabrics e.g. the seat is one colour, and the back of the chair is a different colour.
This type of two-tone upholstery is particularly popular for reception and modular seating. We’re also increasingly seeing tub chairs being ordered in two-tone upholstery. This can include a soft fabric on the seat, and a faux leather on the back/surround.
On many of our chairs, it’s possible to request the use of two different colour fabrics at no extra cost.
However, on some chairs there will be a small upcharge should you wish to have them upholstered in two different colours.
If you’re looking at a particular chair, and you’re not sure if a small upcharge applies for two tone upholstery, contact us and we’ll be able to tell you.
Note – on some chairs (particularly lounge chairs), it’s even possible to customise the colour of the piping, adding a third colour.
What if I want a fabric which isn’t on your website?
When you explore our range of contract fabrics here at Rosehill, what you’ll find is a selection of our most popular fabrics – not the entire range we have available.
As there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of contract fabrics available, we are able to source far more fabrics than you can see on our website.
We are able to secure fabrics from the majority of the leading contract fabric manufacturers, these include, but are not limited to:
We are also able to source contract fabrics from leading European brands, including:
So, if you have spotted a fabric that you like from one of these suppliers (or elsewhere), we can get it for you! Simply contact us, and let us know what you’d like.
Note – prices can vary considerably between different fabric ranges, so selecting a particular fabric is likely to change the total price of a chair.
The Martindale fabric rub test
How do you know if a contract fabric is going to be tough enough for your needs?
The first answer is to check the guarantee offered with the fabric. As a general rule, the longer the guarantee, the tougher the fabric is likely to be.
However, if you really want to get into the fine details, then you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the Martindale fabric rub test.
The Martindale fabric rub test is a testing methodology used by the contract furniture industry to determine how much wear and tear a fabric can withstand.
The test involves the use of a special machine fitted with rotating discs. These discs are fitted with a sandpaper, which is then applied to the fabric under test.
The oscillating discs will be applied continuously to the fabric, until the fabric shows signs of wear and distress.
At this point, the test concludes and a Martindale rub score is assigned to the fabric.
The Martindale fabric rub test scores
So, what are these scores? And, which score should you be looking for on your contract fabric?
We’ve detailed the Martindale fabric rub test scores below, along with some guidance as to which settings apply to each score.
- 6,000 to 10,000 – when a fabric scores between 6,000 and 10,000 on the Martindale test, it will be suitable only for decorative use.
- 10,000 to 15,000 – a fabric with this Martindale score is suitable only for very light domestic use.
- 15,000 to 25,000 – should a fabric score in this range, it’ll be firmly in the general domestic use bracket. Sofas, beds, recliners etc that you find in your home will typically have a Martindale score in this range.
- 25,000 to 30,000 – a score in this bracket means that a fabric is suitable for heavy-duty domestic use.
- 30,000+ – it’s when a fabric reaches a score of 30,000 or more that it is deemed suitable for use in public environments. From 30,000+ a piece of fabric will be classed as a contract fabric.
Here at Rosehill, all of our fabrics have a Martindale fabric rub test score of at least 30,000. However, the majority of our fabrics have a score over 50,000, with some of our vinyls scoring 300,000 – ten times the amount you typically need for contract use, and one range – the Aston – is 750,000!
If you want to know the Martindale score of a particular fabric here at Rosehill, simply click on a fabric, and then scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on ‘Description’ and you’ll usually be able to see the Martindale score, listed under ‘Abrasion Resistance’ as illustrated below:
If you are unable to find the Martindale score on any of our fabrics, please contact us. We will be able to source this information for you from the manufacturer.
Samples and swatches
Have you spotted a fabric that you like, but aren’t entirely sure if it’s right for your building? Then request a fabric card or swatch.
Our fabric swatches are free, and we’d strongly recommend checking a swatch before placing your order. This is because fabrics can look different in ‘real life’ compared to what you see on the screen. This is usually down to the type of monitor you have, and the limitations associated with displaying colours and textures in a digital format.
An important point to consider, is that made-to-order products are customised for your specific order, and if you receive the goods then find that you don’t like them, you won’t be able to return it. That’s why we strongly recommend ordering a swatch first.
If you are thinking about one of our treated fabrics, which are wipe-clean and waterproof, then we’d recommend ordering a sample and trying it out for yourself. Try spilling some tea or coffee onto the sample and then wiping it clean. You’ll be impressed by the results!
If you’d like to order a sample or swatch of our fabrics, then please contact us. You can reach us on 0161 485 1717 or by email at: sales@rosehill.co.uk.
Selecting the right contract fabric for your furniture
As we mentioned earlier, selecting the right fabric for your contract furniture is very much determined by the setting in which the furniture will be placed, and what the furniture will be used for.
Below, we’ve set out some of the most common contexts e.g. schools, offices, churches, healthcare institutions, and the fabrics that are most suited for each case.
What is the right contract fabric for healthcare settings?
Whether you’re looking for furniture for a GP surgery or a hospital, there are some common requirements – most notably, hygiene and infection control.
You want the fabric on your furniture to be easily cleaned, wipeable and resistant to the accumulation of dust and dirt.
As a result, contract-quality vinyl is the most commonly used upholstery on chairs in hospitals and other healthcare settings.
Our most popular vinyl is our Cadet Vinyl. This vinyl is anti-microbial and as such is able to inhibit the growth and spread of bacteria.
What is the right contract fabric for care homes?
Like healthcare settings, you’ll want to make sure that your contract furniture is upholstered in a fabric which can be easily cleaned and which has antimicrobial properties.
There’s a common misconception that the only material that has these properties is vinyl.
Advances in material science in recent years has resulted in the launch of several fabrics which have the characteristics of vinyl, e.g. they are waterproof and can be wiped clean. However, they’re much softer to sit on than faux leather or vinyl.
The perfect example of this new generation of fabrics is our Juno fabric.
These fabrics have the benefit of being easily cleaned, whilst retaining the comfort and warmth that’s associated with traditional fabrics – making them ideal for use on care home chairs.
What is the right contract fabric for churches?
As churches are increasingly becoming multi-use spaces, with community and youth groups making use of them in addition to the usual round of weekly services, church chairs require different types of fabrics.
Traditionally, church chairs would be upholstered in tweed fabrics (such as our Advantage and Rivet fabrics), and these fabrics are still a fantastic option – especially if your chairs are mainly going to be used to provide seating during services.
However, if you’re going to be using your church chairs for other activities (think coffee mornings, Mums N Tots groups, Scout meetings, community groups etc), then we’d recommend selecting our Highland fabric.
This fabric has the appearance of a traditional fabric, but has been specially treated so that it is waterproof, antimicrobial, and antifungal. Perfect for when you need to wipe down your chairs!
What is the right contract fabric for offices?
If you’re looking for a contract fabric that’s suitable for your office furniture, then you really do have a dizzying array of choices available to you.
Any of our standard fabrics will be suitable, but if you want to achieve a truly premium, luxury look to your furniture (for example, for furniture in your CEO’s office), then explore our range of premium fabrics.
These premium fabrics include hard-wearing tweed-effect fabrics, wool-blend fabrics, luxury boucles and velvets, soft faux-leathers, and more.
What is the right contract fabric for educational settings?
Whilst the majority of chairs that you’ll find in schools are plastic and without upholstery, there are instances when you’ll want to buy upholstered chairs (e.g. for a sixth form common room, staff room, university library).
The key to selecting the right fabric for educational settings is to go for durability. You want to select a fabric which has the highest Martindale score you can find. That’s because schools and other educational settings can be quite brutal on upholstered furniture…
What is the right contract fabric for hospitality settings?
When you run a café, restaurant, bar or other hospitality establishment, you want your furniture to be good-looking, comfortable and hard-wearing.
That’s quite a combination of characteristics! Yet, it’s entirely possible to buy contract fabrics that possess all three characteristics.
For hospitality environments, you’ll want Crib 5-rated fabrics.
As you’d expect, our treated fabrics (which meet the Crib 5 rating) which are waterproof and wipe-clean are especially popular for use in restaurants and cafés etc. For higher end dining and lounges, some of the heavier textures will provide that luxury look and feel.
Should you want a fabric that’s truly unique, then one of our fabric suppliers – Panaz – offers a fantastic ‘Remake’ service whereby you can upload your own pattern to their website and have a custom fabric created.
What is the right contract fabric for hazardous environments?
If you’re buying upholstered furniture for a hazardous environment such as an offshore oil platform, prison cell, or other enclosed space where escape is not possible, then you’ll need to ensure the furniture is upholstered in Crib 7 tested fabric.
The perfect example of a Crib 7 contract fabric is the Advantage 7. Please contact us if you’d like to find out more about this fabric.
What is the right contract fabric for marine interiors?
Are you looking for furniture for a cruise ship or other marine vessel? Then you’ll need to ensure that the furniture is upholstered in fabric which meets the IMO FTP Part 8 Certification.
This is a certification which was introduced by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to ensure that fabrics used in maritime environments are highly-fire resistant.
Shop the very best contract fabrics at Rosehill
If you want to make sure you get compliant, suitable fabrics for your contract furniture, then shop with Rosehill today.
Not only do we offer a huge range of upholstered contract furniture of all types, but we also offer contract fabrics loose so that you can upholster/re-upholster your own furniture.
With over 35 years in the contract furniture industry, Rosehill can certainly help you find the perfect contract fabrics. Speak to our team about your fabric requirements today on 0161 485 1717 or at: sales@rosehill.co.uk.
Shop contract fabrics at Rosehill now
For more commercial and contract furniture buying guides, information and advice, read the Rosehill blog…
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