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When choosing a fabric there are many factors that make us lean towards deciding on one or another. However, the starting point should always be what the fabric will be used for.

We discuss the factors that will determine the right fabric for your needs. We know the decision is not easy for people with no textiles experience, but we feel that the following information will help and guide you.

1. Recommended brand, with experience in the sector.

A company like ours and others with years of experience in the sector can always serve as a reference when it comes time to know whether you have chosen a good fabric.

The establishment where the fabric is purchased and is from a reputable brand comprise the essential first steps in identifying a high-quality fabric. Street markets, for example, do not guarantee the quality of the products sold, either for their suitability or lack of defects. Unfortunately, bargains rarely go hand in hand with the quality of fabrics.

2. Feel and drape: fabric weight

Touch and feeling play a great role when it comes to distinguishing what kind of product we have in our hands. The feeling of fabric transmits the quality and elegance that our eyes noticed at first glance. Its feel, drape, bearing, weight, and elegance, are all synonymous with quality.

3. The design: color, transparency, and pattern.

You have to be especially careful with this, since nowadays, anyone can make a design, but the quality is not the same as it was before.

The quality of the design and the experience of the company behind it often determine how good the fabric is on which their work will appear.

4. Durability and resistance.

The resistance of a fabric or an upholstery can be measured and expressed in figures and data.

For example, the Martindale test can tell you how many life cycles a fabric has. If it has 15,000 life cycles, it is said to be a good fabric. One quality that can be seen during these cycles (and is also seen after the fabric is cleaned again and again) is that the color, shape, and texture of the fabric stay the same after being washed many times.

5. Technical qualities.

Some aspects associated with a good fabric go way beyond the details that cannot be appreciated by the naked eye and cannot be perceived at first glance unless you know what to look for in fabrics.

Technical aspects include:

• Outdoor fabrics with a Tempotest guarantee and Teflon finish. The colors of these textiles do not fade in sunlight, they repel water and oil, and they are also resistant to mold (rot-proof textiles).

• Flame-retardant fabrics. These certified fabrics are inflammable and are perfect for installation in collective spaces: public spaces in general, hotels, auditoriums, and sports centers, for example.

• Acoustic fabrics, which help improve the acoustic qualities of spaces, including improved insulation from exterior sounds.

• Recycled fabrics, such as those created from discarded polyester material and recycled PET bottles in our Up series of fabrics. An ecofriendly collection.

• Indantheren-dyed fabrics. This is the most durable dye in existence and the only one that can be used with cotton fabrics. It is used for tablecloths and other textiles which require constant washing at high temperatures.

6. Composition: thread-count, fiber length, and weave types.

It isn’t easy for the naked eye to see, although sometimes you can actually see the fragility of some fabrics. For this reason you have to refer to the label in order to find out the composition percentages of each of the fibers.

• Natural fibers (cotton, wool, linen, and silk) always have added value and, in some cases, even improve the permanence of the colors, making them sharper and more attractive.

• Synthetic fibers such as polyester, the best quality must always be used in order to guarantee greater resistance and durability over time. In this context, the product’s brand is a guarantees for its quality, since the inexperienced, inexpert eye cannot possibly distinguish a good polyester from a bad one.

• A good fabric is composed of many threads, which is what gives a fabric its weight and a dense weave. When woven, the higher the thread count in both the weft and the warp which form the basis of any textile product. The more threads there are in the fabric itself and, therefore, the higher the quality of the textile.

These are just some qualities and aspects that can help you and all of us identify a good quality fabric. To get started on your textile project, contact us today.