If the fabric on your favorite chair has become thin and worn, or your elegant sofa is looking a bit tattered, you can create a beautiful new look for your home with decorative materials found in a local upholstery fabrics retail store. Designer upholstery fabrics can be classified by color, pattern, or fabric type. Fabric choices and designs include tapestries, damask, silk, floral print, or lace, with patterns in plaid, stripes, or checks. Take a trip to your local fabric store and you will step into a world of cloth merchandise featuring an array of stunning colors and textures to choose from. Upholstery material may be referred to as fabric, cloth, or textile, but there is a distinct difference for each term. Fabrics are materials that are made by bonding, weaving, knitting, or crocheting. Cloth is a finished piece of fabric that can be utilized for bed coverings, curtains, or a table cloth. Both fabric and cloth are used for dressmaking, or other tailoring projects. Textiles are materials that are made of interlacing fibers. Commonly referred to as thread or yarn, textiles are formed when fibers are weaved, knitted, or pressed together. Textiles are used in upholstered furnishings, carpets, towels, and other miscellaneous items like backpacks, tents, bags, kites, and parachutes. Outdoor upholstery fabrics that have been especially designed to withstand changing weather conditions are ideal for use on patio and other outdoor furniture. Upholstery fabrics for outside use are commonly made from polyester or acrylic, and have been treated to resist mildew and sun rot.
