How to choose fabrics for contract furniture based on their use: hotels, offices and restaurants

Choosing a fabric for contract furniture goes far beyond color or texture. In hotels, offices, restaurants, and public spaces, upholstery must combine design, strength, durability, safety, easy care, and comfort.

But not all spaces demand the same performance. An armchair in a hotel lobby, a restaurant chair, or an office sofa is subjected to very different uses. That is why the key is to choose the fabric according to the intensity and real needs of each application.

What should a good contract fabric have?

Before specifying a fabric for contract upholstery, architects, interior designers, and furniture manufacturers should consider:

• Resistance to abrasion and pilling.
• Durability.
• Easy maintenance and stain performance.
• Colorfastness.
• Comfort and feel.
• Fire reaction requirements.
• Design, texture, and color.
• Certifications and technical documentation.

More features do not necessarily mean a better fabric: what matters is that they meet the project's requirements.

Fabrics for hotels: comfort, design, ease of maintenance, and durability

In hotels and hospitality projects, the fabric contributes both to the guest experience and to the identity of the space.

High-traffic areas, such as lobbies, restaurants, or common areas, require resistant, durable, and easy-to-maintain fabrics. In guest rooms, comfort, feel, and aesthetics take center stage, always without losing sight of durability.

Depending on the country and the application, specific fire reaction regulations may also be required, such as EN 1021 or BS 5852.

Fabrics for offices: strength for continuous use

Contemporary offices combine workstations, meeting rooms, collaborative areas, and lounge spaces used by different people throughout the day.

Therefore, a fabric for office furniture must offer good resistance to abrasion and pilling, easy maintenance, and comfort.

The Martindale test is one of the main methods for evaluating abrasion resistance, but it should not be assessed in isolation. Durability also depends on factors such as pilling, dimensional stability, colorfastness, or the fabric's own construction. 

Fabrics for restaurants: resistance and easy maintenance

Restaurant upholstery is subject to heavy turnover and frequent contact with food, drinks, and stains.

That is why, when choosing a fabric for restaurant chairs, benches, or stools, it is advisable to prioritize:

• Resistance to intensive use.
• Easy maintenance.
• Good stain performance.
• Durability.
• Applicable fire reaction requirements.
• Design and comfort.

Color and texture remain essential: upholstery is part of the restaurant's identity and the user's experience.

Hotel, office, or restaurant: which contract fabric should you choose?

The final selection should always be adapted to the characteristics and regulations of each project.

How many Martindale cycles does a contract fabric need?

The Martindale test measures a fabric's resistance to abrasion through repeated friction cycles and is one of the most widely used indicators for evaluating upholstery fabrics.

A fabric with 35,000 Martindale abrasion cycles is already sufficient resistance for an installation, although this sector feels more comfortable starting at 50,000 cycles.

However, a high Martindale rating alone does not guarantee greater durability. Pilling, seam strength, dimensional stability, colorfastness, and the fabric's behavior during use and maintenance must also be considered.

Do contract fabrics need to be flame retardant?

It depends on the country, the application, and the relevant regulations.

In many hospitality and public-space projects, certain levels of fire performance are required. Common regulations include EN 1021, BS 5852, and other national or specific standards.

Before specifying a contract fabric, it is important to check the certificates and tests applicable to the project.

Easy maintenance and durability: two related concepts

Durability does not depend solely on mechanical strength.

A fabric that is easy to maintain can retain its appearance and functionality for longer, which is especially relevant in hotels, restaurants, and offices, where replacing or reupholstering furniture entails financial, operational, and material costs.

Designing to last also means making day-to-day maintenance easier.

Performance+: high-performance fabrics for contract

At Crevin we develop premium upholstery fabrics that combine design, comfort, and performance.

Our Performance+ fabrics feature a double-weave construction and textile engineering solutions designed to provide strength, durability, and easy maintenance, helping preserve the beauty and functionality of upholstery for longer.

Because high performance should not mean giving up on design.

What documentation should be requested before choosing a contract fabric?

Before approving a fabric for a hotel, office, restaurant, or public space, it is advisable to review:

• Technical datasheet and composition.
• Abrasion and pilling resistance.
• Colorfastness.
• Care instructions.
• Fire reaction certificates when required.
• Available environmental certifications.