The Dream-Come-True Magic of Performance Fabrics

Thought you could never, ever, ever in a million years own a white sofa? Not with your crazy kids and/or your sweet sloppy dog and/or your love of a nice glass of red wine in the evenings? 

Think again! The fabric industry has made huge strides in technology over the last few years, completely transforming the world of what those of us in the furniture biz call Performance Fabrics.

Want your sofa in the color you’ve always wanted? Want it soft and plush? Or want a linen-lookalike?  With the wide range of options now available you can have your dream fabric – and smear cake on it too. 

Whether plush and velvety, or mid-century tweedy, Performance Fabrics are perfectly able to withstand the wear and tear of everyday life. Simple stains can be easily cleaned with a little water and blotting. Liquids don’t penetrate – we often pour Gatorade on our swatches to demonstrate how it beads up and slides across the fabric like some kind of  science fair project . Tough stains like dirty paws and ground in foods can be combatted with upholstery or household cleaners. Plus, these super-performers are resistant to fading, mildew and microbes, and they’re fabulously durable over time.

The key to Performance Fabric technology is the fibers themselves; the performance is built in, as opposed to applied later with a chemical coating. Many of the fibers are made of up-cycled materials, and don’t contain harmful chemicals. If you’re eager to learn all you can, details of various fabric technologies like Crypton, Culp & Nassimi are readily available for deep research.

If you’re simply interested in ordering your custom sofa from Five Elements or Solid in a gorgeous fabric that offers unexpected levels of performance, ask to see our many Performance Fabric options first and be ready to fearlessly fall in love.