Best Upholstery Material For Recliners | Leather v Fabric, Which Is BEST In 2023?

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” They say. But if it is a recliner, then you must, we say. The upholstery on a recliner plays a significant role in defining its level of comfort, durability, and grace. Whether it is a plush fabric or water-resistant leather, everything in this world has its pros and cons! Since each material has its characteristics, we decided to list down their attributes to help you determine what upholstery material is the best choice!

Leather

Leather is naturally made from the hides of animals. Though, there are man-made leathers too, known as ‘synthetic leather’. Polyurethane (PU leather), and Vinyl are 2 of the types of synthetic leather. But the question is: how does one differentiate between natural leather and synthetic one?

Fun fact: In life, if you ever have to test the credibility of leather, we have a little trick for you to track down its truth. All you have to do is run your fingernail over it; if it starts showing that white scratch, then ta-da! It is synthetic leather, and if it does not, you know, a natural one.

Pros

• Talk about a long-lasting upholstery material? Only one name comes to mind – leather! It is no secret hidden from the world that how durable leather is in its natural form.
• Leather just never goes out of style. It has this class that never lowers the bar. For a long time, people have worn it as jackets and shoes, and one of the reasons was that it apparently looked ‘cool’. Leather on recliners promises the same classiness, too!
• When it comes to cleaning leather recliners, all it takes is a piece of cloth to wipe any dirt or stain off. Dropped food on the leather? Fret not! Stains do not stay on the leather, and a damp cloth to clean them is its only needed solution.
• Even if some liquid gets spilled on the leather recliner, the tendency of leather to resist water is remarkable.
• People who are allergic can find their savior in the leather recliner. The smooth surface of leather does not let it catch any irritants and allergens.
• The synthetic leather, Vinyl, has such properties that it cannot catch fire, and neither does it absorb moisture.

Cons

• Natural leather is expensive than synthetic leather or any fabric.
• In case there are animals in the house, it is challenging to make synthetic leather last long as it can get torn apart or have scratches.

Fabric

Fabric, whether it is of any kind, is soft in nature compared to leather, regardless of its weaving pattern. Just like leather, it comes from nature too, as well as being a man-made material. But unlike leather, the fabric can endure animal scratches better. Nah, that’s not all! There are more differences and many characteristics, but let us discuss them all below.

Cotton

Pros

• Cotton earned its name in the world of fabrics because of its breathability and the quality to hold out against wear and tear for a long time.
• If mingled and woven tightly with linen or any other fabric, cotton can increase its strength and longevity, which will benefit the recliners as well.

Cons

• Excessive contact with the sunlight can cause the color of the cotton to diminish.

Linen

Pros

• Linen has its command on the durability factor. It excels in that area.

Cons

• Its downside is that it wrinkles and crinkles quite with ease, resulting in it being uncomfortable, and who likes sitting on an uncomfortable recliner?!

Wool

Pros

• Wool does not wrinkle or crinkle, and it is considered very durable. In addition to that, it can be blended with other synthetic fabrics to enhance its performance.

Cons

• The most challenging part about wool? Cleaning it! This is not an easy task as wool in its purest form is likely to shrink.
• If you are someone from a warmer area of the Earth, a wool recliner is going to give you a tough time because wool exhibits warmth too.

Silk

Pros

• Apparently, silk is smooth and glossy, but underneath, it is very strong and durable.

Cons

• Sadly, silk has the tendency to fade when it is exposed to sunlight.

Polyester

Pros

• It does not fade.
• It does not cause wrinkles.
• It is easy to clean.

Cons

• It grasps odors as compared to natural fabrics.

Polyester is a man-made fabric, also labeled as synthetic fabric. It is a product of petroleum. Polyester is usually blended with other fabrics to make use of it as upholstery material, even on recliners.

Rayon

Pros

• It is known to be very durable, and durability is what a person normally seeks while buying a recliner.

Cons

• Ahem! Wrinkles CAN appear on it, though.

Rayon is another man-made fiber; however, it comes from the natural sources of wood pulp or related agricultural product’s cellulose, e.g., cotton. It impersonates natural fabrics like cotton, linen, wool, and silk. Its alikeness to silk is to the extent that it is even called artificial silk.

Nylon

Pros

• It is stain-resistant.
• Cleaning is no big deal.

Cons

• It has a proneness to fading.
• Pilling happens.

Nylon is the successor of Rayon. It is like silk, but it is actually a thermoplastic that is processed into making fibers. Also, it is often blended with other kinds of fibers to strengthen it. After all, a strong recliner needs strong upholstery too!

Microfiber

Pros

• It is so tightly woven that it can resist water absorption.
• It is outclass in the field of durability.
• Cleaning is an easy-peasy, simple matter.

Cons

• It has no significant cons.

Microfiber is the most delicate synthetic fabric out there, and it is rather popular. Polyester and nylon contribute to the making of it, and it has this smooth and soft feel to it. That is why microfiber recliners are quite in. It really has proved itself good.

Acrylic

Pros

• Stains do not make themselves a home on this fabric.
• Fading is a condition unknown to it.
• No matter how heavily it is used, it does not seem to wrinkle.

Cons

• It is prone to static electricity.

Acrylic fibers are also called ‘imitation wool’. As the term suggests, wool is what this synthetic fabric looks like. Along with that, it is warm and light in weight. As wool only works in colder climates, you must keep this point in mind while buying a recliner.

All these varieties of fabric happen to exist in this world, and so much to choose from. But some factors need to be considered before buying a recliner with the best fabric, in your opinion. Our job was to make it all clear before you; now, your job is to decide.