Chenille for the sofa: characteristics, pros and cons, care

Soft upholstery fabrics never go out of style. They give a feeling of comfort, warmth, bring expressiveness to the interior. In addition, a high degree of comfort from touching such a fabric makes it extremely popular. Chenill is a fairly popular upholstery material that competes with velveteen, microsuede and velor. The modern market offers a huge selection of shades and prints of chenille for upholstery. You can choose a tone that suits any style decision.

The word "chenille" means "caterpillar." It is not surprising that the pleasant slightly shaggy fabric received a similar name. The chenille material can consist of both natural and synthetic components. Most often, a similar fabric for a sofa has a composition of 50/50, but there are also options that completely consist of synthetics. Such material retains an attractive appearance for a very long time, if it is properly looked after. There are manufacturers who claim the life of such a fabric is up to 50 years. From the point of view of environmental friendliness, the material is absolutely safe.

In general, chenille is a kind of jacquard, only of a slightly higher quality. Weaving fluffy and plain thread is a complex structure. Such material is strong, durable and pleasant to the touch. It can include both threads of one kind, most often it is polyester, and be mixed with cotton, acrylic, viscose. The fleecy type structure is a warm and soft surface that can change color when playing in the light. The price category of this fabric is average.

There are two main groups of chenyl tissue:

• glue - inexpensive, treated with glue from the inside;
• woven - better quality, not subject to the formation of spools.

The more Chenille fleecy fibers in the fabric, the more heavy and dense the upholstery from it will be. The weave itself can take the following forms:

• satin;
• tapestry;
• jacquard
• twill.

The highest quality is considered jacquard weaving. Chenill has the following properties:

• exposure to water does not affect tissue shrinkage;
• when exposed to high temperature, deformation may occur;
• practically does not crease;
• elastic, can be draped;
• there are a lot of shades, as it is easily painted;
• not subject to molt, burnout.

There are three main types of chenille:

• natural - consisting of more than half of natural fibers, more environmentally friendly, hypoallergenic, but also the most fragile;
• artificial - contains artificial fibers and very little natural, very strong material, durable, soft;
• synthetic - consists of acrylic and polyester, not too soft, but durable and almost no pollution.

Like all upholstery fabrics, chenille has both advantages and disadvantages.

Among the advantages are:

• sufficiently durable, wear-resistant, not deformed;
• Does not crease or absorb odors;
• hypoallergenic;
• soft, pleasant to the touch;
• It looks cozy and noble;
• has a lot of colors and prints.

As for the minuses, here it is worth noting such qualities as:

• high price;
• unstable to moisture - any drops remain on it in the form of spots;
• the threads are quite easily pulled.

Chenille upholstery is a rival to velor, and very often customers ask themselves which one is better? The properties of chenille have already been said. Compared to velor, it has both pros and cons. Velor is created on the basis of an adhesive cloth. Half of its composition is polyester, just over 20% cotton and about 30% viscose. A more wear-resistant velor consists of a synthetic top and a cotton base. It may have a coating that does not allow puffs to form. The palette of its shades is very diverse. There are different surfaces in texture - embossed, smooth.

Velor is as soft as chenille, does not fade and has hypoallergenic properties. It is well cleaned and does not stretch. But he also has disadvantages - if there is no special impregnation, velor is much easier to damage than chenille. It wears out much faster, does not tolerate dry cleaning and, most importantly, is prone to creasing. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate the pros and cons before making a choice in favor of a particular material.

It is necessary to take into account the lifestyle of the owners of the future sofa and its purpose. If there are animals in the house, it is better to choose velor, but only with Teflon coating and impregnation.

A rich color scheme is one of the main advantages of this fabric. Among the most popular colors and shades, the following are distinguished.

• Blue and cyan. A variety of shades of this gamut allows you to choose upholstery from light blue to deep royal blue.

• Green. Monochrome or patterned green chenille looks expensive and respectable.

• Brown. A noble and discreet brown sofa is a classic of the interior.

• Grey. Another neutral low-key shade, noble and spectacular at the same time.

• Purple. The mysterious palette will bring an expressive and catchy touch to any design.

It is very important that the color of the sofa does not contradict the composition as a whole, but blends into it organically. In addition, the color scheme should fully comply with the style of the room.

Chenill will not cause too much trouble in leaving. Almost all stains from it can be removed by any means based on water or a soap solution.If you have smeared your sofa with lipstick or put a greasy spot, try treating the pollution with a solution of water and ammonia. You can also safely carry out dry cleaning products containing trichlorethylene. If there are covers on your sofa, you can wash them in a typewriter at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees. Means for washing should be filled with neutral ones.

Forbidden:

• bleach;
• squeeze;
• dry in the sun;
• use aggressive means;
• to put a sofa in the immediate vicinity of hot radiators;
• iron chenille.

Glue types of fabric cannot be washed, the use of solutions containing alcohol is excluded. Otherwise, bald patches may appear. Ideally, you should clean the sofa daily with a long-head vacuum cleaner.

In general, reviews about the chenille upholstery are positive. Buyers note its not too high price. Most of all, the aesthetic properties of sofas are attracted - they have a spectacular, noble appearance, and a rich palette. You can choose the fabric as monochrome, and with ornaments in any style for almost any interior.

You can find out below how to choose a sofa.