Upholstery materials Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word upholstery comes from the Middle English words up and holden, meaning to hold up. The term is applied to domestic furniture and also to applications in automobiles and boats. A person who works with upholstery is called an upholsterer.

Uses in furniture making Generally made from leather, cottons other fabrics and plastic materials Can be stitched, tacked, glued and stapled. Most lounges and seats have a soft foam or similar material under the covering

Fabrics and leathers Textiles, a term used in the furniture industry, encompass both fabrics and leathers and the choice of textiles can account for up to 80% of furniture price. Tightly woven fabrics and blends tend to wear longer than light or loose-weave natural fibers. Leather is a durable and easy-care natural material that softens and improves with time. To create quality leather, top-grain hides are tanned, processed and dyed to give a certain color or look. Tanning refers to the process in which salts are used to cure the hide and to stabilize its shape. Dyeing refers to infusing the hide with different color dyes. Aniline dyeing is a high quality process that imparts color but does not disguise the natural character of the hide. Some leathers are further treated with a pattern, texture, or polish.

Cushions, pillows, padding and fills Once a piece of upholstered furniture has its frame and springs, the next components are the cushions and padding. Seat cushions sit on top of the spring system and seat deck. Back pillows, if present, rest against the back and arms of the piece. Most cushions are made of a high-density foam core that is then wrapped with either soft polyester, feather and down, or a hypoallergenic down substitute. Dacron adds resilience so that pillows and seats keep their shape, while the wraps form a soft envelope. Cushions and pillows are usually sewn into cotton cases to ensure smooth upholstering. Feather and down offers the maximum comfort and softness in cushions and pillows that most people desire and designers prefer. Feather and down back pillows and wrapped seat cushions can always be "fluffed-up" to maintain an attractive look. Feather and down fills and wraps require a little more maintenance than polyester and high density-foam but they have greater comfort, durability and resilience.

Outdoor furniture Outdoor furniture may just have a weaved plastic fabric to upholster the chair. Advantages are they are weather and water resistant

Cheaper furniture using plastics The frame of the chair uses high quality aluminum tube, with textilene fabric. It is unfading, durable, tearing -resistant, mildew-resistant, flame-retardant ,UV-resistant ,bearing. High and low temperature . It is easy to move and clean.

Advantages Leather is usually best for cleaning and wear and tear Plastics can wear away and look tacky Cottons and other materials such as suede's can be softer than leather but are harder to clean an generally wear more.

Spring systems Once the frame is constructed, a spring system is installed to support the seating area. Furniture manufacturers employ two main types of spring support systems: standard springs and eight-way hand tied springs. When the spring system is finished with a top layer of padding, it is commonly called the "seat deck".