Upholstery is the combination of padding, fabric, webbing, and springs used to cover and cushion furniture. Any piece of furniture with a soft, covered surface that you sit on, lean against, or rest on is considered upholstered. The term covers both the finished product and the craft of building up those layered materials on a frame.
What Makes Something “Upholstered”
A piece of furniture qualifies as upholstered when it has soft materials attached to a structural frame and covered in fabric, leather, or vinyl. A bare wooden chair is not upholstered. Add a layer of foam and stretch fabric over it, and it is. The distinction comes down to whether the piece has padding and a covering material worked over its structure.
Most upholstered furniture is built in layers. At the base sits webbing, a strong woven material that supports the seat, back, and arms. On top of that, springs provide bounce and cushioning. Then comes the padding, which can range from polyurethane foam to natural materials like coconut fiber, horsehair, or cotton felt. A liner fabric (often called calico or hessian) holds everything in place before the final outer fabric goes on. The underside typically gets a dust cover made from a cotton-polyester blend to keep things neat.
Each layer serves a specific purpose. The webbing and springs handle weight distribution. The padding creates comfort and shape. The outer fabric provides the look, feel, and durability you interact with every day.
Items Considered Upholstery
The most common upholstered items are living room seating: sofas, loveseats, sectionals, recliners, and accent chairs. But the category extends well beyond couches. Ottomans, chaise lounges, futons, sleeper sofas, gliders, swivel chairs, settees, and lift chairs all count. So do dining chairs with padded seats, upholstered headboards, and padded benches.
Even smaller items can be upholstered. A footstool with a fabric-covered cushion top, a vanity stool with a padded seat, or a window seat with built-in cushioning all fall under the upholstery umbrella. The key question is always the same: does it have padding and a covering material attached to a frame?
Common Upholstery Fabrics
Upholstery fabrics split into two broad categories: natural fibers and synthetic fibers. Each has trade-offs in comfort, durability, and maintenance.
Natural fibers come from plant or animal sources. Cotton feels smooth and works well in casual spaces but shows wear faster in high-traffic areas. Linen creates a relaxed, airy look with similar durability limits. Wool is naturally resilient and resists crushing, making it a strong choice for seats that get heavy use. Silk is luxurious but delicate. Leather is one of the most durable upholstery materials available and can last decades with proper care.
Synthetic fibers are engineered materials. Polyester, microfiber, acrylic, nylon, and branded performance fabrics all fall into this group. They resist stretching, pilling, and fading, which makes them practical for households with children or pets. Many performance fabrics feel surprisingly soft while holding their shape and color over time. They handle spills and everyday messes with minimal effort. Natural fibers tend to suit traditional and layered interiors, while synthetics lean toward modern, high-function spaces.
Padding Materials Inside Upholstery
What’s under the fabric matters as much as the fabric itself. Polyurethane foam is the most widely used padding today, available in sheets of varying thickness and density. A higher-density foam (around 1.8 or above) holds its shape longer and provides firmer support, while lower-density foam feels softer but compresses more quickly over time.
Traditional upholstery uses natural fills instead of or alongside foam. Coconut fiber (called coir) serves as a first stuffing layer in seats and arms. Animal hair, typically a blend of about 80% pig hair and 20% horse mane, adds a second layer. Rubberized hair, a combination of coconut fiber and horsehair set in natural latex, comes in one-inch-thick sheets. Cotton wadding or white felt often goes on as a final layer to prevent coarser fillings from poking through the outer fabric. Polyester wadding (sometimes called Dacron) is a synthetic alternative that serves the same smoothing purpose.
How Fabric Durability Is Measured
Upholstery fabrics are rated for durability using abrasion tests that simulate real wear. Two industry standards dominate: the Martindale test (common internationally) and the Wyzenbeek test (common in the United States).
The Martindale test rubs fabric in a circular motion and counts the number of cycles before visible wear appears. For light home use, 15,000 rubs is the baseline. General household furniture should hit 20,000 rubs. Heavy-use home furniture needs 30,000, and commercial or contract-grade pieces require 40,000 or more.
The Wyzenbeek test measures “double rubs,” where a piece of cotton duck or wire screen is dragged back and forth across the fabric. For residential use on wire screen, light duty starts at 3,000 double rubs, medium duty at 9,000, and heavy duty at 15,000. Contract-grade ratings on cotton duck run from 15,000 (general) to 30,000 (heavy duty). When you’re shopping for upholstered furniture, these numbers help you match the fabric to how much use it will actually get.
Cleaning Codes on Upholstery Tags
Most upholstered furniture comes with a cleaning code on its tag. These codes tell you exactly what you can and cannot use to clean the fabric.
- W: Water-based cleaners only. Mild dish soap and water work. Blot stains rather than rubbing.
- S: Solvent-based (dry cleaning) products only. Never use water or steam on these fabrics.
- W/S: Either water-based or solvent cleaners are safe. Start with the gentler option first.
- X: No liquids at all. Vacuum or brush only. Professional cleaning for anything beyond routine maintenance.
Using the wrong cleaner on the wrong code can cause water rings, shrinkage, or permanent damage to the fabric, so it’s worth checking the tag before reaching for a spray bottle.
Chemical Concerns in Upholstery
Upholstered furniture can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemical gases that include benzene, styrene, toluene, and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, is still commonly used in adhesives found in furniture construction. That “new furniture smell” is often off-gassing from these compounds.
Stain-resistant and water-resistant treatments frequently use fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS. These chemicals are linked to cancer, thyroid disruption, and decreased fertility, and they persist in the body and environment for thousands of years without breaking down. PVC (vinyl), sometimes used in upholstery fabrics and plastic furniture components, can release dioxin, a carcinogen, if it catches fire or is incinerated.
Antimicrobial treatments added to some upholstery fabrics have not been shown to reduce the spread of infection and may contribute to antimicrobial resistance. If you want to minimize chemical exposure, look for furniture certified under standards like GreenScreen Certified for Furniture and Textiles, Cradle to Cradle Certified, or BIFMA LEVEL, which verify lower emissions and safer material choices.
Fire Safety Standards
Upholstered furniture in the United States must meet flammability standards, most notably California’s Technical Bulletin 117-2013. This standard tests whether upholstery components resist smoldering ignition, the kind of slow burn that starts when a lit cigarette falls on a cushion. Cover fabrics, barrier materials, filling materials, and decking materials are each tested separately. A component fails if it continues to smolder after 45 minutes, chars beyond a specified length (ranging from 1.5 to 2 inches depending on the component), or transitions to open flame. Because California’s market is so large, most manufacturers build to this standard regardless of where the furniture is sold.