Recently, I was being interviewed for an article and was asked to name the biggest thing to happen to the furniture industry in the last 5-10 years. I didn’t have to think too long and answered, Performance Fabrics.

Previously, if you wanted to have a user-friendly, pet-friendly, kid-friendly sofa, we guided our clients to machine washable slipcovers. For some, this was a great option, but for others not so much. While the slipcover offered “forgivability” to life, some clients wanted a more tailored look of upholstered furniture.

Enter Performance Fabrics and the rules of the game changed. You can now have an upholstered sofa and not worry as much about “life” with such performance brands like Sunbrella, Crypton, Wearsmart, Breath and Inside Out. These fabrics resist staining much better than their predecessors like Polyester and Rayon.

To single out one Performance Fabric, let’s talk about Crypton. Crypton has a stain retardant inherently baked into the fabric (not sprayed on like after-market stain resistant products). Crypton repels liquid, resists stains and odors, has high wearability standards and it’s sustainable. The odor resistant part speaks volumes to me, as I have Crypton slipcovers and two big labradors that get up on the sectional every day. Guess what, the room does not smell like dog!

While Performance Fabrics are revolutionary, as a disclaimer, we always advise our clients that they’re not like a granite, they could be stained if necessary fabric care instructions aren’t followed.

The advent of so many new Performance Fabrics allows you to have your cake and eat it too; you get the style you want and the peace of mind to not worry as much about stains.