Choosing the right fabric: Faux Leather, Vinyl or Print?

Choosing the Right Fabric: An Upholstery Guide for Care Homes

Selecting furniture from carehomefurniture.co.uk isn't just about finding a chair that looks good in the lounge; it’s about balancing comfort, hygiene, and—perhaps most importantly—durability. In an environment where seating is used 24/7, the material you choose can be the difference between a chair lasting ten years or looking "shabby" in a few months. 

When browsing upholstery generally, you’ll likely encounter three main contenders: Faux Leather, Vinyl, and Printed Fabrics.  Here is how they stack up in a care setting:

1. Faux Leather (Polyurethane/PU)

Faux leather is the "soft-touch" favorite. It is waterproof and breathable and mimics the grain and feel of real leather.

• The Pros: It feels warm and comfortable against the skin, making it a hit for residents who spend long periods sitting. It looks high-end and creates a "homely" rather than "clinical" feel.

• The Cons: It can be prone to "puddling" (stretching out) over time if the quality isn't high.

2. Vinyl (PVC)

A vinyl is a specific type of faux leather. Most manufacturers and suppliers use the umbrella term 'faux leather' instead of vinyl. Nowadays, 'vinyl' is often used to refer more specifically to outdoor, marine, automotive and medical applications.

• The Pros: Modern vinyl is a far cry from the sticky plastic chairs of the past. It is incredibly tough, waterproof, and can withstand the harsh chemical cleaners used for deep sanitation and infection control.

• The Cons: Vinyl often has a stiffer finish that can feel cold and sticky. It lacks the breathability of fabric or faux leather.

3. Print Fabrics

• Specialised healthcare print fabrics at carehomefurniture.co.uk are treated with waterproof backings and antimicrobial finishes.

• The Pros: These offer the widest range of patterns and textures. They are excellent for creating a dementia-friendly environment by using high-contrast colors and familiar textures.
• The Cons: Even with a waterproof barrier, the surface "face" of the fabric can hold onto stains more easily than a wipe-clean surface like vinyl. Print fabrics are not as durable as faux leathers. 

Durability & Water-Resistance

How hard-wearing is a fabric? Is it waterproof?

These are probably the most important considerations when choosing upholstery for your care home. 

Durability and water-resistance go hand-in-hand. When a fabrics' top surface starts to show signs of wear and tear, it will begin to lose its waterproofing. Therefore, a hard-wearing contract fabric with a high 'Martindale Rub' score is essential for long-term durability and water resistance. 

Carehomefurniture.co.uk features over 160 hard-wearing, waterproof, breathable healthcare faux leathers and fabrics in our online options menus.

Please read the following section and then check out the 'Rub' scores of our fabrics here.

Understanding the "Martindale Rub Test"

To understand how long these materials will actually last, you need to look at the Martindale Rub Count.

Think of the Martindale test as a "mechanical bottom." A machine rubs a piece of sandpaper or wool against the upholstery fabric in a figure-eight motion. The "count" is simply the number of times the machine can rub the fabric before it starts to tear or significantly degrade.

How many rubs do you actually need?

In a domestic home, 15,000–20,000 rubs is plenty. But in a care home? You need much more.

The Golden Rule: For high-use communal areas, always aim for at least 40,000/50,000 rubs. Anything less, and you’ll likely be replacing the furniture much sooner than your budget allows.