Fabric Information
ALL UPHOLSTERY OPTIONS FEATURED ON THIS WEBSITE ARE:
Heavy-duty contract fabrics
Upholstery is assessed for durability by the Martindale Rub Test - the number of physical rubs the fabric endures before the surface begins to break up or fray. When the top surface of a faux leather cracks, flakes or degrades it is no longer waterproof. A high Martindale score is therefore very important, see below.
A contract grade faux leathers or fabric is a material that exceeds '30,000 Martindale rubs' is considered as suitable for heavy-duty commercial use.
- The minimum Martindale rub score of any faux leather on this website is 100,000 rubs (max. 400,0000).
- The fabrics and print fabrics featured on this website have a minimum score of 40,000 Martindale rubs (max. 100,000).
The Martindale score for each of the collections featured on this website are listed below.
Compliant with UK fire safety regulations
British Standards BS 5852 Source (Crib) 5 & BS 7176 Medium Hazard fire retardancy for use in public and commercial environments.
Waterproof/water-resistant
When a manufacturer claims that a fabric is 'waterproof', they are referring to the top PVC layer (faux leathers), or the microporous polymer coating (on other fabrics), only and not the entire composite material with the textile backing. These top surfaces break down through use over time. Therefore, it is essential for a care home to select a contract fabric with a hard-wearing surface with a high Martindale score for long-term durability. Low quality PVC (PU) fabrics found on many imported products for the domestic market will break down much, much sooner than contract upholstery.
Anti-bacterial
Inhibits microbial or fungal growth including Aspergillus Niger, Salmonella, E Coli and MRSA
FAUX LEATHERS OTHER FABRICS
Fabric Card Martindale Score Fabric Card Martindale Score
Expression:* 150,000 Gracelands: 40,000
Manhattan Antiques: 200,000 Santos: 40,000
Manhattan Plains: 200,000 Linetta: 100.000
Lunar:** 400,000
Tweedy Vinyl 100,000
*Includes Colour Heaven, Napoli Hides, Prism, Shanghai Chic, Silk Road & West End collections
**Includes Aquarius, Canis & Scorpio collections