Why is Rub Count Important for your Upholstery?
Posted by Cat Hubrich on Mon, Sep 13, 2010
If you are in the process of selecting custom upholstery, you may want to consider the fabric's Rub Count.
Rub Tests are done to help determine how much normal wear a fabric can handle before it shows. It's resistance to abrasion is tested by a machine that rubs the fabric over and over until it finally wears through. The amount of passes that it takes to reach this point is the fabric's rub count. The higher the number, the longer the fabric will last. When a count is described as a Double Rub, this is referring to each time the machine passes back and forth. For the everyday user, this would translate into each time you sit on your furniture piece.
*Jared Sofa
The highest count fabric usually is reserved for those commercially used pieces (Example: waiting rooms in hospital or dental office). The count on these fabrics can reach as high as 250,000 double rubs. This fabric is usually very durable but not nexessarily comfortable. Residential fabric will range from 15,000 or higher double rubs. your best bet would be to select fabric above 25,000 for frequently used pieces in your home.
When choosing a manufacturer, The fabric quality is just as important as the frame construction and inter-machanics. A company like Lazar Industries prides themselves on not only soundly constructed frames but fabrics that will last you for years. Only until recently did this company open up their market for residential buyers. They still maintain the same commercial fabric and frame, making this company one of the leading custom upholstery manufactures.