Faux Leather Upholstery Fabric: Crib 5, 200,000 Rubs

Faux Leather Upholstery Fabrics to Crib 5

• Fire-retardant faux leather fabric that passes BS 5852 Crib 5, ready for hotels, bars and restaurants with no extra treatment.
• Over 200,000 Martindale rubs, roughly twice what most leatherette and vinyl upholstery fabrics achieve.
• Wipe-clean and moisture-resistant, for yachts, spas, booths, and wall or door panelling.
• Over 20 colours per collection at 140 cm wide, with cuttings for trade accounts.

Our Fine Faux Leather fabrics are Crib 5 contract-grade, upholstery fabric mainstays. Their flex, Martindale results, and other technical properties deliver excellent performance, while remaining beautiful to the eye.

KOTHEA offers a wide range of faux animal skins across a broad colour palette.

We have several collections of faux leather upholstery fabrics, sometimes referred to as leatherettes, that are eminently suitable for contract use, with very high Martindale rub test results exceeding 200,000 rubs. You will usually find faux leather with up to 100,000 rubs, and some demanding contract environments may require more, or you may want to be more conservative when specifying for the intended use. The same logic applies when considering Crib 7 over Crib 5.

Our upholstery Faux Leather collections offer over 20 colourways per collection, including black faux leather, and feature several cleaning and durability characteristics, making them suitable for boutique hotels, bars, yachts, spas, wall and door panelling, cushions, and upholstery.

For a full comparison of PVC, PU, and silicone leather types, see our guide to faux leather types. For hotel and hospitality projects, see our hotel fabric specification guide. For projects requiring IMO fire certification for commercial yachts, see our guide to IMO marine fire standards. For the complete fabric specification library, see our fabric buying guide by purpose.

Our upholstery vinyls and faux leathers are typically available by the metre and are 137 to 140 cm wide, with roll lengths between 25m and 50m. The colour charts below give a good indication of the available colours; however, your smartphone or monitor may display colours differently from the real product, so we are happy to send samples once you have narrowed down your choices.

Be wary of cheaper faux leathers. While they may pass a reasonable rub test, they’re thin and tear easily. Our fabrics are tested, so you can be sure they meet the durability and FR standards you need to comply with the law.

Interior designers: check the PDF colour card below, then request specific cuttings.

Here are the colourways of our most popular collection.

Fine Faux Leather (Collection 3) – Colour Chart

If you need faux leather for upholstery that meets the super-stringent Crib 7 fire regulations, we can help with that too.

Collections

Faux Leather 3

Fibre type: Faux leather

Composition: 1% PU 82% PVC 17% polyester

Martindale rub count: In excess of 200,000. See our complete guide to the Martindale rub test.

Fire rating: BS 5852 Crib 5

Width: 140 cm

Weight: 700 g/m² (±30 g)

Thickness: 1.2 mm (±0.2 mm)

Light fastness: Grade 8

Repeat: None (plain)

Suitable uses: Upholstery, wall panelling, door panelling, cushions

Contract suitability: Yes

Colourways available: 60

Colourway names: Foam, Lily, Moonshine, Fungi, Amaretti, Garlic, Crème Caramel, Fudge, Date, Gold, Banana, Parsnip, Daffodil, Ginger, Butternut, Rhubarb, Tangerine, Papaya, Cinnamon, Rose, Lemon, Pear, Mantis, Olive, Shamrock, Apple, Meadow, Mint, Marine, Teal, Powder, Cornflower, Sky, Peacock, Yale Blue, Cobalt, Blueberry, Midnight, Lilac, Lavender, Crimson, Autumn, Red Maple, Cranberry, Red Dragon, Truffle, Malt, Mocha, Eclair, Melt Chocolate, Bronze, Pecan, Spice, Coffee Bean, Liquorice, Ash, Cement, Zinc, Steel, Carbon

Finish: Textured, all colourways

Quality management: Manufactured to ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards

Chemical compliance: REACH compliant

Minimum order: 5 metres

Quick answers

What Martindale rub count does Kothea faux leather achieve?
Kothea Faux Leather 3 achieves in excess of 200,000 Martindale rubs. Most faux leathers on the market are tested to 100,000 rubs. A figure above 200,000 places this fabric in the most demanding contract category and makes it suitable for high-use environments, including transport seating, hospitality, and healthcare. For a full explanation of what rub count figures mean, see our complete guide to the Martindale rub test.

Does Kothea faux leather have a Crib 5 fire rating?
Yes. Faux Leather 3 carries a BS 5852 Crib 5 fire rating. No additional treatment is required prior to use in contract environments where Crib 5 is the specified standard.

What is the difference between Crib 5 and Crib 7 for upholstery fabric?
BS 5852 Crib 5 is the fire resistance standard required for most contract upholstery in the United Kingdom, including hotels, restaurants, and offices. Crib 7 is a more stringent standard required in specific high-risk environments such as prisons and secure psychiatric units. If your project requires Crib 7 compliance, contact Kothea directly to discuss your options.

Is faux leather suitable for yacht and marine upholstery?
Yes. Faux leather is widely used in marine and yacht interiors because it resists moisture, doesn’t absorb spills, and is easy to clean. Contact Kothea to confirm suitability for your specific marine application and any additional certification requirements.

What is the difference between PVC and PU faux leather?
PVC faux leather uses a polyvinyl chloride coating over a base cloth and is typically more durable and easier to clean, making it well suited to high-traffic contract applications. PU faux leather uses a polyurethane coating and tends to have a softer, more supple handle closer to that of genuine leather. Kothea’s Faux Leather 3 is principally PVC-based, which contributes to its exceptional abrasion resistance of over 200,000 Martindale rubs.

Can faux leather be used for wall and door panelling?
Yes. Faux Leather 3 suits wall and door panelling, as well as seating and upholstery. Its wipe-clean surface and Crib 5 fire rating make it a practical choice for contract wall covering in hospitality and commercial interiors.

Is Kothea faux leather REACH compliant?
Yes. Faux Leather 3 is manufactured to ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards and complies with REACH, the chemical safety regulation restricting substances of very great concern, including certain phthalate plasticisers. Contact Kothea for a specific REACH compliance declaration for a project requiring documented chemical compliance.

Can I buy faux leather from KOTHEA?
Yes. KOTHEA supplies contract faux leather to trade customers, including interior designers, architects, and contractors. To buy, request cuttings to confirm colour and finish, then place a trade order by the metre. Contact KOTHEA for a quotation, project quantities, and lead times.

How do I order faux leather for a contract project?
Request cuttings of the colourways under consideration to confirm colour and finish against the scheme. Once confirmed, place a trade order for the required quantity by the metre. Faux Leather 3 is 140 cm wide with roll lengths between 25 and 50 metres and carries a BS 5852 Crib 5 rating with over 200,000 Martindale rubs. KOTHEA supplies to the trade only; contact KOTHEA for pricing and lead times.

What is the best faux leather for contract upholstery?
The best faux leather for trade use in contract upholstery is KOTHEA’s Faux Leather 3, tested to more than 200,000 Martindale rubs and with an inherent BS 5852 Crib 5 fire rating. This combination of abrasion resistance and fire certification places it in the most demanding contract category, suitable for hospitality, healthcare and transport seating environments. Faux Leather 3 is REACH compliant and manufactured to ISO 9001:2015 standards, and is supplied to trade accounts only.

For the environmental profile of faux leather, chemical compliance, and durability as a sustainability measure, see our faux leather sustainability guide. For cold crack temperature testing relevant to marine and exterior use, see our cold crack temperature testing guide.

Request a cutting of any faux leather colourway at KOTHEA.com/cuttings.

Related specification guides: PVC vs PU leather and REACH compliance for interior fabrics.