Tag: contract upholstery

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Faux leather Upholstery

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Recently we have had some detailed enquiries about how to upholster with the fine upholstery faux leather that we sell. KOTHEA are certainly NOT expert upholsterers and those questions should be aimed at your professional upholsterer.

Having said that here is a video (below) by Christopher Nejman showing some techniques for faux leather upholstery.

For more information about our faux leather products and colours click <here> or use the links on the right.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcQfbojcY0w]

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Tatami and Raffia Wallcoverings and Fabrics For Interior Designers

Tatami Wallcovering And Upholstery Fabric TextileRaffia and Tatami are often terms that are used synonymously these days by some interior designers.

Tatami are woven Japanese floor mats. Originally they were made from (rice-) straw but now they are made from a variety of materials with better properties for fire resistance, warmth and general comfort. Typically Tatami mats are made to be twice as long as they are wide and they are usually about 2m long.

Raffia (often Raphia in the USA) refers to fibres made from a tropical tree. Specifically raffia is made from the leaves of a specific palm tree called “Raphia ruffia”, which is usually found in Madagascar and more generally in Africa. A different variety in South America is “Raffia taedigera”.

Raffia that is more suited to top market interior design projects will probably often be made from other materials – one of the particular note would be made from high quality cellulose pulp.

So, often when clients ask for Tatami or Raffia they are really often asking for a straightforward, grass-like, woven fabric similar to that shown in the main image accompanying this article.

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Such raffia and tatami fabrics are usually available by the meter and have additional properties making them more superior to traditional variants. For example having high martindale test scores making them suitable for upholstery and coming pre-treated for fire retardancy.

Click <here> to request samples.

Tatami and Raffia by the meter may also be quite flexible allowing it to be fastened around wooden frames and then used as a textured finish for walls and ceiling.

With Wyzenbeek rubs of 40,000 KOTHEA’s 2011 Raffia (Raphia) are also eminently suitable for a wide range of upholstery uses.

Raffias can usually be fire treated to meet a wide range of contract requirements including hotels and marine installations.

This type of raffia weave has been used for thousands of years perhaps most famously as Japanese Tatami mats. They are of course one of today’s modern day design staples for a clean, modern look.

Links:

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Designer Fabrics & Luxury Wallcoverings 2012 – Latest Collections of Faux Leather & Raffia

British Institute of Interior Design

Interior Design 101. Back to basics.

Minimally patterned, plain and simple patterns matter when you choose designer fabrics for your interior design scheme. It’s not just the ‘important’ stuff you have to worry about; it’s all the stuff.

Design after design. Pattern after pattern. Squashed into corners. Covered ceilings. Hung on walls. Something here, something there… OK you might have certain pieces that take centre stage in your grand design but you also have to set the stage with the backdrops, the reflected light, the subtle blend of auxiliary textures.

To a certain degree, if you must, you can compromise on the backdrops. It’s great having a silk panelled wall, relatively inexpensive and good to the touch. Not so good when it fades at differing rates in the exposed sun-lit areas of the room.

So when you choose designer fabrics yes you should be wowed by the colours, designs and textures BUT you should also be wowed and interested in the technical properties. Your clients might initially thank you for a great looking job. They won’t thank you if it starts to fall apart. they may well have already paid you at that point (so you’re OK right?) but will you then get recommended to their friends…probably not. It is so, so easy to make this kind of mistake.

So try faux silk rather than silk. It looks and feels pretty much the same but can be excellent in terms of non-fading.

So try faux leather. A wide variety of finishes and qualities are available and many are great for wall covering (!) as well as upholstery. Great to cover chairs or a bar in a restaurant but also in your kitchen as they can relatively easily be cared for and cleaned. If you love leather you might find that your upholsterer might not love that choice as you are working with hides of varying sizes, whereas with faux leather you are working with a fabric available by the metre.

Click for faux leather or faux silk designer fabric samples.

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Faux Leather in Blue

Fine Faux Leather is available from KOTHEA in several collections reflecting varying degrees of technical properties such as thickness, flame retardancy and abrasion resistance (Martindale, Wyzenbeek). Our collections are typically used for contract applications in the hospitality and marine industries.

Here are  some of the blue colourways that are available, click an image to view a slideshow

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A Chat With Verity du Sautoy – Her Thoughts On Winter Fabrics

Luxury Silk velvet From KOTHEA
Truly beautiful Cashmere Silk Velvet by KOTHEA

KOTHEA Fabric Picks For A Chilly Winter’s Day
With Verity du Sautoy of KOTHEA.

We love the seasons. All have their beauties and all have touched our senses in memorable ways over the years. Winter is no exception: lower, more balanced light; quietness and chaos with both the shopping and the weather; festive celebrations; the cuddle of a loved one; the hope and expectation of early spring flowers grasping for rare and tiny glimmers of light; and, perhaps, the welcomed warmth of a beautiful fabric.

Some of my best memories are centred on family: a warm fire; a little baby; or a bouncing toddler. Then an old children’s classic on the iPlayer watched on my Mac as it balances precariously on an elegant coffee table. I stroke my children’s hair with one hand and rest my other hand on my sofa. A generous cushion is warm, encapsulating and a bit of fun for the little ones to hide under. The curtains are not yet fully drawn but they smooth the boundary to the cold outside and give us tantalising glimpses of the world beyond – should we venture too close to the sheers that offer the final, soft protection from the elements.

Dominika B Tana Lawn

I work for a fabric company. I love fabric. I can’t pretend that it (fabric) is a be-all and end-all to life and that somehow it will make your life complete. It can’t. But what it clearly can do is complete the sensory experiences in the parts of life that, if you choose, you have control over…the parts of your home. Memories are not just photo-like snapshots in your brain; they are stored, multi-sensory splashes of emotion.

Here are my Winter picks. They are actual ‘picks’ that I’ve recently purchased or are about to purchase.

Take my sofa as an example. My sofa isn’t Continue reading “A Chat With Verity du Sautoy – Her Thoughts On Winter Fabrics”

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Interior Designers: Why does no-one visit my web site?

Interior Designers can spend hundreds or thousands of pounds/dollars on websites. That CAN be a good investment or it can be a total waste of money.

Not just interior designers, but people from many industries bemoan the fact that no-one is visiting their web site. Then the next (incorrect) step in thinking goes that “well maybe I need to pay someone to get links to my site”… or something along those lines. And so it goes on, more money is spent on technology, on social media, on the web, on the net, on web 2.0 – whatever you want to call it. I’m sure you recognise the picture, perhaps from other designers you know that have these awesome looking websites…with no visitors!

This all-too-typical situation raises a whole raft of questions, points and observations. I’ll try to cover a few of them here.

1. Why on earth should I visit your web site?

I think you, the interior designer, really have to answer this question. Yes I’m sure your site looks great. Yes I’m sure it highlights your services and showcases your past projects (hopefully!). But let’s say I’m a potential customer, really, why Continue reading “Interior Designers: Why does no-one visit my web site?”

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An interview with KOTHEA’s founder

Notting Hill Carnival 2007 (London, UK) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

London based Lisa Parsons supplies fabrics to the hippest and most exclusive UK designers. The founder of KOTHEA, her Spring2011 collection-in-progress is about to take Velvet to a new level of opulence.

With no time to think I would paint my walls with … Kelly Hoppen’s “Perfect Taupe”. Her colours are fantastic and, in this case, it does what it says on the tin.

My favourite piece of furniture is … an old chair I picked up in a local junk shop and I had it recovered in one of my fabrics; LeapFrog.

The car’s almost full in that small space I would pack … The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, I’ve just started it and a spot of holiday reading beckons.

Guests to my house are intrigued by … this bizarre surveying tool I have in the corner of my lounge. It’s a measuring stick used with a theodolite and it adds a bit of height and interest to a corner of my room. It also detracts from a piece of my husband’s artwork which, although good, I have to compromise on putting on show from time-to-time.

I am … passionate about my fabrics and design; I am always inspired by many of today’s amazing yacht interiors, Terence Disdale is fantastic.  I would love to be in a position to commission him.

The hardest thing about work is … keeping my beautiful fabrics at home clean whilst having three children and their 30 sticky fingers. Gulp.

In my spare time … I just said I have had a third child; what spare time! I do love yoga though, with headstands being my forte. I have also designed and made many pieces of jewellery. Chris Farrow made this one up to my design, it has 3 rotating rings with a semi-precious stone on which rotate around a larger holding ring also with a set stone.

The trendiest colour is … hmm, trendy. Difficult one, KOTHEA operates at the top end of the market and I would have to say that the desirable colours there have varied little over the last ten to 15 years. Lower down the market it is different.

My favourite designers are … well I’ve mentioned a few already. I would certainly look at Gotham (Notting Hill) for furniture. John Hutton did amazing chairs and I was privileged enough to sell a few when I worked at Donghia in the 90s. Nick & Christian the famous Candy brothers have done some amazing things just look at One Hyde Park.

The best technology is … I suppose I should say Apple but I love my Blackberry as it helps me stay in touch with everyone and everything.

The most iconic British designer is … without a doubt, Terence Conran. His massive influence has probably been understated.

A plug for your company?…We mostly deal with the very top interior designers; not all of them but many of them. That’s the market we are in and intend to stay in. We know it pretty well and we like to think our fabrics meet their needs. A case-in-point is our new velvet collection. Opulent Cashmere and Italian Silk velvet.

Most interesting use of your products? … Some of the yachts they are specified on are pretty interesting! We’ve supplied some pretty interesting pop stars and celebrities (if you are into that sort of thing). One interesting client came through a Mayfair yacht broker and temporarily wanted his ‘fishing boat’ fitted out wall-to-wall with faux leather. All I can say is that it must have been a pretty large fishing boat and certainly not what I had in mind when I think about fishing boats!

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Upholstery Linen – Sourcing Luxury Upholstery Linen in the UK

Upholstery Linen
Upholstery Linen

Upholstery Linen is notoriously difficult for interior designers to source. Sourcing linens for curtains is easy enough but often linens are not woven with sufficient strength to score Martindale results that are high enough to warrant using the fabric for upholstery.

Some suppliers can be a little evasive and will quote the weight of the linen as a measure of the linen’s quality. The implication is that the higher the weight the better suited the fabric will be for upholstery. There is some truth in that implication but you cannot say for certain that high-weight linen is inherently suitable for upholstery. Get the Martindale!

Most KOTHEA luxury upholstery linens have inherent Martindale rub tests of around 20,000 rubs with one range further strengthened to 85,000 rubs for contract usage – 20,000 Martindale being eminently suitable for domestic upholstery.

Furthermore, when buying upholstery- (or curtain-) linen you need to know whether or not it will shrink when washed. Linen ALWAYS shrinks. So what you have to find out is whether or not it has been pre-shrunk before you buy it. A common way of pre-shrinking linen is through the sanforisation process.

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Click To Read More Interior Design Articles

Here are the details of our new 2011 upholstery linens that are named Recline, Relax and Restful. We have many others, these are just the new ones:

Name: Recline

Usage: Luxury Contract Upholstery

Colourways: 24

Width:   135cm

Comp:  54% Li 35% Co 11% Pa

Weight: >350g/m2

Notes:   Martindale >85,000

Request Samples

Name: Relax

Usage: Luxury Domestic Upholstery

Colourways: 24

Width:  135cm

Comp: 100% Li

Weight: >265 g/m2

Notes:   Martindale >15,000

Request Samples

Name: Restful

Usage: Heavyweight Luxury Domestic Upholstery

Colourways: 4

Width:  135cm

Comp: 100% Li

Weight: >470 g/m2

Notes:   Martindale >45,000

Request Samples

 

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Fabric Abbreviations and Textile Label Codes: A Complete Reference for Interior Designers

Fabric Abbreviations and Textile Label Codes: A Complete Reference for Interior Designers

Two separate systems: Fabric labels carry both fibre composition abbreviations (WO for wool, CO for cotton, PES for polyester) and cleaning code abbreviations (W, S, WS, X). They are different systems with different purposes.
Most searched: WS, WV, WP, PA, CV, EA — these are fibre composition codes, not cleaning codes. WS means cashmere goat; it is not the cleaning code for water-soluble cleaning.
Cleaning codes: W means water-based cleaning. S means solvent or dry cleaning only. WS means either method. X means vacuum or brush only — no liquid cleaning.
European standard: ISO 2076 defines the standard fibre abbreviations used across the EU. Some Italian and European variants differ from the ISO codes.

Fabric labels on upholstery textiles, curtain fabrics, and soft furnishings carry two distinct types of abbreviated code: fibre composition codes declaring what the fabric is made from, and cleaning codes declaring how it should be maintained. Understanding the difference between the two systems, and knowing what each code means, is a practical daily requirement for any interior designer or specifier. This reference covers both systems in full.

Fibre Composition Abbreviations

Fibre composition abbreviations on fabric labels follow ISO 2076, the international standard for textile fibre names. The codes below are the standard abbreviations used across the UK and EU. All EU fabrics must carry a label declaring fibre content by percentage using these codes.

Natural Protein Fibres

WO — Wool. Fleece of the domestic sheep.

WV — Virgin wool. Wool that has not previously been processed into a textile product. Distinct from recycled or reclaimed wool. Also written as New Wool on British labels.

WP — Alpaca wool. Fleece of the alpaca. In some Italian labelling WP also indicates baby alpaca specifically.

WL — Llama wool.

WS — Cashmere. Fibre from the undercoat of the cashmere goat, known in German as Kaschmir and in French as Cachemire. WS appears on cashmere fabric and cashmere throw labels as the fibre composition code. It is not a cleaning code.

WM — Mohair. Fleece of the Angora goat. Used in mohair velvet upholstery fabric and mohair knit fabrics.

WK — Camel hair.

WA — Angora wool. Fibre from the Angora rabbit. Distinct from WM (mohair, which is from the Angora goat).

SE — Silk. Natural protein fibre produced by the silkworm. In German the word for silk is Seide, hence SE.

Natural Cellulosic Fibres

CO — Cotton. The most widely used upholstery and curtain fibre globally.

LI — Linen (flax). Bast fibre from the flax plant. Also known by its German name Leinen or French lin.

HA — Hemp. Bast fibre from the cannabis plant. In German Hanf.

JU — Jute. Bast fibre, typically used in hessian and backing fabrics.

SI — Sisal. Leaf fibre from the agave plant.

CR — Coir. Coconut fibre used in matting and some backing applications.

Man-Made Fibres from Natural Sources

CV — Viscose (also known as rayon). Regenerated cellulosic fibre made from wood pulp. Widely used in fabric linings, velvet piles, and blended upholstery fabrics. Also written as VI on some Italian labels.

CMD — Modal (also known as polynosic). A modified form of viscose with higher wet strength.

CLY — Lyocell. Regenerated cellulosic fibre produced in a closed-loop solvent process. Sold under the brand name Tencel by Lenzing AG.

CA — Acetate. Cellulose acetate, a semi-synthetic fibre with a silky handle. Not suitable for FR treatment at significant proportions.

CTA — Triacetate. Similar care and treatment limitations to CA.

CUP — Cuprammonium (cupro). Used in some luxury linings and smooth-handle fabrics.

Synthetic Fibres

PES — Polyester. The most widely used synthetic fibre globally. Trevira CS is a permanently flame-retardant variant of polyester.

PA — Polyamide (nylon). In some European labelling also appears as NY.

PAN — Acrylic (polyacrylonitrile). Not suitable for FR treatment. Solution-dyed acrylic such as Sunbrella is the standard for outdoor and marine upholstery. In Italian labelling sometimes abbreviated as PM.

PP — Polypropylene. Not suitable for FR treatment.

PUR — Polyurethane. Used in stretch fabrics and as a bonding layer in coated or laminated textiles.

EL — Elastane (also known as spandex or Lycra). Also written as EA on some Italian labels.

MT or ME — Metallic fibre.

AF — Other fibres not otherwise classified.

Common Italian and European Label Variants

VI — Viscose (equivalent to CV in ISO standard).

EA — Elastane (equivalent to EL in ISO standard).

PM — Acrylic or polyester (context-dependent in Italian labelling).

PC — Acrylic (polyacrylonitrile, equivalent to PAN).

PBT — Polybutylene terephthalate, a form of polyester used in some technical fabrics.

WP — Baby alpaca in some Italian labelling.

Cleaning Code Abbreviations

Cleaning codes appear on upholstery fabric data sheets and on care labels attached to finished upholstered pieces. They are a separate system from the fibre composition abbreviations.

W — Water-based cleaning. The fabric can be cleaned using water-based cleaning agents and foam upholstery cleaners. This code does not mean the fabric is waterproof — it means water-based products can be applied to the surface without damage.

S — Solvent-based cleaning only. The fabric should be cleaned using dry-cleaning solvents only. Water applied to an S-coded fabric will typically cause watermarks, pile distortion, or shrinkage. Most velvet fabrics — including mohair velvet, cotton velvet, and silk velvet — carry an S code. This is the single most important cleaning code for interior designers to communicate to clients and housekeeping teams.

WS — Either water-based or solvent-based cleaning may be used. Note that WS as a cleaning code is entirely distinct from WS as a fibre composition code (cashmere). The context — care label or fibre content label — determines which meaning applies.

X — No liquid cleaning. The fabric should only be maintained by vacuuming or brushing. No water-based or solvent-based liquid cleaners should be applied.

P — Professional dry cleaning only (used on garment care labels following GINETEX international care symbols).

F — Professional dry cleaning with petroleum-based solvent (GINETEX care symbols).

Understanding WS, WV, and WP: The Most Commonly Confused Abbreviations

Three abbreviations cause consistent confusion because they look like cleaning codes but are fibre composition codes.

WS is cashmere. WV is virgin wool. WP is alpaca or baby alpaca. All three are fibre composition abbreviations defined by ISO 2076. They appear on fabric content labels alongside the percentage of each fibre present — for example, 90% WS 10% SE means 90% cashmere and 10% silk. They have no connection to cleaning instructions.

When a fabric data sheet or care label shows WS followed by a percentage, it is always a fibre content declaration. When WS appears alone on a care instructions line or inside a cleaning care symbol, it is always a cleaning code.

Quick Reference List

  • AB — Abaca
  • AF — Other fibres
  • CA — Acetate
  • CLY — Lyocell / Tencel
  • CMD — Modal
  • CO — Cotton
  • CR — Coir
  • CTA — Triacetate
  • CUP — Cuprammonium / Cupro
  • CV — Viscose / Rayon
  • EA — Elastane (Italian variant of EL)
  • EL — Elastane / Spandex / Lycra
  • HA — Hemp
  • JU — Jute
  • LI — Linen / Flax
  • ME / MT — Metallic fibre
  • PA — Polyamide / Nylon
  • PAN — Acrylic
  • PBT — Polybutylene terephthalate
  • PC — Acrylic (Italian variant)
  • PES — Polyester
  • PM — Acrylic or polyester (Italian variant)
  • PP — Polypropylene
  • PUR — Polyurethane
  • SE — Silk
  • SI — Sisal
  • VI — Viscose (Italian variant of CV)
  • WA — Angora wool
  • WK — Camel hair
  • WL — Llama wool
  • WM — Mohair
  • WO — Wool
  • WP — Alpaca / Baby alpaca
  • WS — Cashmere
  • WV — Virgin wool

Cleaning codes:

  • W — Water-based cleaning safe
  • S — Solvent / dry clean only
  • WS — Water or solvent cleaning safe
  • X — Vacuum or brush only. No liquid cleaning

For fabric care symbols and international care label icons, see our fabric care symbols guide. For cleaning codes by fabric type including mohair velvet and faux leather, see our fabric hand and tactile properties guide. For mohair velvet and upholstery fabric ranges, visit the mohair velvet upholstery page. .

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Order cutting samples of any fabric from our current collections. Trade accounts only.

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New images on the KOTHEA web site.

Perhaps not the most exciting news you will read today I know! We have been aware for a few months that our web site images needed to improve. We re-used the same images again and again. So we have finally acquired a new image for just about every page, all reflecting the product we offer in the relevent area! Well, at least you can sleep soundly tonight knowing that we are happy. I joke of course.

Coming from the designer/producer/supplier of fabrics angle makes it a little tricky for us. We do not feel it is our job to stage our fabrics on a photo set in a room of our liking. We are not the interior designers, that’s your job! We may see one of our fabrics in a certain way – for example I always associate our faux leathers with bar stools (misspent youth). However you may well see many other angles: wall covering, cushions and so on. So we try not to second-guess you. the interior designer. So, our challenge is to show some of the fine detail of our products without you being able to either see it in 3D yourself or feel it. Tricky. Have a look.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy the photos (along with the parts of the new collections on flickr) and any comments will be greatly appreciated.