Fabrics Page for Comfy1

Shown here: Our Custom 05 model (one of our six basic designs), in two of our many standard sizes, and in one of thousands of fabrics available.
This page is a very secondary page of our website, dealing only with fabric selection and not showing our products.
**If you want to view our full product line, rather than seeing just fabrics, click here.**

FABRICS

Samples: It is often difficult to get a good idea of what a fabric looks like from the images on your monitor, and obviously you can't tell what it feels like, so we are happy to send you actual samples of any fabric pictured. There is no charge for the samples if you request them from us, on the understanding that you are to return them when you're through with them.

Finding the right fabric: We encourage you to look for fabrics online (guidance is provided below), but we are also happy to select samples to send you, if you can specifically describe the kind of fabric you're seeking. This may be the easiest approach for you, especially if you want an unpatterned fabric and have a specific color or colors in mind. See "Requesting Samples" near the bottom of this page.

For maximum selection: If it's important to you to find just the right fabric, from among the widest possible selection, bear in mind: Other companies' websites (referred to below) have many fabrics that we do not have in our own sample books. Also, fabric stores and our own collection offer many fabrics that are not to be seen on websites.

If you purchase fabric elsewhere for use on this furniture, we will usually deduct something from the base price ($40 or $70 for a sofa). You can sometimes find very good prices that way, since fabric stores often buy fabrics in bulk quantities and sell them at prices lower than our cost for the same fabric. (We normally buy from distributors who charge a substantial markup for their services of providing us with many swatchbooks and samples free of charge and keeping a huge inventory so that we can order just a few yards at a time.) The good prices that you can often find at fabric stores would normally be for only a relatively small selection of fabrics, but you might find the right one, especially if you aren't very particular about what you want. For details about finding fabric at local stores, see "Finding Fabric at a Local Store" at the bottom of this page.

For accurate viewing of the colors on your monitor (especially when observing dark colors): (1) Make sure your monitor has been on for at least 15 minutes; some instructions recommend 30 minutes of warming up for maximum color accuracy, and (2) medium and darker colors can be viewed much better if the room around your monitor is only dimly lit. Also, keep in mind that different monitors can show the same image in significantly different ways; if your household has more than one computer, you might find that one shows colors more accurately than another.

Our stock fabrics -- The most for your money:
We stock about 30 fabrics. Since we have bought these in bulk quantities at the mill price, and in some cases as closeouts, we can offer these at significantly lower prices than the other fabrics. To see our stock fabrics that are solids, tweeds, or that have very small-scale patterns, click here. To see our stock fabrics that have fairly conspicuous patterns, click here.

Heavy-duty fabrics
We offer many hundreds of special-order heavy-duty fabrics in a huge selection of colors. (NOTE: "Heavy duty" in the furniture industry refers to wear-resistance; "cleanability" is a distinctly separate feature, although many fabrics have both qualities. Stain repellancy is a feature that is completely distinct from either of the above two terms.) The heaviest-duty fabrics are olefins and nylons, in solids and tweeds. (Cat owners should understand that these heavy-duty ratings have no relevance to resistance to cats' claws.) See the descriptions of fabric companies' web sites below, where heavy-duty fabrics are referred to, most of which are patterned. Also see our paragraph headed "Micro-fiber fabrics and faux suedes" below. For extra-heavy-duty solids and tweeds in a large selection of colors (some people find these fabrics to be scratchy, but you can't beat them for practicality; some of our customers, after 10 years or more of heavy family use of these fabrics, have told us that these fabrics look brand new.), click here. Note: For our Florida basic model, this link plus the two previous ones bring you to fabrics that are available with that model.

Other heavy-duty fabrics: In the paragraph on Barrow Industries, below, see a note about how to view their collections of heavy-duty fabrics. Most of the fabrics offered by Outdoorfabrics.com are heavy duty and stain resistant, as are many offered by Burch; both of these companies are referred to below. Burch has an especially large selection of vinyl fabrics (most of which are heavy duty), in excellent leather imitations, decorative patterns, and solids of all colors (see www.burchfabrics.com/vinyls.htm ). In the Charlotte site, you can view fabrics by "Type", one category of which is "commercial grade", but many of their other fabrics are also heavy duty. Kravet has a category of "Contract" that you can click on in their web site for higher-priced heavy-duty fabrics (generally $40 per yard and up, or +11 in our pricing system). Robert Allen offers heavy-duty fabrics but generally doesn't provide information about that characteristic on their web site. Duralee also has a good selection of commercial-grade fabrics in interesting contemporary patterns (and above-average price levels) that several of our customers have chosen from among the huge selection in our showroom; if their website doesn't identify their commercial/contract collections, ask us and we will help find them. If the fiber content of a fabric you see on any web site is mostly synthetic, there is a good chance that it's heavy duty; if you ask them or us, we can find out for you.

For maximum stain resistance (short of using a vinyl fabric) along with heavy-duty abrasion resistance, but typically at a fairly high price, be sure to consider the "Crypton" fabrics, available from Burch, Kravet, Duralee, and probably other suppliers. You should be aware of some particular characteristics of these fabrics, which probably are connected with their excellent water repellancy and durability: air is very slow to pass in and out of cushions covered with this fabric, so they may feel too firm at first sitting, until the air seeps out; and after someone gets up from the seat, they may look rumpled at first, and maybe much longer.

There is a line of heavy duty solids in a very wide range of colors (sometimes with a subtle intermixture of colors) that seem to have the soft feel and luster of cotton or brushed cotton, but which are heavy duty; some are extra-heavy duty. Some of them are said to be washable (most upholstery fabrics are not washable); the fabrics in this line are mostly of polyester, so they should be quite cleanable. And they are also flame retardant. They are not pictured anywhere on the web, but we can have swatches sent to you if you indicate which particular colors interest you. They are at the +5 to +6 1/2 level, adding $175 to $228 to the base price of a three-seat sofa, or $125 to $163 to the price of a loveseat.

Heavy-duty fabrics with prominent textures and distinctive patterns, but at two or three times the cost of most of our other fabrics, can be seen at www.duralee.com, where you should click on "Fabrics", then under "New Releases", click on "Bromley Woven Textures II".

Is sunlight-resistance important to you? Fading and (with cottons) even disintegration can result from too much exposure to direct sunlight. One entire substantial website, outdoorfabrics.com, is devoted to fabrics (including the Sunbrella line) that are especially sun-resistant. The websites of Kravet and Burch (mentioned below) have substantial selections of fabrics that are especially sun-resistant, and other websites probably also offer such fabrics.

Scotchgarding and similar treatments: See the cautionary notes on this subject at the bottom of this page.

Decorative Fabrics: Many people prefer the softness, naturalness, and/or look of cotton or cotton blends, or they like the patterns and textures that aren't available in the heavy-duty fabrics. With furniture such as we sell, there isn't as much need for practical fabrics as with typical furniture, because our furniture is relatively easy and inexpensive to re-cover. And some people feel they would be ready for a change of color in their decor anyway, by the time the original covers need replacing.

Is our fabric selection so big that it's overwhelming to you? There's no need to look at all of them. You may want to start by looking at our small selection of stock fabrics (the second and third links from the top of this page), since they are the least expensive. If you want heavy-duty fabrics, that narrows down the selection considerably, and the links and notes above are the best ways we know to see what's available in that category. Also, it would be good to look completely through our web site to see the fabrics that many of our customers have decided look good with our furniture. You may get ideas from those pictures, and if you'd like something similar to what you see in any of those pictures but in a different color, let us know, and we'll try to find it for you.

One good way to see a huge selection of fabrics of all kinds is to go to the web sites of some of our suppliers, whose web site addresses are shown below. (We don't provide links to them, since you might be unable to get back to our web site from theirs; you should print out this page or make sure you have a record of our web address before going to those sites.)
In every case except that of Burch fabrics, you can click on the small image of a fabric to see it enlarged. Samples of any of those fabrics can be sent to you at no charge if you request them through us, but you must return them.

To see a wide range of fabrics at very reasonable prices, go to www. charlottefabrics.com . You can view their collection sorted by (1) dominant color, (2) type (including chenille, commercial grade, microfiber, cotton print, vinyl, Crypton, denim, or tapestry) or (3) pattern (including contemporary, floral, small scale, solid, tweed, stripe, novelty, and Southwestern).

At www.barrowindustries.com , click on "Fabric Search", then under "pattern style" you can choose from among "contemporary/ethnic" (which includes Southwestern), "floral", "stripes/plaids", "plain/textures", and "novelties" (including animals, forest scenes, etc.); you also can select color class. For heavy-duty fabrics, mainly micro-fibers, in a wide range of solid colors with interesting textures (unfortunately the textures don't show up on the web site, so you'll need to see samples to appreciate them), see sample book "05W06 Woven Essentials." The Barrow site shows suggested retail prices, but we charge for them at 20 to 35% off those prices. To give you a general idea: A fabric with a retail price of $25 to $29 per yard would be at our +5 level, adding $175 to the price of a three-seat exposed-wood sofa (but more if you want a pattern to be matched, requiring more fabric) or $300 to the price of a Custom 05 (fully-upholstered) sofa. $42 to $47 per yard would normally be at our +8 level, adding $280 (wood-frame sofa) or $480 (Custom 05 sofa). Any pattern that begins with M: There will be a minimum fabric charge (at least $180, sometimes over $400) with those particular fabrics; but if you're considering a larger order in a patterned fabric (at least two sofas, or a medium-to-large sectional), the patterns beginning with M will often be less expensive than most other patterned fabrics.

At.www.robertallendesign.com , you can see a wide selection of fabrics organized by dominant color, and you can also select by many different design characteristics. Click on "Fabric", then on "Search", then on "Product Finder for Fabric". There you can select images to see based not only on color but also style (including contemporary, geometric and novelty) and also design motif, including abstract, ditzy/mini, ethnic/oriental, horticultural, recreational/sport, nautical, paisley, stripe, texture and tropical. They don't indicate prices, but we will be glad to quote prices on any that interest you. For looking on this site, and also on the Kravet site (below), you may benefit from these suggestions from one of our customers: "You'll miss so many designs that are 'right up your alley' if you just look in the color section under the color(s) you THINK you want. If you have time, you should look under many colors, then when you see a design you like, go to the name search section, enter the exact name and search 'all colors'. You'll be surprised how many are available in color combos that appeal to you. Sometimes a design with, say, 'red' or 'rust' does not even show up in the group that comes up when you ColorLogic search for 'red' or 'rust'! "

Many of Robert Allen's fabrics are rather expensive, so it would be very helpful if, when requesting samples, you could tell us the price level that you don't want to exceed.

At www.kravet.com/search.htm , click on "Search fabric", then you can make selections under "category " for categories such as "chenille" or "corduroy" or "tapestry" or "velvet" or "denim/twill" or "Crypton" (heavy duty and very stain resistant, but see the cautionary note at the bottom of this page), and/or many others. Under "type" you can select "floral" or "contemporary" or "ethnic" or "geometric" or "Ikat/Southwestern/Kilim" or "solids" or "textures" or "plaids" (they have excellent selections of textures and plaids), or "paisley" or "hand painted" or "dots" etc. You can also indicate color preferences. Under "Select Brand", you can opt to see their Kravet Soleil line, for indoor-outdoor fabrics (which are especially fade-resistant). Under that same heading, you can also select "Kravet Contract" to see only heavy-duty fabrics, although many of their fabrics that are not in the contract category are also heavy duty. We urge you also to make your choice of acceptable price ranges, since many of their fabrics are quite expensive. Unfortunately, their middle range goes from $25 to $75 per yard (again, we sell at 20 to 35% off), and you often can't tell where within that range a particular fabric falls, until you check with us. The low end of that middle range would add $160 to the price of a three-seat exposed-wood sofa, and the high end of that middle range would add $480. If you don't want a fabric that adds more than that to the price of a three-seat sofa, please indicate that by selecting only the first two ranges shown for prices. And when you request swatches, please indicate if there is a charge that a fabric should not exceed, for your purposes. One clue that sometimes works to give an idea of prices of their fabrics: Often a "grade" is indicated; if it's over grade 10, that fabric would add at least $400 to the price of one of our exposed-wood sofas or $700 to the price of a Custom 05 sofa.

At www.outdoorfabrics.com , you can see a selection of fabrics, including with bold stripes, that are suitable for use either indoors or out. Most of them are heavy duty as well as stain resistant and fade resistant, especially well-suited for sunrooms or other rooms where there is a great deal of exposure to direct sunlight.. Be aware that, of the patterned fabrics they offer, the prints are likely to do as well as the jacquards in abrasion resistance tests, but those tests only check for structural integrity of the fabric. The color of prints is subject to wearing off, but in the jacquards the fibers are dyed before the cloth is woven, so the color is all the way through. This website indicates prices per yard; since their prices are low in relation to the mill cost, we can't sell their fabrics at a substantial discount off the list price, as we can in the case of the other suppliers.

The web site of Burch Fabrics is more difficult to work with, but it does offer some contemporary patterns (including on heavy-duty fabrics, and including a good selection of decorative, patterned, heavy-duty vinyls) that you can't find elsewhere. The images cannot be enlarged (as of January, 2007), and you can't see the names of the fabrics; but you can tell us where the image is on which page, and we can have samples sent to you. For fabrics with small or large contemporary patterns, most of which are heavy-duty (and many of which are part of the Crypton line for maximum stain repellancy and bacteria resistance), go to www.burchfabrics.com and click on the options for seating fabrics and for Crypton fabrics.

If you go to www. jffabrics.com/english/products.html , you can see a good selection of faux suedes, including ones with miniature patterns (under "Deco Suedes"), silk-like fabrics (under "Providence"), iridescent fabrics (Symphony), and prints and coordinating plains, including unusually colorful florals, paisleys and stripes, including wide stripes (Temptations Collection).

For a good selection of cotton solids and prints, go to www.decoratewaverly.com and click on "Product finder". Under "Search", click on "Fabric", then you can choose "geometrics," "solid colors", "stripes", "corduroy", etc. and you can select by single color or multiple colors. If you're looking for "florals" and possibly other categories, don't indicate a style preference (contemporary, etc.), since that seems to yield no selections, as of March '05. Unfortunately, they don't separate out upholstery fabrics from fabrics that are only suitable for lighter uses. You can assume that any fabric with a retail price less than $22 per yard wouldn't be sturdy enough for upholstery use; or if it says "interlining", that is basically intended for draperies.

At www. duraleefabricfurnituretrim.com/fabrics.php , then clicking on "Fabric search", then clicking (on the left) on the "Click here for search by design and color", you can see an excellent collection of higher-end fabrics, allowing you to select by indoor/outdoor (for sun resistance), abstract, geometric, basketweave, ethnic/kilim, floral - large scale, floral - small scale, leaf/foliage, suede, wool, velvet, botanical, contract (including some interesting heavy-duty geometric patterns), denim, Crypton, large scale, novelty (including butterflies, dragon flies, sea shells, etc.), paisley, and texture (with some unusually prominent textures), and many other designs. Selection by type and design can be combined with an unusually well-defined selection-by-color feature (including "burgundy", "orange/rust", "aqua" and "dark green". They offer a very large collection of unusual and colorful prints, mostly florals but also other designs, mostly cotton but also some synthetics, and also a wide range of faux suedes, including many printed with Southwestern designs.

If you can narrow it down to five from each supplier (exept Kravet, which is willing to send up to 12), and no more than a total of fourteen, and then let us know which ones, we can have samples sent to you at no charge, as long as you return them. See the paragraph headed "Requesting samples", below, for details.

There are many other fabrics available, in a wide range of colors and patterns, not pictured here or on the web sites mentioned above. If you can describe specifiically what kind of fabric you're looking for, we can send you samples from among our books here (see "Requesting Samples" below.) Also, see the section below about "Finding fabric at a local store."

Would you (or your designer) like your own unique fabric, sewn together by us after you select the components (background and center pattern) from among thousands of possibilities? And carefully applied to furniture that's also highly customized to your specifications in various other ways? If so, and if you're willing to pay a premium price, click here.

Micro-fiber fabrics and faux suedes: These fabrics, from our experience with them, might be very practical but they might not be. If they have the suede look, the fibers are normally merely glued to the fabric backing; and if the adhesion is imperfect, patches of the fibers might come out with use. This is especially likely to happen if there is a thick, luxurious layer of fibers on the surface. We can send samples of such fabrics in a good array of colors; but we will only sell them on the understanding that there is no guarantee regarding the fabric. For a good selection of heavy-duty micro-fiber fabrics, most of which appear not to be subject to the shedding problem mentioned above, see the 05W06 Woven Essentials book mentioned in the paragraph about the Barrow Industries web site, higher up on this page.
We have available a good selection of extra-heavy-duty faux suede microfiber fabrics in solid colors ("Crypton Suede") from Duralee, which unfortunately does not yet (as of September, 2006) show them on their web site (www.duralee.com) ; these fabrics are more expensive than most (+12 or $43/yd, adding $430 to the price of a three-seat exposed-wood sofa), but for a heavy-use application they may be worth it. Note the comment about Crypton fabrics higher up on this page. Also, the mottled or "shaded" look, which is normal with the faux suedes, is somewhat more conspicuous on these fabrics than on most. To see pictures of a dark blue in this line, click here.; to see a picture of a sage green from this line, click here & scroll down to the picture showing a sage green fabric on a set of furniture.

Leather: Leather is an option with our furniture only in limited circumstances, and those circumstances are spelled out in the next paragraph after this one. From our experience and other sources, we have learned that real leather is subject to cracking, fading, bagging, or pigmented finish coat peeling off. It might not happen, but there is a good chance that one or more of the above will occur. We offer a warranty that obligates us to take care of most problems that a customer might have over a very long period, and honoring such a warranty is no problem so long as we avoid selling materials that are known to be problematic. Therefore we don't sell leather-covered furniture together with our normal warranty. We do offer excellent leather-imitation fabrics, which could hold up better than leather and are much less expensive.

But if you provide the hides, so that we aren't responsible if there are problems with the leather, we are fully capable of cutting and sewing covers in leather and are happy to do so; our present equipment has done quite well with several orders in leather. Or we can provide the leather if you sign a statement that you won't consider us to be responsible if you have problems with the leather (that is, problems resulting from something other than improper workmanship on our part). Be aware that, since we would be buying the leather in very small quantities, and accompanying it with very well-constructed, highly-customized frames and cushioning, our costs (and prices) would be substantially higher than prices from manufacturers who make leather furniture for the mass market.

If you're considering other furniture covered in either microfiber or leather, you should look carefully for a warranty that states specifically what they will do if the cover starts having problems such as those mentioned above. We suspect that you won't find anything beyond the usual: You return it to the factory (not the store) at your expense, and then it typically goes on, "if manufacturer's inspection determines that the problem is due to a defect in materials or workmanship", they will do something about it. But almost any problem could be determined to be a result of normal wear and tear, which won't be covered. If they are willing to do something, the warranty probably doesn't obligate them to do anything more than provide replacement fabric or leather for the section that already shows deterioration, with no guarantee that it will match well what's on the rest of the piece of furniture; professional application of the fabric or leather probably won't be covered..

Matching of patterns: You can be assured of excellent matching of patterns vertically (such as stripes going front-to-back on the seat, which would be matched with the corresponding vertical stripes on the back cushions). Likewise with matching of stripes horizontally on cushions and on outsides of arms. But, because of the way we sew the covers for the arms of our Virginia and Custom 05 models as well as of earlier models with covered arms, horizontal matching at the inside seams at both ends of the arms of these models is something that we cannot guarantee. Therefore we discourage ordering of plaids or other fabrics requiring horizontal matching on our Virginia and Custom 05 models.

Considerations in choosing a fabric: If practicality concerns you, look for ones with major synthetic fiber content, especially nylon or olefin, and also look for tight weaves. Often there is information available about abrasion-resistance tests that certain fabrics have passed (sometimes quoting the number of double-rubs that a fabric passed on the Wyzenbeek test, with 15,000 qualifying as heavy-duty). All-cotton or mostly cotton can also be sturdy if tightly woven and of reasonably heavy weight; lack of stain resistance with cotton is a problem, although Scotchgarding, Teflon or similar treatments can help a great deal (it sometimes comes already treated, or you can spray it on, but see the note below about health concerns with such treatments). Darker colors and some patterns can help make stains and soil less noticeable, also. Sunlight exposure: If the furniture is expected to be exposed to a lot of direct sunlight, without protection in the form of UV block film or pulled drapes, avoid cottons (which can actually disintegrate in less than two years) and also avoid dark colors, especially reds and blues.

Bear in mind that the price of the fabric ( as well as the "grade" sometimes indicated by suppliers) tells you essentially nothing about the durability or practicality of a fabric. Often the most expensive fabrics are rather delicate. A few of our most durable fabrics are available at low prices, since we bought them in bulk quantities or (in some cases) as closeouts. Going up to the +5 or +5 1/2 level gets to the prices of our most durable fabrics in a very wide range of colors, but mainly in solids and tweeds. Going a step or two higher provides softer feel and more decorative appeal, especially if you're looking for patterned fabrics. Going higher in price from there adds only aesthetic appeal, and more often than not leads to fabrics with less durability and cleanability. The only exception we know of to this generalizaton is the line of "Crypton" fabrics, referred to above.

Requesting samples:
1) For samples of fabrics pictured, please indicate the number that is usually found below the image. Please request no more than ten or twelve samples for the first round, and we can send more later if none of those look right.
2) For samples of other fabrics that you think you might want but can't see anywhere, please describe what you're looking for in terms of pattern, if any (stripes, miniatures, Southwestern, contemporary, abstract, floral, muted -- such as herringbone, etc.?), color or colors (and please indicate what SHADE of green or whatever), whether it needs to be especially practical (?), or smooth or soft to the touch, any texture or specific fiber content desired, and any resistances desired (cats? direct sunlight?). Please also indicate which product(s) you're considering purchasing, and what kind of room you have in mind placing them in. Call 1-800-659-0436 (leave a message on our answering machine if after business hours) or consider e-mail, which is usually fine but we've known cases of email not reaching the addressee, so check with us again if you haven't heard from us within two business days; to send e-mail, click here. (If your browser doesn't successfully process this link for e-mail to us, our e-mail address is: comfy1@earthlink.net .) Then we send swatches for you to look at, which can be regarded as a first round. We are happy to send another batch or two, if we can find any others that fit your description, especially if you can refine your description with reference to the first batch.

Finding fabric at a local store: Most fabrics at local stores are of the decorative type, not the most practical kinds, but they also often have practical ones; call ahead. The price of a furniture order will be reduced if you provide the fabric. However the reduction is only $40 for a three-seat sofa or $30 for a loveseat; the reduction is low partly because our fabrics that are included in the base prices are rather low-priced (they are good quality but priced as close-outs), and partly because we have to allow for the extra time that we often have to spend with fabrics that we aren't familiar with.

Also, if you give us the name of the supplier, the pattern name and the color, we can often order it and sell it for substantially less than what the store would charge (and if for any reason we need to order more fabric, we can have better assurance of a perfect dye lot match if we placed the original order). Before you buy, get a quote from us as to how many yards you will need, which we can calculate after considering the specifics of your proposed order; if you are considering a fabric with an obvious direction to it (vertical vs. horizontal ribbing or stripes, etc., if the direction matters to you) or with a pattern that you would want to have matched between seat and back cushions, let us know, since that will affect the yardage calculation. Also, check to be sure that the fabric is sufficiently sturdy for upholstery use, and not too stretchy; grip the fabric with your hands shoulder width apart, try to stretch it, and see if you're able to stretch it more than 1/2". If so, it's too stretchy for proper use on our furniture. Avoid fabrics that are not at least 54" wide. If they aren't at least that wide, they are probably not intended for, or suited for the stresses of, upholstery use.

Calculating yardage that would be needed if you provide your own fabric: Once you've told us the size, model and options you're planning on, we will quote you the basic yardage that would be needed. That yardage will be sufficient in most cases; but if there is a pattern that you want matched, or if there is a direction in the pattern that matters to you (as to which way it will be turned), additional yardage will be needed; for calculating the additional amount needed, see the information you'll find by clicking here.

Since you would be making use of another company's store, we feel obligated to provide some compensation to that store. If you send us their name and address, we'll send them a small check after you place an order with us, unless you feel that your other purchases there (past or future) take care of any obligation.

In New York City area? One of our customers highly recommends Zarin Fabrics, at 318 Grand St., NYC (212)925-6112.

Scotchgarding, Teflon, and similar stain-repellancy treatments: Customers desiring such treatments should be aware that research has found that the principal chemical that has long been used in such treatments has shown up in the blood streams of a very high percentage of the U.S. population, and there seems to be good reason for concern about long-term unfavorable health effects of this. 3M Corporation has phased out the previous formulation of its product, Scotchgard, because of such concerns, and the safety of the new formulation (using a related chemical) is unknown to us. You are encouraged to do your own research on this subject (such as by doing a search under "Scotchgard" on Google or Yahoo). Note: The above caution might not apply to the line of "Crypton" fabrics; the manufacturer claims that the repellancy in those fabrics is integral to the the fibers rather than an added-on treatment; and they claim some recognition for making a product that is environmentally responsible. You may wish to read more at cryptonfabric.com

If cleanability of a fabric is important to you, and if you don't want to take a chance on chemical treatments, it's best to be aware that some fiber contents are inherently rather cleanable: olefin and nylon especially, but the other synthetics are also good; cotton is not good with many kinds of stains. (But it might be quite suitable for the exposure it would get in certain households, especially if your cleaning is prompt.) We could send you some samples, on which you could apply soil or stains of the kinds that furniture might be exposed to in your household, and you could try to see how well you can clean it.) Also, darker fabrics and ones with some patterns will show dirt and stains much less than light or solid fabrics. And furniture (such as ours) that can be re-covered relatively easily and inexpensively is especially desirable if the stain-repellancy treatments are suspect.

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