What Kind of Fabric Is It?

Knowing your fabrics can be very helpful when shopping for your interior decorating project. If you’re familiar with styles and qualities of fabrics, you’ll know what to ask for or how to describe what you’re looking for at the fabric showroom. Here’s a helpful list of the most common types of decorating fabrics:

Prints:

The pattern on a printed fabric is produced by printing the design on one side of the fabric. Most prints used for home decoration are cotton, linen, or a blend of those with some other fibers. They are a reasonably priced way to get a lot of color into a room, as any pattern can be made as a print:

 

Wovens:

The pattern is produced by weaving threads that are already dyed in the desired colors. The back side of the fabric also has a pattern, and wovens are often thicker and often more durable than prints. Cotton wovens are durable and commonly seen as plaids, checks and stripes. Synthetic blend wovens are common for upholstery use. Silks are also produced using woven patterns, but their light weight makes them mostly suitable for draperies and bedding. Wovens can be done in many different patterns:

 

 

 

 

 

Having the right vocabulary for the fabrics you see in magazines and online can help your search for the perfect fabric. Knowing how the fabric is made is important also, since you’ll know if you should use it for upholstery, slipcovers, drapery or outdoor projects.