Home » Knowledge Base » 12 Best Types of Silk Fabric for Upholstery

12 Best Types of Silk Fabric for Upholstery

Purchasing the best silk fabric is not easy. A wise buyer would first
gather data about the types of silk fabric, as it is the only sensible way to choose the silk fabric for upholstery. Read more

12 Best Types of Silk Fabric for Upholstery

Silk fabric gives a royal touch unlike any other fabric when utilized in upholstery. The covering of any piece of furniture is what creates the first impression. Therefore, given the texture, and the look of silk fabric, one cannot deny its popularity as the best upholstery fabric.

Not only this, I believe, people also feel a sense of distinction when adding such valued fabrics to their furniture.

You might have been to drawing rooms where there was a unique aura. It is usually because the owner had done something extraordinary, which is not common.

Silk fabric upholstery is also not common. Silk upholstery is now not confined to kings and queens only. A layman can also find the best silk fabric for upholstery, but it will take a little research, concern, and dedication.

So here we are intending to help all those people.

We know how hard of a decision it is to spruce up and renovate one’s space. Today, not many of us have that much time. But if you have planned it, then keep reading, as we explore the best silk fabric for upholstery.

Silk Fabric Types for Upholstery

Human evolution is not merely about humans. It included all the things we used including the cloth we use, and the same is the case with silk fabric. Among all these new and unique types, it gets tough for a buyer to choose the finest option. Therefore, for a wise buyer, it is extremely important to choose the best fabric for sofa upholstery. So let us begin.

While reading these details, we expect our wise reader to consider a need-analysis too. Many a time, people tend to gather a plethora of information, ending in zero effectiveness. Once we are done with the types, I will also explain the need analysis for silk fabric upholstery.

Mulberry Silk

mulberry silk fabric for upholstery

You might have heard about the mulberry bush, but the mulberry silk is surely a new thing for many of you. This very silk was primarily manufactured in China, and if you search for the history. China is known as the main exporter of silk. In many markets, it is also referred to as Chinese silk fabric.

I won’t like to go into its origin, but the insect that makes it relies on mulberry leaves, which is what it is named after.

Now moving to the main point, where should you use this mulberry silk?

See, the first thing, when buying mulberry silk is your pocket. If you intend to spend less, then there is no reason to get this expensive royalty to your space. But, many people would love to splurge. So it is indeed for them.

Then comes the texture and strength. I feel some sofa sets are very special for most of us. It might belong to your parents, or from your childhood house. Keeping such articles intact requires durable upholstery fabric. In this regard, mulberry silk would be a great choice.

It is certainly among the finest, smooth, soft, and most durable silk fabric types. So if you want to retain a furniture item, chair, or sofa, then the best way would be to add this silk fabric.

There are several more reasons why I would tell you to get mulberry silk. My second favorite feature is its water-resistant nature. It can hold three times more water than its weight. So you are safe when it comes to the naughty kids damaging the upholstered furniture.

You might be surprised to know it, but mulberry silk is the best upholstery fabric because it offers healthy and safe skin. Most of the time people complain that the cushion covers they have are harsh on their skin. Here it is the total opposite, the mulberry silk offers almost 13 amino acids, which are a great package for the skin.

Lastly, many people are actively concerned for the environment. They do not need to worry while using mulberry silk. It is created without any molecular agents, thus helping you save the environment.

The only reason why you might not want mulberry silk is the color. However, many people can compromise on it. The only downside is the white color of mulberry silk. It does not come in any other shade or color. So if you wish for an elite white, then mulberry silk will be the best upholstery fabric for you.

Eri Silk: Queen of Textile

eri silk fabric for upholstery

What do you think about silk fabric, which is referred to as a queen of textiles? Of course, it has something special to it. The reason why it is a gem lies in its manufacturing process.

It is created without taking the silk out of the insect. They are heated with the silk insect.

Additionally, it is so far among the most durable organic silk fabrics. Adding it to your sofa and other furniture articles will be costly.

I would recommend this only for people who need really soft cloth upholstery for sofas. It is extremely soft, the best place for them would be cushioned, and chairs.

Imagine there is an oversized armchair that you need to make even softer. Then the Eri silk would do.

Lastly, the only drawback is the heaviness. You cannot easily wash this fabric. It would absorb a lot of water, resultantly making it quite heavy.

Therefore, if you have kids around, and they tend to spill a lot of liquids, then this might not be the best option for you.

Tussar silk

tussar silk fabric upholstery

Just like its name “Tussar” the tsar silk is also quite tough. It can be referred to as the rough and tough silk fabric.

That is why it is mostly used in upholstery.

In my opinion, it would be a fine choice for office furniture.

Similarly, if you are setting up a hospital, and there you need to upholster sofas and chairs. Then you must go for the Tussar silk fabric.

Silk Taffeta

silk taffeta fabric

It might not cross your mind, but rough silk is so far the best option for large furniture items. Silk taffeta is one of them.

You can easily use it to cover chairs, sofas, draperies, and cushions. Like Tsar silk, it would be a great option for furniture in public places.

Like in cinemas, using silk taffeta fabric will be an ideal option.

However, as far as the softness and comfort are concerned, unfortunately, it is not the best option.

It gives a crisp sound and rough texture. It might also feel itchy on your skin. Overall, it is rough but durable.

Raw Silk Upholstery Fabric

raw silk fabric for upholstery

Raw silk contains all the qualities similar to silk except sheen. It can also be called “Sericin”.

It is lightweight, breathable, super elastic, and protects against overheating. It can pull itself back after stretching. It has a shiny appearance due to its lustrous material.

All these features are great, and anyone among us would love to have a raw silk fabric for sofa upholstery.

But, just like every other good thing around us, the raw silk fabric is also not the best. It comes with a few drawbacks.

Firstly, it needs extra care. Parents must avoid having it. Then it can only be washed with hands. Washing machines may damage their components. Detergents, with no bleach in them, must apply to clean them.

Wait a minute; I am not scaring you at all. Despite all these sensitive sides, it can safely be used in places where senior meetings are held, especially in offices.

Meeting halls, where no food items are allowed, are the best places to apply raw silk to sofas. So if you are choosing silk for your home you may avoid this one. You have other options for silk fabric as their uses vary from place to place.

Upholstery Silk Film

upholstery silk farm fabric

The foam of your sofa seat is perforated leading to high absorbability. Such absorbent sofas are not the best option for your office and kid’s room. So if you want to secure the seats or handles of your sofa, you must use upholstery silk film. It is a thin flexible silk sheet that is covered on the foam of your sofa seat or around the foam of cushions.

The silk is water resistant and hence this film coating secures your porous foams. Your children may be nobles but the children who visit you with some guests may not. You can’t even say anything to them. After all, they are guests. So to retain that luxury sofa style, such a silk film is a necessity, is it not?

Types of Silk fabric Upholstery w.r.t Texture, Designs, and Combos

So far, we were only discussing pure silk fabric for silk upholstery. Now, we have a separate category for artificial, or mixed silk fabric types.

These are known for their texture, feel, and design. As pure silk fabrics for upholstery mostly come in a single shade, and almost no texture. Therefore, a group of people will go for mixed silk.

Silk Jersey

silk fabric jersey fabric

We all are aware of the jersey fabric. However, various types of threads are used to get the jersey texture. If that is done with silk, then it would be the silk jersey.

Just like the Taffeta and Tsar silk, it is also rough. However, it does have a soft texture. Giving its user a smooth experience.

You can have it for sofa throws, and cushions. Moreover, if you love the explicit and prominent textures, it would be great to have the silk jersey.

For me, the best thing about the silk jersey fabric is its wrinkle-free feature. A carefree person, who does not want to spend half of his day setting the sofa, would love it.

Furthermore, if you are in love with textures, then the best option for you would be a finely knitted silk jersey fabric.

Jacquard Silk Upholstery Fabric

jacquard silk fabric for upholstery

Customizing a sofa in multi-color might feel stupid. But what would you do if you needed two different shades for sofa upholstery?

One will either go for printed fabric, but when it comes to silk, the print might not give that boost. Therefore, instead of prints, why not choose jacquard silk fabric for upholstery?

It will not only have shades, and texture but also the required pattern too. This pattern frequently has a matte base and a subtle sheen to it, providing a pleasing contrast of lusters.

Despite all this, Jacquard silk is still not the best option. It is fine for the offices, where elite or senior members would come. But for public places, and homes, it might not be the ideal option.

Striped Silk Upholstery Fabric

striped silk fabric

You can mix complementing striped patterns or use a single striped pattern layered over other designs or colors.

Silk Velvet Upholstery Fabric

silk velvet upholstery

Velvet materials were primarily made of silk in the past. But these days, it is quite expensive and uncommon. These are tough to harvest.

Silk velvet appears to be highly glossy. It is a premium fabric with superb draping that is soft and lightweight. Although it is uncommon to find pure silk velvet, rayon and viscose are frequently mixed with silk to create silk velvet upholstery fabrics.

‘Capri’ is the finest silk velvet upholstery fabric. It is named after the beautiful island Capri. Its initial production totally belongs to this island. This velvet fabric is made entirely of silk, and it is robust and luxurious, making it ideal for upholstery. It has a truly adaptable and magnificent style.

Silk Mohair Upholstery Fabric

silk mohair fabric

One of the most adaptable textiles used for interior decorating is Silk mohair upholstery fabric. Mohair textiles are renowned for their gloss and sparkle. It is a good option for sofa upholstery because it is strong and very resistant to burns and creases.

Moreover, your home or workplace spaces may come to life with the silky soft Silk mohair upholstery fabric’s vibrant hues and gloss. Because of the limited supply of yarn and the challenging weaving procedure in the past, it used to be quite expensive. But you should thank modern technology to make Silk mohair upholstery fabric simple.

Along with its versatility, it has some protective measures to ensure long-run use of it. To prevent the fabric from being harmed, Silk mohair upholstery fabric must be cleaned and maintained properly. Although the fabric is strong, it is also sensitive, and using an aggressive cleaner on the upholstery could destroy it.

Upholstery Fabric with Metallic Threads

Just like any other durable upholstery fabric, silk upholstery is also available as a designer upholstery fabric.

Many luxury silk brands are customizing silk fabric, be it pure or faux, and decorate them with metallic threads. It will look very similar to jacquard.

The only issue with metallic threads would be cleaning.

If you intend to buy this fabric for your drawing room, or for a place where there will be only curious people, then and only then go for this fabric for upholstery; otherwise, it will not be the best upholstery fabric.

Solid Silk Fabric and its Types

solid silk fabric for upholstery

Don’t want impressions, stripes, blocks, or any texture? You need not buy it at all. You have other options as well. A pure or uni-colored silk sheet is also available for upholstery. Your draperies or curtains are already printed. You already have textures on your walls. You may opt for a single print for your sofas to be upholstered.

Solid silk fabrics are also available in the market. The key benefit of it is that you have vast choices without any pressure on your mind. No distraction from prints, textures, or any sort of artwork. Just pick a color and that’s it. These may also be used as upholstery fabric for dining chairs.

Solid silk fabrics are of different types. Some of these are discussed here. All these types are mixed fabrics, but the backbone of each is silk, while the texture and look are simply solid.

  • Silk Dupioni upholstery fabric means double. Due to its tightly woven surface and double thread construction, dupioni silk has an uneven texture and brilliant sheen.
  • Silk Satin upholstery fabrics are a form of weave that results in cloth with a dull back and a glossy, smooth surface.
  • Silk linen upholstery fabrics are combined silk-linen fabrics. The durability and wear resistance of this fabric is a result of the strength of both threads.

You see, Silk has an abundance of features and every feature has its unique property and unique way to impress you and your appearance. I am not going to stop here. There is a lot to tell you about silk and various types of it. I am aiming to astonish you as much as I am obsessed with silk upholstery for sofas.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to choose the best silk fabric for sofa upholstery?

Regardless of how bad you want this silk fabric for sofas; still, you might not know the right method to find a reliable silk fabric.

This unawareness is pretty common, so here we will discuss a few things that need to be considered.

  • Before you buy always consider the probability of use. If a sofa is often used, for example daily in your living room, then you must go for some tough and rough fabric.
  • Second, various silk fabrics for upholstery are expensive, especially pure ones. That is why the buyer should always consider his budget.
  • Another important side is your need. Do you want silk fabric upholstery for looks? Or for durability? Some of the silk fabrics are only regarded for their appearance. The buyer must choose very wisely.
  • Lastly, you will never regret a purchase from the brands. Therefore, it is better to choose silk fabric from brands instead of buying it from anywhere else.

How to get a stain out of silk upholstery fabric?

Not many silk upholstered sofa owners know the right method to clean silk drapery fabric. Here we have enlisted a few simple steps, following these will help you to get rid of any stain on silk upholstery.

  • The first tip would be cleaning the sofas regularly. You may use vacuum cleaners to clean the dust
  • If there are some food particles, then use a damp cloth to wipe them off.
  • Overwetting can damage the fabric, so always use a lightly damp cloth.
  • Rubbing stains is never an option, as it will make it even worse.
  • Silk upholstery cleaner is a key element in determining the fate of silk upholstery fabric. Selection of the best type of cleaner is essential and only use it when needed for prolonged use.
  • You must never use a hair dryer to dry a spill or wet spot on silk furniture as the heat could cause the fabric to shrink. Instead, you may uncover the sofa, and let it air-dry.
  • If you feel any confusion regarding the application of the above-mentioned techniques. You must call for the silk upholstery cleaning service from professionals. They have expertise. You must utilize their experience to avoid any mishap regarding the cleaning of this majestic stuff.
  •  Many silk upholstery fabric wholesale providers offer after-sale services to ensure the satisfaction of their customers and the maintenance of upholstery for longer use.

Final Words

Each one among us wishes to live in a peaceful space. However, achieving that quaint space requires some extra effort. One needs to think differently.

Here we have shared all the possible data regarding silk upholstery to assist all those people who wish to change their homes or offices with an uncommon fabric; silk.

Silk upholstery fabric brings luxury, passion, peace of mind, self-recognition, love for cultures, and all in all royalty to one’s life. Its delicate look but robust stuff makes you comfortable after a long tedious busy day in the office.

At the same time, silk upholstery is one of the most expensive options for upholstery fabric. It is best suitable for a formal living room at home or a meeting room in an office, with minimal use. It demands extra care. In a nutshell, we can refer to silk upholstery fabric, as the toughest yet the most delicate fabric. Only wise, and meticulous people can rejoice for a long period.

You Might Like These Too

Photo of author

Aleksy Kazmer

Aleksy is a full-time blogger born and raised in Warsaw. After earning a degree in MS English from Oxford University, he began utilizing his skills as a content writer to express what he’s most passionate about. Whether it's home improvement, decor, furniture, cleaning products, or DIY projects. Aleksy has a natural curiosity to pursue hidden tips and share them with readers.