Washable Fabrics for Sofas

Wash Guide

To keep your washable fabric looking its best for years, we recommend the following care practices.

Machine wash

• Cold wash only
• Use a laundry bag to hold the sofa fabric covers
• Do not soak or wash for more than 45 minutes, prolonged exposure to water overtime leads to higher shrinkage rate
• Use mild detergent, no bleach or bleach containing pods
• Wash no more once every 6 months

Drying

• If using washing machine, tumble dry on low spin speed (≤600 rounds per minute or below)
• Line dry at a shaded area, as direct sunlight may cause fabric colours to fade more quickly

Frequently Asked Questions

What is fabric shrinkage?

Fabric shrinkage is the reduction in a fabric's dimensions in terms of length or width after wash.

The percentage reduction in length and width dimensions compared to before wash, is known as the shrinkage rate.

For washable fabrics, this shrinkage rate needs to be kept ≤2% to ensure dimensional stability during wash.

Why fabrics shrink?

When fabric is washed, its fibers absorb water and expand, leading to an increase in thickness.

The increased thickness and curvature of the fibers due to water absorption forces it to contract dimensionally in terms of length and width.

The greater the hygroscopicity of the fabric, defined as fabric's ability to attract and hold water from the surrounding environment, the greater the shrinkage rate of the fabric.

Based on various tests conducted, natural fabrics containing cotton, linen, wool, silk and viscose content typically have higher shrinkage rate.

The washable fabric series we choose have high polyester content, this material absorbs less water during wash leading to less shrinkage.

Why our selection washable fabric series have low shrinkage rate?

All our washable fabrics are preshrunk at the textile factory.

This preshrinking process (known as sanforization) compresses the fabric under controlled heat and moisture condition before it is sent for dyeing.

Based on results from testing agencies, this step significantly reduces post-wash shrinkage, typically keeping it to ≤2%.

Key steps in mechanical pre-shrinking (sanforization)

The key steps listed below help to preshrink the fabric before they are used for sofa upholstery, reducing its shrinkage rate in future washes.

• Moisture conditioning: fabric is evenly moistened using water or steam to soften the fabric fibers and prepare it for controlled compression
• Mechanical compression: damp fabric passes through a heated drum and a compression rubber belt
• This step allows the fabric to undergo controlled shrinkage, releasing internal fiber tension from the weaving or production process
• Drying: the fabric is allowed to dry naturally post mechanical compression