Furniture Upholstery

A range of materials are used in our products which include plastic, natural fibres or synthetic materials. As always, remember to protect from direct sunlight.

Plastic, Leather Look, Suede Look
These are synthetic materials which can be treated in various ways. Most tolerate water and soapy water, but ask ILVA and follow the instruction manual.

Wool
Wool, when maintained correctly, can be both dirt repellent and fairly resilient. Wool fabrics may initially shed some excess fibres (“piling”) - however this has no bearing on its quality or durability.

Linen
Linen is a natural product that requires careful use and maintenance. Avoid folding linen material. For detailed advice, contact a member of the ILVA team.

Cotton
Cotton can be hard-wearing when cared for correctly but embossed designs may not be as durable. Clothing made from coarse materials and denim/jeans can cause more wear on cotton. Be careful when cleaning cotton as the colours change.

Alfatex® and other synthetic fibres
Polyester, nylon, polypropylene etc are wear-resistant materials and easy to look after. Micro fibre is also a synthetic fibre. It is generally wear-resistant and easy to look after. Micro fibre is sold under various names e.g. Alcanta or Alfatex® but there are cheap imitations. Most micro fibres lose some of their strength when wet and should not be rubbed during spot cleaning. Follow the instructions or ask ILVA.

Fabrics with a surface pile
Furniture covers with a pile e.g. velour, chenille, appear to change colour when the light comes in from different directions. The same is true if the pile is flattened. This is not a defect – it is a natural characteristic of the material. Wool velour has greater “bounce-back” qualities than most synthetic velour fabrics. These colour changes are normal and have no bearing on wear-resistance.

Please note:
NB! Furniture covers are not normally washable. Care normally involves vacuuming or spot cleaning. Care should be taken when spot cleaning furniture covers.

Never remove cushion covers without first consulting ILVA. The fact that a cover is removable does not necessarily mean that it can be cleaned or is washable. Check whether there are washing/cleaning instructions. If there is no label, consult ILVA before washing or cleaning.

Dark colours may initially rub off on lighter fabrics if rubbed together. Be careful when wearing new jeans, for example, on a white sofa, or sitting on a dark wool sofa when wearing white or pale clothing.

If in doubt, remember that we are always here to help and give advice