Antique Tapestry

• Antique tapestry was primarily used for wall hangings, but can also be found covering period footstools and chairs. The tapestry was stitched from pure wool or occasionally silk, with gold or silver thread for highlighting. Natural dyes from plants and minerals were used to tint the yarn. These natural colors tend to fade in bright sunlight. Antique tapestries are not very durable as they use delicate materials. They should not be cleaned with chemicals or machine washed.
  
  

Modern Tapestry

• Many crafters like to sew their own modern versions of tapestry from kits or their own design. The base material commonly used is canvas or hessian, and the picture is built up in different colors of wool. These modern tapestries are far more durable than their antique counterparts, as the dyes are faster and the yarn is normally a polyester blend rather than pure wool. However, even modern tapestries are not ideal for covering heavily used furniture, such as chairs, as their ridged textures make them susceptible to snags and uneven wear.
  
  

Upholstery

• The durability of upholstery fabric depends on several factors, including the type and use of the furniture it covers. Fabrics with a tight, closed weave will be stronger than those with a loose open weave and will be more resistant to snagging. The best natural upholstery fabrics are cotton and wool. If you need to clean the fabric regularly, then a synthetic blend is more practical. Leather is the most durable of all as it doesn't fray or snag, but it may become shiny and stretched over time.
  
  

Choosing Durable Fabric

• When choosing the best upholstery fabric, consider how much you are going to use the upholstered furniture. Also, think about whether the fabric will need to be resistant to strong sunlight or be easy to clean. Hold a sample of the fabric up to the light; if you can see light through the weave, then it will be less durable than a closed-weave fabric. Examine the raw ends of the threads; if the fabric unravels easily, then the threads will be subject to wearing and pulling away from the seams.