Velvet: The Surprisingly Pet-Friendly Fabric
When we think about fabrics for a home with dogs and cats, velvet is rarely the first idea. It looks elegant and refined, which leads many people to assume it is a delicate fabric and hard to maintain. The reality is rather different.
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Why is velvet such a good choice for a home with animals? One of velvet's main advantages is how tightly it is woven. Unlike fabrics with looser threads, it gives a cat's claws very little to catch on or push through, which makes it far less inviting to scratch. Animal hair also tends to stay on the surface of the fabric, so a brush, a vacuum or a damp cloth is usually enough to lift it away.
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Durability that keeps up with family life: Beyond how it looks, durability decides whether a fabric is the right one. Many upholstery velvets record more than 60,000 cycles in the Martindale test (ISO 12947), a recognised measure of resistance to wear. In practice that means the fabric is built for heavy daily use, and will keep its appearance and its comfort for many years.
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What should you avoid? Not all velvets are the same. In a home with pets, steer clear of the most delicate velvets, natural silk among them, and choose the technical versions made specifically for upholstery, developed for greater resistance and easier care.
Vista 1
Why is velvet such a good choice for a home with animals? One of velvet's main advantages is how tightly it is woven. Unlike fabrics with looser threads, it gives a cat's claws very little to catch on or push through, which makes it far less inviting to scratch. Animal hair also tends to stay on the surface of the fabric, so a brush, a vacuum or a damp cloth is usually enough to lift it away.
Vista 2
Durability that keeps up with family life: Beyond how it looks, durability decides whether a fabric is the right one. Many upholstery velvets record more than 60,000 cycles in the Martindale test (ISO 12947), a recognised measure of resistance to wear. In practice that means the fabric is built for heavy daily use, and will keep its appearance and its comfort for many years.
Vista 3
What should you avoid? Not all velvets are the same. In a home with pets, steer clear of the most delicate velvets, natural silk among them, and choose the technical versions made specifically for upholstery, developed for greater resistance and easier care.