How to Choose a Fabric for a Home With Pets
For a home with pets, choose a tight-weave, synthetic or synthetic-blend fabric that resists snagging, releases hair, and tolerates frequent cleaning. Universal Furniture's special-order program, available through Sutter & Vale's sofa collection, lets you select performance-grade textiles so your piece works for the life you actually live.
What Fabric Properties Matter Most When You Have Pets?
Four qualities do the most work: durability, weave tightness, cleanability, and hair release.
- Tight weaves resist snagging from claws. Look for performance fabrics rated for heavy residential or commercial use.
- Synthetic or synthetic-blend textiles such as polyester, olefin, and solution-dyed acrylic repel moisture and resist staining better than natural-fiber alternatives.
- Smooth, flat surfaces release pet hair so a lint roller or vacuum attachment finishes the job quickly. Boucle and chenille trap hair; flat weaves do not.
- Crypton, Revolution, or similar performance fabrics add a moisture barrier at the fiber level, which matters if accidents happen.
Avoid velvet and open-weave linen if your animals scratch or shed heavily. They require more maintenance than most households want to commit to.
How Does Universal Furniture's Special-Order Program Help?
Universal's special-order program lets you specify a fabric rather than accepting whatever a floor sample ships in. That matters here because pet-household needs vary: a household with a short-haired dog has different priorities than one with two long-haired cats.
The Filmore Sofa Special Order, crafted in the USA, ships with a wide selection of contrast tailoring and upholstery options. You can request a performance textile in place of a standard fabric, which is the clearest path to a sofa built for your specific situation. The Ghent Sofa 86 Special Order offers the same flexibility in a tailored, clean-lined frame that keeps fur from collecting in deep seam channels.
Does Cushion Fill Affect Pet-Friendliness?
Yes, and it is worth thinking through before you order.
| Fill type | Pros for pet homes | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard uni-blend foam | Holds shape well, easy to replace | Firmer feel |
| Spring-down | Resilient, recovers shape well | Costs more to reupholster if fabric is damaged |
| Ultra-plush | Very comfortable | Can compress faster with heavy pet use |
Spring-down tends to recover its shape even after a large dog sleeps on the same spot daily. Uni-blend foam is the lower-maintenance option if long-term replacement cost is a concern.
Are Removable Cushion Covers Worth It for Pet Owners?
They are the single most practical feature you can specify. Reversible, loose cushions let you zip off covers and spot-clean or machine wash them without pulling the sofa apart. Many Universal special-order frames include loose, reversible seat cushions as a standard option, so confirm that detail when you place your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request a Crypton or performance fabric on a Universal special-order sofa?
Ask your Sutter & Vale consultant to confirm which performance fabric grades are available for a specific frame. Not every fabric option is listed online, and availability can vary by frame.
How do I remove pet hair from a tight-weave performance fabric?
A rubber pet-hair remover or a vacuum with an upholstery brush attachment works well. Run it in one direction rather than scrubbing back and forth to avoid pilling.
Is microfiber a good choice for pet homes?
Microfiber is durable and easy to wipe down, but it can attract and hold static, which pulls hair in. A tightly woven, flat-weave performance polyester typically outperforms microfiber for heavy shedders.
The Sutter & Vale Team
