The greatest of dancehall clashes has nothing on this epic battle. Since suede entered the chat in 1970 when the Japanese company called Toray invented “Ultrasuede” — a polyester/polyurethane fabric that was designed to mimic actual suede — there has been a massive rift at the topic of the upholstery fabric pecking order. Before young suede was born with its smooth baby-faced fur, the king of polyester-based sofa fabrics was chenille and chenille ruled them all from the 18th century.
Better than tweed, softer than canvas and much longer lasting than our pretty friend, velvet, chenille clapped back at any ‘ooman’ or ‘man’ that threatened to take his crown. Then, a young girl called suede walked in and ‘mash up everyting.’
When suede entered, her alluring smooth and refined features and stain-resistant surface had all the boys talking. They no longer wanted the crusty old temperamental king, chenille, who could be prone to snags and pulls if not handled with care, they now wanted a Queen who appeared to be the epitome of upholstery perfection; a royal that was made for every sofa and dining chair.
[photo of suede]
As you can imagine, King chenille was not going to dethroned easily. Massive improvements to chenille fabric over the years has resulted in a modern chenille fabric that is of a higher quality, has stable tufts and has a finer texture.
Texture and Feel
Fast forward to today and the battle of sexes continues. Chenille’s soft, fuzzy pile and tufted, velvety surface that practically begs to be touched, is more texturally thick than suede’s smooth velvety nap that feels refined and modern. But suede’s elegant, matte finish that works beautifully in both minimalist and upscale settings gives an unmistakable air of sophistication that chenille struggles to exude. While chenille’s lustrous, iridescent finish catches the light beautifully, creating dynamic variations in shading depending on the angle, that sheen can sometime look outdated and ‘ole fashion.’
For those who love the chenille lustre, it’s hard to resist the cozy, fuzzy texture that comes with King chenille. Chenille gets its name from the French word for “caterpillar” due to its fuzzy pile. And that soft, fuzzy pile is glorious to sink into when you come home from a long day at work and just want your sofa to give you a comforting hug. We think the usage really determines which one should be used and in this guide we detail which one is best for where and what uses in Jamaica.
Durability and Maintenance
Now durability is the toughest battle that chenilles and suedes will fight, but make no mistake, there is one clear winner. Chenille fabric is known for its durability. It is abrasion-resistant and can handle lots of wear and tear, making it ideal for your sofa, bed head or dining chairs, where frequent rubbing will quickly eat away at a velvet fabric. King chenille maintains its shape over the years and is also pill resistant helping it to maintain a fresh and smooth appearance over time. Its immensely absorbent nature helps darker chenilles to hide stains and spills.
Unfortunately, though, this absorbency can cause midtone and lighter coloured chenilles to really show the nasty that comes with living with children or having a glass of wine while watching TV. To add, in our sunny Jamaican climate, chenilles tend to fade when exposed to direct sunlight. And it is an absolute NO when pets are considered. Due to its looped pile, it’s easy for sharp objects or claws to snag a thread and have you considering another sofa refresh in less than a year. These fuzzy looped threads also will require an occasional vacuuming with a brush attachment keeps fibres fresh.
Queen suede can go toe to toe with King chenille with regards to durability as she was engineered for resilience. Queen suede is wear resistant, stain resistant shrink resistant and wrinkle resistant. Her polyester fibres mean that she won’t absorb stains, liquids and spills as readily which is a big win if you have kids and pets at home. Uncouth behaviours such as fraying could never be associated with suede’s name. Suede’s tight weave allows it to withstand heavy use without losing its sleek finish. She always looks well put together. With no shrinking or wrinkling, suede maintains her shape through the years and her fibres hold colour well. This resistance to colour fading, gives her a major edge above chenille who can’t handle direct sunlight.
But, no one is perfect and no fabric is perfect. While suede’s care is usually as simple as wiping spills and stains with a damp cloth, she is still susceptible to damage from sharp objects and she can still develop pilling or show signs of wear over time, especially in high-traffic, high-friction areas. Her tight synthetic fibres also mean that she lacks breathability, which sometimes can affect comfort. But despite these, suede kicks King chenille to the curb when it comes to durability and maintenance. That’s why she is the favourite choice for our customers doing couch or dining chair reupholstery.
So put Queen on her name and talk nicely to Queen Suede.
Cost and Variety
At Ping’s Fabrics, we specialize in keeping fabrics affordable. So, chenille and suede fabrics are similarly priced in the $800-$1200 price range, with chenilles being on the cheaper end of the price range at $800 and $850 per yard. Upholstery suedes are priced between $1000 and $1200 per yard. Both fabrics are available in a width of 60 inches and in a variety of colours. If prints are your fancy, then you will love the chenille prints we have in store in neutrals and bold colours.
[photo]
If you prefer solid colours, we have several options in both suedes and chenilles. Here a few of the popular colours at Ping’s.
[photo]
When To Use Which?
Now that we’ve laid it all out, you are probably asking, “So Ping’s which one should I get for all my home projects?” Generally, pick chenille fabric for cozy comfort and affordability and pick upholstery suede for modern elegance and durability.
Using our experience with these fabrics and the excellent feedback from our customers, we recommend suede upholstery fabric for both residential sofas and armchairs, and also, some commercial sofas. Many of our customers have had our upholstery suede fabrics last on their sofas and chairs for upwards of 10 years. We do recommend chenille fabrics for residential sofas in areas where there is no direct sunlight and for homes with older children and no pets. For parents with younger kids who want the iridescent chenille look, we suggest opting for a midtone or darker chenille fabric that can hide stains and spills.
For residential headboards, dining chairs and decorative cushions and accessories we recommend chenille fabrics. Chenille’s higher pile and fuzzier feel are a joy when you just want to lay your head back when sitting up in bed. Suedes work well for these too, but nothing beats the feel of chenilles.
For other indoor fabric considerations for us in Jamaica, this table can serve as a guide.
|
Consideration |
Our Recommendation |
|
You live or own a business in St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St. Catherine or St. Ann where red dirt is abundant and red dirt foot stains are apparent |
Opt for darker upholstery suede fabrics that are easier to clean |
|
You live in a very hot community in St. James, Portmore or Kingston. |
The warmth of chenilles can make you more uncomfortable so choose an upholstery suede fabric |
|
You live in a cool community in the hills of Mandeville, St. Andrew, St. Ann, Portland or Clarendon where days and nights can be cold during the winter months |
Opt for a chenille fabric that will keep you warmer and more comfortable. Alternatively, opt for a suede if high durability is also a consideration. |
|
You are purchasing for an AirBnB, motel, restaurant or hotel |
Suedes (and or leatherettes) should be your best friend, unless you are going for the premium look. If you want the premium look and feel and you are happy to do more frequent furniture refreshes, opt for a darker chenille fabric. |
|
Direct sunlight is a major factor |
Opt for a lighter suede fabric that will not show sun fading |
For all commercial indoor sofas and chairs we recommend our leatherette fabrics which you can read more about here.
For residential and commercial outdoor sofas, our Sunbrella and canvas fabrics are the preferred option.
Did Queen Suede stand a chance in dethroning King Chenille from your perspective? Or do you think that Kings Chenille will always reign supreme? Tell us in the comments below. Remember to head into store this weekend to touch and feel these fabrics in person and make your favourite pick for your next furniture upholstery refresh.