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Customer's Own Material

Part II

COM or Customer's Own Material can be purchased through FLS from one of our vendors or the client may furnish the material.

Several pieces of information are required when using COM. If there is a pattern, it is necessary to know the horizontal and vertical repeats for the fabric. A repeat can be 0" for a plain fabric up to 36" for a fabric with a large design. The bigger the repeat, the more required yardage and the greater the waste. It's also important to know whether the fabric is railroaded or non-railroaded. Another term for non-railroaded is up the bolt.

Railroaded fabric means the design runs horizontally from edge to edge. The selvage (sewn edge of the fabric is at the top and bottom. By using railroaded fabric you don't have seams in your larger pieces of upholstered furniture, so you have only one piece of fabric covering the body of the piece.

Non-railroaded fabric means the design runs vertically from top to bottom. The selvage is on the right and left sides of the fabric. These fabrics are often used for bedding and window treatments but can be used on upholstered furniture. The larger pieces will have seams. The standard width for fabric is 54 inches, although narrower widths are available.

Some patterns use what is called a half drop pattern. This type of pattern has more than one point of interest, so be certain to specify which is to be emphasized. If you don't, your piece may end up looking very different from what you expected. Giving this information to your design consultant or sales associate (if you're providing the material) will ensure he or she can determine from the manufacturer the correct amount of yardage needed. If providing your own fabric, be certain to send a swatch and indicate which side is to be used facing outward and in what direction the fabric is to be applied to the piece.

Pattern #1

Pattern #2

The manufacturer will specify the Cleaning Code for the material. This code tells you how to deal with spots and stains.

• Code "W": Start with regular vacuuming or light brushing. Spot clean where needed, using only the foam from a water based cleaning product such as a non-solvent upholstery shampoo product or a mild detergent. Using a soft brush, apply the foam in a light circular motion and vacuum when dry. Make certain to always pretest in an inconspicuous place to see how the product works on this particular fabric. If the piece becomes heavily soiled, use a professional cleaning service.
• Code "S": Start with regular vacuuming or light brushing. Where needed, spot clean using a water-free product or dry-cleaning product. Using these materials in a well-ventilated area is absolutely necessary. Avoid products containing carbon tetrachloride as this is toxic. Pretest in an inconspicuous area before starting. If the stain is a large one, you may want to use a professional cleaning service.
• Code "WS": Begin with regular vacuuming or light brushing. This code is the easiest, because you can follow the instructions for either Code W or Code S.
• Code "X": This fabric can only be cleaned by regular vacuuming or light brushing to prevent the build up of dust or grime. If you use other methods it may cause excessive staining, shrinking or distortion of the fabric.

I always recommend having your upholstery "fabri-coated." This is a protective coating applied by Furnitureland South that completely penetrates the fabric, unlike "Scotchguard" which protects only the top surface of the fabric. After the coating is applied and if you spill something on the upholstery, simply call Guardsman, the manufacturer of the fabric-coate. You will give them the cleaning code and they will tell you what you need to do to clean the fabric. If this doesn't work, Guardsman will send out a professional cleaner. If that doesn't work, they are obligated to reupholster the affected area.

One final point, when considering any fabric is the quality. Quality has nothing to do with the grade of the fabric. The higher the grade, the more expensive, and the same fabric may have a different grade or price from different manufacturers. The grade of the fabric is determined using several different criteria. The composition (cotton, silk, rayon or a blends combination), the repeat, the availability, the geographic source, and the complexity of the design are all factors. A cotton and polyester blend, with cotton being in the greater proportion is one of the best from the standpoint of wear. The manmade fabrics such as acrylic and olefin are good. Silks, a large percentage of Rayon in the composition, and other delicate fabrics should be put on pieces that will have very light usage. If using a combination of fabrics, consider using the delicate ones on areas which will not be sat upon. They can also be used as accents such as throw pillows. Rayon in a small proportion is fine, because there are certain effects which Rayon enhances. One example is a sheen to the fabric.

Please be sure to check back for my next column, Deciding on Your Upholstered Furniture--TheComponents. Through these articles, I hope to take the mystery out of shopping for upholstered furniture for you. I invilte you to call or email me with questions. I would be happy to help you select your next piece or group of upholstered furniture.

Bryan Jeffreys has been with Furnitureland South for 7 years. He has been a design consultant/sales associate for almost 5 years. To better learn all aspects of the business, he started in Customer Service before moving to sales.

Bryan is acknowledged to have both depth and breadth in his knowledge of furniture and has a flair for putting together fabrics and colors. His clients enjoy working with him.

Read what Bryan's customers are saying about him

• Bryan Jeffreys
• Sales & Design Consultant
• 336-822-3000 ext 2562
• fax: 336-822-3917
• Bryanjeffreys@furniturelandsouth.com
• Furnitureland South, Inc
• 5635 Riverdale Drive
• Jamestown, NC 27282

Continue to Part I or Part III