The question for those of you with pets who do go on the furniture. What is a stronger fabric that we should be looking for? For instance there is a couch on a local swap classified, gently used and black leather. Perhaps leather or pleather or a corduroy of some type? Sophie and Callie both are big strong pups, plus we have cats. The layout of the room is smallish and seating is tight. The couch has to go under the front window, there's nowhere else a long couch will fit. So anytime I'm on the front walk both dogs are on the couch watching me through the window " Mommy's Here! Mommy's Here!" One couch of cotton fabric...beautiful it was...lasted ONE day. Ideally Kevlar heeheehee, but I'd welcome suggestions. Blocking the dogs from the living room isn't an option...no indoor fence strong enough and hubby needs open walkways. It's frustrating keeping the cushions in one piece even for a few months
Easy cleaning I go with fake leather PVC Hard wearing I go with fabric Or can just do same as me & just throw covers over it
Real leather number 1 and most money. Before I lost the tag think it is solid weave with scotchguard. (what I have currently) Fake leather for small to mid size ok but does scratch, very large and above tears, large scars it bad. Loose weave very comfy but past small breed tears quickly.
Hum, so free leather slightly worn is a good deal then The chair is ridiculous, Sophie has dug a hole into the seat of the chair, you don't know how many dog beds she's gone through. I can sew, but she just shreds stuff beyond repair sometimes..
Ive had all sort of materials in the past, at present have a real leather frame with material seat/back cushions it does help with the hairs, leather is fine but their claws can cut, mark it, have tried throws but they always seemed to slip and end in a heap, I remember the days of the ‘Dralon’ furniture lasted for years cleaned up great to. If they keep tearing them up I think id be stopping them going on the chairs .
Strangely enough Vee I was also going to suggest Dralon. My parents used to have a pale gold lounge suite which their two Labs used to sit/sleep on. All my mother needed to do was to vacuum it regularly and give it a good clean every 6 months or so and it came up looking like new. As I only have one bedroom, visitors have to sleep in the living room, which fortunately is 25 m2, and after a lot of searching I found a double sofa bed which is also covered in Dralon. The dogs have played/ slept/ sat on it for 7 years now and apart from a few snags caused by puppy paws its still in very good condition.
I've got a leather frame and like a thick cord matiral corner sofa it's never seen the light of day as it's always covered in a throw I only see it when I change the throw.
Never had issues with my old leather couch and love seat, but all my past babies as does Mouse, nails are trimmed weekly.
Leather here too, BUT, dogs are only allowed on dog beds and human laps, not on our furniture. I know, it's cruel, but they do have two beds in every room!
Tell me about this Dralon...how do you find furniture made of it? Is it called something else in the US perhaps? I read the site about the fabric itself and it sounds mighty durable. How do I find it?
I tried looking it up for you Ophelia but didn't have much luck. Apparently it was first manufactured by Dupont and was called Acrilan or Orlon but as far as I can tell is no longer manufactured in the US. In Europe where it's still a popular fabric its manufactured by Dralon Gmbh which is a German company but whether they export to the US or not, I've no idea.
Do a search for olefin fabric and you'll find the most durable stuff made in the USA. Same stuff berber carpet is made of and it's used in many industrial applications including car interiors. Wears like iron and almost stain and dirt proof. You can also see what is still available that's monstanto wear dated. Years ago you could go to sears and get childrens clothes and lots of other thing that bore that tag and the fabric was impervious. I know Monsanto is still in business bur have no idea if they still do the fabric's.
Thanks for the tip, I'll try researching that and perhaps the ads, leather seems like a popular fabric on the giveaway couches. If I could find something sturdy I'd buy new. We've just had so much disposable furniture over the years between destructive kids and pets. I'd like to find something nice finally. Heeheehee the perfect fabric-Laura Ashley meets bulletproof vest.
