Whether it's a home dining room, outdoor cafe or hotel banquet hall, the upholstery fabric for dining chairs directly affects the aesthetics, comfort and longevity of the space. With the challenges of frequent use, food spills, cleaning and maintenance, it's important to choose a fabric that is both beautiful and durable. As a leading brand of outdoor and indoor performance fabrics, Spuncrylic offers customised solutions for different scenarios with its four materials: Acrylic, Polyester, Spunpoly and Olefin. In this article, we will provide an in-depth analysis of how to choose the most suitable upholstery fabric for dining chairs according to your needs.
Step 1: Define the use of the scene and the core needs
Before choosing the dining chair fabric, you need to define the use of the environment:
- Family dining room: focus on comfort, aesthetics, and need to be resistant to daily stains.
- Commercial space (such as restaurants, hotels): high-frequency use, the need for extreme wear resistance, easy to clean.
- Outdoor dining areas: need to be waterproof, UV resistant and mould resistant.
- Child-friendly spaces: emphasis on stain resistance, anti-bacterial and scratch resistance.
Spuncrylic fabrics are designed for these scenarios, with a combination of material properties to meet diverse needs.
Comparison of the four materials: Spuncrylic's core strengths
1. Acrylic: a balance of elegance and durability
Acrylic is often referred to as ‘the fabric of choice for high-end dining chairs’ due to its delicate texture and excellent colour expression.
- Advantages:
- Fade-resistant: UV stabilised for years of vibrant colour, even when placed against a window.
- Soft touch: mimics the softness of wool, making it suitable for long periods of seating.
- Stain-resistant treatment: Spuncrylic's Acrylic fabric is coated with a nano-splash-resistant coating that resists penetration of liquids such as coffee and red wine.
- Scenarios: Family restaurants, boutique hotels, design-conscious commercial spaces.
2. Polyester (polyester fibre): cost-effective pragmatism
Polyester has become the mainstream choice for commercial spaces with its high strength and easy maintenance.
- Advantages:
- Abrasion resistance: the fibres are strong enough to withstand dozens of daily uses and are not prone to pilling or abrasion.
- Easy to clean: most stains can be wiped away with a damp cloth, and some models support machine washing (e.g. Spuncrylic's QuickClean range).
- Cost Advantage: Affordable price, suitable for bulk purchase.
- Upgraded features: Spuncrylic adds antimicrobial coatings to Polyester (e.g. Silpure® technology) to effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria.
- Applicable scenarios: fast food restaurants, school canteens, hospital cafeterias and other high-frequency use areas.
3. Spunpoly (Spun Poly Blend): Breathability meets luxury
Spunpoly is Spuncrylic's patented blending technology that combines the durability of Polyester with the breathability of natural fibres.
- Advantages:
- Breathable Heat Dissipation: open weave construction reduces stuffiness for outdoor or summer environments without air conditioning.
- Wrinkle Resistant: Spunpoly is less likely to leave permanent indentations than pure Polyester, keeping the chair flat.
- Customised texture: Can mimic the texture of linen, canvas and other natural materials to enhance the style of the space.
- Applicable scenes: high-end restaurants, resorts, outdoor garden restaurants.
4. Olefin (Olefin): the champion of the outdoors and humid environments
Olefin (polypropylene) is the ideal choice for outdoor dining chairs thanks to its excellent moisture resistance.
- Advantages:
- Water and mould resistant: inherently water repellent, it dries quickly even after a long period of rain, avoiding the growth of mould.
- Chemical Resistant: Resistant to pool chlorine and detergent corrosion, suitable for beachfront restaurants or pool bars.
- Lightweight: 30% lighter than Polyester for easy handling and storage.
- Spuncrylic innovation: extends the outdoor life of Olefin to more than 5 years by adding UV stabilisers.
- Scenarios*: open-air cafes, cruise ship decks, patio restaurants.
Key Performance Indicators: 4 details you must look for when buying
1. Abrasion rating (Martindale test):
- ≥15,000 cycles recommended for domestic use, ≥30,000 cycles required for commercial use (up to 50,000 cycles for Spuncrylic commercial range).
2. Stain Resistance Certification:
- Choose fabrics that are ISO 14419 oil and grease resistant to handle sauces, oils and grease with ease.
3. Fire Resistance:
- Commercial spaces need to comply with CAL 117 fire retardant standard, Spuncrylic offers fire resistant coating options.
4. Environmental certification:
- Prefer OEKO-TEX® or GREENGUARD certified fabrics to ensure non-toxic and harmless.
Spuncrylic's Customization Service: Beyond the Standard Answer
In addition to generic models, Spuncrylic supports in-depth customisation:
- Colour Matching: Provide Pantone colour cards for accurate colour matching to meet the needs of brand visual unity.
- Functionality overlay: e.g. adding an anti-slip backing to Olefin, or integrating heating fibres to Acrylic (for colder regions).
- *Size flexibility: customised rolls or pre-cut chair covers to reduce waste.
Ultimate selection advice
- For luxury: Acrylic + stain-resistant coating
- For budget and high frequency use: Polyester + antimicrobial treatment
- For outdoor versatility: Olefin + UV protection
- For a balance of breathability and durability: Spuncrylic blends
Conclusion
The choice of upholstery for dining chairs is a combination of aesthetics and science, and Spuncrylic makes each chair a perfect match with its material innovations and technological upgrades. Through material innovation and process upgrading, Spuncrylic makes every dining chair find the perfect balance between value and function. Whether it's a cosy family meal or an efficient commercial space, choosing the right fabric is a choice for long-lasting comfort and peace of mind.
Explore the Spuncrylic dining chair fabric collection today and make your seating the focal point of your space!
