Which do you think is the better choice for a sofa or sectional cover
for your home here in Vallarta – leather or fabric? Which will hold
up?
Would you be shocked if I told you that neither of those are the best option when you take in to account our tropical environment?
But worry not – there is a new option! A better solution! Read on!
Until
a few years ago, there were really two options for a sofa and sectional
cover – fabric or leather. Now, there is a third option that is
revolutionizing the upholstered goods industry and it’s the perfect
solution for our oceanfront homes. It’s called performance fabric.
Performance
fabric, originally created for the military, quickly caught on with
sports apparel industry. These fabrics then became the material of
choice for awnings, outdoor furniture and boating. Now, these covers are
being used in the furniture industry to give longer life to upholstered
goods. In the past, a sofa may have had an average lifespan of 5 to 8
years. With performance fabrics, the forecast is for 20 years or more.
Basically, you will get tired of your sofa before your sofa tires of
you!
This new fabric option provides extra protection
and comfort under extreme conditions. Sometimes referred to as smart
textiles, these fabrics resist fading, repel liquids, prevent stains
from dirt and oils, and are also fire retardant. Even bacteria, fungi
and mould will not grow on this textile. Although you would think they
might feel hard or plastic, they feel soft and comfortable.
Before
weaving into a fabric, each individual thread is coated. Once woven,
the entire fabric is coated again. The best part is that these easy-care
performance fabric covers are available in hundreds of stylish designs
and styles.
To
test out whether performance fabrics could really cut the muster, we
did our own in-house test right here in Vallarta. We poured red wine on a
white performance fabric and left it overnight. (We also spilt a few
tears when we used up the red wine!) With high hopes, we checked the
fabric in the morning and true to its hype, the red wine came right off
with just one swipe of a cloth. No stain! (For those interested in
seeing this experiment with your own eyes, bring over two bottles of
wine and we’ll show you – one for the experiment and one to drink while
we wait!)
In the past few years, due to the demand for this type of textile, the price per square meter has dropped significantly.
There
are a few upholstery retailers in Mexico currently offering performance
fabrics. For ocean-side homes in humid environments, there is simply no
better choice than a stain resistant, stylish, and affordable sofa in
performance fabric.
In Mexico, arguably the best
manufacturer of sofas, sectionals, sofa beds, recliners, ottomans and
everything upholstered is Palliser. Palliser offers a wide range of
performance fabrics allowing you to enjoy your item for years without
the worry of stains. You can see all the Palliser frame styles and
covers at www.palliser.com. And, you can order any Palliser item for
delivery from their manufacturing plant in Saltillo, Mexico to your home
in Mexico online at www.solutionsmexico.com.
(This article originally appeared, in part, in the November 30th edition of the Vallarta Tribune)