Choosing Sofa Fabrics: Best Options for Pets, Kids, and Parties

1. Best Fabric for Kids:

Your home should be a sanctuary for your family. Constantly telling your kids to keep their feet off the sofa doesn’t create a restful environment. Eilersen’s sofas are not only spacious and comfortable, perfect for the whole family to gather, but they also come in kid-friendly fabrics like Münster. This fabric is stylish and practical, easily handling stains like chocolate, pizza night messes (though I’d argue that eating on the sofa should be reserved for special occasions!), dirt from shoes, and even - the ever present in Singapore - sunscreen residue. Münster is a fantastic option for households where spills are inevitable. Alongside Berlin and Munich all are easy to manage fabrics.

2. Best for Cats

Cats are a unique challenge, especially with their claws. While training is key—there are many helpful resources on this topic—the fabric you choose plays a big role. Look for smooth fabrics like Berlin or Munich with minimal weave so that your cat won't find them enticing for scratching. These fabrics also prevent claws from getting caught. When introducing new furniture to cats, I’ve found it helpful to supervise them as they get used to the new environment. Providing scratching alternatives and using throws on the corners can help keep your sofa safe during the adjustment period. One of our cats showed no interest in any sofa until we introduced an Indian leather BM2212 and for some unknown reason she became the "devil cat" and went for the leather - has never done it again on any fabric or leather - so do hold in mind it is unpredictable. So watch out and support your pet in the first few weeks. We have a great range of scratching poles and introducing that with lots of catnip and encouragements saved our sofa!

3. Best fabric for Dogs:

Once past the puppy phase, dogs are generally easier to manage. During puppyhood, it’s best to keep them in another room or off the sofa until they're over their chewing stage (though mine never quite outgrew the habit of chewing socks—thankfully, socks are cheaper than sofa cushions!). Dogs tend to bring in dirt, but this is easy to manage with the right fabric. In my own home, I’ve found velvet covers to be surprisingly durable, even with a dog who occasionally tries to bury his bone in the sofa.... These fabrics have a high Martindale rating, meaning they’re tough and built to withstand daily wear. Choosing the family friendly fabrics which have excellent martingale (a measure of the strength of the weave) is the way to go.

4. Best for party time:

It’s not just kids who contribute to sofa wear—family parties come with their own set of risks: food, red wine, beer, you name it. Thankfully, fabrics like Berlin, Münster, and Munich can handle these challenges with ease. Even the excellent tangent fabric , while not quite as family-friendly, has been a favorite among many of our customers for years and continues to be a reliable, easy-to-maintain fabric. Indeed one of our excellent customers did her very own Pizza sauce test on a range of our fabrics and it was tangent that passed her test. She is delighted after many years and many pizza parties with the fabric choice.