Imagine … you’re meeting with the building committee to finalize a fabric selection. This section is for your brand new worship seating. You have fabric cards as well as samples. Everyone one on the team wants to make sure it enhances the interior. The new upholstery should match the carpet. It should be soft to the touch, but most of all, durable. How do you know if the fabric will last through the lifetime of the new seating? Are there durability standards that you should understand?
What to Know
The fabric mills have a fabric abrasion resistance test. This provides high-level assurance that the fabric will last through the lifetime of the seating. This test is called the Wyzenbeek Test, also known as a double rub test. The double rub test measures the durability of the fabric. This is done by counting the number of double rubs a given fabric can withstand before it begins showing wear. Cotton duck is stretched across a mechanical arm. It passes back and forth over the fabric. One pass equaling one double rub. Check out this video to see the Wyzenbeek test in action. Every fabric we offer is contract grade fabric. Meaning every pattern meets or exceeds 15,000 double rubs. What’s interesting is that “higher double rub numbers do not necessarily indicate a significant extension of the fabric’s service lift.” In fact, Wyzenbeek results above 100,000 double rubs have not been shown to be an indicator of increased fabric lifespan.” This is according to the ACT (Association of Contract Textiles). Fabric failures are more likely to result from physical abuse. As well as inappropriate cleaning, lack of maintenance and inappropriate application. If you are interested in learning more about proper cleaning methods check out these video’s.
Did you know Boeing requires all fabrics used on their airplane seating meets 22,500 double rubs? Visit our fabric page to explore which fabrics will best suit your worship space. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about fabric abrasion, and how it can impact the longevity and durability of your new worship seating, contact your Sales Representative today.