What's The Best Sofa Bed Fabric?
A sofa bed needs to be comfy and stylish to sit on, and cosy enough to sleep on, so the fabric you choose matters even more than it does on a regular sofa. This guide helps you pick the right one for your home, explaining rub counts, the fabrics we stock and how to choose between them.
Why is the fabric of a sofa bed important?
A standard sofa's fabric only has to withstand everyday sitting. A sofa bed's fabric handles that, plus the repeated folding and unfolding of a pull-out or click-clack mechanism, as well as the weight and movement during a full night's sleep. That means more rubbing at the fold points, more skin contact, and more chance of a spilled cup of tea before lights out. Therefore, choosing a hard-wearing, easy-to-clean fabric helps your sofa bed stay looking and operating at its best for longer. But practicality isn't the only consideration; you also want a fabric that looks stylish in your home, complements your existing décor and colour scheme, and feels soft and comfortable to the touch.
Understanding rub counts
Rub count (also called the Martindale test) measures how many times a fabric can be rubbed before it starts to show wear. It's the most useful number on any fabric spec sheet, because it tells you how a sofa bed will actually perform, rather than how it looks in a showroom. The higher the number, the more rubbing, folding and general family life the fabric can take before it wears thin.
| Rub count | What it means | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10,000 | Light domestic use | Occasional pieces in low-traffic rooms |
| 10,000 to 15,000 | General domestic use | Spare-room sofa beds used a few nights a month |
| 15,000 to 25,000 | Everyday domestic use | Family living rooms and sofa beds that fold out regularly |
| 25,000 to 40,000 | Heavy-duty domestic use | Homes with children, pets or frequent overnight guests |
| 40,000+ | Contract grade | Constant daily and overnight use |
What is the best fabric for a sofa bed?
The best sofa bed fabric for your home depends on how you want it to look, feel and operate. For example, a spare-room sofa bed used a few nights a year can wear a softer, lower rub-count fabric. One that folds out every week for regular guests needs something hard-wearing, easy-to-clean and forgiving of everyday spills. Plus, factor in what colours and styles are available in each fabric to achieve the look you’re going for.
Types of sofa bed fabrics
Love Sofas sofa beds come in a handful of fabrics, each suited to a different kind of household. Here's what each one brings to the table.
Chenille
Chenille has a soft, slightly nubbly texture and a subtle sheen that hides everyday marks well. It's a popular choice across our chenille sofa range, and works especially well on sofa beds that see daily family life.
Faux leather
Faux leather wipes clean in seconds and won't hold onto pet hair. If spills and paw prints are a regular occurrence in your house, faux leather is both a sensible and stylish choice.
Corduroy
Corduroy, or jumbo cord, has a ribbed, tactile weave that feels warm to the touch and hides light wear between cleans. Our corduroy sofa beds suit households looking for texture without the maintenance of a deep pile.
Velvet
Velvet has a soft, directional pile that catches the light and feels plush against skin. Our velvet sofa beds come in some of the deepest colours on site, best suited to occasional guest use.
Which sofa bed fabric is easiest to care for?
Faux leather is the easiest sofa bed fabric to care for. Spills sit on the surface rather than soaking in, so a damp cloth is usually all it takes. Chenille and corduroy are close behind, since their tighter weaves make vacuuming quick and stains easy to blot out before they set.
What is the best sofa bed fabric for allergies?
Tightly woven fabrics like corduroy and faux leather are a better choice for people with allergies, since they hold onto less dust and pet dander than deeper pile fabrics like velvet or chenille. Whatever you choose, a weekly vacuum with the upholstery attachment can make a big difference.
Which sofa bed fabric is best for pets?
Faux leather is the best sofa bed fabric for pets. Claws don't snag on the surface, hair lifts off with a quick wipe or lint roller, and accidents wipe away before they sink in. If you'd rather have a fabric feel, corduroy's tight weave is the next best option.
Comparing sofa bed fabrics at a glance
| Fabric | Feel | Easy to clean | Great for | Typical rub count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chenille | Soft, slightly textured | Good, spot-cleans well | Family living rooms, corner sofa beds | 15,000 to 25,000+ |
| Faux leather | Wipe-clean | Excellent, wipes clean | Pets, spills, easy living | Not rub-count rated |
| Corduroy | Ribbed, tactile | Good, needs regular vacuuming | Everyday use with added texture | 20,000 to 30,000 |
| Velvet | Soft, plush pile | Fair, needs gentle care | Guest rooms, occasional use | 15,000 to 25,000 |
How to choose the right fabric for your sofa bed
There are a few key things to consider before settling on a sofa bed fabric. Work through these before you fall for a colour.
- What it's for: A sofa bed used nightly or by regular guests needs a tougher fabric than one kept for the occasional visitor.
- How often it's used: The more nights it spends folded out as a bed, the more the fold points get worked, so lean towards a tighter, higher rub-count weave.
- Who's using it: Kids, pets and clumsy hands all point towards a wipe-clean or tightly woven fabric rather than a deep pile.
- The colour you want: Darker or patterned fabrics forgive everyday marks between cleans, while pale shades show more but can lift a small room.
- Durability: Check the rub count where it's listed. The higher the number, the longer the fabric will tolerate daily folding and sitting.
- Comfort and feel: Think about how the fabric will feel against the skin on the nights it's used as a bed, not just how it looks from across the room.
Caring for your sofa bed fabric
Keep any sofa bed fabric looking its best by vacuuming weekly and immediately blotting spills rather than rubbing. Always check the care label before reaching for a cleaning product, since chenille, faux leather, corduroy and velvet all respond differently.
Read our fabric care guide for more advice on cleaning and stain removal for every fabric we sell.
Whichever fabric you choose, it's worth giving it as much thought as the mattress or mechanism underneath it. Browse our sofa beds to find a size, mechanism and fabric that suits your household, or contact our team if you'd like a hand deciding.
