The Martindale Fabric Rating Explained

This internationally recognised upholstery fabric test rates a fabric according to the number of times discs can oscillate sandpaper or wool across the fabric before it starts to show distress or wear and tear. The results are given as the number of thousands of rub cycles completed, and they are measured in 5,000 cycle intervals. The higher the score the more cycles the fabric can withstand and the more durable the fabric.

When looking at the Martindale rating of a fabric the following generally accepted guidelines provide a starting point:

• Delicate Usage: 10,000 cycles (i.e. a Martindale score of 10,000) or less. Fabric with this rating is suitable for decorative uses such as accent cushions, curtains, drapes, blinds and similar.
• Light Usage:10,000 to 15,000 cycles. Fabrics in this range are likely to be a more delicate yarn, for example silks, or constructed more delicately. Fabric with a Martindale rating falling in this range may be suitable for occasional use furniture, such as ornamental seating or bedroom armchairs. 
• Moderate Usage: 25,000 to 30,0000. Fabric falling into this range is likely to be suitable on furniture which will have moderate use which would cover most household furniture.
• Heavy Usage: 30,000 and above. Fabric falling in this category will be more durable and will durable enough for use on commercial use furniture, or furniture which will be subject to heavy use. Many fabric with higher ratings may be marketed as Contract Upholstery, in addition to durability these fabrics are likely to have higher fire retardancy ratings (this is explained in a little more detail below).

When choosing your upholstery fabric you can always use a fabric with a higher Martindale rating than your planned usage, for example, there is nothing to stop you using a Contract Upholstery fabric on furniture around your home, even if it is primarily for decorative use (there are some beautiful contract upholstery fabrics on the market). However, you should try to avoid using an upholstery fabric with a lower Martingale rating than its intended use because the fabric may not last and is likely mark and fray and show early signs of rubbing and use.

The Wyzenbeek Fabric Rating Explained

The Wyzenbeek test, also known as the 'Double Rub Test' is a test for abrasion which rubs along the weft and weave of the fabric. The weft is the long threads first mounted on a loom, these threads run the entire length of the fabric. The weave is the technical name for the threads which run horizontally across the fabric, so they do not run the length of the fabric. 

The Wyzenbeek test requires mounting the fabric in a frame and holding it stationary whilst it is rubbed by either a cotton duck cloth (a heavy linen canvas) or a wire mesh cloth, the two types of rub is why it is also called the double rub test. 

Testing a fabric with wire mesh, as opposed to the duck cotton, is reserved for more heavy-duty fabrics. As you would expect wire mesh is much more abrasive so the scores for a wire mesh test are lower than those for a duck cotton test. However, a lower score in a wire mesh test may still mean the fabric is considered more durable than a fabric with the equivalent score from a duck cotton test, for example, any fabric with a score above 15,000 double rubs (wire test) or 30,000 double rubs (cotton test) is considered highly abrasion resistant.  

Similar to the Martindale test scores are given in 5,000 cycles. 

When looking at Wyzenbeek rating of a fabric the following generally accepted guidelines provide a starting point:

• Delicate Usage: 3,000 double rubs cycles (i.e. a duck cotton score of 3,000) or less. Fabric with this rating is suitable for decorative uses such as accent cushions, curtains, drapes, blinds and similar.
• Light Usage: 3,000 to 9,000 double rubs. Fabrics in this range are likely to be a more delicate yarn, for example silks, or constructed more delicately. Fabric with a Martindale rating falling in this range may be suitable for occassional use furniture, such as ornamental seating or bedroom armchairs. 
• Moderate Usage: 9,000 to 15,000 double rubs. Fabric falling into this range is likely to be suitable on furniture which will have moderate use which would cover most household furniture.
• Heavy Usage: 30,000 and above double rubs. Fabric falling in this category will be more durable and will durable enough for use on commercial use furniture, or furniture which will be subject to heavy use. Many fabric with higher ratings may be marketed as Contract Upholstery, in addition to durability these fabrics are likely to have higher fire retardancy ratings (this is explained in a little more detail below).

Limits of the Martindale and Wyzenbeek Tests

There are two other points to keep in mind in relation to the Martindale and Wyzenbeek ratings:

• A high Martindale score does not mean a fabric will not suffer from visible wear and tear, the test is instead a measure of the integrity of the fabric. A high Martindale score means even if the fabric has signs of rubbing on the surface the integrity of the fabric has not been impacted by the abrasion test.
• Neither the Martindale score or Wyzenbeek rating have any bearing on other environmental factors which can affect the appearance and durability of a product, such as cleaning chemicals, UV or sunlight exposure, pet scratching, spills, scuffs and scrapes.

Understanding Fabric Thread Count

Another textile specification which is relevant to the durability of a fabric is the thread count, this is applicable to all woven fabrics. The thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch of fabric, with a higher thread count meaning the fabric yarns are more tightly woven. You may have come across the thread count if you have ever purchased cotton linen for your bed. The higher the thread count the more tightly woven the fabric making the fabric more durable. Luxury fabrics are likely to have a higher thread count than their cheaper counterparts, you may also be familiar with thread counts when brands will. A higher thread count may also make a fabric more resistant to damage from pet scratching, although there is no fabric which can really be stated to be scratch proof or pet proof. 

One point to note with thread count is that it is of limited use unless you are comparing two fabrics made from the same material, different threads have different thicknesses, for example silk thread is much finer than wool yarn so they cannot be packed as tightly as each other.< 

Fabric Quality

If you are looking for greater durability in your upholstery fabric you should also consider both the quality of the fabric and the fabric brand. Some of the quality of a fabric should be apparent if you compare the Martindale scores and thread counts between fabrics but this only goes part way to appreciating the quality of a fabric. The quality of the raw materials, especially fabric dyes, can also impact the longevity of the fabric. Fabric in your home will be exposed to sunlight through windows as well as splashes and spills and cleaning. Some fabrics will stand up better to these environmental stresses than others, you should check the fabric specifications to see if there is any information for details. But as a rule of thumb higher quality fabrics from top fabric houses will generally be more durable than their cheaper counterparts, they are likely to have been made with higher quality raw materials and dyes. 

Upholstery Fabric Classification

Upholstery fabric can broadly be grouped into the following categories, each of which is suitable for a different use case:

• Not Suitable for Upholstery (or non-upholstery fabric) - not suitable for furniture but still suitable for curtains, cushions, tie-backs and pelmets,
• Decorative Upholstery Fabric - this fabric is suitable for upholstery where the furniture is primarily for decorative use, such as curtains, and cushions
• Occasional Use Upholstery Fabric - fabric of this type can be used on upholstery but should be reserved to furniture which is intended for occasional use,
• Moderate Use Upholstery Fabric (or general use upholstery fabric) - this is the most common class of upholstery fabric and fabrics in this class should be suitable for use on everyday furniture in the home,
• Contract Upholstery Fabric (or Heavy Use Upholstery Fabric) - fabrics which fall in this category tend to be more hard-wearing and should be suitable for use in commercial settings.

Different manufacturers vary how they classify their upholstery fabrics so the above is only an outline of appropriate uses for a fabric. It should be noted there can also be a wide variance of the quality of the fabrics and rub rating scores within each classification too, so for a more accurate indication you should look at the fabric specifications as a whole.