Wool Boucle Fabric In Your Home

With their rich, loopy texture a wool boucle upholstery fabric is an increasingly must have, for creating a warm, relaxed but elegant home interior. 

What is a Wool Boucle Fabric?

Often densely woven and heavy, wool boucle has a looped, curly character. Wool is often mixed with other natural fibres (cotton, linen, bamboo and silk) to give contrast / texture and with synthetics for durability / strength (polyamide and viscose). Loops on the surface of a boucle fabric can range from tiny circlets to much larger curls giving a variety of looks and uses for the material. Boucle fabrics sometimes contain two or more shades of a colour which adds to the texture and depth.

Where can I use a Wool Boucle?

Versatility is key with this fabric; the densely woven Boucle fabrics are great choices for upholstery projects. Giving a warm, comfortable and tactile feel Boucle can be both glamorous and sophisticated (try the Zoffany Boucle collection or the Iona and Moray ranges from Fox Linton) or in contrast have a more relaxed and playful appearance (Zumirez from Zinc or Mark Alexander’s Cobblestone both have this quality) Suiting both contemporary or more vintage upholstery projects; using a wool boucle will certainly add some personality and visual interest to your palette of materials.

Not just confined to use as an upholstery fabric, more loosely woven wool boucle cloths can also work well for window treatments. Fox Linton Skye is a wool silk mix boucle with great drapability and a beautiful melange effect (it is suitable for upholstery too)

Tips and considerations for using Wool Boucle:

With boucle fabric material it is generally densely woven and suitable for most upholstery projects but like any fabric there are elements that should be considered to make sure you are getting the best option for your home.

• • Think about the weave construction of the boucle; tight, smaller loops will probably be more practical in a family home with younger children and pets. Little inquisitive fingers, toys and animal claws could easily catch in fabrics with larger looped textures.
  • Composition is also important, boucle cloth that incorporates a synthetic or semi synthetic element (Polyamide or Viscose) will possibly give you a slightly more durable fabric, an important consideration if you are upholstering the main sofa in the property or one which will be used daily. Choose less robust versions for occasional chairs in bedrooms.
  • Colour and shade considerations. The construction and weave structure of the wool boucle gives endless possibilities for colour and shading. Some boucle fabrics use a single shade of yarn which gives a very crisp and clean textured look. Others incorporate various shades of yarn to give a more varied feel. As with the weave construction think carefully about where the fabric is being used, tonal weaves will be more forgiving of marks, but single shade designs may not. Mid shades will be practical whereas very light or very dark colours could show stains or fluff / hair and need regular maintenance.
  • Durability. As with all upholstery fabric consider the Martindale (rub) test of your chosen fabric to ensure you choose something hardwearing.

Cost and price considerations when using Wool Boucle fabrics?

Cost of fabric for an upholstery project will undoubtably be a consideration and this will depend on various factors.

• • Composition of the fabric. Some yarns are more costly than others, a fabric with a higher concentration of ‘premium’ fibres (silk, alpaca for example) will usually have a higher price point than one with more synthetic content. Wool with all its inherent warmth and tactility is generally considered a luxurious, premium fibre so will command a higher cost per meter.
  • Construction of the fabric. The overall weight of a fabric will have some baring on the cost per metre as the heavier the cloth the more fibres are woven into it. Also, the Martindale (rub) test result will possibly affect the pricing, a cloth with a higher wear level may be thicker or more densely / intricately woven, thus increasing the base component costs.
  • Chosen brand position in the marketplace. A robust wool mix boucle fabric will generally not be one of the cheapest options for an upholstery project, however some brands and ranges command a higher price level than others. As a guide the ranges we have looked at in this article are priced between approx £100.00 and £300.00 per metre so there is quite a variation.
  • As discussed above in tips and considerations, careful thought to where you are using the fabric is helpful here. A heavier fabric with a higher rub test result might seem like a costly investment but if your project is a regularly used, family sofa this initial outlay should provide you with a piece of furniture that will last well and stay looking good for years to come. If you have fallen in love with a high cost, premium brand wool boucle, consider using it for a smaller chair instead of a sofa.
  • Alternatively, have an on trend mix of fabrics on one piece. Using a beautiful but high cost fabric on the arms and outside faces of the furniture mixed with a different texture on the seats and cushions can give a great look and reduce the overall costs.
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  • • Try upholstering a sleek, modern piece in a quirky textured wool boucle. The contrast of the minimal shape with the textured and warmth of a boucle (especially ones with larger loops) will create visual interest.
    • Contrasting textures. A wool boucle fabric is a great contrast to other materials such as leather or satin. You can also pair boucle with softer materials such as faux sheepskin for extra soft and luxurious styling, both boucle and fuax sheepskins can be found in the Moselle Lana fabric collection from Designers Guild.
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  • The soft, warm tactile quality of the boucle can also be used to soften harder architectural details such as concrete and steel. Boucle is also great for emphasising furniture form. This is why you often find wool boucle upholstered furniture in minimalist and contemporary designs. 
  
  
   
  • • • Clever colour choice of wool boucle can reflect the surrounding environment. The sofa upholstery below and selected colours bring nature into the room.
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  • Here at TM Interiors we work with most of the current interior fabric suppliers on the market, we have an extensive library of wool boucle fabrics at our fingertips and can help you to find the perfect choice for your project. So if you are looking to buy furniture upholstery fabric let us know what you are upholstering, where and how it will be used, and your budget and we will be able to suggest some beautiful fabrics to help you bring your project to life.

  • All of the fabulous sofas and armchairs we sell are bespoke and can be made to your order with any of the wool boucle fabric. We sell furniture from Designers Guild, Andrew Martin, Porta Romana, and more. Not all of the furniture we sell is shown online, but if you give our expert customer services team a call we can provide you with details, or book you an appointment to visit our show room. 

We can also fully assist you with a complete interior design service, made-to-measure window blinds, curtains, headboards, quilts, cushions and more, so please get in touch with our friendly team!