Natural Ageing of Fabrics in Upholstered Furniture
‘Just like ourselves, many fabrics will age gracefully and this is all part of their charm.’
When purchasing a new piece of furniture, or reviving an old one, there are numerous factors to consider in addition to the initial look and feel of the fabric. The longevity of an item is relative to the environment in which it lives, it is important to research fabric types and the specific yarn type and construction to ensure that your selection aligns with your unique needs.
Due to regular wear and tear your furniture will show signs of aging, which may be accelerated by having unknowingly chosen a textile that is not fit for purpose. However, just like ourselves, many fabrics will age gracefully and this is all part of their charm.
Ask and You Shall Receive: Before committing to a purchase it pays to consider not only what you want, but what you need from an item. Perhaps you want a two-seater couch in a natural colour with a textured weave, that will look beautiful in front of the Mizu Garden curtains you hung earlier in the year. While what you need, is a couch that is fit for a couple who live on a modest budget in a sunny villa, with young grandchildren who visit most weekends.
This is the brief that the interior design salesperson requires to suggest fabrics which will reward you with performance and beauty, while also managing your expectations about how the textiles will age. Allow us to help them to help you, by sending you in prepared.
Fabrics are all different. They can be constructed from natural fibres such as silk, cotton, linen, and viscose, or man-made fibres such as polyesters and acrylics, or a blend of each. Fabrics made from natural fibres have their own unique personality in the way they age and look after some wear, which can contribute to a design aesthetic. Natural constructions will not be as durable in the long-term as a synthetic textiles, because they are more susceptible to pilling, fading, seam slippage and staining. Therefore, a greater level of care is required.
Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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4.6% Second half of November
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43.4% 1st December
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17.6% A week before Christmas
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33.3% Whenever you wish
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1.1% Other - I'll share below