Short answer
The one that suits who sits in it: bouclé for warmth and pets, velvet for a soft, rich surface, vegan leather for easy cleaning.
All three can last for years on an armchair if the fabric is rated for heavy use. What differs is the feel and the kind of life each handles best.
The chart below compares our three armchair fabrics. If the fabric on an armchair you already own is worn, our guide to re-covering an armchair or replacing its cushions explains the options.
| Fabric | Feel | Martindale | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolly bouclé | Warm, looped, textured | 50,000 | Pets, a cosy look, hiding wear |
| Matteo velvet | Smooth, deep, soft | 130,000 | Evenings, a rich look |
| Valencia vegan leather | Cool, smooth, wipeable | 300,000 | Children, easy cleaning |
Yes: bouclé is warm, textured and forgiving, and a tightly woven, claw-tested bouclé stands up well to daily use and to pets.
Its loops hide crumbs, creases and the slight wear that shows first on flat fabrics. The one thing to avoid is pulling a snagged loop; ease it back into the weave instead.
Our Dolly bouclé is rated at 50,000 Martindale, OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified and claw-safe tested to BS 8479. It comes in Ivory, Greige and Black on Kent and Einar.
Yes, if it is a performance velvet: a polyester velvet with a water-repellent finish is usually far easier to live with than an untreated natural one.
Velvet catches the light and changes color as you move, which gives an armchair depth in the evening. It shows pressure marks more than bouclé, so a dark color suits an armchair used every day.
Our Matteo velvet is 100% polyester, rated at 130,000 Martindale, water-repellent and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. It comes in Jade Black on Kent in velvet, and on Einar through Design Your Own.
Yes: vegan leather is the easiest armchair fabric to clean, which makes it the practical choice with young children or in a busy family room.
Spills sit on the surface and wipe off, so juice and yoghurt are a minor event. It feels cool at first and warms to the touch; a throw softens it in winter.
Our Valencia vegan leather, made by Spradling, is rated at 300,000 Martindale, carries the PERMABLOK3 easy-clean finish and a 5-year fabric warranty from its maker. It comes in Jade Black and Ivory on Kent in vegan leather, and in Jade Black on Einar.
A bouclé tested for claws, or a smooth vegan leather that hair wipes straight off; velvet shows hair and pressure marks more.
Claws catch in loose, open weaves. A tightly woven bouclé built and tested for pets usually holds up much better, and its texture hides hair between vacuums.
Our Dolly bouclé is claw-safe tested to BS 8479, the British standard for resistance to pet claws. Our guide to cleaning an armchair covers hair and spills for every fabric.
Einar ArmchairBlack bouclé · claw-safe · from $2,199View Einar
It is the number of rub cycles a fabric survives in a standard abrasion test; for an armchair used every day, look for at least 30,000 rubs, the level usually specified for commercial seating.
The test rubs the fabric in a figure-of-eight pattern until it shows wear. The higher the number, the longer the fabric keeps its surface where you sit and rest your arms.
Our bouclé is rated at 50,000, our velvet at 130,000 and our vegan leather at 300,000. Order fabric samples to feel every fabric and color at home before you choose.
Einar ArmchairFrom $2,199Bouclé · claw-safe tested
Kent ArmchairFrom $1,999Velvet · 130,000 Martindale
Kent ArmchairFrom $1,999Vegan leather · wipes clean
Kent ArmchairFrom $1,999Black bouclé · hides wear
