Home Textile Fabrics

make up such a big part of home décor, from sofas and chairs to headboards and bed

linen to decorative items like cushions, throws and table runners. With Asian Paints

launching three lines of furnishings, furniture and lighting – Ador, Nilaya and

Royale – we delve deeper into common fabrics for the home, their uses along with

styling and maintenance tips.
NATURAL FABRICS
These fabrics are made from natural fibre and usually come from animal or plant-

based sources. The following are the most common natural fabrics used in home décor.
Cotton: It is a versatile and extensively used fabric that is the most

popular choice for home furnishings. Available in a variety of weights,

Cotton Fabric

can range from budget-friendly to luxurious. Cotton is durable and drapes

well. It is easy to clean at home – some items being machine washable – as well as

being resistant to fading and pilling. However, it does tend to wrinkle and stain

easily.
Silk: A luxurious option, silk imparts a rich, opulent look to a space.

It is best used in formal spaces or for areas that are used sparingly. The expensive

fabric needs to be treated with kid gloves since it is not stain-resistant and the

fibers weaken over time when exposed to sunlight or moisture.
Linen: It is soft, comfortable and fairly resistant to fading and

pilling. Breathable and lightweight, it also naturally resists bacteria making it a

good option for those with allergies. Available in a variety of textures,

Linen Fabric

is a wonderful way to add an earthy aesthetic and visual interest to the

space. It wrinkles easily and can shrink considerably, so it is recommended to have

your linen textiles professionally cleaned.
Leather and suede: An extremely durable option, high-quality leather

holds up well against wear and tear as well as stains. It comes in various textures,

grain finishes and colour options. With proper care, good leather will last a very

long time. With age, the leather softens and develops its own unique character –

just like an old pair of comfy jeans. Another type of leather, suede is softer with a

velvety appearance. However, it stains easily and requires a lot of care.
Watch out, cotton: Tencel fibers are having a moment. If you’ve shopped for just

about anything made of fabric lately – whether it’s clothing or bedding – chances

are you’ve come across this fiber. You’ve probably also seen a bunch of claims tied

to it, promising incredible softness and eco-friendly practices. Tencel is a brand

name for a set of fibers called lyocell and modal (think of it like Band-Aids are to

bandages or Kleenex are to tissues). These fibers are known for feeling super soft

and are widely used in a sustainable fashion.
Tencel

Fabric is somewhat similar to rayon (i.e. viscose) because they’re what the

industry refers to as “regenerated cellulose” fibers. Manufacturers take wood pulp,

dissolve it in a chemical solvent, then push it through an extruder to form the

fibers.
The big difference is rayon requires more energy and chemicals to produce, which

is both wasteful and toxic for the workers who make it. Tencel, on the other hand,

uses chemicals that are less-toxic and get recycled in the process so there’s

minimal waste. It also uses wood from trees in sustainably-harvested forests.
There are as many as 1000 types of bamboo grown in different types of climatic

conditions all over the world. Owing to all these facts, growing bamboo is considered

sustainable for the environment. Due to the softness, smooth flowing, gentle drape,

etc., Bamboo

Fabric has received the status of being eco-fashionable in the fashion world.
Even the pricing of bamboo is economical at least when compared with silk and

cashmere. Today, the sales of bamboo garments have been boosted with increasing

environmental awareness among the people. It is considered to be the new eco-chic as

well as functional fabric. Theres a reason for bamboo fabrics for becoming so

popular. They are softer than cotton and its texture is more like silk.
You may have already caught its luster out of the corner of your eye, but if you

haven't, mulberry silk is about to have a monumental moment. This

Mulberry

Silk Fabric is popping up in home goods and summer-ready fashions, looking

absolutely enticing and feeling even better (trust me on this). But what is mulberry

silk? Why is it held in such high esteem? Is it purely an aesthetic luxury, or are

there other benefits that make it a worthwhile investment?
Well, mulberry silk is often regarded as the highest-quality silk there is.

That's largely because the silk worms are nurtured in a way that creates a

textile that's nourishing to humans.
"It's the earliest animal fiber used for clothing, so the most genuine

'silk,'" says Danielle Wu, founder of More Sunday, which makes

loungewear and pillowcases out of the material. "It's unique because the

silk worms that we harvest the fibers from are only fed mulberry leaves. Mulberry

leaves are rich in nutrients and protein, so the result is a thread that is long,

continuous, and contains 18 amino acids and proteins that can nourish our hair and

skin."
In a way, it's the ultimate feel-good fabric, one that'll help you

radiate in all different way.
Cotton fabric is a natural cellulose fiber derived from the cotton plant (a

member of the mallow family). It’s one of the world’s oldest and domesticated non-

food plants, with an agricultural history dating back 6,000 years.1
Cotton is one of the most versatile types of natural fibers on the planet—it’s

the leading natural fiber in the textile industry and a go-to fabric for bedding.
Benefits of Cotton Sheets
There’s a reason why cotton has made such an indelible impression on human

culture. The benefits of


100% Cotton Textile Sets go above and beyond pure coziness and include:
Breathability – Cotton is an extremely well-ventilated fabric and can

tamp down temperatures for sleepers who tend to overheat in bed. Organic cotton is

particularly breathable—because it’s cultivated with zero pesticides, the cotton

ball develops longer fibers that can admit more air into the textile weave.
Softness – Cotton sheets are renowned for their supple, ultra-gentle

feel. Plus, the more you wash them, the softer they’ll get.
Hypoallergenic properties – Cotton is a non-irritating fabric, making it

a friendly choice for those with sensitive skin and looking for the best sheets for

allergies. Combined with its intrinsic breathability, cotton offers a great choice

for summertime sheets by eschewing any extra aggravation to sunburns, heat rashes, or

itchiness.
Overall, cotton’s fresh, light build and cozy feel make for an idyllic year-

round sheet.