Flock material is by far the most popular upholstery material. Flock has won great sympathy from consumers due to its high performance and properties, along with low-cost production and low cost of the fabric itself.
What is this material?
Flock is a non-woven fabric with a fleecy surface on the front side. Most often, flock fabrics are used in the furniture industry (upholstery of upholstered furniture), in the automotive industry (upholstery of car interiors), in the production of soft toys, household goods and decorative products.
How it is made
- At the initial stage, the pile is cut. Various technologies are used for this.
- The pile is being dyed. However, it can also be dyed before cutting.
- The pile is processed and activated. Thanks to the use of reagents, each fiber receives a certain electrical conductivity. This is done in order for the fibers to properly lie on the grounded textile base in the next step.
- Villisprayed onto the base. To do this, a thin layer of adhesive is applied to the fabric base, the material moves along the machine, and pile particles are evenly poured onto it. The electrostatic field allows the electrified fibers to fall on the base in a strictly vertical position, tightly clinging to each other.
- Fixation. The resulting flock material is treated with a special compound to improve performance properties and give shine.
What are the varieties
There are different types of flock fabrics, which differ in height and density of pile, density and thickness. The scope of the material depends on the quality characteristics.
- Cotton flock. It has low wear resistance, that is, it quickly wears out and loses its presentable appearance. In addition, it absorbs moisture well. Therefore, this flock material is not used for furniture. Its most acceptable use is as a packaging material, since the price of such a fabric is very affordable.
- Viscose flock. It has a thin and soft texture. In addition, the material lends itself well to coloring, which makes it possible to obtain various patterns and tones. However, in furniture production, it is practically not used, except perhaps for sewing interior pillows.
- Polyamide flock. Excellent as upholstery material. It is soft to the touch and instantly restores its appearance after a load. It has a high degree of wear resistance, is well painted and attractive in appearance. The only oneThe disadvantage of this material is the tendency to burn out. Therefore, furniture upholstered with polyamide flock is recommended to be placed away from the window.
- Polyester flock. In terms of its characteristics, it is similar to the previous representative. The difference lies in the fact that such a fabric is difficult to dye, has high water-repellent properties and is resistant to fading.
- Flock made of carbon fibers. Its innovative production technology has a number of advantages, but has not yet been fully explored.
- Mixed flock. To date, the optimal ratio is nylon pile and a base consisting of a mixture of 35% cotton and 65% polyester. This kind of flock has high performance properties, so it is widely used.
The use of villi of different lengths in the production of flock allows you to get a voluminous and embossed fabric, which is characterized by increased strength and wear resistance. This material is called "flock on flock".
What makes flock material so good
- Flock fabric is one of the most practical and durable. It is resistant to ultraviolet radiation and is not afraid of temperature changes. The material is not wiped over time and does not give in to deformation. Some collections of flock fabrics are so durable that they are as durable as natural leather, and sometimes even surpass it.
- It has unique anti-vandal properties, thanks to which upholstered furniture will be reliably protected from the claws of pets.
- Not afraid of moisture. Dropswater that has fallen on the flock fabric will be held on the surface and will not be absorbed. This feature is valuable not only for upholstered furniture, but also for car interiors, because such things are difficult to dry.
- Cleans well. Any non-marking stains can be removed with detergent. Therefore, flock, a material for a sofa, will be a great solution if children live in the house.
- Breathable.
- Pleasant to the touch. The material has a soft texture and stays warm in all room temperatures.
- Easy to care for. Caring for flock furniture is no more difficult than caring for genuine leather furniture.
- Easy to work with upholstery. Due to the fact that flock upholstery fits well on furniture, many craftsmen like it.
- Affordable price. With such significant advantages, flock remains at an average price level among other upholstery materials.
A few shortcomings
Flock material tends to accumulate static electricity, so that such upholstered furniture tends to attract dust and debris. Afraid of exposure to alcohol.
