Upholstery material matching Chicago businesses need starts with knowing exactly what is on the furniture now.
01
Identify it first
Aniline or pigmented leather, contract vinyl, faux leather or a woven fabric. Each one ages differently, so we name the material before we look for a match.
02
A sample, not a guess
Where possible we take a small sample from a hidden spot, like under a seat, and compare replacements against it.
03
Grain, weight and finish
A replacement has to match more than color: the grain pattern, how thick it is, how it folds and how much it shines.
What has to match
More Than Color
A replacement panel shows if any of these is off.
GrainWeight and foldFinish and age
Materials
Leather, Vinyl or Fabric
Upholstery material matching Chicago jobs start by naming the family.
Leather
Aniline, semi-aniline and pigmented leathers look different and wear differently. We match the type first, then grain and color.
Vinyl and fabric
Contract vinyl and performance fabric come in thousands of grains and weaves. A sample in hand narrows it fast.
Good to know
Three Honest Limits
Honest limits, so the result is what you expect.
Discontinued materials
The exact material may no longer be made. We find the closest match and may suggest recovering a full panel so the change falls on a seam.
New next to old
New material looks newer than ten-year-old material beside it. Restoring the neighbors can bring them closer.
Bonded leather
Bonded leather peels and has no match worth installing. We suggest a better material for the replaced section.
What we source
Common Commercial Materials
Three of the materials we match most often.
Full-grain leatherNatural grain, ages with the roomSemi-aniline leatherSoft look with light protectionPerformance fabricCleanable weave for busy seating
What does upholstery material matching Chicago service include?
Identifying your leather, vinyl or fabric, sourcing the closest replacement, and fitting it on site. Upholstery material matching Chicago jobs are priced after photos or a visit.
Can you match a discontinued material?
Often closely, rarely exactly. When the exact material is gone, we suggest where to place the new section so the change looks intentional.
Do you need to cut a sample?
A small piece from a hidden spot gives the best match. If that is not possible, we work from close-up photos and in-person comparison.
Is matching material different from matching color?
Yes. Material matching replaces the cover or a panel. Color matching recolors the existing material.
