Within the upholstery world there are many components that go into rejuvenating an old chair or sofa, one of which is the webbing that goes into the section we sit on. Webbing is a woven fabric that is available in various materials, strengths and widths. It can be made from materials such as; polyester, nylon, polypropylene, cotton and rubber, with each having specific strengths and purposes. 

Whilst it is mainly found within the seat of a chair within the upholstery world, it can also be found within the follow items and their respective industries:

• Automotives – seat belts & harnesses,
• Hospital and medical industries – safety bands & tapes,
• Sporting apparel – backpacks & harness gear.

All these items and industries use a variety of different webbings for a wide range of purposes. With this in mind, there are four main types of webbing used within the upholstery industry:

• Jute,
• Rubber,
• Black & White (also known as English),
• Polypropylene.

Let’s find out a little more about each upholstery webbing:

Jute Webbing

This is the most common form of webbing and used on seats and backs of traditionally upholstered furniture items within the home. Jute webbing is made from natural, vegetable fibres that are spun into extremely strong bands.

Rubber Webbing

Using natural rubber for resilience and cord for elasticity, rubber webbing is made. Due to its high elasticity there is no need for a webbing stretcher to be used, unlike with other webbings, it can be stretched tight enough by hand. Should you require thinner strips of webbing for your furniture then rubber webbing is ideal, as it can be cut lengthwise without the worry of fraying. It is also usually fixed by clips into grooves, but can be fixed directly to a wooden rail with tacks or staples like other webbing material.

Black & White Webbing

This is also known as English webbing and is made from jute and cotton in a strong twill weave. It is a strong woven webbing ideal for tacking to furniture as a strong and durable base. The black and white webbing is highly recommended for use under double cone springs, this is a coil spring that has a cone at the top and bottom. Herringbone black and white webbing is recommended for use with these, because of their high strength and kindness to old frames.

Polypropylene Webbing

Used within a variety of sectors, this is a type of woven webbing with a plastic feel used in some modern upholstery. This particular webbing can bear a lot of weight, is water resistant and buoyant, making it ideal for marine upholstery when being used in a similar way to jute. Whilst it is slightly more expensive than traditional webbing, it is not susceptible to water damage or rotting unlike its more common counterparts.

Choosing the type of webbing you will be using for your upholstery project will depend on what item you are upholstering and how it will be used. JA Milton supplies a wide range of upholstery webbing, so you can find the webbing you want, when you want it.

New to the world of upholstery? Not to worry, check out our Hints and Tips page for all the information you could need on how to fix webbing correctly, how to use a webbing stretcher, and many more informative articles. 

For more information or advice, please contact our expert team at sales@jamiltonupholstery.co.uk