Likely the area that gets the most use in your car and contributes most significantly to the style and comfort of your vehicle is the car seats. From clean beige interiors to sleek black and pops of red, your car seat material does a lot for your car's experience, but with that daily love comes a bit of wear and tear.
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For many, the material of car seats can be a make or break factor when choosing a vehicle. From the texture and comfort, to how easy it is to clean with kids or pets, the various car seat material types are essential to your car's overall feel.
From leather and vinyl to faux leather, polyester, and Alcantara, there's a wide range of types of car seat materials to choose from. Whether you want to make your car's interior more "you", or your seats are in need of repair, our team at Albo Restoration is proud to offer our services to restore your auto upholstery to its initial or preferred look.
To better understand the various types of car seat materials for your car upholstery, we are breaking down the pros and cons of each below.
When it comes to the car seat material most commonly used in a premium or luxury vehicle, leather car seats are the go-to.
Leather seats are one of the most common car seat materials for a reason. The leather look is perfect for luxury vehicles, with a versatile finish that suits a wide range of car seat types and styles. Common in both everyday and luxury cars, leather upholstery offers a luxurious feel, with major durability benefits. Equipped to handle the wear and tear of everyday use, real leather seats have all the durability, style, and comfort many drivers want.
Another common material used for car upholstery is vinyl. A popular car seat material, vinyl is an ideal option for car owners as it is easy to clean and maintain. Typically, vinyl seats come in a number of different colors, making them a great option for a range of different vehicles, whether for commercial or private use. Vinyl car seats are very durable and offer a unique fabric finish that stands out from other car seat materials.
Another of the top contenders for best car seat material is faux leather. This faux seat material, also referred to as "leatherette", is a synthetic material made to look and feel like leather, but at a lower price.
Faux leather is a common material used as it offers good durability, is easy to clean, and is resistant to wear. That being said, faux leather is not very breathable, so it will feel hot when it's hot and cold when it's cold.
With a beautiful and comfortable finish, leatherette is a budget-friendly choice for those that want a cost-effective yet durable car seat that has better cushioning than vinyl seats. Plus, it's free of harsh chemicals that can be irritants to the skin.
Polyester is another of the best material options and is one of the most commonly used materials on the market. This synthetic fiber is processed into a number of different fabrics and is commonly found woven or knit into different textures. This fabric upholstery comes in quite a few colors, too, perfect for a range of types of car seat styles.
It is popular as it is a very durable fabric that is easy to clean. Resistant to daily wear and tear, and with a stain-resistant, waterproof, and breathable finish, these fabric car seats are great for those anticipating a few accidents and spills in their car.
Alcantara, or ultrasuede, is a type of polyester fabric that is soft to the touch and offers a plush seat for passenger comfort. Of the different types of car seat fabrics, Alcantara comes in one of the widest ranges of colors, and also offers both a smooth or textured style depending on your preference. The smooth option feels like suede on the skin, and won't harbor bacteria as leather does. Textured fabrics, on the other hand, are ideal for those looking for a rugged look.
In addition, Alcantara is known for its durability and easy maintenance. It can be cleaned with just soap and water for everyday spills and maintenance.
Navigating the different types of car seat materials and trying to figure out what is best for your car can feel daunting, but there are a few factors to consider when making your choice. Before committing to a material, here are some considerations to keep in mind.
Likely at the top of many car owners' minds is cost. The cost of a seat depends largely on the material itself, with some materials costing much more than others. Keep in mind, while some material options will cost more, they may also be known to last longer, saving you money in the long run.
The finest car seats will be made with strong materials designed to withstand daily use and hold up against unwanted accidents. For instance, higher quality options, such as leather seats, will last for years when properly cared for. However, cloth seats are likely to get worn out easily.
Keep in mind that some fabrics are better than others based on your unique needs and preferences. Consider your situation and what your vehicle is being used for to make a better decision.
To maintain fabric and leather, all you need is a damp cloth or a vacuum cleaner. However, the further cleaning needs you have will depend on your situation. Today, many modern-day fabrics are more resistant to stains, making them easier to maintain. However, materials like leather do need special care when cleaning, which is mostly due to the fact that they can get very worn when using harsh cleaning products or brushes.
When deciding on seat material, think about what features. are most important to you and match your style most. Additionally, no matter what appearance goals you have, check that the material is waterproof. This is crucial when buying a seat material to ensure it can last through the years.
No matter what fabric you choose, there are quite a few colors to choose from. Typically, the most popular car seat colors are black, gray, tan, and brown, but there are louder colors available if you choose.
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Ultimately, choosing the best fabric for your vehicle depends on your preferences and needs so you can get the most out of your new seats. No matter if you love faux vinyl or denim car seat materials, there are benefits to each of the seat materials available on the market today.
From what material are car seats made of, to the top choices of car seat material and who they are best for, our team at Albo Restoration is happy to assist you in finding the best fabric for your car's interior. To begin, get a free quote online today.
Alcantara is a suede-like fabric that has become popular of late, but what is it, and is it worth having?
It may look like suede, it may feel like suede, but Alcantara is actually a synthetic textile made from a blend of polyester and polyurethane. It’s a trademarked, proprietary material (hence why the first letter of word is capitalised) that was developed in the s by a Japanese chemist, and has been manufactured by the Italian company Alcantara ever since.
Similar fabrics with different names and made by other firms are available – if you come across UltraSuede or MicroSuede on an options list, these are comparable – but Alcantara made such an impact on the car industry that, as with Hoover, Kleenex and Thermos, the brand name has become shorthand for suede-like synthetic microfibre textiles.
Alcantara found favour as a covering for racing car steering wheels and gearlevers, and these are places where the fabric is commonly found in road cars featuring the material. But Alcantara can appear anywhere in a cabin: seats can be upholstered in Alcantara, dashboards can be covered in the material, while arm rests, door cards, transmission tunnels, sun visors and headliners (a car’s ceiling) can also be shod in Alcantara.
The reason Alcantara found favour on race-car gearlevers and steering wheels is that it provides much more grip than conventional leather or plastic. This is of huge benefit in hot, sweaty and oily race-car cabins, as is the fact its matte finish means it does not reflect sunlight back onto windscreens, or into the driver’s eyes.
Alcantara can be made flame retardant and is lighter and harder wearing than an equivalent suede leather. Plus, unlike leather, no animals are involved in its production, and it is vegan friendly. It’s soft texture and sporting heritage, meanwhile, mean Alcantara is perceived to have a premium image.
No material is perfect, and Alcantara is no exception to this rule. One of the most noticeable issues with Alcantara is that it can wear quite noticeably, which is something of a disadvantage given it is often fitted on areas that are touched and handled frequently. When it’s new, Alcantara has a soft, slightly fluffy look and feel – technically known as ‘nap’ – but over time it can become flat, and lose its softness. Badly worn Alcantara loses much of its visual appeal, and can feel hard and grainy or greasy to the touch. This is partly as Alcantara absorbs oils from your hands, and dirt from your clothes.
Regular cleaning of Alcantara can mitigate or prevent this, and while cleaning is relatively straightforward, Alcantara requires gentle cleaning solutions and brushes – check your car’s handbook or any product instructions before attempting to clean Alcantara.
The nap of Alcantara also means that sitting on seats covered in the material makes the fabric’s piles lie in a different direction from piles that have been untouched, resulting in what appears to be different shades of the material. This may not bother you, but it may irk more fastidious owners.
Alcantara is harder wearing and more moisture resistant than suede, while offering higher levels of grip than conventional leather or traditional fabrics. It’s not as hardy a material as traditional leather or fabric, though, and requires more regular cleaning. It also tends to either be offered as an optional extra or as part of a higher trim level. Prices for Alcantara will vary from car to car, but it’s often roughly the same price as leather, so think £1,000 to £3,000 or so.
Alcantara used to be the preserve of the most expensive performance cars, but the cost has come down significantly in recent years, so it now turns up in more mainstream cars, as well.
A large number of manufacturers use Alcantara somewhere in the interior of their sporty models. Some also use it in high-spec, non-sports models, as it looks and feels more expensive than cloth.
Some other manufacturers use a textile similar to Alcantara that isn’t Alcantara. Porsche, for instance, uses a material it calls Race-Tex (pictured above).
There’s no denying that Alcantara is a lovely material that can really lift a car’s cabin, but it does come with some drawbacks. If you’re happy with regularly cleaning it to preserve its softness, and it doesn’t bother you having the nap and fibres run in different directions depending on whether the surface have been disturbed, it’s definitely worth getting. If you prefer to just get in your car and drive, and like a quiet life where little maintenance and aftercare are required, however, it may be worth considering a different material finish.
The first rule of cleaning Alcantara is to read your car’s handbook before starting. The second rule is to not use harsh cleaning chemicals or stiff brushes. Start by trying rubbing with water and a microfibre cloth, and if this doesn’t not yield results consider a specialist upholstery cleaner that states it’s compatible with Alcantara.
Alcantara is more expensive than conventional fabrics, and roughly on a par with leather as a car material.
Alcantara is water-resistant, and won’t be stained by water. It does absorb oils from your hands and any dirt that may be on your clothes, though, while it can also stain.
Alcantara is made from a blend of 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane, synthetic textiles that are extruded, combined, and put through a variety of chemical and textile processes before becoming as Alcantara.
Yes: Alcantara does not utilise any animal byproducts, being composed of synthetic textiles.
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