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Advice for Homeowners

Should you buy a Sofa in Microsuede? Yay or Nay

By 08/01/2011January 23rd, 201769 Comments

I received this question today;  “We are thinking of buying two sofas in microsuede and was shocked to read in your blog that you are very critical of Microsuede. What is the best fabric (not leather, my husband hates it) for households that have animals but want elegant sofas?”

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So I replied “I prefer sunbrella fabrics which are made for the outdoors but are very washable and look just like regular upholstery fabrics like velvets and cheniles.” As soon as I sent this email, I got one back

“Maria, why don’t you like Micro Suede? Be blunt!”

Source


“This was my response “I think it’s common like leather and I have only really seen it looking trashed from kids and pets and it seems to fade and breaks down in the sun. When I sit down on a microsuede sofa I feel like I’m sitting on velcro.”

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I know lots of people buy microsuede sofas as an alternative to leather so my question is, what do you think? Does it stand up to all the scrubbing and cleaning? Maybe all the ones I’ve seen have just been ancient. If you have one right now, would you buy one again?

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When to Buy Leather Furniture

The Versatile Green Sofa

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69 Comments

  • Jeannine 520 says:

    Oh dear, that's funny! Well, my brother and his wife have purchased many pieces of microsuede furniture over the years. I've never seen a single piece of it more than a few months old that wasn't already showing signs of being ratty. It fades quickly, looks cheap, doesn't hold it's shape. I could go on but I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir – it's horrible stuff. My father owns an upholstery workroom. Most of his work is for designers, they NEVER specify microsuede but the retail customers walking through the door often request it and my dad tries to steer them from it.

    As far as leather goes, I can see why it's disliked. What's mostly found in showrooms is color coated leather, might as well be vinyl. A top grain, only dyed and then buffed hide is absolutely beautiful. Not good for most houses with kids, though.

  • Cindy says:

    I agree Maria! The microsuedes look cheap to me unless they are very thick and don't show nap. I like Sunbrella too or, believe it or not, nice heavyweight cotton velvet. My cats are not tempted to scratch, my dog can't poke through, stains clean up easily, and it looks great even as it ages. The microsuede just gets wrinkly and shabby in fit after time.

  • Candied Fabrics says:

    I covered my couch with some microsuede, and although I like it better than the faded stained denim it, that's about as far as I can go. Dog hair sticks to it, and so do tiny bits of dirt, or crumbs or whatever that are soooooo hard to brush off!

    Luckily I only spent a small amount of money – but I did spend a large amount of time recovering the sofa 🙁

  • Lena says:

    I couldn't agree with you more Maria! I'd never thought of using Sunbrella fabrics before reading your blog. I think it's a brilliant idea 🙂

  • Naturally Carol says:

    Hi Maria..I have raspberry coloured microsuede seats on my otherwise wooden dining chairs and have found it excellent. After 7 years it has kept it's colour, is not in direct sunlight though, has kept it's shape, is not baggy or wrinkled and a quick wipe with a damp cloth and it cleans well. I think it must be a good quality one though.

  • Lyn says:

    I work as an interior decorator and just had my sofa covered in a white macrosuede (put me in the not a fan of leather club). I am still questioning if I am brave or stupid. Due to the tight herringbone weave it has very minimal shading. This one also features a special stain repelling treatment which was tested out this weekend when the oily, chilli infused dip covered biscuit I passed my Hubby dropped on it. I think I turned as white as the couch but truly, it came right off. Okay its brand spanking new now and looks amazing….I'll email you in 5 years though to see how it stands up. Oh I also opted for a firmer seat to keep the look tailored…very similar to the Ralph Lauren sofa in his new apartment as featured in a recent Elle Decor! Low and sleek Yum!
    x Lyn (Lini)

    • curious says:

      August 2014, how has that microsuede held up?

      • Alex says:

        I’m not Lyn, obviously, but as I have two taupe microsuade couches that are over 8 years old I can tell you how mine have held up.

        Fabulously!

        Granted, the seat cushions are somewhat compressed from having been sat on every day for eight years (perhaps we should rotate them), but other than that they look like new. They have weathered a kid, dogs, and now a toddler as well, and they’re holding up great. They’ve had pasta sauce and dark beer spilled on them several times, and each time it cleans right up with just water.

        We like them so much we recently bought a new set for our living room. Aside from the seat cushions being puffier, you can’t tell which set is new and which is 8 years old.

  • Nanne says:

    My husband and I bough a caffe latte-coloured sofa some 5 years ago, and I have to say I'm a little biased. On the one hand I find it easy to clean, the colour has not faded and the cushion covers come off and can be put in the washing machine. It's also quite pet safe, our cats are unable to rip out threads. On the downside, there are some stains on the armrest that won't come off, and the fabric doesn't stand for hard wear, so we'll probably go for leather next time.

  • Marlo says:

    I agree with you…it is very common.

    A friend of mine vows never to buy microsuede again. She says just laying on it will leave permanent handprints (from natural hand oils) and any spills that she tried to clean makes the fabric look soiled after it dries.

    This post could be the start of a very interesting topic about fabrics, their fibre content, properties and the safety of fabric treatments.

  • Cyndia says:

    I dislike it intensely. Every piece I've ever seen looks worn and grubby within weeks of use. I have a client who owns a sofa and loveseat in a medium brown microsuede and she loves it, even though it is looking shabby. My intention is to make the rest of the room look so fantastic she realizes immediately she must replace them!

  • Valerie "Val" Short says:

    Guilty. Mine is tight seat and back; I rarely sit on it — but it is "ordinary" fabric on second thought. I will say it is nice with pets…but yes, schlumpy.

    I will look at the Sunbrella fabrics….I never thought of that option and it is a good one.

    I've used commercial grade fabrics in the past from Maharam + DesignTEX. They hold up the best. I mean, how can you beat 100,000 double rubs for performance?

  • MD Interior Design says:

    Hello Maria, I have microsuede dining chairs! My children have been sitting on them to eat, everyday for six years now! They still look fabulous, I am so pleased with how the microsuede has performed. They are in 'Warwick' microsuede and weren't cheap, but well worth every cent. Once a year I have them professionally cleaned by an expert carpet cleaner.
    p.s. My dining chairs are in four different colours… fresh colours yellow, magenta, aqua and apple green. They are in a large bay window facing east (that's full sun in the morning here in Australia) and I see no signs of fading. Any spills I just spot clean with warm soapy water.
    I hope I have helped.
    xMichelle

  • Lauren says:

    I haaaate it! ( and have a chaise myself in it eeek). It does hold up well but I think it looks cheesy

    Xoxo

  • Amy @MaisonDecor says:

    Just helped my brother pick out a sofa, and we both kept saying, "NO MICRO", every time we saw a nasty microsuede couch.

  • Tonya says:

    Timing of this post is perfect as I have been helping our eldest look for a small apartment sofa. So many of them are in microsuede – sigh. Tough to find a couch to fit through a 30" doorway, is affordable and has decent fabric.

  • Angela N says:

    I can't stand it either!! I have 2 slipper chairs that sit at the end of my be that are microsuede. (They were inherited.) And I want to slipcover them! Why not go with a nice thick velvet instead?? I reupholstered one of my couches in velvet and love it! And I know about pet hair! We have 3 cats!! And 2 younger kids! When I took it to the upholsterer he even said that it would be very hard for me to destroy the fabric. It cleans awesome and doesn't show butt marks when you sit on it. Can't stand that!! I constantly am smearing out all the marks on my 2 chairs. lol I will have to say we had a chair in the kids nurseries that was a micro velvet and that was a much better fabric than the micro suede. And that stuff cleaned like a champ!

  • Deborah says:

    Our living room sofa and chair, which I bought in May 2000, are microsuede, and they look like they are nearly brand-new. Mind you, we do not have kids or pets, and we have never spilled much on there. On the rare occasions when there have been spills, I clean them up with the cleaning kit that came with the furniture and it looks as good as new (including one stain of unknown origin that I did not discover until it had been there for a while). I actually despair of the furniture ever looking shabby enough to replace — I didn't buy it thinking I'd dispose of it as soon as fashions changed or whatever, but I didn't seriously expect it to be 11 years old and still look this good! At this rate I won't be able to justify a new living room set for another decade. It must be very good quality microsuede; I must admit I didn't really investigate the fabric quality before buying it. (The set is from Bauhaus which I believe is owned by La-Z-Boy, and at the time, it was pricey.) Anyway, I've seen microsuede that looks terrible, and microsuede that doesn't, so perhaps the thing to do is, if it appeals to you practically and aesthetically, just be sure to get very good quality fabric.

  • The Devoted Classicist says:

    Like many other fabrics, there are different grades of microsuede and that makes a difference. The heavier fabrics which have a bit of a nap and lack the synthetic feel are the most desirable of this type.

  • Marlis says:

    Nay nay nay… It does not wear as well as stated. Most microsuedes are now a knock off of the original Ultrasuede, which wore better. Nuff said.. xo marlis

    1
  • Anonymous says:

    We have had a microsuede sectional in our family room for 4 years and it still looks as good as when we purchased it. Any spots clean right up. I've been amazed.

  • Nan @ Playful Decor says:

    BIG NAY!! All you have to do is go into any furniture store and look at it. It's messy. It will never look clean and neat. It will always leave an imprint of a hand or your seat!! 😉

    For kids & dog I go with a heavy duty darker print. Sunsetter material is a great idea – never thought of that. I washed our heavy woven chenille and it came out great.

  • jwilli says:

    As a consumer, I have never seen Sunbrella offered as a sofa option, but I like the idea! I have a Sunbrella boat cover that is indestructable but the hand is hard and coarse. I wonder what exact Sunbrella fabric Ms. Happy is referring to?

    I'm wondering also if those who are experiencing negative experiences with microsuede are using generic knock offs instead of the real Ultrasuede. There is a difference.

  • Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. says:

    Had to comment on this one. I really, really dislike microsuede sofas.

  • Maria Killam says:

    Hi Jwilli,
    I have 3 designer fabric books in Sunbrella fabrics and they have come a LONG WAY since the 'boat fabric' you are talking about. I am currently using a 'velvet' looking sunbrella fabric for my moms sofa in her new carriage house (because of her grandchildren), it's beautiful, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

    I did not mention cotton velvets in this post but they are also great. I had 2 chairs with cushions on the bottom and back that were removable for years and they washed up great. My sister now has them and they still look new. My sunflower yellow sofa is a cotton velvet and currently has 2 little spots in it which I haven't tried real hard to get them out because I'm worried it will change the colour, so not sure what to do there.

    It's why I really just talked about sunbrella fabrics in this post if you have pets. Apparently you can bleach this stuff it is so amazing. Outside I have 4 retro dining chairs covered in it (in black and white), and bird poop and everything can just be brushed off, it is amazing!

    Hope this helps,
    Maria

    ps. And it is EXPENSIVE so not surprising that it might not be available in the average sofa store and maybe only available to the trade.

  • Maria Killam says:

    Thanks all for your comments by the way, anyone thinking of Microsuede needs to think 'HIGH QUALITY' based on what everyone is saying!
    Maria

  • Anonymous says:

    I believe Microsuede makes for a much harder cushion feel = NO GIVE or stretch. Not what I want when I plop down on a sofa 🙂

  • Debbie says:

    Hello Maria, thank you for doing this post. I am actually going to go back to Calico Corners and look at their cotten velvets and sunbrella fabrics.

  • Gail says:

    Maria, so glad you did the post on Microsuede. I am an interior decorator and I have never recommended Microsuede to a client. Aside from all of the negatives that you mentioned, there are so many beautiful fabrics out there and I much prefer one that has texture as it adds more interest to a room. I have recommended the Sunbrella/Outdoor fabrics with good success, they work wonderfully with clients who have growing families!

  • Cherie says:

    I have a sofa made in a Sunbrella fabric; it is the Imagine That series for Norwalk. I chose it because I have grandchildren and did not want to always be concerned if they got something on the sofa. I love the look and feel of the fabric and you can get it in so many colors. I went neutral (NOT brown though I did move our brown sofa, formerly in the living room, into the bonus/TV room and it's happy there and the long-legged men can all fit on it and snooze.

  • Eve says:

    I had slipcovers made for my sofa and love seat out of matelasse bed coverlets. They are white, heavy cotton, and my grandson and dogs have crawled all over them. I just just pop them in the washer with bleach and they look like new. There's so much yardage for a low price and they are gorgeous.

  • Who is Susan . . . says:

    As a designer I'm also very fond of Sunbrella fabrics and recommend them to many of my clients for indoor and outdoor use.

    On a side note, I actually do own an older sofa covered in microsuede and can't wait to get rid of it. It's beige in color and shows spotting like no other.

    Susan

    http://www.susansutherlin.blogspot.com

  • Nicole says:

    Crypton fabrics are even superior to sunbrella. Microsuede, microfiber, whatever it is called – no! Unless you cn remember to erase your "butt print" every time you stand up!

  • Anonymous says:

    I had cotton velvet on a sofa, and with 3 dogs and a son who spilled things it looked horrible shortly. I want ultrasuede/microsuede with an ostrich-embossed leather when i reupholster. Jeanine

  • Donna says:

    I hate microsuede. From a cleaning stand point, it's just about a total loss. Glad I no longer own anything with microsuede on it. :o) Great warning and thanks for the tip on a better fabric!

    BTW, I adore the doggy pictures. So cute! Great color. :o)

    xo
    Donna

  • Judy says:

    Not a microsuede fan at all.

  • Kathy says:

    We have a pottery barn sofa upholstered in their "everydaysuede" and it has held up great. This is a family sofa and has seen a lot of activity. I have to fluff the back cushions but that's about it. It is very easy to clean and we haven't had any stains (we bought is when my oldest was about a year old and she is 6 now and we have a 3 year old too).

  • Anonymous says:

    Loved your suggestion – sunbrella fabric. Why anyone with a pet would want suede furniture covering is beyond me. How would you keep it clean?!!!
    ~ Ceila

  • Anonymous says:

    I'm so surprised at the negative comments on microsuede. I was actually going to update my review of my microsuede couch and love seat from Haverty's because a couple of days ago I was able to remove a horrendous stain. I have had both pieces for about 2 years now. They are light/medium tan with no pattern. I also have an energetic 55lb boxer. I did not pick out the couches because of the fabric but the sales person did mention the benefits in the store. It still looks beautiful even though I do spot cleaning every now and again due to the dog.

    Last week I left a (PINK) roller ball pen open on the couch for who knows how long with papers piled on top of it. By the time I noticed it, the stain had spread to cup size. It came completely out!

    I am meticulous about my furniture and how the house looks and I would definitely purchase microsuede again if I liked the pieces.

  • kathi123 says:

    Microfiber couches seem to be great for college kids with their millions of friends, I would rather see a solid microfiber couch than the old cast off floral design and plaid couches from someones basement-judging from my sons place, beer seems to wash off well-on the flip side,my dear friend has a dark,high back burgundy microfiber couch and when she and her husband stood up, you could see permanent dark,shiny black spots in the shape of each of their heads,probably from the oils in their hair-eek-it was a bit disturbing! so, I say nay!!!

  • From This Perch says:

    About 16 years ago I bought a new fabric called Jaguar from Microfibres, Inc. It was synthetic, plush, heavy, and came in a fabulous range of colors. I was buying at wholesale for furniture, and the washing instructions were dry clean only. I sampled that stuff and put it through about 20 washings with hot water and a hot dryer. It came out looking better with each wash. The stuff was invincible.

    As a result of my testing and recommendation, Microfibers did their own testing, found the same result, and offered a named version as washable.

    I sold thousands of yards of that fabric to the futon and cushion industry. The cost was on the high end, but it wore like iron. In 15 years of selling it I never had a product returned for fabric failure. I have several pieces in my own home that, after 19 years of pets and kids and washings, are only now starting to show some wear.

    Microfiber as a fiber type/weave is like velvet, canvas, wool, or cotton – you get what you pay for. Because it is a "newer" fabric, not all salespeople can speak to the differences in fabric quality, and consumers are not yet educated on how to buy it. A cheap piece of microfiber fabric looks pretty good in the store but will disintegrate quickly.

    Good microfiber fabric also has an electrical charge similar to natural fabrics and feels good on the skin. The cheap stuff smells bad and feels yucky.

    As with most furniture, better quality goods are going to be made with better quality fabric. It is too bad that the fabric has such a bum rap, because good quality mf easily releases stains and smells, pet hair wipes right off, and it washes like a dream.

    Still lovin' my microfiber,
    Robin Reid,
    former owner of Omni Softgoods
    Spring Green, WI

  • Anonymous says:

    I'm sure like anything, the quality of the fabric varies considerably. I do not think it is particularly stylish, but we purchased a microfiber sofa nearly a decade ago and it has held up well to the abuse from kids and pets. It cleaned up well even after muddy dog feet got on it several times, etc. In fact, today we just picked up a used Hancock and Moore sofa from CL in leather, so the microfiber is getting retired. Stylish? Nah. It isn't really. But it worked well for the period of time we owned it. Sunbrella and custom upholstery weren't in the budget at the time.

  • Anonymous says:

    I hate microsuede. My hubby and I bought a chair and couch four years ago to hold up to us and our boxer (dog). The chair has a big tear in the seat and the couch fabric is so stained from water, body oils and general use. It steam cleans well, but within a couple months it is back to where it was before the cleaning. Its a losing battle. Thumbs down.

  • Lazy Gardens says:

    The important thing to know is that microsuede is a generic name, not a brand name. It varies in quality, and as usual you get what you pay for.

    The expensive brands with an appropriate stain repellant treatment do everything it is supposed to.

    The cheap stuff as seen on sofas from places like the Room Store, Ashley, and Mor wear thin, stain at a touch, and in general fall apart quickly.

  • Tawna says:

    As a decorator, I like to stay positive and let people choose what they love, but microsuede is not a great product, so I had to comment! I've never seen it look good, and it attracts hair like crazy. While you can scrub out pen marks; oils and fading are the biggest problems. I would definately recomment something else! There are much better upholstering options out there!
    Sunbrella fabrics all the way!

    Tawna Allred
    http://www.revedecorinteriors.com

    • MsClick says:

      I’ve read through the comments and glowing recommendations for Sunbrella fabrics — but beware, Sunbrella fabrics have problems too. I had an Ethan Allen chair covered in an ivory Sunbrella fabric. Unfortunately, the fabric is thin and translucent. It shows the dark wrinkles of the down cushion under it AND the variations in shading of the various foams used to cover the frame. I realized that if I spill something on it, I may get the stain out of the fabric, but you’ll still be able to see the stained foam through the fabric. I’ve had the chair for a year and the acrylic fabric does pill a bit. Also, as someone else mentioned, very light Sunbrella fabrics can look grayish, despite careful cleaning. I’m not totally dismissing Sunbrella fabrics, I’m just suggesting that folks consider the downside of using the thinner, lighter shades of Sunbrella fabric in the home.

  • Annie Wilcox Designs says:

    I just had a client this weekend who wanted my sunbrella u shaped sectional. I told her she would have to pay more money to have the custom look. I payed a small fortune for this couch and suggested a microsuede and then have it slipcovered. I even suggested denim in white or linen, she was hookd on the microsuede for price. I said you get what you pay for. We'll see if what she goes for.

  • Laura HH says:

    love my microsuede couch! I want a new couch because this one is getting old (not the microsuede aspect, but other parts) and want microsuede again. That being said, I hate microfiber. Perhaps I like mine because it is brown, and variations in brown look nice, whereas if it were a different colour I may hate that aspect of it.

  • gdaybeautiful says:

    I'm on the anti microsuede team, hate it. It feels sticky and looks cheap.

  • pve design says:

    Wonder who designed it? A micro manager?
    I hate it too….give me velvet, linen or cotton duck….
    pve

  • Elizabeth says:

    I totally agree, I HATE microfiber. My question is: is there something special about sunbrella brand, or will you get the same quality with any indoor outdoor fabric, such as a spun polyester?

  • Elizabeth says:

    I totally agree, I hate microfiber. My question is: does it have to be sunbrella brand or will any outdoor/indoor fabric do? What should I look for? About how much per year is subrella? I know you said it was expensive.

  • Anonymous says:

    I have a 5 year old microsuede couch that I get a ton of compliments on. It's chocolate brown with tufting on the back and seat cushions (no overstuffing here). It still looks brand new after being layed on by a 110-pound black lab. All his slobber marks wipe off with a damp rag and his fur vacuums up eaisly. Not all microsuede is created equal…

  • angela says:

    I am totally against microsuede on the grounds of bum prints. Who wants to leave a print of their bum behind when they get up from the sofa? Not me. Besides, it just looks cheesy. Give me a sunbrella fabric any day. I like leather in small doses, a club chair, not sofa/loveseat/chair combo. Our sofa has a tweed looking woven fabric that is nubby and flecked, so it hides everything well.

  • Maria Killam says:

    Hi Elizabeth,
    I have only ever specified or used Sunbrella for outdoor use or as a 'durable' indoor fabric so I can't speak to the lower quality alternatives.
    Maria

  • Anonymous says:

    Hi Maria, We have microsuede on a sectional in our family. It's the color of sand and looks beautiful with the barely blue walls. Knowing it was great with stains was a big reason we went with microsuede. We hadn't had it two weeks when I spilled my lunch of a bowl of canned salmon on it. FISH OIL!! Yikes…It not only cleaned up beautifully but there was no smell. That's how clean I was able to get with just water and a towel.
    Any soiling in the arms etc. can be cleaned off easily with a baby wipe! It has retained it's shape beautifully.
    It's cold here in Chicago during the winter months but the couch is always warm & soft. We also have a leather couch on our 1st. flr. I always thought I'd hate leather. Cold in the winter, sticky in the summer, sliding all over the place. Wrong! It's cool in the summer and because it's partially down filled, super soft and holds your fanny in place. Sucker looks brand new and it's 12 yrs. old. In the winter it's as warm as the room. These couches have seen everything kids can dish out and they have held up!

  • mustang says:

    Hmm, so many conflicting opinions. I have a camel-colored microfiber sofa and it is holding up beautifully. It cleans easily and nothing has stained it. I tried Sunbrella from Waverly that did not hold up at all. In fact, I've told all of my designer friends about my negative experience with Waverly. One of my buddies even posted on her FB page about how Waverly refused to stand behind their product. The fabric pitted up, faded, and simply wore out after less than a year! Luckily, Joanne's returned my money for the price of the fabric but of course the expense came from the upholstery. I sent a sample of the fabric to Waverly and they ruled against me.

    Anyway, microfiber works for me.

  • A-L, says:

    I have a 5 year old microsuede sofa, and for the first several years, it looked great. I bought a light green couch, and any kind of a spill cleaned up super easily. But in the last year the stains haven't been coming off, and the pillows are beginning to fall down. About a month ago I paid to have it professionally cleaned, but there wasn't much of a difference, at least in the problem areas (where my dog lays next to it on the floor, for instance). So this will probably be the last the last microsuede couch for me, at least a light-colored one. Though it's a color neutral, it's too light to hide the stains that life has given it. I'll probably do a brown leather next time I purchase.

  • Patacake says:

    I have to say that Im surprised at some of the negative comments with regard to microfiber suede because I purchased a dining set from a high end store more than five years ago and have not had any of the wear and tear or cleaning problems i’ve heard mentioned. I absolutletly believe it depends on the quality of the microfiber. I have five grandchildren and they have all blessed my off white seat covers with everything from red punch to spaghetti with red sauce, cheetoes and choclate. With the proper technique of applying liquid soap and water it wipes spotless of anything that it comes in contact with. Any of my family and friends that have seen it are still amazed at how well kept and brand new it still looks. I just ordered a brand new off white quality microfiber suede sectional sofa for that very reason. I have two dogs, a shepherd and a schnauzer, they scratch the leather and slide off of it and its cold to me. The microfiber is very comfortable all year round and I have no doubt it will withstand the rigors of the pets.

  • Emily says:

    Too funny, I came across your blog because I googled “interior designers hate microsuede”. I truly think it’s rotten stuff, nothing screams suburban basement more then a microsuede and pleather sectional. Who keeps purchasing these horrid things? They look like they are bacterial infested within a month of wear.

  • Love Sunbrella! Have a velvety version in my master bedroom. Microseude – never again! Bought a beautiful blue microseude chaise lounge and it didn’t look good for very long even though it was in a low-use room. Completely faded (except for behind the toss pillows!) Sunbrella fabrics are gorgeous and durable – a perfect blend!

  • Jessica says:

    I actually own a microsuede couch that is a light beige color. I have had it now for about seven years. I have two black labs and a german Shepard who use my couch as their own personal beds. I would also like to add that my backyard is full of orange clay that the dogs track in and get orange paw prints everywhere including the couch. However, I love my couch and the fabric. I simply use a mixture of water and Fabuloso to clean the entire couch. I soak a sponge in it and scrub down the whole thing and it always looks brand new afterwards. It’s beyond comfortable and looks fantastic in my home. I will say I didn’t cheap out when I purchased the couch so maybe mine is a better grade I don’t know but it’s amazing and I have yet to find a stain I couldn’t get out of it (I.e. blood, red wine, clay, coke, whiskey etc.).

  • Ruth Taylor says:

    I was curious about Micro Suede too and when I did a search, it put me right on Maria’s website. I should have guessed to search her site first 🙂
    We did have a recliner a few years back that I think might have been Micro Suede. By 2 years it looked ratty and only my husband sat in it. By year 3 or maybe 4, the actual chair broke and we ended up tossing it out. It wasn’t cheap in price either, makes you wonder what manufacturers are creating these days as far as quality furniture

  • IslandGirl says:

    We bought a microsuede couch and chairs in a light olive colour over 10 years ago and love them. They don’t have the cushions on the back which can look shlumpy over time – it’s tailored and the cushions are sewn on. It was made in Italy. We’ve had friends spill an entire beer, red wine and they clean right up (important to use a solvent cleaner – water will make it spot). We had a cat for a few years and have young children. After only spot-cleaning for 13 years they do look dirty now and I’m looking at more than a spot clean but the style and quality still remains. So I think like some posters above the microsuede experience is highly dependent on the quality and design of the furniture.

    That said, I’m interested in the discussion of other fabrics for when we eventually replace this set.

  • Alex says:

    I have a large microsuede sectional (black) I bought from the Sofa Company and it looks very good after 3-4 years.

    The couch was quite pricey so I’m assuming the material is high quality because many of the complaints I’m reading do not apply to my sectional. My couch feels like velvet, is very easy to clean and retains its firm a crisp look. This was a custom build so I made sure to get extra firm cushions. I would have rather bought leather but the price was waaaaay to extreme. I’m still very pleased with the microfiber. I had a roommate that smoked a lot and not necessarily clean but you’d never be able to tell. Having a jet black couch also helps mask dirt/oils however just due to the color.

  • Stephanie says:

    Anyone have experience with a fabric called Kashmira? ((Flexsteel). It is about the same price as leather. It looks like microsuede. The sales associate poured catsup on it and it wiped right off with paper towel. I didn’t see the nap problem mentioned above which may be due to the very light color.

  • Alex T says:

    I’m very surprised by all the microsuade hate as we love our microsuade couches.

    I have two eight-year-old taupe couches that have endured two kids, two dogs, and many beer/pasta/etc spills. Every stain came out with just water and they still look great. Granted the seat cushion is somewhat worn down from eight years of use, but it is still incredibly comfortable. There has never been any Velcro feeling.

    Because of how well our old set held up, we just bought a new set for the living room. Seat cushions aside, you couldn’t tell which was new and which was 8 years old. We’re extremely happy with our microsuade.

  • Carol Anne says:

    Going on five years now since I bought 2 Lee Industries slip covered in Sunbrella fabrics for our sunroom and they look like new. Spills sponge off easily and haven’t needed to wash the covers. At that time only 2 colours were available: white and Sahara brown. Now Lee Ind. has many more lovely colours available. Also, I’m pretty sure you can choose Sunbrella fabrics as an option at Crate and Barrel on their sofas and chairs made by Lee Industries. Highly recommend!!

  • Renee L Guilmette says:

    I have a sleek Italian sectional covered in ultrasuede sectional that is now 40 years old. It is just showing signs of wear on some of the cushions, but never looks messy. Back cushions are fixed and not removable. It is easy to spot clean and mine doesn’t really show hand marks. I’m afraid to recover with microsuede based on this blog, but really do like the look. tNot sure how to be sure I am getting higher quality suede when I recover so I remain very pleased with the sofa.

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