Vinyl - The Facts

One of the more popular fabrics we work with is vinyl. The reason for this, is that we work with a lot of restaurants and other high traffic hospitality businesses. When you are in the service industry, you need a versatile product that meets certain criteria.

Vinyl is a durable and easy to clean fabric, that comes in a variety of colors and textures. So no wonder it's popular in the restaurant trade.

For a hospitality business, the top 3 needs in a fabric usually are:

1 - Affordability

2 - Ease of use (i.e. how easy is it to keep clean.)

3 - Durability

Luckily vinyl fulfils all 3 categories. Lets focus on the the second two areas - ease of use and durability.

Ease of Use:

A huge advantage of vinyl over leather is the ability to keep it clean. A damp cloth and most common household cleaning products is usually all it takes to keep it in good condition. As long as the cleaning agent doesn't contain any drying agents that will cause the material to dry and crack.

This is a important when compared to leather, which typically requires more specific cleaning products. So therefore, leather becomes more costly to look after.

Durability:

To be upfront, vinyl is not as durable as leather, but it will stand up to a great deal of use over the years. When you do a cost comparison between vinyl and leather, you will see that even though you may need to replace the vinyl a little sooner than leather, it is easier to maintain and it is the more affordable option. So therefore, it makes sense in a high traffic restaurant. 

With such a a wide variety of colors and textures, vinyl can have a similar look to leather, which means it's possible to upholster furniture to create the luxurious look of leather, but at a price that is more budget friendly.

Downsides:

But like everything, vinyl isn't perfect. Some brands of vinyl are not to a high standard and this has given vinyl a bad name. A lot of people still think of the bad 1970's sticky vinyl and carry a negative attitude towards the product. When you use poor quality vinyl it will give make overall look 'cheap', and can feel like sitting on plastic. Not only does it look cheap, but it may also rip or tear more easily and it is more difficult to repair.

We don't use the poor quality vinyl, we will gently steer you in the direction of a product that will meet all your requirements, that is also be pleasing to the eye and of a quality that will last.

At UFO we will help you decide on the best fabric, including vinyl and leather for your business. We have had many years of experience (too many for me to admit) in helping companies make the best choices. We know what your priorities are in a business setting, and we will make sure that what you choose will meet those needs. So call us on 0800 698 746 and we will work with you to make the best choice.