ST LEGER & VINEY Fabric Applications in Hospitality Environments

This is what I am going to cover

Where fabric and wallpaper is used

Background about fabric

Fabric durability

Flameproofing

Lightfastness

Fabric & Wallpaper Care

Eco Product

Wallpaper overview

Fabric & Wallpaper Use in Hotels Area Location Application Medium

Public Lounge

Dining room

Bars

Reception

Curtains

Furniture

Scatter Cushions

Ottomans

Lampshades

Walls

Fabric

Leather

Vinyl

Wallpaper

Fabcote

Bedrooms Penthouse

Presidential

Executive

Suites

Deluxe Rooms

Premier

Standard

Curtains

Furniture

Headboard

Mosquito Netting

Scatter Cushions

Ottomans

Throws

Bedspreads

Lampshades

Walls

Fabric

Leather

Vinyl

Wallpaper

Fabcote

Bathroom

Outdoor Pools

Furniture Fabric

Fabric in the hospitality environment

must be:

Strong to last - durability

Easy to clean

Can’t be fussy

Facts about Fabric

Will fade with time

Will damage if not made up properly

Will shrink, crease & fade if cleaning

instructions are not followed

Will crease with use if the wrong type of

fabric is used e.g. linen

DURABILITY: COMPOSITION

You have to use the right fabric in the right application if it is to last

Examples:

Composition: 56% Acrylic 44% Polyester

Composition: 60% Polyester 40% Recycled Polyester

Composition: 56% Cotton 16% Acrylic 28% Polyester

Composition: 100% Silk

Composition: 100% Cotton

Fabrics that can withstand high

usage are normally:

Man Made also known as Synthetic Fabrics

Fabric Solution in Hospitality

Polly and Ester

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Polyester

Why Polyester?

It is durable because it is: ◦ Strong

◦ Keeps its shape

◦ Free from natural fibre characteristics e.g. slubs, which look like flaws

◦ Wrinkle resistant

◦ Keeps its colour

◦ Not easily damaged by sun, water & wind

◦ Easy to treat – flameproofing

◦ Easy to make up

◦ Easy to wash and dry

Other Fabrics can be added to

Polyester Fabric For Example

Acrylic – can take sunlight

Nylon – easy to care for, but burns

quickly

Natural Fabrics

Linen – Expensive & subject to movement &

creasing. Cool to touch and a good conductor

of heat.

Natural Fabrics

Cotton – strong & durable, crease, stain and

shrink resistant

Natural Fabrics

Silk - sensitive to sunlight. Colours may not be

fast & drycleaning is often specified.

Leather vs Vinyl

Leather smells like leather!

UPHOLSTERY

Durability Tests

Rub Counts

Specifications normally set rub count

Rub counts : 20,000

Some specifications: 40,000

A Closer Look at Rub Counts

Types of tests: Wyzenbeek and

Martendale

The fabric is rubbed

Count each time after 5000 rubs

Last count before breakage gives score

Often only count to 20 000 so fabric

could endure more

Examples of Fabric which can be

used for Upholstery

CURTAINING

Applications & Lightfastness

Window Treatments

Block Out Lining

Block Out Curtains (Warwick Trance –

Triple Weave)

Sheers (Warwick Delphi)

Important Facts about Curtains

Sunlight must be managed. It will cause:

◦ Fading

◦ Fall apart

◦ Shreading

Curtains must be easy to clean and must

maintain their shape, colour and

brightness

OUTDOOR

Fabric care

Outdoor Fabric

Solution dyed acrylic fabrics should be used

(SDA Canvas)

The colour is produced within the yarn, which

makes the colour part of the fabric and more

durable.

Outdoor fabric should have a lightfastness of at

least 7.

FLAME / FIRE PROOFING

FABRIC

Fabric care

Unsuitable fabrics can cause fire to spread more quickly. So ensuring

fabric is flame proofed is important for safety reasons in a hospitality

environment.

Flame Retarding

RSA does not require, but international

standards require this.

Flame retarding is a chemical process

You cannot tell whether a fabric has been flame-

proofed or not by looking at it. You will have to

check the paperwork.

Flame Proofing Facts - Curtaining

• Trevira CS is flame retardent fabric –

expensive. One gets non-branded FR

Polyester.

• Fabric does not burns with a flame; it

melts

Flame Proofing Facts - Upholstery

You don’t want the foam to burn

Fabric is backcoated or dipped in a

chemical solution

The backcoat gives off gas, which kills the

flame

The flame retardent creates a barrier

between the flame and the foam

FABRIC CARE

Caring for the Product is Essential in the Hospitality Environment for

the product to maintain its integrity

Fabric care

Things that can Stain & Damage

Fabric if Fabric not cleaned properly Alcohol

Blood

Chewing gum

Chocolate

Coffee & Tea

Cosmetics

Fruit & Fruit juices

Ink

Grease

Vomit

Urine

Sweets & Ice Cream

Shoe Polish

Scotch Guarding or Master

Guarding will often protect

fabric upholstered

Fabric Care

It is essential that housekeepers:

◦ Have the cleaning specifications

◦ Follow the cleaning instructions

Many claims / complaints arise when fabric has

not been cleaned or made up properly

ASSESSING FABRIC

Fabric care

Against Criteria

9.5 Curtains & Window Coverings Max 15pts

Outstanding

Highest quality full well-lined curtains in working order. Or blinds or shutters of the highest quality and in working order. Outstanding quality curtain accessories. Well lined curtains to provide block-out.

15 pts

or Excellent

Excellent quality of materials. Full curtains or blinds effective in keeping out light/provide block-out. Excellent quality curtain accessories.

or 12 pts

or Very Good

Curtains or blinds of very good quality materials and allow for total privacy. Very good quality curtain accessories. Block out provided.

or 9 pts

or Good Curtains or blinds more basic and in good working order. or 7 pts

or Acceptable

Acceptable quality blinds or curtains but still in good working order.

or 6 pts

or Unacceptable

Curtains fraying, stained, damaged or contain holes. Blinds damaged and require replacing. Signs of wear and dust. or 0 pts

Test

Eco Friendly Fabric

Fabric care

You have to know fabrics or check the specifications of the

fabric to know whether it is eco friendly or not.

Eco Friendly Kravet Fabric

What makes a fabric Eco-Friendly

It may be a natural fiber. They must have been grown without the use of posion in the soil for at least three years.

If the fabric is dyed, it must be with a low-impact dye.

Eco-friendly certification (EU-Eco label certification)

Production adheres to fair trade practices.

Recycled plastic is also considered to be a green fabric.

Some polyesters can be recycled (Warwick Encore)

Examples of Eco Friendly Fabrics

Hemp – grows quickly, needs very little water & is highly

pest resistant

Wool – with an eco-friendly manufacturer

Organic cotton – requires no pesticides, herbicides or

insecticides during growth. Natural dyes are also used

which reduces chemicals being dumped into the

ecosystem

Soy silk – made from by-products of Tofu

Bamboo – grows rapidly and the fabric is biodegradable

Eco Friendly Wallpaper

Bamboo, Jute, Raffia, Cork are natural

wallcoverings

To be green, the following needs to be

present:

◦ Must be made of paper

◦ Biodegradable or Recycled

◦ Non-toxic glues used to adhere it to the wall

◦ Vinyl & vinyl coated free

Eco Friendly Fabric Requires Eco

Friendly Care

For Example:

Rather than bleach white fabrics, put

them in the sun

Use Eucalyptus oil to remove grease

Use Tea Tree Oil for disinfecting laundry

Use eco-friendly cleaning products

WALLPAPER

Fabric care

Wallpaper

There is very rarely a problem with wallpaper

given the intense production process

Hanging of wallpaper, if done properly will result

in the wallpaper lasting a long time provided it

is cared for properly

Attic stock

Wallpaper is a fashion and design feature