Fabric · Care Guide
Sherpa
Deep, curled pile built for warmth
Maintained As
Pile Textile
Dense, soft and cool to the touch, with a distinct nap direction.
Durability
Everyday resilience
Good abrasion resistance, but pile crushes permanently under sustained pressure and flattens in high-traffic seats.
In the Collection
0 pieces
Every piece we carry in sherpa, cared for the same way.
About This Material
Sherpa and teddy fabrics use a long curled pile that imitates fleece, trapping air for warmth and giving a very high-loft surface. They are almost always synthetic, and their character depends entirely on that loft staying open.
How To Spot It
A deep, curly, wool-like pile with obvious loft and considerable softness.
Directional. Run a hand one way and the fabric lightens; run it the other and it darkens. Shading and pressure marks are inherent to pile, not defects.
Specific To Sherpa
The pile mats permanently under compression and heat. Never machine dry a sherpa cover, and never apply direct heat — matted sherpa cannot be restored.
At A Glance
How it holds up
Each bar shows how well sherpa resists that stress — five means it shrugs it off, one means it is the first thing to damage the surface.
Typically Used For
What It Does Well
- Exceptional warmth and loft
- Very soft
- Strong visual texture
What To Accept
- Mats permanently under heat or compression
- Least durable upholstery here
- Synthetic, so it melts
Daily Care
The everyday routine
- Brush the pile in one consistent direction with a soft upholstery brush.
- Plump and rotate loose cushions so wear spreads evenly.
- Blot spills straight away — never rub, which mats the pile permanently.
- Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight, which fades pile fabrics quickly.
Deep Cleaning
Step by step
- 01 Check the cleaning code on the label first: W means water-based, S means solvent only, WS means either, X means vacuum only.
- 02 Vacuum with an upholstery tool on low suction. Never use a rotating beater bar — it tears pile out of the backing.
- 03 For code W or WS, work up a light foam from mild upholstery shampoo and apply only the foam, not the liquid, with a soft cloth.
- 04 Work in the direction of the pile, one section at a time, and never soak the fabric.
- 05 Blot dry with a clean towel and let it air dry fully away from direct heat.
- 06 Once completely dry, brush the pile back into a single direction to restore the nap.
Safe To Use
- Soft upholstery brush
- Vacuum with upholstery tool, no beater bar
- Mild upholstery shampoo worked to a dry foam, on code W or WS only
- Dry-cleaning solvent on code S only
- A garment steamer held well back, to lift crushed pile
Never Use
- Rubbing or scrubbing, which mats pile permanently
- Saturating the fabric, which leaves rings and can mark the backing
- Beater-bar vacuum heads
- Bleach and any optical brightener
- Direct heat from a hairdryer or radiator while drying
Stain Removal
Lift it without making it worse
Blot rather than rub, and test any treatment somewhere out of sight first.
Blot immediately with a white cloth, working inward from the edge. On code W, follow with a barely-damp cloth, blot dry, and brush the pile once dry.
Blot hard and repeatedly with a dry white cloth first — most of it lifts mechanically. Then treat per the cleaning code. Never rub.
Sprinkle cornflour or talc, leave several hours to absorb, then vacuum away gently. Repeat before attempting any wet treatment.
Blot only. Ink on pile is a professional job — solvents spread it and destroy the nap.
Blot thoroughly, then use an enzyme cleaner formulated for upholstery on code W. Enzymes break down the odour compounds that masking sprays only cover.
Not a stain. Hold a garment steamer several inches away, let the steam relax the fibres, then brush the nap back into direction while slightly damp.
Feather the edges with a barely-damp cloth so there is no hard line, then dry evenly and brush the whole panel.
Prevent Damage
What actually causes the harm
- Crushing
- Rotate and plump cushions weekly. Avoid leaving heavy objects sitting on a pile seat.
- UV
- Pile fabrics fade faster than flat weaves. Use blinds and rotate the piece if one side faces a window.
- Pets
- Claws pull pile out of the backing. A throw over a favourite spot is far cheaper than reupholstery.
- Body oils
- Headrests and arms absorb oils and darken. Wipe these areas more often and consider arm caps.
- Moisture
- Never saturate. Water rings on pile are more visible than the original stain.
- Abrasion
- Keep denim rivets and studded belts off velvet, which snags and flattens where they rub.
Never Do This
Damage that cleaning cannot undo
Each of these changes the surface permanently.
Rubbing a stain
It mats the pile into a permanent shiny patch that is far more visible than the stain itself.
Beater-bar vacuum heads
The rotating brush tears pile fibres out of the backing.
Bleach
It destroys both the colour and the fibre structure instantly.
Soaking the fabric
Water rings and backing marks are extremely difficult to remove from pile.
Ignoring the cleaning code
Water on a code S fabric will ring and shrink it. Check the label before any liquid touches the cloth.
Direct heat while drying
It sets stains and can shrink the backing, puckering the panel.
Repair
Putting it right
Steam gently from a distance and brush the nap back while slightly damp.
Inherent to pile and not a fault. Brushing in one direction evens the appearance.
Never pull. Ease the thread back through to the reverse with a blunt needle, or cut it flush with the pile.
Professional reupholstery of that panel. Ask about ordering extra fabric at purchase for exactly this reason.
Enzyme treatment on code W. On code S, this needs a professional upholstery cleaner.
Maintenance Schedule
A rhythm worth keeping
- daily
- Blot spills immediately.
- weekly
- Brush the pile and rotate cushions.
- monthly
- Vacuum with an upholstery tool on low suction.
- quarterly
- Spot clean per the cleaning code and steam any crushed areas.
- annually
- Professional upholstery clean for pieces in daily use.
Where To Put It
Indoor placement
Pile fabrics live or die by light and pressure. Site them out of the sun and rotate the cushions.
Site It Like This
- Place away from direct sunlight — pile fades faster than flat weaves.
- Rotate and plump cushions weekly so the pile wears evenly.
- Brush the nap in one consistent direction after cleaning.
- Consider arm caps where the piece gets heavy daily use.
Not Here
- A conservatory or a bay window with all-day sun.
- Leaving heavy objects sitting on a pile seat for weeks.
- Placing it where a cat can reach — claws pull pile out of the backing.
- Rubbing any spill, ever.
Weekly Care
The five-minute routine
Brush the pile and rotate cushions.
Then monthlyVacuum with an upholstery tool on low suction.
Common Questions
What owners ask us
No — that is shading, and it is inherent to how pile works. Light reflects differently depending on which way the fibres lie, so pressure marks and tonal patches appear with use. Brushing the pile in one direction evens it out.
Rubbing mats the pile into a permanently crushed area, and unfortunately that is the one mistake pile does not forgive. Gentle steaming from a distance followed by brushing can lift some of it. Always blot, never rub.
W means water-based cleaners are safe, S means solvent only, WS means either, and X means vacuum only. Using water on a code S fabric will ring and shrink it, so check before anything wet touches the cloth.
Yes, with an upholstery tool on low suction. Never use a rotating beater bar — it tears pile fibres out of the backing.
Often, yes. Hold a garment steamer several inches away, let the steam relax the fibres, then brush the nap back into direction while it is still slightly damp.
Not necessarily, but a synthetic velvet is far more forgiving than cotton or silk. The bigger risk is rubbing at spills in a hurry, which is what causes lasting damage.
Lifespan & Ageing
How it will look in ten years
With Proper Care
Eight to fifteen years with the pile still standing well.
With Poor Care
Three to five years before matted, shiny wear patches dominate the seat and arms.
How It Ages
Velvet develops a soft sheen where it is used most, which many owners regard as the point of the fabric. Corduroy flattens along the wales. Neither is reversible, so even wear achieved through rotation is what you are aiming for.
Sherpa Specifically
Gradually mats at contact points. Regular gentle brushing keeps the loft open considerably longer than doing nothing.
Not Sure
We will check it for you
If you are unsure which material your piece is, or you have a mark you would rather not experiment on, tell us the piece and what you are unsure of; when we reply, you can attach photographs.
Ask us