Fabric for Oliver - Any good advice?

[angler]

I've been searching for fabric for the upholstery in the trailer that is being built for us. I'm not crazy about the limited choices shown in the Oliver photos. Anyone have ideas about websites or venders for tough, good-looking fabric, about 15 yards? Any experience, either positive or negative, with types of fabric?

 

Thanks.

[ScubaRx]

It's ironic that you've posted this tonight. For the past hour or so I've been searching through different websites for upholstery material in hopes that I could find something that we like better than what is available from Oliver. I had wondered how many yards we would need to cover the cushions and anything else. You mentioned 15 yards, is that an estimate or is it an amount that Oliver has provided? I will continue to look online and will post the URL of any place that looks promising. We have a Hancock Fabric store here in Tupelo that has a lot of fine material.

[angler]

Hello,

The 15 yards is an estimate we got from Robert at Oliver. I'm not completely sure it is right, particularly since I don't know what width they need. I'm hoping they will put me in touch with the person who sews their cushions before I actually purchase the fabric.

[rvbella]

hmmmmm, this is interesting! I was told they had a huge selection........ I guess a Man's or should I say several Mens opinions! LOL...................................... I was wondering if they did it in leather or vinyl? I was thinking either would be easier to keep clean when camping. But also would like to see some great options.

 

 

Are either of you looking for any thing special? Style, Theme. Color? RvBella

[rvbella]

LOL.............. Thanks meanderthal for the heads up on books of fabric choices. From a girls point of view thats nice to know. RvBella

 

 

 

P.S My Dh will probably walk the dogs as well.

[Oliver Travel Trailers1571927901]

Fabric choices…yes, well where do I start. We have about a hundred choices here to look at, some we have bought and have available and the rest can be ordered. From this amount I can not get 2 people to agree on the same one. (and this is both male and female opinions )

 

The nation’s largest manufacture is Gum Tree but, don’t look for a website with choices because it does not exist . I asked them why…. “Well, we have around 10,000 choices and every day we have new designs and discontinue others. It would be a logistical nightmare to try and have a website with all the details.”

 

So, here I sit more confused and frustrated trying to find something that will appeal to the masses. I say it can’t be done, so what we do offer is for the customer to find what they want and either buy it and ship it to the “Cushion Man” and we reimburse you $120.00 or give us the information on what you found and we will obtain it. If it runs over the $120.00 we will bill you the difference. This has really worked well for us and the customer but is always open to suggestions.

 

The requirements are 60” width by 15 yards long.

 

Please contact me at 1-888-526-3978 and I will help you as much as possible.

 

Thanks,

 

Robert

[tumbleweed]

If you Google or Yahoo search upholstery fabric you will find enough fabric selections to thouroghly confuse you!!

Chuck

[SeaDawg]

I don't do a lot of upholstery anymore, but I recently had a really good experience with

 

winterbeachmodern.com They also sell have an ebay store, I think.

 

They carry big name fabrics like Knoll, Herman Miller, and Maharam, specifically designed for seating. They offer a limited number of free samples with an email. Prices are 50-75% off retail. Check their descriptions for clues on what to look for in quality seating fabric elsewhere, too: weight, weave, rub count, cleaning directions, fabric content. Personally, I like a tightly woven, part cotton, part poly blend for heavy use seating. (Some rayon added is ok with me, some wool is great.) The local fabric stores tend to mix up drapery, slipcover, and upholstery fabrics in colorway displays, so try to find a clerk to help you who actually knows upholstery if you're unfamiliar with fabrics. I would want to see and feel a sample before I bought anything on the internet, so a lot of ebay auctions and stores would not be an option for me unless I was already familiar with that particular fabric.

 

Good luck in your search for the perfect fabric! It's fun to look at the Oliver interiors and see that no two are alike! Sherry

[herm]

I too am struggling with fabric selection at the moment, and thankfully others have already been through this process. I like what I see in SeaDawg's link and found at least one contender. Question for the fabric guru's...is 60 rayon/40 poly an appropriate blend? Also, I see that most fabrics come in 54" width, not the 60" width that is supposedly required per Robert's post in this thread. Any further suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Herm

[technomadia]

When we sent our fabric, Robert said that 52" wide was the minimum they could work with. 60" is nice (but really limits the choices), but anything above 52" is workable.

 

For us, we just went to a fabric store and used our hands and eyes. We both were immediately fixated on deep red microfiber. So far.. been really happy with it. We'll see how we feel after a few months of living with it.

 

- Cherie

[mountainborn]

Cherie said:

We'll see how we feel after a few months of living with it.

 

>

I wonder how Mossy Oak Advantage camo pattern would feel after a few months ?

So, whadda' ya' think ? Is this photo a photoshop manipulation ? Or, could it actually be for real ?

[ScubaRx]

Now that's just too cool. You could hardly see the cushions, they were so well hidden. I'll bet you could leave a pair of camo-drawers lying on there and you would never be able to find them.

 

Steve

[mountainborn]

Well, that camo thong is quite small . . . . .

[astrocaster]

As did Chris and Cherie, Elizabeth and I went to a fabric store and picked a fabric that we felt would suit us and the color concept that we had for our Oliver. We then shipped the fabric to Hohenwald. The fabric is a robust low-cut plush upholstery fabric that we think will hold up very well. One concern that we had in going through fabrics in the store is that so many of them were very light in weight and thickness, and Elizabeth knew that they would not wear well over time. We liked being able to actually get samples of the fabric from the store and to look at them at home before buying.

 

Steve

[SeaDawg]

Herm,

My fabric was less than 60", but I purchased an end bolt (with a few extra yards of fabric...), and still had some left over. The pattern (if the fabric you're looking at has one) has to be run the proper direction for all cushions to accomodate the 54" wide cushions, that's all. Oliver's upholsterer does a good job, and knows what he's doing.

Rayon/poly is a typical blend for upholstery fabric, gives a nice sheen,feel and "breathability" from the rayon, durability and sag resistance from the poly. Is the fabric you chose backed? Winterbeachmodern probably shows the weight and rub test for the fabric, which gives you an idea of durability. Unless it's a loosely woven rayon/poly, it should be fine. Winterbeachmodern typically sells fabric used by major seating companies (Herman Miller, etc.) at a baragain price. They used to send free samples.

 

Isn't it nice to be able to choose your own style?

Sherry

[herm]

Yes, it's certainly nice to be able to choose our own fabric. But at the same time, it can be a little overwhelming considering the vast number of options.

 

We were almost ready to purchase a soft, marine-grade vinyl, but ended up changing our minds yesterday and bought a tan micro-suede fabric. This should match nicely with the wood accents (micro shelf and dinette tray) and the birch vinyl plank flooring we selected.

[SeaDawg]

Herm,

That sounds like a really nice, soft combination. Looking forward to photos when you pick it up!

Sherry

[dharmardr]

I'm looking for contact info for Oliver's upholsterer Richard Johnson. I'd like to make dinette cushion covers and 22" throw pillows and wonder about the amount of fabric needed. Thanks

[foxcook]

Richard Johnson

1256 Walker Levee Road

Fulton, MS 38843

[foxcook]

<Sailrite Marine Fabric> is a great place to shop for your fabric. You can get Marine quality fabrics which is great stuff. If it will hold up in boats in saltwater environments, it will hold up in your campers. It's what I used.

[SeaDawg]

I like winterbeach modern, and toto fabrics, both online retailers of high-end, commercial fabrics. Many have the crypton finish, often used in office, hospitality, and medical environments.

We bought our trailer fabric from winterbeach 7 years ago, and it still looks like new, 60000 miles later. Redid our boat cusions with fabrics from toto, a print in a crypton finish, and an ultraleather on the salon settee cushions, with coordinating throw pillows, about four years ago. They sill look new, too.

Sherry

[trumpetguy]

We bought our custom fabric from Miami Fabrics.the company Oliver uses. Durable automotive grade upholstery.