Fabrics
Tightly woven wools, linens, and cottons are less likely to snag, pill, or “fuzz up” than looser weaves. Blending a synthetic with a natural fiber will also make it last longer. The Wyzenbeek “double rub” test (in which a piece of cotton duck is rubbed back and forth on the test fabric to determine how long it takes to show any wear) is used primarily for commercial furniture, but manufacturers, if contacted, will provide the rating for any fabric. Fabrics that rate 15,000 or higher are considered the most durable. Numbers 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 above pass the test. The others are for those occasions when style trumps longevity.

1. Pico, in wedgwood, $65 a yard. 2. Damask, in cornflower, $79 a yard. 3. Camden, in blue, $50 a yard. 4. Chase corduroy, in treasure, $55 a yard. 5. Cobble, in royal, $43 a yard. 6. Mattress, in khaki, $58 a yard. 7. Bret, in natural, $79 a yard. 8. Ballard, in sky, $48 a yard. 9. Madison, in brown leather, $22 a square foot. All are available through Lee Industries, www.leeindustries.com for store locations.