Seat Cover Material Comparison Guide 2023 Update

With the different types of materials and brands of seat covers available, it can certainly be confusing and overwhelming to select the right one for your car.

Especially when committing to a custom made option which is higher priced, it is important to select the best material for your application.
Whether durability, comfort or value is your main priority, the below guide will help you choose the best material for your new seat covers.

How to read this chart.

Velour

Velour is the basic material choice for seat covers. It is designed to look like the original upholstery in modern vehicles so is ideal for the person who is looking to protect
their seats without looking like they have seat covers. The material is soft and comfortable but not the most durable or waterproof. Velour is a good economic, multipurpose
option for any vehicle.

Jacquard

Similar to the velour, the jacquard is not waterproof or super durable. The material is a bit rougher than the velour and features a heavy duty centre panel. You could argue that the jacquard is more hardy than the velour, while the velour is more comfortable and modern looking.

Canvas

The most durable of all the fabrics, canvas is the favourite for trades vehicles, trucks and agricultural vehicles. It is fully waterproof, rough and designed to take a beating.
Comfort is not its strong suit though and can be a little rough on the skin so is not recommended for family cars. Perfect for those who require ultimate protection for their seats. For a more thorough comparison of canvas seat covers, checkout our ultimate guide.

Neoprene

Neoprene is a great all round fabric for seat covers. Comfortable, highly water resistant and durable, it is the popular choice for those with an active lifestyle. Made from wetsuit material which is 98% rubber, neoprene is really popular amongst surfers and beach goers. 

Leather Look

The easiest to clean of all the materials, leather look is the number 1 choice for taxi and Uber drivers. The fully waterproof vinyl barrier is perfect for regular spilt drinks,food crumbs and vomit. It can easily be wiped off and will look just like new again. Unfortunately leather look can get hot in the summer, and cold in the winter so is not the most comfortable seat cover unless you wear appropriate clothing for the seasons.

Denim (low stock levels)

Denim is a high end seat cover material made by Black Duck. Most famously used for jeans, denim is hard wearing and relatively comfortable. The denim used for seat covers are very high quality with a foam backing making them soft with a smooth finish. These seat covers are for those looking for Black Duck quality and fit, with extra comfort.

Mesh

The design of mesh material makes it the best material for seat covers in a very hot climate. The mesh allows air to get underneath the seat covers allowing better circulation and less sweat. Very similar to velour in quality, it is a very popular choice in the RM Williams, AFL and NRL seat cover brands.

Sheepskin

The ultimate luxury seat covers, sheepskin provides the best comfort of all the material options. It is warm in winter, cool in summer and the thick pile gives the passenger
the best cushioned ride. The downside is that is can be very expensive, especially for custom options and requires dry-cleaning. Sheepskin is very durable however and
offers the highest warranty of the lot.

Acrylic Fur

Acrylic fur is a synthetic material which looks and feels similar to genuine sheepskin. Obviously being synthetic, the fur is not as smooth or luxurious as the real thing.
It also doesn't have the properties which genuine sheepskin has, such as regulating temperature and durability. It is however, much much cheaper. A custom made rear seat cover in acrylic fur can be around 1/3 the price of genuine sheepskin. If you do not get much traffic in your rear seat but want to match your front sheepskins without paying through the nose, then acrylic fur is a very popular option.
The acrylic fur is already used on the skirting and back of most universal front sets of sheepskins. When we have the custom rear seat cover made for you, we will match the colours up perfectly with the fronts.

4Elements

4Elements is a technical material developed by Black Duck to bridge the gap between the hard core canvas material, and the softer denim. It has been specially formulated to be soft and stretchy to touch, but also 100% waterproof and extremely durable.
The 4Elements are high end in terms of price but also super high quality, justifying their price tag.
Perfect for the driver who wants the best of both worlds in terms of comfort and durability.

For more information on our variety of materials , please call us on 1300 554 288 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday AEST. 

What is car upholstery leather?

When we talk about leather for interiors and car upholstery we mean that material that goes to cover the interior parts of the passenger compartment of a vehicle. These parts include the seats, dashboard, steering wheel, armrests, head restraints, doors and sometimes even the roof. Leather, like any other material, is subject to wear and even if real leather is much more resistant than other materials (such as imitation leather or alcantara) it will sooner or later need to be replaced or renewed. The leathers used to cover car interiors are often the same as those used in the furniture sector, i.e. large chrome-tanned bovine leathers, resistant and suitable for covering large surfaces.

Advantages of leather for car upholstery

Leather for car upholstery has numerous advantages that go beyond the simple aesthetic benefit. Certainly a car with leather upholstery is characterized by its connotations of elegance and refinement, but, in addition to a very pleasant aesthetic impact, the genuine leather seats first of all have characteristics of greater comfort and breathability and are also far more resistant than to classic fabric seats as they do not get damaged or wear out easily over time. Finally, the interior and genuine leather are extremely easier to clean and maintain.

The best leather for car upholstery

What are the most used leathers to cover car interiors? The most used leathers for car upholstery are chrome-tanned whole cowhides with a pigmented finish (corrected grain). This type of leather represents the best compromise between look, cost and durability over time. There are cases in which more precious leathers are used, such as nubuck leather or full-grain leathers, but it is necessary to counteract a greater delicacy of the material.

The best leather to cover a car steering wheel

If you need to cover a car steering wheel instead, we suggest the use of a full-grain leather, such as an aniline or semi-aniline finished bovine nappa, as the steering wheel is subject to rubbing rather than tearing and voltage.

How to choose the right leather?

How to choose the most suitable leather for your car? Of course, a lot depends on your personal taste and also on the colors of the car. A car that has dark exteriors may need light upholstery and vice versa. However, we must also reflect on the practicality of the upholstery: light leather seats, in fact, tend to get dirty more easily and need more maintenance. Those that are too dark, on the other hand, can heat up very easily when hit by the sun's rays. Red seats can be tacky in cars that aren't luxurious. To be sure of buying quality leather, always prefer full grain leather: it is the best one from an aesthetic point of view and also the most resistant over time.

You and your family spend a great deal of time in your car – probably a lot more than you think! From going to school or work, or taking a trip to the shopping mall, or picking up some groceries, you’ll be sitting in your car for at least an hour a day. That is why it is so important that your type of car upholstery is always clean and protected.

There are several different kinds of car seat upholstery, so check first what your car seats are made of before you begin cleaning. The cleaning methods and materials you’ll need to use can vary, and some cleaning agents are particular to the car upholstery material.

5 Types of Car Upholstery

Nylon Car Upholstery

Fabric car upholstery is generally of two kinds: nylon or polyester. Nylon usually appears as fabric and is one of the most common materials manufacturers use for car seat upholstery. It is a very durable fabric, but also very porous. Use a vacuum to pick up loose dirt and dust from your car seat. Afterwards, put some mild detergent into the hot water pail and mix it in. Avoid making bubbles while mixing. Dip the sponge into the hot mixture and use this to scrub the car seat surface. Once you finish scrubbing the seat, dip the second sponge in cold water and scrub off the detergent from the fabric surface. Finally, let the seats dry.

Polyester Upholstery

Next, polyester is most commonly used as car upholstery in the form of microsuede. It is a soft fabric that mimics the texture of suede leather, which makes it very comfortable. This quality also makes microsuede polyester a bit more difficult to clean; not only is the material porous, but its texture also makes it prone to stains and dirt. Still, it is a fairly straightforward DIY cleaning job. Using a wrung-out damp cloth, wash the microsuede with a cleaning agent specific to microsuede. If you do not have any on hand, a low-PH soap such as baby soap or baby wash will work just fine. Be sure not to get the material too wet, as microsuede tends to get water stains. Alternatively, you can steam-clean microsuede polyester.

Vinyl Upholstery

Vinyl is another common car upholstery material. Unlike fabric upholstery, you can generally wipe vinyl clean with a clean damp towel, as it is non-porous and pretty much waterproof. You’ll only ever need to use a cleaner specific to vinyl for stubborn residue.

Faux Leather Upholstery

Faux leather is a popular car upholstery choice for car owners who like the leather look and who are on a budget. Like vinyl, faux leather is waterproof and takes minimal effort to wipe clean. Use a feather duster to take off loose dust and dirt, and then follow-up with the vacuum. Mix the detergent into the water, taking care not to produce bubbles. Dip a clean cloth into the mixture, wring out the water, and then wipe down the faux leather surface. Using another damp cloth, immediately wipe off the detergent, and then just as quickly wipe down the wet surface with a dry cloth. For stubborn stains or residue, you may need to use a toothbrush or a faux leather cleaning agent.

Leather Upholstery

Unlike the previous materials, leather must be cleaned with care and with the right products. No going cheap on this clean-up job; using any cleaning agent not meant for use with leather could strip the leather of its natural oils and cause it to dry up and crack. To clean leather, first remove any lingering dust or oils that may be present on the leather surface. A clean cloth should be sufficient. Be sure that the leather is completely dry before applying any upholstery conditioner. Apply upholstery conditioner using liberal amounts, but make sure that you don’t leave clumps over one area. Apply it as evenly as you can and really rub it into the leather, so the leather absorbs the oils. Place your car in the shade overnight to keep the conditioner away from UV light exposure.

Watch this comprehensive video about the different types of car upholstery and how to clean them properly:

Additionally, you can deodorize all kinds of car upholstery by sprinkling baking soda on the newly-cleaned seats. Leave it overnight and then vacuum and scrub the residue off the following day.

Keeping your car seats clean should always be your regular auto-cleaning habit. Not only will your car’s interior look better, it will also feel and smell cleaner. If you find this task a bit daunting or you just want to make sure that the clean-up work is done right, then contact DetailXPerts today and schedule an appointment with us. With our experienced staff, we’ll be happy to help you clean your car seats!

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