Leather
Of course Ill start with my favourite which is genuine full grain leather, which is also the most expensive of all types. This is probably it's only disadvantage and the fact that you have to purchase special conditioners. If we talk about durability this is the all time winner because high quality leather is made to last. I found a small shop for leather accessories which were at affordable prices with a hundred years guarantee can you imagine your great-grandson can use the wallet you've purchased for your husband.
The next important feature we should pay attention to is cleaning and maintenance things are really easy here because all you need are alcohol free wet wipes. Once a week wipe the surface and you're done. Leather is almost completely stain resistant at least the high quality one so you won't have any problems. As I said you'll have to condition it every six months or so and keep it away form continuous exposure to sunlight because it can make the leather brittle.
However a stain may occur and you'll need to use either saddle soap or a special cleaning solution but all in all you'll have absolutely no problem with this upholstery material. There are other types of leather which are used including fake leather which is also durable and easy to clean but I don't like them so much. If you decide you want it don't purchase suede because it is extremely demanding and if you spill something you'll permanently damage it, moreover it is not durable at all.
Microfibre
A lot of advantages here and it is probably the most balanced in every way, when you combine the features they're in harmony. It is comfortable and relatively soft but not at the expense of durability, of course you can't compare it to leather but as I told you no other material can be compared to it. As for the cleaning it is the same as a microfibre cloth. Some sofas and chairs are are even with a zip so you can remove the upholstery and put it in the washing machine.
Cotton
Used separately or in a combination of other fibres natural or synthetic cotton is one of the most preferred fabrics because it is natural. It has all the advantages of natural fibre in addition to the qualities of synthetic fibres which give it a degree of stain and liquid resistance. Moreover in some cases you can't even understand that the fabric you're touching is cotton. As for the cleaning well you'll have some problems because it is highly absorbent and can be dyed easily.
Silk
Yes there is silk upholstery although I don't recommend it to anyone because it is extremely expensive especially if you want to purchase genuine silk. Cleaning it is a real nightmare for every housewife because the fabric is sensitive to moisture and spots are difficult to remove. Moreover it is not very durable so it is not appropriate for the living-room for example. All in all not a good investment, so don't make it.
Synthetic Fabrics
Well they're not expensive at least the ones I have seen and they're quite durable, so far so good. They're also resistant to fading caused by the sun and most of them can be cleaned with hot water extraction or steam cleaning as most people know it. So what is the problem well the man-made fabric which means a lot of static electricity. Moreover it is not appropriate if you have small children because of the chemicals some fabrics contain.
Moreover you'll have to regularly vacuum it, at least twice a week because it attracts a lot of dust and dirt which builds up and shorten it's life. As for the durability synthetic upholstery is rather durable, more than cotton so it is good if you have pets because it is probably the cheapest one on the market. Nevertheless I recommend you hire professional cleaning company at least once a year regardless of the upholstery you have so they can thoroughly clean an inspect it.
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