Marlo, Strata, Rove, Electra, Rockwell and Orson: A Guide to Franka's Upholstery
Six fabrics is a lot to choose between from a screen, and the specification sheets are not much help unless you already know what a Martindale rating is. So here is the whole range in one place, in plain terms, with the numbers that actually matter.
Three kinds of feel, six fabrics
Every fabric we upholster in is 100% polyester and commercial-grade. That is deliberate — polyester holds colour, resists abrasion and cleans up far better than a natural fibre in a family home. The difference between them is how the yarn is constructed, and that changes both how a piece feels and how it wears.
- Textured, boucle-inspired weaves — Marlo, Rockwell and Strata. Loops of yarn sit proud of the backing, giving a nubbly, tactile surface with real visual depth. Forgiving of everyday marks, because the texture breaks up the light.
- Soft brushed woven finishes — Electra and Orson. Tightly woven and brushed for a smooth, soft-touch surface. Cleaner-lined, more contemporary, and the most practical of the three around pets.
- Chenille — Rove. Soft pile yarns that catch the light and give a warm, cosy hand. The plushest of the range.
The comparison
| Fabric | Feel | Weight | Abrasion | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electra | Soft brushed woven finish | Heavyweight | 100,000+ rubs | Harvey, Roy, Calvin |
| Marlo | Boucle-inspired textured weave | 485 gsm | 40,000+ rubs | Rocco, Roy |
| Rockwell | Boucle-inspired textured weave | 380 gsm | 40,000+ rubs | Harvey |
| Orson | Soft brushed woven finish | 450 gsm | 40,000+ rubs | Harvey |
| Rove | Chenille | Heavyweight | 40,000+ rubs | Calvin |
| Strata | Richer woven texture, more depth and layering | Heavyweight | Commercial-grade | Rocco |
All six are OEKO-TEX® certified, carry a high colour fastness rating and are rated for everyday residential use.
What a Martindale rating actually tells you
Martindale is an abrasion test. A weighted pad rubs the fabric in a figure-eight until it shows wear, and the count is how many rubs it survived. The industry benchmarks are roughly:
- 15,000–25,000 — light domestic use. An occasional chair.
- 25,000–40,000 — general domestic use.
- 40,000+ — heavy domestic and commercial. This is where our whole range starts.
Which puts Electra at 100,000+ rubs in a different category to the rest of the range, and to most upholstery you will be shown at this price. If the piece is going into a main living room that takes daily use from a whole household, that is the number to weigh.
Choosing by household
If you have cats
Choose Electra. Its tightly woven brushed finish is less prone to catching on claws than a heavily textured boucle — there is simply no loop for a claw to hook. The boucle-inspired weaves, Marlo and Strata, are more vulnerable here. Harvey and Rocco both perform well in homes with pets, but keep claws trimmed. Pet damage is excluded from warranty on every upholstered piece, so this is a decision worth making up front.
If you have small children
The textured weaves — Marlo, Rockwell, Strata — are the most forgiving of ordinary life, because the texture disguises marks and softens the look of general wear. Whatever you choose, blot spills immediately: that single habit does more for the life of a sofa than the fabric choice does.
If the room gets hard sun
Every fabric here carries a high colour fastness rating, and Rove and Electra are independently tested at ≥4.0 for light fastness. But every one of them also carries the same care instruction: avoid prolonged direct sunlight. Colour fastness slows fading. It does not stop it. Position the piece out of a west-facing window's path if you can, and rotate the cushions.
If it is going into a café, office or fit-out
All six are commercial-grade, and Electra at 100,000+ rubs has the most headroom. Note that commercial use is excluded from the residential warranty, so talk to us about a trade specification rather than ordering off the shelf.
Which piece comes in which fabric
| Piece | Available in |
|---|---|
| Harvey Sofa | Rockwell in Ivy · Electra in Amber · Orson in Beige |
| Calvin Sofa | Rove in Brick, Oatmeal and Olive · Electra in Teal |
| Rocco Chair | Marlo in Barley, Wheat and Oxide · Strata in Forest |
| Roy Chair | Marlo in Wheat and Oxide · Electra in Moss and Putty |
Order the swatches
Fabric is the one decision a screen cannot help you with. Texture does not photograph, and colour shifts under different light — a beige that reads warm in a showroom can read pink against cool northern light at home.
We send swatches free, no obligation: Harvey, Rocco, Roy and Calvin. Put them on the actual sofa's spot, look at them in morning and evening light, and drape them over something so you can see how the texture behaves in shadow rather than flat on a table.
Then read the care guide before you commit, because how a fabric is cleaned differs by weave — the boucles want a dry cloth, Rove and Electra want a damp one. And if the piece is destined for a deck or a courtyard rather than a living room, none of these fabrics is the answer — see which materials actually last outdoors.