The comeback
of corduroy
A fabric with texture,
history and style

more

Corduroy is alive. With its fine and tactile structure, corduroy is telling stories – of cosiness, of fashion, of the courage to use texture. Under the radar for quite some time and now rediscovered: corduroy is back – also in our interior world. Here it shows its best side. Everything about a unique furnishing fabric.

Down-to-earth and yet elegant – corduroy is one of the few materials with both qualities. Originally, it was created as a robust material for working. The first versions appeared in England in the 18th century: Corduroy was mainly used for uniforms and functional clothing.

A side note: the term probably goes back to the French corde du roi (‘royal velvet’) – an ironic hint to its eventual popularity among agricultural labourers and craftsmen.

Corduroy in the 20th century

In the 1970s, it became a fashion statement and represented cosiness, nonchalance and a bit of rebellion. Flared trousers, jackets and even full suits made of corduroy defined the image of an entire generation. In the 1990s, corduroy made a comeback as part of streetwear, before it almost completely disappeared in the 2000s.

Today, corduroy is back, boasting a new quality and an aesthetic edge. Not just as a fashionable gimmick, but as a high-quality design material with depth, substance and a distinct textile character. Interior designers particularly appreciate how corduroy can simultaneously highlight and calm rooms. It is never sterile.

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Structure, lustre and tonality

Modern corduroy is fun, exciting and fascinating. Sometimes they have broad, soft and distinct ribs and often an elaborate finish with a subtle lustre.

The ribbed structure creates a unique effect reflecting light, giving the material depth and vibrancy. Paired with matt surfaces, natural stone or calm wooden surfaces, corduroy can create a particularly exciting effect. Corduroy creates structure. Corduroy adds depth. Corduroy brings surfaces to life.

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Project Spotlight

La Villetta, Dobbiaco (I)

In Dobbiaco at the Hotel La Villetta, there is a room where corduroy can really show off its strengths.

Here, embedded in a warm, colourful environment, the fabric unfolds its full depth: as a textile echo chamber, as a link between colour, light and material. The cherry on the cake: the colour mauve.

Textile Architecture

Corduroy is far more than just an upholstery fabric. Used correctly, it can be a interior design element. Whether used as an upholstery fabric, wall panel, day bed or solid curtain, it creates a sense of intimacy through its feel and a sense of safety through its structure.

Corduroy is particularly modern as part of a monochrome ambience: as a tone-on-tone composition or in combined with textures such as bouclé, velour or raw linen. Paired with metal, leather or stone surfaces, corduroy can bridge the gap between softness and architecture. A corduroy fabric in the living room communicates: This is not about decoration, but about a deliberate composition.

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How is cord made?

Cord is a pile fabric. Additional wefts are woven into the base fabric to form small loops. These loops are cut open to create the characteristic pile. The ribs result from the layout of the wefts: The closer they are placed, the finer the cord; the wider, the more distinctive the structure. A rough classification of corduroy:

  • Fine cord (baby cord): very narrow ribs — mostly for clothing
  • Genoa cord: medium ribs, soft and flexible — for clothing and furniture
  • Wide cord: wide, distinctive ribs — preferably used in interior design
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Cord & interior design

In interior design, broad corduroy is mainly used: It is visually striking and also looks great when used across large surfaces.

High-quality corduroy has a very dense pile, ribs with clear edges and a textured feel. Anything is possible in terms of colour, with muted tones currently ruling the roost: mauve, sand, mud, smoky blue, ochre or fir green. Depending on the base material, the level of lustre varies from velvety matt to subtly shimmering.

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Living with corduroy
— what you should know

As a rule, corduroy is not a diva as a fabric.

But it requires attention: If you use it in your home, you should be aware of its properties and handle it with care.

  1. Durability: High-quality corduroy is surprisingly robust. Today, specific furniture corduroy reaches up to 50,000 Martindale and is therefore suitable for seating furniture as well. Martindale is a unit for measuring abrasion cycles and indicates how durable the fabric is. The higher the number, the better the durability.
    For areas subject to heavy wear — basically seating surfaces — it is worth taking a look at the technical data: Abrasion cycles, pilling behaviour, seam strength. The direction of the pile is another important factor. It influences how the fabric reflects light and performs under pressure.

  2. Care: Corduroy is easy to vacuum and can be freshened up with a soft brush. Stains should not be rubbed, but carefully dabbed off. Some qualities also allow professional cleaning. Regular, gentle brushing helps to keep the pile upright and even.

  3. The challenges: Corduroy is prone to pressure marks — and it should be. On chairs, armchairs and sofas, pressure and heat result in the so-called seating mirror over time. They reflect the light differently than the other surfaces of the furniture.
    The lively surface is part of the material's character. However, corduroy is less suitable for homes with hairy pets. Loose hair and particles easily get caught in the ribs and must be removed with some painstakingly.
    Direct sunlight should also be avoided, as the pile can react to light. If you use corduroy for freestanding furniture, you should choose a position in the room that takes light and wear into account.

  4. Materials: Most modern corduroy fabrics are made from material blends, such as cotton with polyester or viscose. These blends provide improved dimensional stability, more lustre and easier care. Pure cotton corduroy has become less common but is still used mainly for fashion. Upholstery fabrics made from corduroy boast a sophisticated performance — with specific reverse sides, anti-pilling and antistatic finishes.

  5. Processing: The manufacturing of corduroy requires considerable experience. The pile has one direction — and this means that the upholstery professional has to make sure that all the pieces lie in the same direction when cutting the fabric. Otherwise, the overall appearance will be uneven and maintenance will be harder. The upholstery itself should be tight, but not stretched, so that the pile retains its depth.

An Outlook: 
Is corduroy here to stay?

We are convinced that the renaissance of corduroy is more than just a short-lived phenomenon.

Cord represents the longing for structure, texture and authenticity in our living spaces. In our streamlined, digital age, corduroy is like an antidote: sensual, soft and honest. At the same time, corduroy is a chameleon: it can be opulent and functional, graphic and romantic, classic and avant-garde. And this diversity is what designers appreciate about corduroy when they want to work with texture without being too bold.

Conclusion

There's more to corduroy

Corduroy is back - with an attitude. The fabric embodies calm opulence, tangible design and textile depth.

If you use it wisely, you create rooms with a character. Whether on the headboard, as a sofa or a wall panel: corduroy has a soft voice. But with authority.

Visit our Design Centre in Mils and indulge in countless thousands of home fabrics!

 
Images: Horeca, Adobe Stock, home INTERIOR

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