Martindale ratings explained for chair buyers
The Martindale number is the single most useful figure on an upholstery spec — and the most commonly over- or under-specified.
Published by JP Furniture · Chair manufacturer in Foshan, China · 2026-09-26
What the number means
Martindale counts how many rub cycles a fabric survives before two threads break. A higher number means better abrasion resistance — not better stain resistance or colour fastness, which are separate tests.
Minimums by use
- 10,000–15,000 cycles — light domestic, occasional chairs.
- 25,000–30,000 cycles — the practical floor for restaurant seating.
- 40,000+ cycles — high-turnover restaurants, bars, hotel lobbies.
- 50,000+ cycles — 24-hour operations and transport seating.
Specifying 15,000-cycle fabric on a busy dining room is the most common upholstery mistake: it looks fine for four months, then the seat front goes bald.
Martindale vs Wyzenbeek
Wyzenbeek is the North American equivalent, counted as double rubs. There is no exact conversion, but 30,000 Martindale is roughly comparable to 30,000 Wyzenbeek double rubs in practice. Specify whichever your market references and do not mix them within one specification.
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