what is a strong fabric for furniture upholstery, but with the lowest cost

Grumpelstiltskin

OP If you are not used to doing upholstery then my advice is don't bother. How are you going to fix the fabric?

If it's stiff it's no use trying to sew it with a normal sewing needle and normal sewing thread. that isn't going to work, if the frame is metal you can't use tacks to fit it and any sewing needs to be able to take the weight of an adult, so not easy.

fabricexpert19

Hi OP, not sure if your still interested in upholstery fabric but I thought I'd try and help.

For strength and affordability, polyester, cotton canvas, and microfibre are great upholstery choices. They’re durable, easy to clean, and budget-friendly—especially good for high-use furniture.

A key thing to check is the Martindale rub test score—anything over 20,000 is suitable for everyday furniture use, while 30,000+ is ideal for heavy-duty wear.

If you’re UK-based, I’d recommend foy and co interiors – they’ve got a solid range of hard-wearing, stylish upholstery fabrics at reasonable prices, and you can order samples before you commit.

Hope that helps!