Tracking down the perfect fabric for the job can be a daunting task. Luckily, Juliette Barrell, marketing director at Wesley-Barrell, has passed on some solid advice: "When choosing upholstery fabrics we are thoroughly spoilt for choice so it helps to adopt your own selection criteria. Consider how much wear and tear your sofa or armchair will receive, along with the colour and textures of existing fabrics in your decorative scheme. It is often difficult to gauge wearability from the feel of a fabric, so ask about rub tests; ideally fabrics for general domestic use require a rub test of in excess of 20,000 rubs."