Modern italian furniture..what's behind?

When you think about Italian furniture you think about quality, design and elegance. And you definitely know that's gonna cost you a high amount of money to furnish your flat. Is this really worth it? Well, we all have to agree it is. Italy has an ancient history and long tradition in the furniture industry and some Italian companies have become an icon and almost a lifestyle guru for some designaholic people throughout the world. . But where does the best craftmanship and design exactly come from ?

Northern Italy, Milan and its sorroundings are well known to be the heart of furniture and design. The International furniture show held in Milan every year attracts millions of retailers,designers and private customers from all over the world. From this small area leaves thousands of furniture pieces every year.

Like fashion, its all about materials, experiences and taste. Let's take a modern Italian sofa as example.

The working procedures applied to the production of an upholstery product still respect handicraftsman rules; this guarantees care in the choice of the materials and during the manufacturing process, and these materials are always carefully checked by skilled employees. Even the selection of wood is made by expert artisans who know perfectly the material and its characteristics. The result can be admired in the quality of the details and it can be tested in the lasting life of the structures.

Nowadays, to maintain unchanged the natural characteristics of leather, the tanneries use advanced technology, however cutting and seaming still require a highly specialised manual labour. In the past decades, the manufacturing of a sofa was guaranteed by the experience and skill of upholsterers, and this is still going on today; the fabrics used are seamed following a handwork procedure, essential to protect the product from any kind of imperfection.Only a careful check during the production guarantees the highest possible quality level.

The frame is the fundamental structure of any upholstered furniture and as such needs to be of excellent quality. Most of the frames are constructed from solid wood (pine and beech being most typical), however for some models, the strength is increased further by the use of a metal frame. Using such materials ensures the structure is solid, functional and durable.
The wooden frames are covered in moulded polyurethane foam and then a textile called ‘adhesive velveteen’ – a double thickness velvet, particularly suitable for attaching to the Velcro sewn on the inside edge of the covers, which are entirely removable.

The metal structure is also enclosed in cold, formed polyurethane. To ensure the best quality, it is essential that the right technical planning principle is employed. A perfect system of joints and connections incorporated within the component elements of the frame stops the furniture distorting or coming apart; a problem that is associated with a long period of usage. The different elements are later glued and reinforced with metal joints.

The inclusion of plastic straps early in the design stage is vital to ensure the best performance when it comes to comfort and general use of upholstered furniture. The correct ‘give’ in the elastic straps, coupled with the padding is necessary in order to achieve the correct support and elasticity in the seat area. The straps are fixed directly to the frame. The correct tension for each model is determined using special machinery; a process which avoids the occurrence of sagging or collapsing of the padding at a later date.

While springs are no longer used in the bases of the upholstered furniture, some items have a system in the back, which is realised using cross springs and elastic strips. Each model is assessed independently according to its technical needs and the back then structured accordingly.

Wooden based structures are covered in a high-density polyurethane foam, which is applied in carefully shaped pieces. This is then covered with polyester fibre with adhesive velveteen and is in turn covered finally in fabric or leather.In case of a metal structure this is padded with cold moulded polyurethane foam and then covered in the same way as the wooden structures – ie with polyester fibre and adhesive velveteen before being finally covered in fabric or leather

Seat and backrest cushions are available in polyurethane or feather and are designed to withstand frequent use without losing their structure, and also importantly for comfort.
Polyurethane cushions: These are constructed in different densities depending on where the cushion is to be placed (eg on the back or seat) and covered in a fibre cover (again which can be made in different densities). Importantly, the most inner parts of the cushion are shaped, rather than being given a specific form only once they have been covered in fibre. This ensures that the cushions will keep their support and not lose their shape over time.

The feather cushions have the same polyurethane middle, but the fibre wrap is replaced with a feather layer. It should be noted, that the very nature of using feathers will mean that the furniture will change/evolve with use. The first phase will see a slight reduction in thickness as the item changes status to unused to used. The second phase manifests itself after a long period of use and the user can expect to see a maximum of 10 – 15% reduction in thickness compared to the polyurethanes.

The fibre covers on the polyurethane are made from plastic materials produced through polycondensation. In turn, this fibre is covered with cotton cloth. The feather cushions are covered specifically with a tight-weave cloth to ensure that feathers do not ‘leak’ through the final fabric cover.

Feet are either metal or wood. Each foot has a rubber underfoot to soften the contact with the floor.

And what about the cover? That represents the final look and you may choose among beautiful modern design fabrics or soft exclusive quality leathers. Leather is generally coming from European calves which live an optimum free life style. The fences surrounding their fields are made of low-tension cables and not barbed wire, thus reducing the likelihood of cuts and abrasions which can reduce the quality and value of the leather.

Before the leather is tanned it is ‘broken’ ie cut horizontally into two layers. The top layer (nearest the coat) is premium quality. The layer below, known as the crust is less valuable and may be subjected to further treatments, depending on the quality. The top layer does not require further treatment and is supplied in its original structural form.

The leathers are usually tanned using chrome salts – a system that gives the leather better elasticity and waterproofing - and then dye is applied. This involves immersing the leathers in drums containing a very low percentage solution of aniline. In this way, the dye seeps into the fibres of the leather, turning it to the desired colour, but not damaging the appearance of the natural grain. This system also means that the natural ‘weathering’ of the leather remains apparent – eg little wrinkles and marks that appeared on the animals skin during its lifetime can still be seen - further testimony to the genuine and natural quality of the product.

Fabrics follow the latest trends in terms of colors and textures. This can transform any couch appearance and give it a whole new identity. Choosing a fabric for a sofa is as important as choosing clothes! The collections continually evolves in order to meet changing tastes and fashions. The range may be varied but the quality is always extremely high. Each fabric is supplied with technical information clearly describing the composition, washing instructions and performance features – eg pilling, resistance, etc. The breadth of the fabric collection combined with the range of furniture items available ensures that there are always suitable fabric choices for every model.

informations and pictures courtesy of Seven.