A good Martindale score is 15,000 to 25,000 cycles for general domestic upholstery, 25,000 to 40,000 cycles for heavy domestic and hospitality use, and 40,000 cycles or more for commercial and contract projects. Scores above 60,000 cycles indicate exceptional abrasion resistance beyond most contract requirements.
Martindale score bands
| Score (cycles) | Suitability |
|---|---|
| Under 10,000 | Decorative use only (cushions, drapery) |
| 10,000 to 15,000 | Light domestic upholstery |
| 15,000 to 25,000 | General domestic upholstery |
| 25,000 to 40,000 | Heavy domestic, hotel guest rooms |
| 40,000+ | Commercial and contract seating |
How Sarelli fabrics rate
Sarelli upholstery jacquards carry Martindale values starting at 25,000 cycles, published in the specifications of each design in the luxury fabrics collection. The test method itself, a figure-eight rub against wool cloth counted in cycles, is described in the article on Martindale and Wyzenbeek tests. A score of 60,000 is more than double the heavy-domestic threshold and suits airport-lounge-grade traffic.
