Office Chair Materials Compared: Mesh, Velvet, Faux Leather, Rattan and Wood
By Furniture1004 min read
Two chairs of the same shape can feel completely different through a working day depending on what they are covered in. The material decides how warm the chair is to sit in, how it copes with a coffee, how long it looks new, and whether it reads as office equipment or as furniture.
Here is what each one is like to live with, and which of our chairs use it.
Mesh
Mesh is a woven, open fabric stretched across the backrest, and its point is air. It lets air through, so your back does not stick to the chair on a warm afternoon. It also gives a little as you move.
Our mesh chair is the Aero: a curved polyester mesh back over a seat of high-density foam, with padded armrests that flip up. It suits a room that is clearly a workspace, and in a coloured frame it can be a bright choice rather than a plain one. It comes with black, white, blue, pink or purple frames.
Living with it: a soft brush on the vacuum for dust, and a damp cloth for marks.
See all our mesh office chairs.
Velvet
Velvet has a short, dense pile that catches the light, which is why a velvet chair looks like furniture before it looks like anything else. It is the material for a desk that sits in a bedroom or a living room, where a black office chair would look out of place.
Ours include the Oliver, in quilted velvet with rubber wood armrests, the Sterling, a grey velvet chair with diamond tufting, the Ornix in beige velvet on feet rather than wheels, and the Kasper in quilted cream velvet.
Living with it: brush the pile in one direction now and then to keep it even, blot spills rather than rubbing them, and keep the chair out of hours of direct sun. Pale velvet at a busy desk needs more care than dark.
See all our velvet office chairs.
Faux leather
Faux leather, also sold as PU leather or leather-look, is a coated fabric. It is the practical choice: most spills sit on the surface and wipe off with a damp cloth. It holds its colour, and it never needs feeding or conditioning. What it will not do is soften and develop a patina over the years the way hide does, and we say faux leather so nobody expects it to.
Ours include the button-tufted Aston and Denton, the channel-tufted Vaughn, the Dexter, whose faux leather the product page describes as slightly waterproof, and the Otis, in a glossy finish the maker calls LeatherSoft.
Living with it: a damp cloth for spills. Like any coated fabric it can feel warm on a hot day and is happiest away from direct sun and radiators.
See all our faux leather office chairs.
Rattan
Rattan is a natural cane woven into an open panel, usually on the back of the chair. Like mesh, it lets air through; unlike mesh, it looks warm and handmade, which is why it suits a home office that wants to feel relaxed rather than corporate. You can also see through it, so the chair takes up less of the room visually.
Our rattan chair is the Nash, which pairs a woven rattan back with a faux leather seat, fixed wooden arms and a silver metal frame, on castors that lock.
Living with it: a dry cloth for dust. Keep it away from radiators, as with any natural material.
See all our rattan office chairs.
Wood
On an office chair, wood is usually the frame or the shell rather than the seat, and it changes what the chair says about a room. A walnut-finish shell looks considered rather than corporate, and it matches a wooden desk in a way black plastic never will.
The Orion has a curved walnut-finish shell with quilted upholstery inside, and no arms. The Otis wraps a curved walnut bentwood frame around its seat, and the Dexter uses a bentwood-style frame in a walnut effect. The Oliver's arms are rubber wood.
Living with it: a dry or barely damp cloth, and keep it away from radiators so the finish stays even.
See all our wooden office chairs.
Which to choose
- A long day in a warm room: mesh.
- A desk in the bedroom or the living room: velvet.
- Spills, children or a desk you also eat at: faux leather.
- A small room that should feel light: rattan.
- A wooden desk to match: a wood shell or wooden arms.
Many chairs mix materials, which is no bad thing. A wooden shell with an upholstered seat gives you the look of one and the comfort of the other.
Find yours
Free UK delivery and 30-day returns on every chair, and you can Make an Offer on any of them.
For fitting a chair into a bedroom or an alcove, read office chairs for a small home office, and for what the levers underneath do, office chair adjustments explained. Or browse all the office chairs.
Frequently asked questions
Which office chair material is easiest to clean?
Faux leather. Most spills sit on the surface and come off with a damp cloth, which is why it suits a desk that also sees coffee, lunch and children. Mesh is easy too, with a soft brush and a damp cloth, while velvet needs a little more care.
Is velvet practical for an office chair?
Yes, with a little care. Brush the pile in one direction now and then, blot spills rather than rubbing them, and keep the chair out of hours of direct sun. Darker velvet forgives a busy desk better than pale.
Is PU leather the same as real leather?
No. PU leather is a coated fabric, which is why we call it faux leather or leather-look. It wipes clean, holds its colour and does not need feeding or conditioning, but it will not soften and develop a patina over the years the way hide does.
Does a mesh office chair stay cool?
Mesh lets air through the backrest, so your back does not stick to it in a warm room. That is the practical reason people choose one for a long day at a desk.
Can I mix materials in one room?
Yes, and a single chair often does. Our Nash puts a rattan back, a faux leather seat, wooden arms and a metal frame together. The easiest way to make a mix look deliberate is to repeat one of the materials somewhere else in the room, such as a wooden desk under a chair with wooden arms.
