A cat's claws or a dog's nails can mark any fabric. That is why no sofa fabric should be sold as immune to scratches. What a well-chosen fabric does is give a claw fewer places to catch and clean more easily.

Technical sheets often show the number of Martindale cycles. This test measures wear by friction: a sample of the fabric is rubbed against an abrasive surface until it shows signs of use. It is a good indicator of how long the fabric will last with daily use, but it does not measure what happens when a claw catches a thread.

With pets at home, the sofa gets wet paws, mud, water from the bowls and, at times, accidents. A fabric that repels liquids gives you time to clean before the stain gets into the upholstery.

• Repelling liquids: the liquid stays on the surface for a while, instead of soaking straight into the fabric.
• Cleaning with water: most stains come out with water and a soft cloth, without harsh products.
• Acting early: even on a fabric that repels liquids, clean the stain as soon as you see it.

A claw catches where it finds a loose thread or a loop. In a tight weave, the threads are pressed close together and the surface is smooth, so the claw tends to slide rather than pull a thread.

Microfibres, suede-touch fabrics and short-pile velvets on a tight base are usually the best suited to homes with pets. Run your hand over the sample: if you feel ridges, knots or threads that lift with a fingernail, the fabric will snag.

Your pet's hair will end up on the sofa, whatever the fabric. What changes is how much it shows. A fabric in a shade close to your pet's coat hides it between cleans. A very light fabric shows dark hair, and a dark fabric shows light hair.

Mid tones, such as greys, sands and camel, hide most coats. On a smooth surface, hair comes off more easily with a lint roller or the vacuum cleaner. On textured weaves, it gets caught between the threads.

The fabric is one part of the answer. The other lies in the habits of the house:

• A throw on the favourite spot: pets almost always choose the same spot. A washable throw there collects hair and dirt and goes in the washing machine.
• Trimmed claws: regularly trimmed claws catch less. If you are not comfortable trimming them, your vet can do it.
• A scratching post near the sofa: a cat needs to scratch. A stable scratching post beside the sofa gives it another place to do so.

• Bouclé: it is made of small loops, where claws catch easily and hair clings.
• Open weaves: thick, loose threads, as in some tweeds and chenilles, leave room for a claw to get in.
• Loose linen: a more open linen weave is fragile against claws and marks easily.
• Silk: it is a delicate fabric that marks and wears easily.

To see the sofa as part of the whole living room, from the measurements to where it goes, see our guide on the right sofa and the guide to the most common living room mistakes.

In our store, 9 fabrics are marked pet-friendly. On each piece's page, they appear together, in a «Pet-friendly» group. In the collection, they are described as fabrics that repel liquids and clean with water and a soft cloth.

• Aqua Sky, Aqua Gold and Aqua Soft: a knit that looks like suede or matte faux leather, with no pile. It is the fabric we recommend with pets or children.
• Velvet Sand, Velvet Light Gray and Velvet Camel: a short, dense pile velvet.
• Velvet Mid Gray, Velvet Off White and Velvet Natural: a short pile velvet that changes shade as the light falls on it.

The fabric never changes the price of the piece. The collection Pet-friendly sofas and beds brings together the 37 pieces available in these fabrics, including sofas, beds and benches. Among our sofas, the HUG 3-seater, the MADDOX 3-seater and the HAVEN 3-seater are among the models you can choose in one of these 9 fabrics. On the HUG, the outer back and the sides of the arms are in eco-leather.