One of the things you have to pay attention to is the fabric content that you are selecting for your upholstery (you don't mention the content in your complaint). Here's a tip I tell all my customers : "All man-made fabrics pill". There's a number of fabrics on the market that have 100% polyester or high poly contents and yes, they are going to pill. This also holds true for Dacron, Nylon, Olefin, etc. My suggestion is to usually get blends, something with a natural content in it. Cotton/Wool/Linen in the blend usually achieves better results over time. Don't get hooked into the Microfiber or Performance fabric hoopla. All that means is they are easier to clean, its not they are more durable.
Fabrics also have "rub values" or the more technical term is a Wyzenbeek test. Materials are put in a machine and a mechanical rub goes back and forth and counts the cycles until there is noticeable wear. This includes pilling. So a fabric that has a 60,000 cycle rub count is 4x as durable as one that has a 15,000 cycle rub. That information is readily available from most all the manufacturers if you ask.
In furniture, you usually get what you pay for and consider shopping where there is a knowledgeable sales force that can tell you things like I have (above). You'll have better luck with purchases that way.
Duane Collie
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