Car Upholstery Fabric Manufacturers: Choosing The Right One

Car upholstery is key to not only the aesthetic of a vehicle, but its function as well. Drivers must sit comfortably in order to enjoy their vehicles, and in turn their cars should be easy to clean. Proper car upholstery depends not only on the type of fabric used, but also how one processes the fabric. Often, we must process car upholstery fabric with a backing, which makes it easier to apply—and no matter what type of fabric you need, you must work with qualified car upholstery fabric manufacturers.

Your first assumption, when running a business that requires car upholstery fabric, may be that you need to have car upholstery fabric manufactured independently. However, you have other options. Some options simplify the process. Others make it less expensive and more convenient. Among them is toll manufacturing—in fact, many car upholstery fabric manufacturers currently function as toll manufacturers. Let’s look into the process of toll manufacturing, as well as how it relates directly to car upholstery fabric.

What Is A Toll Manufacturer?

Often, professionals recommend that companies contact toll manufacturers when they require a product in mass orders. This is because, while it’s tempting to manufacture all of the necessary products in house, it’s often more convenient and less expensive to work with a third party. Additionally, toll manufacturers have experience and frequently have higher standards for quality control. However, many business owners remain uncomfortable regardless of the quality of the manufacturer, simply because they like to have control over production. This is understandable, if not always attainable.

A toll manufacturer operates under a specific system that merges the best of both worlds. When working with a toll manufacturer, you provide the raw materials while the toll manufacturer processes them for a fee. In contrast to what you would experience with other forms of outsourcing, you’re doubly assured of the quality of the product because you purchased the raw materials yourself. Furthermore, this allows you more control over the pricing—you’ll make that initial purchase, and you know that exact pricing is simply added to whatever the toll manufacturer is charging.

Another benefit of working with a toll manufacturer is that you can determine the exact formula and process used. All of this you can discuss with the toll manufacturer before they execute a pilot run.

What Companies Manufacture Car Upholstery Fabric?

Car upholstery fabric manufacturers can be more difficult to source than you might assume. Manufacturing car upholstery fabric is complex, and it’s crucial that any car upholstery fabric manufacturers you work with have the experience necessary to handle large orders. Not all clients require the same types of car upholstery fabric, after all.

Fortunately, CTI does manufacture car upholstery fabric, and we can easily walk you through the process through which we do so. The process of manufacturing car upholstery fabric can vary depending on the type of fabric manufactured. Some fabrics resemble velvet more closely, while others may be more similar to leather. The fabric ordered can depend on the type of car it is meant for, as well as consumer needs (consumers interested in easy-to-clean fabric may prefer faux leather over nylon, for example).

One of the key aspects of working with a toll manufacturer is that doing so requires understanding the specific processes of the manufacturer you choose. CTI has an open-door policy—we won’t hide our processes from you, and the initial consultation is as much about you vetting us as it is about you determining whether we can meet your needs. Furthermore, even before the aforementioned pilot run, we offer sample products to ensure that you’re happy with their quality before we move into further processing.

What Are the Signs of Bad Car Upholstery Fabric Manufacturers?

At first glance, there may seem to be many types of car upholstery fabric manufacturers.

We can make this process easy for you. Before attempting to process fabric in house, or working with car upholstery fabric manufacturers simply because they offer the lowest prices, we recommend making a few considerations.

Firstly, remember that as with any manufacturing process, what is cheapest is not necessarily what is best. When working with a toll manufacturer you do have the ability to control the raw material the manufacturer is working with. You do not, however, have the ability to supervise every step of the manufacturing process, and a subpar manufacturer could take those raw materials and deliver a faulty product. Not only would this result in missed deadlines, but reinvestment as well. You may not receive reimbursement for the faulty product, depending on the contracts, which leaves you forced to find replacement manufacturers.

Another issue to consider is simple peace of mind. You deserve to know that your products are delivered on time and in the condition you expected. While some small business owners only use toll manufacturers intermittently, others establish an ongoing relationship with them. It’s much easier for you to work with a good toll manufacturer from the start, resulting in a smoother process.

If you’d like to discuss the toll manufacturing process further, as well as how CTI can help you deliver upholstery fabric, connect with us on our website, or by calling us at 419-924-5566. Let’s find a way to ensure that you get the product you need—without bothering with the stress that comes with faulty car upholstery fabric manufacturers.