Caring for Tailored by OKA furniture

Tailored by OKA Upholstered Furniture

All Tailored by OKA upholstered furniture is made to order in the USA by a team of highly skilled craftspeople.

From start to finish, each piece is created with the utmost care and attention to produce distinctive designs constructed to high standards from carefully selected materials. With the correct care and maintenance, your Tailored by OKA furniture will provide you with years of comfort and satisfaction—please take some time to read how to care for your item properly.

Fabric Features

Our Tailored by OKA collection of upholstered furniture is available in a selection of linens, velvets, leathers and wools. Each fabric has different characteristics, which require different methods of care to keep them looking their best. Every effort is made to ensure that the products supplied correspond as closely as possible to the display items in our stores, fabric swatches, and images used in our magazines and on our website; however, variations may occur during normal manufacturing between each batch of fabric and due to the unique characteristics of natural materials.

Clever Linen

• Our clever linen has the typical look and feel of natural linen, but with extra benefits due to the synthetic additions woven into the yarn. It is partly moisture wicking with high light fastness and rub count.

• Dab spills with a damp cloth immediately—do not wipe or leave the stain overnight.

Fine Basket Weave

• Dry clean only.

Bouclé

• Dry clean only.

• Iron on a low temperature if necessary.

Boiled Wool

• Dry cleaning recommended.

• To maintain the fabric, all pillows should be turned regularly to avoid uneven wear.

• Frequent light vacuuming will greatly extend its life.

• We do not recommend exposing this fabric to sunlight as it may cause some fading.

Heirloom Leather

• Dust absorbs moisture and will cause your leather to dry out. To avoid this, periodically dust with a dry cloth.

• Blot stains immediately with a dry cloth to absorb all the moisture. Do not rub the leather as this may spread the liquid and create larger marks.

• Spot clean with a mild soap and water solution; mix three parts water with one part mild soap. Do not use chemicals or abrasive cleaning agents. The stain will look its worst at the time of the incident but will begin to disperse and look like a part of the fabric.

• Use the heat of your hand or a hairdryer to smooth out and remove scratches. The natural waxes and oils in the leather should shift and move to cover the scratch.

• Avoid positioning your leather furniture in direct sunlight as this will cause it to fade. If this is unavoidable, try draping a throw blanket over the exposed leather to protect it.

• Never place leather items directly against a radiator as the heat will dry out the leather and cause it to crack. Applying leather conditioner can reduce the rate of damage over a prolonged period of time.

Seat Cushions, Fillings & Seat Covers

Our Tailored by OKA seat cushions contain high quality fillings carefully calculated to give the ideal loft for each style. All seat and back cushion fillings will compress when used, just like a pillow. The appearance and performance of your cushions can be preserved by regular maintenance. Follow these simple steps as soon as your furniture is in use:

Foam and fiber with a Dacron Wrap

• This is a firmer and more supportive filling than fiber alone, which softens with use.
• Due to small tolerances in the polyurethane foam manufacturing process, the hardness of the foam may vary from cushion to cushion within the same product or order; however, the variance may reduce with use over time.
• Plump cushions firmly on the outside borders occasionally to restore air between the fibers and maintain the shape.
• Seat cushion covers should be rotated and redressed regularly to realign the seat edges.

All Cushion Fillings

• Fillings which are not maintained correctly from the beginning will bind and become difficult to restore, losing comfort and shape.
• Swap reversible cushions around and turn where possible to ensure equal wear.
• Some Tailored by OKA styles have cushion covers which are not fully reversible. Non-reversible fiber-filled cushions should have the pad removed from the cover and turned over occasionally.
• Cushions are likely to have moved during transit and, because they need time to settle, may cause slight lifting of the back pads. Redressing may be required so that they sit correctly. Ensure the cushion inserts are positioned squarely and flat on the seating platform so the backs sit flush with the seat.
• The feel of the seat will vary depending on the fabric and size chosen; different fabric compositions can either give a more relaxed or firm feel to the seat when in use. Larger versions of the styles have more cushion surface area for air to escape, so may become more compact and feel different from smaller options in the same style.

Fire Retardancy

• All foam is manufactured to meet stringent flammability regulations; additives used to comply with this standard may occasionally give rise to a slight odor which will dissipate over time once the product is unwrapped, aired and in use.

Frames, Legs, Feet & Levelling

All Tailored by OKA frames and legs are crafted using sustainably sourced birch hardwood, using the traditional screw and dowel method for maximum durability. The removable legs are available stained to an Ebony or Grayed Oak finish.

Furniture must be positioned on a solid, level surface to ensure the product does not rock and damage the frame; use felt pads on the feet or castor cups to assist if the floor is not level and to protect wooden and delicate flooring from possible marking.

Removable legs that screw in may loosen with use; check monthly that they are secure by gently turning, but be careful not to over tighten.

Avoid dragging or dropping your upholstery onto corners or feet, or leaning back on two legs as this may cause damage. Always lift furniture with two people and place it down gently.

To clean the wooden legs on your furniture, use a clean, damp cloth. They can be polished occasionally with natural wax. We recommend that you do not use household detergent or cleaning products on them.

Sunlight And Environment

If upholstery is exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time, it will cause the color and fabric to deteriorate. Usage in hot and sunny areas is not recommended.

We advise leaving at least a foot of clearance from heat sources such as radiators to prevent color change or permanent marks occurring. Likewise, keep furniture a safe distance away from working fireplaces.

Do not place hot items such as cups, laptops or hot water bottles on the fabric as these may leave marks.

We do not recommend keeping products in excessively high or low temperatures or where the environment is often damp, as this may cause issues.

General Maintenance Instructions

To help prolong the life of your upholstery, we advise the following:

Cleaning

• Regular cleaning with a soft brush and/or gently vacuuming helps keep your furniture looking its best as accumulated dust will accelerate the wear of covers.
• Periodic cleaning of the entire piece is essential to maintain appearance and prevent premature fading and wear, as ground-in dirt will damage the fabric.
• All upholstery products should be professionally cleaned in situ unless otherwise stated. We recommend you use a reputable specialist upholstery care professional and request that they perform a color fastness test on an inconspicuous area before cleaning, as OKA cannot take responsibility for third party actions.
• Do not dry clean or wash covers unless it is specifically stated that you can, as doing so could result in a loss of fire-retardant properties and cause fabric durability issues.
• Remove all spills immediately. Blot liquid spills with a clean, dry, white cloth, working towards the center of the spill. Do not rub or use abrasive cleaners as this may damage the furniture. Should the piece become stained or suffer other damage, we recommend professional help is sought.
• For wooden components, use a lightly damp cloth rinsed in warm water. Do not use a detergent. Polish periodically with a natural wax.

Care

• Avoid sitting on the arms or edges of furniture as this may cause distortion.
• Pushing feet against or placing them on the arms may cause damage to the arms or frame.
• Please do not allow your furniture to be jumped on as this will damage the springs and frame.
• Take care to prevent sharp objects such as toys, buckles, garment studs and heels from coming into contact with your furniture as they may cause damage.
• We recommend you discourage domestic pets from climbing on or clawing upholstery. If snags do occur, do not pull them; instead, thread them back in gently. If you share your furniture with pets, we advise you to clean any covers regularly to keep them looking their best.
• Avoid air pollution such as cigarette smoke and cooking fumes, which can cause fabric to fade or change color.
• Avoid contact with chemicals such as baby wipes (except for use on clever velvets), haircare and skincare products, fake tans, insect repellents and other cosmetics, or household cleaning materials other than those recommended as these are likely to damage the surface.
• Take great care when unzipping covers and replace them correctly. Never force a zipper, and avoid trapping fabric when fitting or lifting items by the zippers.