Determination of the Abrasion Resistance of Upholstery Fabrics Used in Office Chairs Having a Massage Mechanism

Various studies in the literature examine the disorders and productivity losses experienced by office workers. An office chair having a massage mechanism is also designed to prevent these disorders and to increase the comfort of office workers. The rubbing movement of the massage mechanisms causes abrasion on the surface of upholstery materials over time. Hence, the selection of upholstery materials to be used in office chairs having massage mechanisms is important. In this study, upholstery materials that are used in office chairs having massage mechanisms have been investigated. As a contribution, spacer fabrics have been used by combining with office chairs having the massage mechanism. Furthermore, the abrasion resistance of 4 different spacer fabrics has been measured and compared with the materials used in the market. In addition to the abrasion resistance test, the air permeability test has been carried out to investigate the breathability of upholstery materials. We have found that the abrasion resistance of leather, artificial leather, and spacer fabrics is superior to other fabrics’ abrasion resistance. The results reveal that spacer fabrics have better breathability than any other material.