10 best sofa fillers

Our rating opens with the most inexpensive filler option - furniture synthetic winterizer. This is a very light and airy non-woven fabric made of polyester fibers, which gives additional softness and volume to the furniture structure. The synthetic winterizer does not have a very good reputation, many buyers consider it to be very short-lived, complain about the loss of shape and quick abrasion. However, if the manufacturer uses a synthetic winterizer in combination with other types of stuffing materials, the life of the sofa can be significantly increased.

In addition to the low price, the furniture padding polyester has other positive characteristics. It is quite environmentally friendly, does not cause allergies in people with special sensitivity to synthetics, has good thermal insulation properties and is not susceptible to infection by mold spores. Products with synthetic padding can be safely placed in children's rooms - the weight of the child will not affect the wear rate of the material. In other cases, such designs are best used not for sleeping, but as a way to design a living room.

The next participant in our review refers to materials in the manufacture of which a large percentage of natural raw materials are used. In this case, these are wool fibers of domestic animals (most often sheep), balancedly "diluted" with synthetic raw materials. Furniture felt is produced in the form of panels of different thicknesses, which are used as a cushioning layer between the spring and polyurethane foam block.

Such technology is fully justified. It allows you to more evenly distribute the load, prevents the appearance of dents on the surface of the sofa, provides excellent thermal conductivity and environmental safety of the furniture product. Another undoubted advantage of this type of filler is its high hygroscopicity, strength, wear resistance and affordable price. The disadvantage of furniture felt is the poor ability to restore its shape and the high risk of infection by various pests that are “indifferent” to natural wool.

Despite the unusual nature of this filler, the history of its use dates back at least several centuries, because people learned to use sea grass flooring for sleeping long before the appearance of comfortable upholstered furniture. This is a unique stuffing material that not only creates optimal conditions for a comfortable stay, but also helps our body become stronger and healthier.

Under the influence of human heat, algae saturated with beneficial microelements begin to release them into the atmosphere, thereby beneficially affecting human well-being.Due to their therapeutic effect, sofas and couches with this type of filler are especially recommended for children and those who suffer from reduced immunity. Also, such products are distinguished by excellent orthopedic properties, they retain their shape for a long time and do not cause allergies. The only barrier to purchase may be the lack of this type of product in ordinary furniture stores. Unfortunately, far from all manufacturers can find furniture with a "stuffing" of sea grass.

Today, more and more buyers prefer frameless furniture, which is able to take any form, literally enveloping the human body. The comfort of items of this kind largely depends on the quality of the filler - it must be flexible enough to adapt to the sitting position, but at the same time, prevent the user from falling to the very bottom of the soft structure.

Expanded polystyrene copes best with the task - a mass of many light balls of different diameters, formed as a result of foaming polystyrene. This stuffing material has been used since the 60s of the last century, in practice proving its effectiveness and ease of use. It is non-toxic, does not absorb odors, is resistant to temperature changes and has a very low weight, so that the sofa or bean bag chair can be easily moved from room to room. Over time, expanded polystyrene can shrink somewhat, which is why manufacturers recommend periodically replenishing its volume directly in the finished product.

Periotek is one of the most modern padding materials, which is produced in the form of a high-volume non-woven dense from high-quality polyester fibers. It has improved restoring characteristics, as a result of which the seats and cushions of the sofa acquire good elasticity and retain their shape for a long time.

This practical and not too expensive filler was developed specifically for the improvement of upholstered furniture. The vertical way of laying the fibers contributes to a more active resistance to compression, so the surface of structures with a periotek base always remains quite dense and elastic. And due to the fact that no adhesives are used in the production, it can be classified as environmentally friendly and does not cause allergies. Products with periotek are produced mainly by large furniture factories. Since not all stores have comprehensive information about their products, we advise you to clarify this issue directly on the manufacturers' websites.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that sofas equipped with a Bonnel spring block have the longest history of origin. The technology has been used in furniture production for over 100 years, rightfully considered one of the most reliable and time-tested.

Sofas with a similar "stuffing" are great for daily use. All elements of the block are firmly interconnected, the springs do not sag and do not unwind, which allows people with a large body weight (from 110 kg or more) to use such furniture without fear.To achieve higher strength, manufacturers often reinforce the Bonnel block with a steel frame frame. This not only has a good effect on the performance of the product, but also helps it retain its original shape and neat appearance longer. The disadvantages of this type of material include a creak that appears after several years of operation. But of the spring fillers, Bonnel is the most affordable.

Hollofiber is a fairly new type of filler, which immediately became a favorite with many manufacturers of upholstered furniture. In fact, this is an improved synthetic winterizer of a new generation, which we wrote about in detail above. The material is made from the same polyester raw material, but has a slightly different structure. It is produced in the form of fluffy balls of small sizes (usually used for stuffing pillows and rollers) or soft monolithic slabs (directly for sofa seats).

Thanks to the twisted shape of the fibers, the holofiber copies the contours well and restores its original volume much more efficiently than its predecessor. Therefore, furniture based on it is often bought "for every day", that is, for constant use. At the same time, this filler retains all the advantages of synthetic winterizer. It is very soft, hypoallergenic, moisture resistant and does not accumulate static electricity. And a very affordable price will be an additional bonus to buying sofas on holofiber.

Another representative of spring technology in our rating is a mattress made of vertical spiral elements, each of which is enclosed in an individual cover made of dense matter. The cost of sofas with a similar internal arrangement is significantly higher, however, the advantages of this type of construction undoubtedly surpass their earlier counterparts.

Unlike the inexpensive dependent filler Bonnel, in an independent block a uniform load is created on the surface of the bed, which allows the furniture to naturally “adjust” to the shape of the body of a lying person. This is a more rational approach from the point of view of physiology, providing not only a high level of comfort during sleep, but also significantly extending the life of upholstered furniture. In addition, the springs enclosed in the fabric do not creak, do not rub and are not capable of damaging the skin in case of breakage. We can say that the independent block is the most ergonomic type of spring fillers, forming a "point" support, the only drawback of which is the high cost.

Natural latex is a high-quality and safe filler of natural origin, which is often installed inside expensive premium upholstered furniture. The high cost of the material is due to the complex production technique and the high cost of the main raw material (rubber plant juice extract). However, the excellent consumer characteristics of this product fully justify all the funds invested in the purchase.

Sofas on a latex basis have excellent elasticity.They ideally support the spine during sleep and rest, recover quickly, do not cause allergies and are completely silent during operation. The porous structure of the material provides the necessary air exchange and regulates the level of humidity inside the product. In winter, such a filler retains heat well, and in summer it gives the body a pleasant coolness. The service life of upholstered furniture with natural latex is approximately 15-20 years, so it can be safely called one of the best for everyday use.

The first line of our rating is occupied by polyurethane foam - the most popular material for filling modern sofas in the middle price segment. PPU (it is also called furniture foam rubber) is a foamed mixture of several polymers with a high degree of elasticity and resilience. There are two types - block (in the form of sheets) or liquid (poured directly into finished forms).

Polyurethane foam from different manufacturers may have different technical data. Today, products are on sale with both a standard set of characteristics and models with an orthopedic memory effect. Of course, each of the additional parameters directly affects the rigidity of the piece of furniture and its final cost. The best option, which optimally combines convenience and affordability, is artificial latex. By choosing this high-comfort PPU, you can not overpay for unnecessary options, while using all the advantages of this type of filler.Sofas with polyurethane foam inside are produced by all furniture companies - from world-famous concerns to small private firms, so finding them in stores will not be difficult.