Topic
Mesh or fabric
The cover changes how warm a chair feels, how it wears and how it cleans. Mesh breathes, woven fabric is soft and warm, PU leather wipes clean but can peel over time.
- Coolest
- Mesh
- Easiest to wipe
- PU leather
Mesh backs and seats let air through and suit warm rooms; the tension of the mesh decides how much support it gives. Woven fabric over foam feels softer and warmer and hides wear well, but stains need treating.
PU leather wipes clean and looks smart, but it can crack or peel over the years and feels warm in summer. Some chairs pair a mesh back with a foam seat for a mix of both.
Common mistakes
- Buying PU leather for a warm room without ventilation.
- Expecting a very soft foam seat to stay the same after years of daily use.
Guides on this topic
- Mesh vs fabric vs PU leather office chairsMesh, woven fabric and PU leather chair covers compared on breathability, wear, cleaning and how each ages, with an example chair of each from our guides.Comparison
- How to clean an office or gaming chair by materialClean mesh, woven fabric, PU leather and real leather chairs the right way, what the W, S, W/S and X cleaning codes mean, and how to deal with spills and smells.How-to
Buying guides on this topic
- Best fabric gaming chairsSix fabric gaming chairs from Corsair, Razer, Trust, Genesis and Arozzi compared on cover material, armrests, recline, lumbar support and load rating.Buying guide
- Best mesh office chairsSeven mesh office chairs from ProtoArc, Sihoo, Hbada, Branch, Flexispot, Gabrylly and a renewed Herman Miller Aeron compared on mesh, lumbar, arms and tilt.Buying guide