What Is Bouclé Fabric? Learn Why Interior Designers Love This New Trend

Redecorating your home updates the space to match your personality. It makes every room more cozy and welcoming, especially if you take advantage of the latest trends. Bouclé fabric is the latest phenomenon that designers can’t get enough of. Check out why it’s so popular and how you can use it to make any space more inviting.

What Is Bouclé Fabric?

It’s easy to picture the texture or durability of fabrics like cotton or polyester. They’re in almost every piece of home decor and furniture. You’ve likely used them in every home and apartment you’ve ever lived in. Bouclé fabric became less popular in the ‘90s as cotton and the standard fabrics took center stage. Now it’s back and bigger than ever.

The word bouclé originated in France and describes curled or looped yarn of three plies or more. It’s a bouncy fabric that has a little more life and texture than standard cotton. It might feel nubby at first touch, but it retains its appealing softness with age.

Is Bouclé Fabric Environmentally Friendly?

Everything has some form of carbon footprint, but wool is low on the list of environmental concerns. Since bouclé traditionally contains only wool, it’s extra popular because it’s sustainable. If you ever need to throw out your fabric and it ends up in a landfill, the wool returns nutrients to the earth as it decays.

You might also find bouclé options made with alpaca wool blends. If the wool comes from an animal and is entirely natural, it will break down similarly to traditional sheep wool.

Always research brands before buying, especially if your most prominent interior design priority is sustainability. Some brands may treat their wool with non-biodegradable chemicals or lack a green mission statement for their overall business plan.

Can You Get Bouclé Fabric Anywhere?

The French name might make it seem like you have to buy bouclé fabric from an expensive shop, but that’s not always the case. It’s often available at most fabric retailers and furniture stores. You’ll find the best place to buy it when you decide on an interior design project. You wouldn’t need to go to a fabric store if your desired furniture is already available in bouclé.

How to Use Bouclé Fabric in Interior Design

There are many ways to use this fabric in your home. It depends on your project ideas and what you want to accomplish. 

Upholster Old Furniture

Everyone loves sinking onto a super soft chair or couch. The fabric should feel like it’s embracing you after a long day, which is precisely what bouclé fabric does. Upholster old furniture to save money while revamping your home. You could even find unique furniture at flea markets for a great deal and bring them to life with this kind of colorful wool.

Hang Bouclé Drapes

Utilizing natural light changes the entire vibe of your home. Hang bouclé drapes so the popular fabric becomes the room’s focal point. The thick fabric directs light into your home and makes a huge visual difference with little work.

Cuddle Under Bouclé Blankets

Interior designers often add pops of color with throw blankets. They look perfectly at home on a couch, chair or bed. Find a colorful bouclé blanket for any space that needs texture and depth. You’ll make your home more vivid and avoid breaking your lease if you’re a renter.

Craft Iconic Decor

Sometimes it feels challenging to decorate empty walls. There are so many possibilities that you might become overwhelmed. Before you worry about hiring an expensive designer to finish the job, consider bouclé-inspired decor. 

The fabric adds a nice textural layer to your home. Surround a corkboard with bouclé edging or line picture frames with the wool. It’s the perfect way to decorate with custom art decor and tackle that blank wall space that doesn’t call to your decorative intuition.

Make New Pillowcases

Bouclé fabric is also soft enough to work as a decorative pillowcase. It has a pleasant weight that isn’t too heavy for pillows, like jean fabric. Instead, you’ll get pillows that maintain their shape and fit the cozy vibe you want during the fall and winter seasons.

You don’t need a sewing machine to make bouclé pillowcases. As long as you find some fabric glue, anyone can make a new pillowcase in record time. Pick your pillow size, order bouclé fabric in whatever color you want and you can make trendy decor for your couches and beds.

Add Bouclé Fabric to Your Home

Interior designers are getting back into bouclé and you can too. Use this guide to learn more about this fabric and discover the many ways it can personalize your home by elevating your design choices.