BV 509 Mixed animal Hair

BV509 Mixed Animal Hair for Traditional Upholstery

BV509 Mixed Animal Hair is a natural upholstery filling traditionally used when restoring chairs, sofas and other upholstered furniture.

The blend contains:

• 40% pig hair
• 40% South American horse hair
• 20% cattle tail hair

Animal hair has long been valued by upholsterers because the fibres are naturally resilient and springy. Unlike softer loose fillings, the hair can be teased, shaped and built into defined upholstery layers while retaining useful body and recovery.

It can be used as a first or second stuffing depending on the construction and finish required.

Traditional Animal Hair Upholstery Filling

Natural animal hair is closely associated with traditional and heritage upholstery.

It is particularly useful where the aim is to recreate the construction, feel and appearance of older furniture rather than replacing the original materials with modern foam or synthetic fibre.

Typical uses include:

• Antique chair restoration
• Traditional armchairs
• Dining chair seats
• Sofa restoration
• Upholstered backs and arms
• Footstools
• Traditional seat pads
• Furniture rebuilding
• Heritage upholstery
• Mattress and bedding restoration

For other traditional filling materials, see Hair & Coir Upholstery Fillings range.

Why Is Animal Hair Used in Upholstery?

Animal hair combines several useful characteristics for traditional upholstery.

Natural Resilience

Hair fibres naturally flex and recover, helping the filling retain body rather than simply compressing flat.

Shape Building

Loose hair can be teased and distributed by hand, allowing the upholsterer to control the shape of seats, backs, arms and edges.

Breathable Structure

The open structure created by the fibres allows air to move through the filling, which is one reason animal hair has historically been used in upholstery and bedding.

Traditional Performance

For antique and period furniture, animal hair allows restorers to retain a method of construction much closer to the original upholstery.

First & Second Stuffing

BV509 mixed animal hair can be used as either a first or second stuffing.

A first stuffing is generally responsible for creating much of the fundamental shape and body of a traditionally upholstered section.

A second stuffing provides additional refinement and comfort before the final covering layers are applied.

The exact construction will depend on the furniture, the original upholstery method and the required finish.

Animal Hair for Traditional Seat Building

A traditional upholstered seat is usually constructed from several materials working together.

Depending on the furniture, these may include:

• Jute webbing
• Upholstery springs
• Springing twine
• Hessian
• Coir or animal hair
• Felt or wadding
• Calico
• Top fabric

For rebuilding the underlying support structure, see Springs & Webbing range.

For traditional hand stitching and spring tying, see Sewing Threads & Twines.

Working With Loose Animal Hair

Mixed animal hair should normally be teased apart before use rather than placed into the furniture in dense clumps.

This allows the upholsterer to:

• Distribute the filling evenly
• Build gradual contours
• Avoid hard spots
• Create defined edges
• Control the finished firmness
• Work the filling into shaped furniture sections

Traditional upholstery tools such as regulator needles, curved needles, skewers and pins can make shaping and controlling the filling considerably easier.

see Needles, Pins & Skewers range for specialist hand-upholstery tools.

Mixed Animal Hair vs Hair & Coir

Both are traditional upholstery fillings, but they provide different levels of firmness.

Mixed animal hair is finer, springier and generally softer.

Hair and coir mix combines animal hair with coarse coconut fibre to provide greater structure and firmness.

Choose BV509 mixed animal hair where you want:

• A traditional natural filling
• Greater refinement
• Natural spring and resilience
• A more flexible material for shaping
• First or second stuffing applications

For a firmer alternative, see the 50/50 Hair & Coir Fibre Mix.

Mixed Animal Hair vs Ginger Coir

Ginger coir is substantially coarser and firmer than animal hair.

It is particularly useful for strong foundation layers where structure is more important than softness.

Animal hair is generally preferable where a finer, more resilient finishing or stuffing layer is wanted.

For firm foundation work, see Ginger Coir Fibre.

Loose Animal Hair vs Rubberised Hair

Loose animal hair offers maximum control because the upholsterer can tease, shape and distribute it by hand.

Rubberised hair is formed into a consistent sheet, which can be quicker to use where a uniform thickness is required.

For sheet-based upholstery work, see the Rubberised Hair Sheet.

Natural Upholstery Material

BV509 is made entirely from animal hair rather than synthetic polyester filling.

For restoration projects where traditional materials and construction methods are important, this makes it particularly appropriate.

The real advantage, however, is not simply that it is natural, it is the combination of resilience, spring, breathability and workability that has made animal hair useful to upholsterers for generations.

Available Bag Sizes

BV509 Mixed Animal Hair is currently available in:

• 3.25kg bag
• 10kg bag

The quantity required will depend on the size of the furniture, depth of filling and whether the hair is being used as a first or second stuffing.

For larger projects or help choosing the correct filling, contact us.

BV509 Mixed Animal Hair is a traditional upholstery filling made from a resilient blend of pig hair, South American horse hair and cattle tail hair.

It is naturally springy and breathable, animal hair is used as a first or second stuffing for traditional upholstery, furniture restoration and heritage seating.

• 100% natural animal hair filling
• 40% pig hair, 40% South American horse hair and 20% cattle tail
• Resilient, springy and breathable
• Suitable as a first or second upholstery stuffing
• Use it for chairs, sofas, backs, arms and restoration work
• Available in 3.25kg and 10kg bags