Upholstery Restoration and Trends

It's all possible, according to Jesse Sanchez, owner of California Auto Upholstery, based in the Orange County city of Garden Grove. These special orders are both a challenge and a profit center for Sanchez and his colleagues and competitors. Many high-profile customers who own upscale vehicles such as Rolls-Royces, Lamborghinis, Porsches and Ferraris—all which come with lovely leathers as part of the price tag—immediately order these interiors removed in favor of something that "better reflects their personal choice and lifestyle." This includes special embroidery, piping, the owner's initials in the headrest or seats, and other clever and unique touches. Two-tones are popular, as is suede and other exotic, but never illegal hides.


The influence of the MTV show "Pimp My Ride" has encouraged certain enthusiasts to request even more bizarre upholstery; specially made fabrics that feature iron crosses, cartoon characters and sports teams' logos have found their way into the interiors of SUVs, limos, even motorhomes. Upholstery, in other words, fit for a king. And speaking of Elvis, he was the master of interior design, for his cars as well as his home. Velvet slipcovers were a staple, in multiple hues. Can you dig it?

Style Makeover
If a customer specifies a style, no matter how bizarre, chances are that a good upholsterer can deliver. One ballplayer requested a steering wheel be embroidered with special stitching that made it look like a baseball. Even hot rodders seeking to restore a vintage Deuce coupe seek out the craftsman who can replace its '50s Naugahyde interior. Naugahyde, by the way, is a trademarked brand name, and has served the automotive market for many years, offering a variety of vinyl products, which it considers "the real performance fabric."


Most upholsterers who offer leather buy their goods from a tanning company, which in turn buys its hides from ranchers. The tannery cleans up and dyes the leather, generally in the most commonly used colors, but will, for special orders that come with special prices, deliver the occasional yardage of orange, deep purple or Rubio red to the discerning customer. Government regulations also require strict adherence to proper tanning processes, which typically involve some sort of chemical input to insure durability and longevity.

Dealer Upgrades
In addition to normal replacement of seats and door panels, what the pros call "reconditioning," upholsterers work with local dealerships to enhance new vehicles on their lot. Certain SUVs are the primary target. Many of these multi-seat vehicles now come with dealer-installed, highly sophisticated entertainment systems, which include multiple monitors placed throughout the interior. All these components require new upholstery to accommodate the upgraded headrests, consoles and seatbacks. Again, the emphasis is on customization—and it can go as far as the customer's pocketbook can accommodate. It's all about individual expression and the ability to display it.