Automotive & Headlining Fabrics

Automotive Upholstery and Headlining Fabrics

Shop automotive upholstery fabrics, vehicle headlining materials, foam-backed seating cloth and custom-stitched vinyl for cars, campervans, motorhomes, classic vehicles and van conversions.

Livedale supplies materials for vehicle seats, roof linings, door cards, interior panels, rock-and-roll beds and custom automotive trim.

These products may also be described as:

• Car upholstery fabric
• Automotive trim fabric
• Vehicle interior fabric
• Car headlining material
• Auto headliner fabric
• Campervan lining fabric
• Foam-backed seating cloth
• Van conversion fabric
• Quilted automotive vinyl
• Car seat repair fabric

The range includes:

• Suede Trim foam-backed faux suede
• Custom-stitched foam-backed automotive vinyl
• VW Golf-style striped seating fabric
• T6-style vehicle seating fabric
• Plain black, anthracite and light-grey seating cloth
• Perforated PVC headlining in four colours

The correct material depends on whether it will be used on a roof lining, seat, door panel or another interior section, as well as the required width, backing thickness, colour and fitting method.

Shop Automotive and Vehicle Interior Fabrics

Suede Trim Foam-Backed Faux Suede – 1.5m Wide

Suede Trim is a soft faux-suede automotive fabric laminated to approximately 3mm scrim foam.

The foam backing gives the material additional body and makes it suitable for shaped vehicle-interior surfaces where a soft-touch finish is required.

Potential applications include:

• Car headlinings
• Campervan roof linings
• Van wall panels
• Door cards
• Interior trim panels
• Seat panels
• Rock-and-roll beds
• Motorhome interiors
• Parcel shelves
• Custom vehicle conversions

The 1.5m width provides useful coverage across larger panels and many vehicle roof sections.

Available colours include:

• Beige SuedeTrim Foam-Backed Automotive Faux Suede
• Black SuedeTrim Foam-Backed Automotive Faux Suede
• Brown SuedeTrim Foam-Backed Automotive Faux Suede
• Butter SuedeTrim Foam-Backed Automotive Faux Suede
• Charcoal SuedeTrim Foam-Backed Automotive Faux Suede
• Grey SuedeTrim Foam-Backed Automotive Faux Suede
• Red SuedeTrim Foam-Backed Automotive Faux Suede

Foam-Backed Faux Suede for Vehicle Headlinings

Suede Trim may be used to recover a suitable vehicle roof board after the old material, degraded foam and adhesive residue have been removed.

The 3mm scrim-foam backing helps:

• Soften the finished surface
• Reduce minor substrate irregularities
• Provide a more substantial trimmed appearance
• Follow gentle curves and roof-board contours
• Create a quieter, softer-looking vehicle interior

Before fitting:

1. Remove the headlining board carefully.
2. Strip away the failed original fabric.
3. Remove degraded foam and adhesive residue.
4. Repair cracks or damaged areas in the board.
5. Position the new fabric before applying adhesive.
6. Allow sufficient material around every edge.
7. Work from the centre towards the outside.
8. Avoid stretching one section more than another.
9. Form openings and corners gradually.
10. Allow the adhesive to cure before refitting the board.

Use an adhesive suitable for the selected fabric, foam backing, substrate and temperatures experienced inside a vehicle.

Suede Trim for Campervan and Van-Conversion Panels

Foam-backed faux suede can also be used as a softer alternative to traditional carpet lining on suitable interior panels.

Potential areas include:

• Side-wall panels
• Rear-door panels
• Sliding-door cards
• Roof panels
• Window surrounds
• Storage-box panels
• Bed boards
• Decorative trim inserts

For large matching areas, calculate the total material requirement before ordering so adjoining panels can be cut in a consistent direction.

Custom-Stitched Foam-Backed Automotive Vinyl – 54″ Wide

The custom-stitched range combines automotive vinyl with decorative stitching and approximately 6mm foam backing.

The padded construction creates a quilted appearance without requiring the user to mark and sew every individual diamond or honeycomb section.

This material may also be known as:

• Quilted automotive vinyl
• Diamond-stitched car vinyl
• Honeycomb vehicle vinyl
• Padded upholstery vinyl
• Pre-stitched automotive fabric
• Campervan panel vinyl
• Custom car-interior vinyl

Potential applications include:

• Car-seat centres
• Rock-and-roll beds
• Campervan seating
• Door cards
• Van-conversion panels
• Headboards within motorhomes
• Interior side panels
• Custom trim inserts
• Boot and load-area panels
• Show-vehicle interiors

The material is approximately 54″ wide and should be planned carefully where a repeated pattern must align across several seat or panel sections.

Diamond-Stitched Automotive Vinyl

Diamond-pattern options include small, double and large diamond designs.

Available combinations include:

• Black Vinyl with Black Double-Diamond Stitching
• Black Vinyl with Red Double-Diamond Stitching
• Black Vinyl with White Double-Diamond Stitching
• Black Vinyl with Large Black Diamond Stitching
• Black Vinyl with Small Blue Diamond Stitching
• Black Vinyl with Small Red Diamond Stitching
• Black Vinyl with Small Black Diamond Stitching

Choose the diamond size according to the scale of the seat or panel.

Smaller diamonds may suit:

• Narrow trim inserts
• Seat centres
• Headrests
• Compact door cards
• Detailed custom work

Larger patterns may suit:

• Rock-and-roll beds
• Broad campervan panels
• Large seat sections
• Motorhome interiors
• Statement trim areas

Honeycomb-Stitched Automotive Vinyl

Honeycomb options provide a more geometric alternative to traditional diamond quilting.

Available combinations include:

• Black Vinyl with Black Honeycomb Stitching
• Black Vinyl with Orange Honeycomb Stitching
• Black Vinyl with White Honeycomb Stitching
• Grey Vinyl with Grey Honeycomb Stitching

Contrasting stitching can coordinate with:

• Vehicle paintwork
• Seat piping
• Dashboard details
• Interior lighting
• Carpeting
• Decorative panels
• Existing trim colours

Keep the pattern square and correctly aligned when cutting seat centres or neighbouring panel sections.

Foam-Backed VW Golf-Style Seat Fabric

The VW Golf-Style Foam-Backed Automotive Seating Fabric – 1.5m Wide is laminated to approximately 3mm scrim foam.

It is available in nine striped colourways:

• Grey stripe on black
• Blue stripe on black
• Red stripe on black
• Green stripe on black
• Orange stripe on black
• Yellow stripe on black
• Harlequin stripe on black
• Blue stripe on grey
• Grey and black stripe on grey

This vehicle seat cloth may be used for suitable:

• Car-seat centres
• Campervan seats
• Rock-and-roll beds
• Door panels
• Seat repairs
• Headrests
• Bolster inserts
• Custom vehicle interiors

The striped design should be positioned consistently across neighbouring cushions, seat centres and back panels.

This is a VW Golf-style fabric and should not be assumed to be an exact original-equipment match solely from the pattern name.

T6-Style Foam-Backed Automotive Seating Fabric

The Black T6-Style Foam-Backed Vehicle Seating Fabric – 1.5m Wide is laminated to approximately 3mm scrim foam.

Potential uses include:

• Campervan seats
• Rock-and-roll beds
• Front-seat repairs
• Door panels
• Seat centres
• Van conversions
• Custom automotive upholstery

The T6-style pattern works particularly well in campervan and Volkswagen-inspired interiors.

Pattern direction should be checked before cutting each section.

Plain Foam-Backed Vehicle Seating Fabrics

Plain automotive seating cloth provides a practical option where a quieter, less patterned vehicle interior is required.

The 1.5m-wide materials are laminated to approximately 3mm scrim foam.

Choose from:

• Black Foam-Backed Automotive Seating Fabric – 1.5m Wide
• Anthracite Foam-Backed Automotive Seating Fabric – 1.5m Wide
• Light-Grey Foam-Backed Automotive Seating Fabric – 1.5m Wide

Potential applications include:

• Car seats
• Campervan seating
• Rock-and-roll beds
• Door cards
• Seat repairs
• Motorhome cushions
• Headrests
• Interior trim panels

Plain colours can also be combined with patterned seat centres, contrasting piping or custom-stitched vinyl.

Perforated PVC Vehicle Headlining

The perforated PVC headlining range is approximately 1.4m wide.

Unlike the foam-backed fabrics in this category, these PVC headliners are not foam backed.

The perforations pass through the material rather than being a purely embossed surface pattern.

Choose from:

• Black Perforated PVC Vehicle Headlining – 1.4m Wide
• Cream Perforated PVC Vehicle Headlining – 1.4m Wide
• Grey Perforated PVC Vehicle Headlining – 1.4m Wide
• White Perforated PVC Vehicle Headlining – 1.4m Wide

Depending on the vehicle construction, the PVC material may be:

• Glued to a suitable prepared surface
• Fitted over an existing board
• Secured to wire supports
• Used within a traditional suspended headlining system

Check the original vehicle construction before removing the old headliner.

Foam-Backed or Non-Foam-Backed Headlining?

Choose foam-backed faux suede where:

• A soft-touch headlining is required
• The material will be bonded to a suitable roof board
• Slight cushioning is beneficial
• A contemporary vehicle interior is being created

Choose perforated PVC headlining where:

• The original vehicle used vinyl headlining
• A non-foam-backed material is required
• The headliner will be attached to wire frames
• A perforated traditional-style surface is preferred
• The vehicle construction suits glued PVC

Do not substitute one system for the other without checking the roof board, fixing method and original headlining construction.

Choosing Fabric for Vehicle Seats

When selecting material for a car seat or campervan bed, consider:

• Seat shape
• Required material width
• Direction of the pattern
• Foam-backing thickness
• Existing seat-cover construction
• Seam position
• Piping colour
• Wear areas
• Number of matching seats
• Required finished appearance

Foam-backed seating cloth is particularly useful for centre panels and decorative sections where a lightly padded construction is required.

Custom-stitched vinyl provides a more pronounced quilted appearance and may suit complete panels or selected feature areas.

Measuring Automotive Fabric

Before ordering:

1. Remove or measure the existing seat-cover sections where possible.
2. Record the maximum length and width of every panel.
3. Note the direction of stripes, diamonds or honeycomb patterns.
4. Allow for seams.
5. Allow for pattern matching.
6. Include material for piping and test pieces where required.
7. Check the full usable fabric width.
8. Allow additional material for curved or deeply shaped panels.
9. Group matching panels together.
10. Confirm the total quantity before cutting.

Do not calculate the requirement using the visible seat dimensions alone.

Seat covers include material hidden within:

• Seams
• Listings
• Hems
• Pull-downs
• Fixing channels
• Underside attachments

Patterned materials may require extra allowance so adjoining panels can be aligned correctly.

Pattern Direction and Matching

Before cutting striped, diamond or honeycomb fabrics:

• Identify the top of the pattern
• Mark the centre line
• Keep matching seat panels aligned
• Check left- and right-hand pieces
• Allow for seam take-up
• Match backrests with seat bases
• Keep the design square to door cards
• Check the appearance before sewing

A small alignment error can become much more visible once several patterned sections are installed together.

Cutting Foam-Backed Automotive Fabric

Use sharp Upholstery Shears and Fabric-Cutting Tools to cut the face material and foam backing cleanly.

Before cutting:

• Lay the material flat
• Check the face side
• Confirm the pattern direction
• Mark on the reverse where practical
• Keep templates correctly labelled
• Avoid compressing or stretching the foam
• Cut matching panels in the same direction
• Protect the fabric from dirt and adhesive

A rotary cutter may be useful for suitable straight or gently curved sections when used on a proper cutting surface.

Sewing Automotive Upholstery Fabric

Foam-backed fabrics and vinyls may require:

• A suitable heavy-duty sewing machine
• Automotive or upholstery thread
• The correct needle size
• Controlled presser-foot pressure
• An appropriate stitch length
• Careful pattern alignment
• Reinforcement at high-stress points

Browse Upholstery Sewing Threads for suitable thread options.

Prepare test seams before sewing the finished covers.

Testing can help confirm:

• Needle penetration
• Stitch appearance
• Thread tension
• Seam strength
• Pattern alignment
• Material feeding

Avoid very short stitches in vinyl, as closely spaced needle holes can weaken the seam line.

Fixing Vehicle Seat Covers

The original vehicle-seat construction may use:

• Hog rings
• Listing wires
• Hook-and-loop tape
• Clips
• Draw cords
• Retaining strips
• Staples on suitable timber components
• Plastic channels

Browse:

• Automotive Hog Rings and Hog-Ring Pliers
• Car-Trimming and Automotive Upholstery Tools
• Hook-and-Loop Tape

Photograph the original fixing arrangement before removing the old cover.

Bonding Automotive Headlining and Trim Fabric

Select an adhesive that is compatible with:

• The face material
• Foam backing
• PVC
• Roof-board material
• Door-card substrate
• Vehicle-interior temperatures
• The required open time
• The proposed application method

Browse Upholstery Adhesive Sprays and Aerosols for suitable adhesive products.

Before bonding:

1. Clean and prepare the substrate.
2. Test the adhesive on an offcut.
3. Check that it does not attack the foam.
4. Position the complete fabric section.
5. Mark a centre line where useful.
6. Apply adhesive evenly.
7. Allow the correct tack time.
8. Smooth the material progressively.
9. Avoid trapping creases or air.
10. Leave the bond undisturbed while it cures.

Do not soak foam-backed material with excessive adhesive.

Replacing a Sagging Car Headliner

A sagging headliner is often caused by the original foam layer degrading and separating from the roof board.

A lasting repair normally requires more than injecting adhesive through the visible fabric.

A typical replacement process involves:

1. Removing trim pieces carefully.
2. Taking out the roof board.
3. Peeling away the old fabric.
4. Removing all loose foam.
5. Cleaning the board.
6. Repairing damaged edges.
7. Trial-positioning the new material.
8. Applying compatible adhesive.
9. Forming the fabric around recesses and openings.
10. Trimming and refitting the completed board.

New material should not be glued over loose, powdery or degraded foam.

Vehicle Door Cards and Interior Panels

Foam-backed faux suede, seating cloth and custom-stitched vinyl may all be used on suitable door cards and trim panels.

The choice depends on whether the required finish is:

• Soft and understated
• Patterned and fabric-based
• Padded and quilted
• Plain and practical
• Colour matched to the seats
• Contrasting with the main interior

Before covering a panel:

• Repair damaged board
• Remove old adhesive
• Check clips and fixing holes
• Mark the pattern centre
• Allow material for wrapping edges
• Avoid excessive bulk around fasteners
• Keep openings correctly positioned
• Test-fit the panel before final assembly

Combining Automotive Fabrics

Different materials within the range can be combined to create a coordinated vehicle interior.

Examples include:

• Plain seating cloth with patterned seat centres
• Black vinyl with coloured stitching
• Faux-suede headlining with matching door cards
• T6-style fabric with plain black bolsters
• Anthracite seating fabric with charcoal Suede Trim
• Custom-stitched vinyl with contrasting piping

Keep the number of colours, patterns and textures balanced across the interior.

Ordering Automotive Fabric by the Metre

The materials in this category are sold by the metre.

Before ordering, check:

• Fabric width
• Number of seats or panels
• Pattern repeat
• Direction of the design
• Foam-backing thickness
• Seam allowances
• Matching requirements
• Spare material required for future repairs

Keep leftover material clean, dry and protected from direct sunlight so it can be used for later repairs or additions.

Cleaning Automotive Upholstery Fabrics

Cleaning methods vary between faux suede, woven seating cloth and vinyl.

Before cleaning:

• Identify the material
• Follow the relevant product guidance
• Test the cleaner in a concealed area
• Avoid soaking the foam backing
• Use a clean colourfast cloth
• Remove residue carefully
• Allow the material to dry fully
• Avoid aggressive scrubbing

Browse Fabric, Vinyl and Leather Cleaners for upholstery-care products.

Do not assume that a cleaner suitable for vinyl is also suitable for faux suede or woven seating fabric.

Trade Automotive and Headlining Fabrics

Livedale supplies automotive upholstery fabric, foam-backed seating cloth, perforated headlining, faux suede and custom-stitched vinyl to vehicle trimmers, campervan converters, automotive upholsterers, restoration workshops and private enthusiasts throughout the UK.

The range covers:

• Car-seat repairs
• Complete vehicle interiors
• Campervan conversions
• Rock-and-roll beds
• Door cards
• Roof linings
• Custom stitched panels
• Classic-car headlining
• Motorhome seating
• Bespoke trim projects

Approved trade customers can access preferential pricing across eligible products after registering for a trade account.

Measure the fabric width, pattern direction, backing thickness and complete panel requirement before ordering.