COMFORT
Special order upholstery is built by hand.  If your special order is not to your liking but conforms to vendor specifications, you may select a different style if you pay a 10% fee.  Alternately, firmer or softer cushion inserts may be available at a charge, or we may be able to add or remove back cushion filling.  Sofa and chair seats soften with use and usually become more comfortable with time.  Because comfort is an enormously variable and subjective matter, it should be noted that a sofa considered uncomfortable by its owner is not necessarily defective.  

CUSHIONS
Natural softening and flattening occur, often within the first few months of use.  Cushions are designed to conform to the shape of the owner and will not maintain their original appearance.  

FABRICS
Few fabrics are completely stable.  Fabrics breathe and absorb moisture, resulting in stretching or shrink­ing that are beyond control of the manufacturer or Client.  

Fabrics wear out with use.  They are not indestructible.  Some weaves are stronger than others.  A favorite chair or TV room sectional will not last as long as a seldom used showpiece in a living room.  

FABRIC CLEANING CODES
The codes below have been devised by the joint industry standards committee.  While they do not guarantee cleanability, they can be a useful guide.  Contact your warranty services supervisor for advice before cleaning.

S: Use only mild, pure dry cleaning solvents only.  Professional cleaning is recommended.  Use of water based cleaners may create water stains or shrinking.

SW: Use water based or pure solvents sparingly.  Professional cleaning is recommended.

W: Water based cleaning agents can be used sparingly.  Do not over saturate.

WS: Use a water based cleaner like Smithe Kote cleaner for water based stains.  Use pure solvents for oil based stains.

X: Use professional cleaning only.  Use of water or solvent cleaners may cause excessive shrinking, fading, and may leave rings around the stain.  Blot wet stains immediately with a clean terry cloth.

FABRIC DAMAGE FROM PROFESSIONAL CLEANING
Walter E. Smithe is not responsible for puckering, shrinkage, or other problems resulting from a profes­sional or amateur cleaning under any circumstances.  Obtain a written results guarantee before engaging an upholstery cleaner.  An inconspicuous area should be tested for fabric strength and colorfastness prior to cleaning.

FADING
All fabric and leather will fade with time and use.  Exposure to the air causes oxidation, a process that will accelerate when there is exposure to impurities in the air or when furniture is placed in a residence with poor circulation.  The fading process will greatly accelerate if furniture is left in direct or indirect sunlight.  Be sure to protect your furniture from sunlight.  Problems resulting from fading are not covered by our Warranty.

FLAMMABILITY
Our upholstered furniture is made in accordance with the Upholstered Furniture Action Council guidelines.  This certifies that the cover fabric and filling material are engineered to reduce, but not eliminate, ignition by a burning cigarette.  You are responsible to protect upholstery from ignition sources such as lit cigarettes.

FRAME AND SPRINGS
Minor crinkles and creaks sometimes occur when sitting down or getting up from a sofa or chair.  These are normal and cannot be eliminated.  Significant creaks or cracking sounds are covered by our lifetime frame Warranty.

PATTERN MATCHING
Plaids and stripes cannot be matched at every seam or separate panel due to limitations of the pattern design.  Unlike paper, fabric is not completely stable, so it cannot be assumed that patterns will be invari­ably square upon the cloth.  Such variation occurs due to the variable relationship between the pattern and the underlying material.  A perfect pattern match can be cost prohibitive due to the large amount of fabric required and cannot be guaran­teed.

ROCKERS, RECLINERS, AND SLEEP SOFA MECHANISMS
Different levels of effort are required to operate these chairs and some mechanisms work differently than others.  Some practice may be required to use them smoothly.  Minor adjustments to decrease or increase the level of effort required can sometimes be made.  Walter E. Smithe will send a technician to your home to help you learn to use your recliner or sleep sofa properly.  Mechanisms are not 100% silent during use.  Children should be supervised when using recliner and sleep sofa mechanisms.

TYPES OF FABRICS

Brushed Cotton will fade, stretch, and show variations in sheen.  Its strength is not diminished by these normal changes.

Cotton is very absorbent and is only moderately stain resistant.  Unbleached cottons contain small dark cottonseed particles.

Denim, like blue jeans, will fade and stretch within the first few months.  Denim fabrics will often show fine crease lines and ridges with use.

Loose Tweeds tend to wrinkle with use due to their relaxed nature.  Continued use emphasizes the comfortable, cozy effect they give to furniture.  These fabrics tend to pill with time, but pilling is not a sign of weakness and can be easily removed with a pilling shaver.

Olefin is a very durable man-made fiber, but overall satisfaction depends upon tightness of the weave.  The more loosely woven variety has a tendency to stretch and pill with use.

Silks and Satins have a tendency to crush and openly admit the existence of seam lines or pressure wrinkles.  Whether sleek or loomed with an irregular slub weave, they remain a symbol of prestige and quality.

Velvet and Corduroy expect crush marks and differ­ences in sheen.

VARIATION FROM FLOOR SAMPLES
Because of differences in fabric weight and drape, and the variable techniques of individual craftsmen making the furniture, handmade furniture will vary up to 5% in size, shape, and seating position, compared to the floor samples or sizes noted in catalogs.

WRINKLES
Sofas and chairs are made of soft, flexible materials designed for comfort.  Wrinkles and puckers may sometimes be present.  The weight and design of the fabric and style will affect the extent of the wrinkles.  Fabrics with woven designs tend to wrinkle.  Smithe will remove any undesirable wrinkles when your furniture is deluxed prior to delivery.  The remaining wrinkles are a normal part of the fabric and cannot be removed.