Exciting development: new upholstery with real Comfortweave

RC92234 · Oct 11, 2022

I had ordered woven Comfortweave from SMS pre-pandemic and it arrived 6 mos or so ago. Finally got in touch with TMI and they'll be more than happy to use my Comfortweave in new upholstery for my '73 'vert. 4-6 weeks of production time *after* I send them my Comfortweave. They do make a full set of replacement covers (front and rear) but only have foam for the fronts. Price for custom was only a few hundred over standard deluxe covers (not counting the separate costs of the Comfortweave).

Very excited!

bkdunha · Oct 13, 2022

Did this same thing for my 72. I was very happy with the outcome of obtaining the SMS original material and having TMI sew it in their pattern to fit their foam. I hope you are equally as happy as I have been with the outcome.

Marks1 · Oct 14, 2022

I wonder why they don't just convert to using the more authentic material??

RC92234 · Oct 14, 2022

Marks1 said:
I wonder why they don't just convert to using the more authentic material??

Can't say I know for sure, but my understanding is the woven/knitted vinyl known as ComfortWeave was dropped at the end of 1973. Ford decommissioned the weaving machines which then sat idle (?) until SMS began their restoration on the machines nearly 40 years after they were last used. Imagine the difficulties in getting 40 year old machinery operable! We do it all the time with our cars, right? ha ha

SMS was selling old stock until it ran out and only have only been producing new stock in the last 2? years or so (it looks over 2 years from when I ordered to actually receive product). The current product used in lieu of true ComfortWeave simply presses an image into the vinyl and does not breathe.

Sheriff41 · Oct 14, 2022

Marks1 said:
I wonder why they don't just convert to using the more authentic material??

Probably price and availability of comfort weave material, and the affect on their selling price to the public. It would be nice if they would offer it as an option to their customers that are willing to pay the additional for real comfort weave.

ib4stangs · Oct 14, 2022

I pestered "Doug" at SMS for 7+ years to find me some blue comfort weave, #2212 before he offered me 2 yards, 2 years ago. From what he tells me it's the hardest color to find. For what he charged, this stuff must be the "hen's teeth" of 72-73 Mustang seat material !!!

70cobrascj · Oct 15, 2022

RC92234 said:
I had ordered woven Comfortweave from SMS pre-pandemic and it arrived 6 mos or so ago. Finally got in touch with TMI and they'll be more than happy to use my Comfortweave in new upholstery for my '73 'vert. 4-6 weeks of production time *after* I send them my Comfortweave. They do make a full set of replacement covers (front and rear) but only have foam for the fronts. Price for custom was only a few hundred over standard deluxe covers (not counting the separate costs of the Comfortweave).

Very excited!

I did the same thing for my 70 Cobra and they came out great.

Marks1 · Oct 15, 2022

RC92234 said:
I had ordered woven Comfortweave from SMS pre-pandemic and it arrived 6 mos or so ago. Finally got in touch with TMI and they'll be more than happy to use my Comfortweave in new upholstery for my '73 'vert. 4-6 weeks of production time *after* I send them my Comfortweave. They do make a full set of replacement covers (front and rear) but only have foam for the fronts. Price for custom was only a few hundred over standard deluxe covers (not counting the separate costs of the Comfortweave).

Very excited!

OK, probably a stupid question, but I just went on SMS's website, and it says they make interiors too. Couldn't you have bought your seat covers from them?

mrgmhale · Oct 15, 2022

Marks1 said:
I wonder why they don't just convert to using the more authentic material??

The other year we were i SoCal visiting friends. While visiting I was looking at a friend's recently restored 71 Mach 1, and he wanted me to meet the owner of the upholstery shop that did his seats. I met and spoke with the owner, an old school upholstery gentleman, about ComfortWeave being impossible to find. He had a few bolts of old ComfortWeave, but was beginning to run out of some colors. He told me the place they used to make it burned down and nobody else had the same machinery anywhere to make more. Sounded credible to me.

The guy was a master upholsterer, and truly concerned about not being able to find a young apprentice to teach the craft TO while he was still alive. He would get someone every once in aa while, but they leave for easier work or at the tormenting of friends who tease about being a "seamstress." So sad. A lifetime of experience about to be lost due to simple social pressures, and perhaps a touch of laziness. Were I a lot younger I would have snapped up that opportunity in a heartbeat. to learn such a skill at the hands of a master. It is a market that will always have a need for excellent talent. That and convertible top repairs and fabric.

RC92234 · Oct 16, 2022

Marks1 said:
OK, probably a stupid question, but I just went on SMS's website, and it says they make interiors too. Couldn't you have bought your seat covers from them?

Try to actually find these products; as best I can tell the entries listed are just place holders. In any case, TMI has a long held reputation for the end product and I was more comfortable working with them.

Greg · Oct 16, 2022

I called TMI a few years ago about grey and white stripe comfort weave which I had on a few cars, and they had no clue what I was talking about. They seemed clueless about any striped comfort weave.

bkdunha · Oct 17, 2022

mrgmhale said:
The other year we were i SoCal visiting friends. While visiting I was looking at a friend's recently restored 71 Mach 1, and he wanted me to meet the owner of the upholstery shop that did his seats. I met and spoke with the owner, an old school upholstery gentleman, about ComfortWeave being impossible to find. He had a few bolts of old ComfortWeave, but was beginning to run out of some colors. He told me the place they used to make it burned down and nobody else had the same machinery anywhere to make more. Sounded credible to me.

The guy was a master upholsterer, and truly concerned about not being able to find a young apprentice to teach the craft TO while he was still alive. He would get someone every once in aa while, but they leave for easier work or at the tormenting of friends who tease about being a "seamstress." So sad. A lifetime of experience about to be lost due to simple social pressures, and perhaps a touch of laziness. Were I a lot younger I would have snapped up that opportunity in a heartbeat. to learn such a skill at the hands of a master. It is a market that will always have a need for excellent talent. That and convertible top repairs and fabric.

You are correct. Many contributed to a post on the comfortweave issue in the past and nailing down when ford transitioned in the 73 model year. Mrgmhale is correct about the comfortweave manufacturer having a fire leading to the end of the material. My understanding SMS is selling off old stock they have. I do not believe the machinery is functioning any longer.

Marks1 · Oct 17, 2022

RC92234 said:
Can't say I know for sure, but my understanding is the woven/knitted vinyl known as ComfortWeave was dropped at the end of 1973. Ford decommissioned the weaving machines which then sat idle (?) until SMS began their restoration on the machines nearly 40 years after they were last used. Imagine the difficulties in getting 40 year old machinery operable! We do it all the time with our cars, right? ha ha

SMS was selling old stock until it ran out and only have only been producing new stock in the last 2? years or so (it looks over 2 years from when I ordered to actually receive product). The current product used in lieu of true ComfortWeave simply presses an image into the vinyl and does not breathe.

bkdunha said:
You are correct. Many contributed to a post on the comfortweave issue in the past and nailing down when ford transitioned in the 73 model year. Mrgmhale is correct about the comfortweave manufacturer having a fire leading to the end of the material. My understanding SMS is selling off old stock they have. I do not believe the machinery is functioning any longer.

HMMMM, I wonder which is correct?

Marks1 · Oct 17, 2022

Well, I just got off the phone with Leslie at SMS. She has been employed there for over 17 years. SMS did not purchase the weaving machines and she has no idea how that rumor got started. They have exhausted their supply of the 1972-73CW white and black woven ComfortWeave, but for you guys with red, green, or ginger, you are in luck because they still have some of that.

RC92234 · Oct 17, 2022

Hey, I was just passing on the information I got from others here about SMS purchasing the machines. I don't really care if they didn't buy the machines -- someone is finding or producing new ComfortWeave and Kim at SMS Fabrics sold me four yards back in 2020.

Which arrived recently.

Marks1 · Oct 17, 2022

Ray, I need the 1972 CW material for our car, so I was stoked to hear it was being reproduced, as I had heard it wasn't. Pardon me for checking with SMS, I wasn't trying to make you look bad, I was trying to help others who might think you were correct that it was being reproduced. According to Leslie, the material they got for you was not just made new, it was NOS from someone who had it. PLEASE find our she's wrong, I really want it too.

RC92234 · Oct 17, 2022

Marks1 said:
Ray, I need the 1972 CW material for our car, so I was stoked to hear it was being reproduced, as I had heard it wasn't. Pardon me for checking with SMS, I wasn't trying to make you look bad, I was trying to help others who might think you were correct that it was being reproduced. According to Leslie, the material they got for you was not just made new, it was NOS from someone who had it. PLEASE find our she's wrong, I really want it too.

When I first contacted Kim at SMS he sent me a Comfortweave sample sheet with samples of all the standard colors. I only needed the black so I placed my order stat. And then it arrived 2+ years later after a dozen or so "When is it coming?" emails.

I've only dealt with them by email so you might check with him ([email protected]) about white.

What I got is actually a black/grey weave, much like your upholstery is a white/grey weave. The old stuff in my car is 100% solid black but after two years of waiting with no real other alternatives, I'll be going with what they sent.

kevken1959 · Nov 2, 2022

I recently ordered and received enough black comfortweave from SMS to do one front seat bottom. It took about three months to come in. I too received a sample prior to ordering. Many years ago, I ordered and still have a bolt of the NOS white comfortweave that I'm saving for the right car. I can't say for sure if the new black yardage is repro or NOS, but my gut feeling is that it is repro. It just looks "newer" than the white comfortweave that had been sitting on a shelf for 30 years. Also, the black material I received has a little bit of a green cast to it. I think it could be "dusted" with black vinyl dye and wiped down and it would match the original seat cover okay.

Marks1 · Nov 2, 2022

kevken1959 said:
I recently ordered and received enough black comfortweave from SMS to do one front seat bottom. It took about three months to come in. I too received a sample prior to ordering. Many years ago, I ordered and still have a bolt of the NOS white comfortweave that I'm saving for the right car. I can't say for sure if the new black yardage is repro or NOS, but my gut feeling is that it is repro. It just looks "newer" than the white comfortweave that had been sitting on a shelf for 30 years. Also, the black material I received has a little bit of a green cast to it. I think it could be "dusted" with black vinyl dye and wiped down and it would match the original seat cover okay.

Well our car may be the right car, it's a no rot at all, 100% original car, other than one repaint, and an AM/FM/CB radio installed with speakers in the rear interior panels, (but I have the original AM radio with the correct knobs that came with it in the trunk. Original shocks, exhaust, etc. And it's a factory decor package car with racing mirrors, 351 H code and MANUAL 3 speed. A poor man's Mach 1 convertible. Our interior has a tired driver's seat, but and is only ok otherwise. I would love to freshen it up with new seat covers, but I really want it correct since it is so original.

Spike Morelli · Nov 4, 2022

Some 30 years back, I had a '70 Olds 442 W-30, that I restored. I had an upholstery shop that I had upholster a few cars for me prior, and had them do up the 442. No one, at that time, made pre sewn kits for the 442, so the owner personally sent out inquiries to obtain the correct grain and gold colored vinyl. The job came out so damned factory, I was thrilled, but he said to take care of it, as, at that time, he had found the last amount of that correct material available. As time went on, I sold the car. I don't think the guy I sold the car to ever knew how lucky he was to have the correct upholstery.
Photo shows a much younger me about to install a new Mondello massaged 455 in the engine bay, but that's the car.

Exciting development: new upholstery with *real* Comfortweave

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Exciting development: new upholstery with real Comfortweave