Brentano
Brentano proves you do not have to choose between colour and performance. The American house built its whole reputation on fabric that is both beautiful and properly hard-wearing, and it has been doing it since 1990. Studio 198 supplies Brentano in the UK and worldwide, from its design-led upholstery and drapery to its wallcoverings, vegan leathers and eco textiles. If a project needs cloth that looks considered and survives a hotel, this is a good place to start.
The Brentano Story
Brentano is a family business with a proper founder's story. It started in 1990, when the artist Iris Wang and her husband E-Kwan Chen launched the company from their garage with just eight patterns. Iris, who trained as an artist and came to textiles almost by accident, still leads the design studio, drawing on fashion, architecture and history for each new collection. What began with eight designs now runs to more than 250. Their sons joined the business in 2017, making it a true second-generation family firm, and the founding mission has never changed: beautiful fabric with outstanding performance.
Beauty and Performance
That phrase, beauty and performance, is the whole point of Brentano. The colour and pattern are design-led and unmistakably modern, but every fabric is built to work: stain-resistant and easy-clean finishes, bleach-cleanable options for the toughest settings, and flame-retardant constructions for contract use. It is why the range turns up in homes, hotels and commercial interiors alike. For a UK contract job, ask us to confirm the double-rub or Martindale figure and the fire rating, such as Crib 5 (BS 5852), on the specific cloth. Brentano gives you the look without the compromise on wear.
Beyond Fabric: Wallcovering, Vegan Leather and Eco
Brentano is not only upholstery and drapery. The range also includes wallcoverings and wall panels, a strong line of vegan leathers for a durable, animal-free alternative to hide, indoor/outdoor fabrics for exposed settings, and a growing collection of eco-friendly textiles. It means you can take a single design sensibility across the soft furnishings, the walls and the harder-wearing surfaces of a scheme, all from one house. Sustainability sits alongside performance here rather than as an afterthought.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes Brentano and where?
Brentano is an American, family-owned textile company, founded in 1990 by Iris Wang and E-Kwan Chen and now run with their sons. It designs its own collections and is known across residential, hospitality and commercial interiors for combining strong design with serious performance.
Is Brentano suitable for commercial and hospitality projects?
Very much so, it is a core part of what Brentano does. The fabrics offer stain-resistant, easy-clean and bleach-cleanable finishes and flame-retardant options for contract use. For a UK project, we will confirm the abrasion figure and the fire rating, such as Crib 5 (BS 5852), on any cloth.
Does Brentano make vegan and eco fabrics?
Yes. Brentano has a substantial range of vegan leathers, an animal-free alternative to hide, and a dedicated collection of eco-friendly textiles, so a leather-free or lower-impact specification is well catered for. We can point you to the right options.
What is Brentano known for?
Beauty and performance in equal measure. It is the design-led American house that made its name on fabric which is colourful and modern but also seriously hard-wearing, from a founder, Iris Wang, who came to textiles as an artist.
Bring Brentano Into Your Scheme with Studio 198
Browse the Brentano collection online, or bring us the project. We ship worldwide, run trade accounts for designers and specifiers, and send samples so you can see the colour and feel the finish in your own light. For contract work we will confirm the abrasion and fire data on any fabric. Tell us the piece or the space, and we will get the right Brentano to you.
