Hey,
I never thought that I would be writing a blog about the topic mentioned above. But here I am doing exactly the same thing. See I am in India, so I will be just putting infront of you an Indian scenario.
Yesterday it so happened that one of my architect friends happened to ask me , what would you suggest, Mr Salesman, a paper backed wallpaper or a fabric backed wall covering for a residential site. My answer was obviously a paper backed wallpaper. Lot of people also ask me the same question, but since I am not just a vendor but also a client service manager so my job also involves educating the clients and providing best solution as per their requirements. So let me just try to start from the scratch into explaining why fabric backed and why paper backed.
The right word to use for a fabric backed wallpaper is " wall covering" and not a wallpaper. Since there is no paper backing so that's why it is a wall covering. So let me give you an example or two to explain whether to use a paper backed or a fabric backed. Say for example, If you want lot of designs, floral patterns, handmade wallpapers, or if you want to impress someone or how the walls look is a matter of pride for you, then obviously one should go for paper backed. (Besides, it is a wrong perception that paper backed can only come in economical ranges. The price range of paper backed wallpapers would vary from less than a hundred bucks and can easily go upto few thousand rupees per square feet).
But if you dont want designs and durability is the only concern for you (few commercials and hospitality segments, whose primary aim is durability and cost effectiveness) go with fabric backed wallcoverings. Unlike a residential site, where in the quantities are small and people prefer different designs and patterns for different walls, the commercial segment generally uses the same pattern and also the quantities are huge, so that's why cost effectiveness. If I tell a house owner to use the same pattern in all rooms, he will tell me that I have gone mad and trust me, this is a common response which we get.
Now let's talk about some facts based on my primary research.However please note that the research was conducted some 4 months ago, and whether to use paper backed or fabric backed was part of the survey. So, just thought of putting in the excerpts from the same. The data has been derived from surveying 110 end users, 25 interior designers and architects and 7 major contractors who have used or are planning to use wallpapers. The graphs have been depicted at the bottom. The survey has been conducted in Delhi region only.
Out of the total people interviewed, only 5 percent of the population is aware of fabric wallpapers and out of those 5 percent 80 percent of the people prefer paper backed wallpapers. The figure shoots upto 97 percent when you tell them that fabric backed would have limited designs compared to a paper backed. There is a very strong law of demand and supply which exists in the Indian wallpaper industry. Since only 0.05 percent of the total population prefers a fabric backed wallcovering, therefore not many suppliers are willing to stock it unlike the case of paper backed, and hence the time and the cost becomes high.
Besides, these days some commercial projects are using fabric wallpapers, because they just want durability and the same pattern everywhere, with some subtle designs. In those cases since quantities are good, so clients can save a good amount via freight, duties (through EPCG licences, hotels can save even more) and because of little margins in case of big projects.
Other important factor which has to be taken into account is that only 1 percent of wallpapers, which are available in India are of Indian make. And whatever is made in India is as per the demand ie.only paper backed with lots and lots of floral designs. The Indian wallpaper market of today is very much similar to the Chinese paper market of 1970's. So we are moving towards the Chinese market of today, but very very slowly.
Besides, as per the research lot of people get bored seeing the same design again and again. So one of the reasons that they prefer paper backed is that you get some very nice designs in paper backed plus mostly economical range plus one can easily change them after 3 or 4 years.
To give you a jist, I am a big fan of wallpapers and it doesnot really matter as long as I am able to fulfill the needs of the client, provided client is ready to pay for the paper backed or the fabric backed and also wait for the wallpapers(mostly true in case of fabric backed).
Besides we as a company dont just think of ourselves as just mere vendors, because ultimately the aim is to service the clients,which we have always tried to do, and educating them is also a part of providing them the right service, I guess......
Thanks for reading the blog and I hope you liked the blog. Would now be waiting for some good orders from your side. (Paper Backed or Fabric Backed; anything will do)
Please find below the graphs of the surveys...
