Materials Guide: Choosing Commercial Event Furniture
Material choice critically impacts weight, handling, cleaning, durability, and overall appearance. This guide details how each material in the Expo Direct range performs under rigorous commercial use, helping you make an informed decision for your events.
Materials in the Expo Direct range
Moulded plastic (polypropylene shell)
Primarily used in Eames-style chairs and Eames Eiffel armchairs, polypropylene shells offer excellent practicality. They are exceptionally easy to wipe clean, retain their shape through extensive use, and are available in a diverse palette of colours. This makes them highly suitable for most commercial environments, especially those requiring frequent handling and sanitisation.
- ✓ Exceptionally easy to wipe clean
- ✓ Highly resistant to surface marking
- ✓ Lightweight compared to padded options
- ✓ Available in a wide range of colours
Steel construction
Featured in full steel tables, Tolix-style chairs, and the bases of Eames Eiffel armchairs, steel stands out as one of the most robust and durable materials for commercial furniture. Its clean visual aesthetic and consistent finish are ideal for modern event, venue, and hospitality settings.
- ✓ Superior structural durability
- ✓ Powder-coated finish resists marking and wear
- ⚠ Heavier than plastic or timber alternatives
- ✓ Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use
Beech and composite bases
Commonly found in Eames-style chairs and similar shell-seat designs, beech legs provide the visual warmth of natural timber while offering reliable structural support. They are an excellent choice for venues and event environments where a clean, modern aesthetic with a touch of natural elegance is desired.
- ✓ Offers a warmer aesthetic than all-steel options
- ✓ Ideal for indoor venue and hospitality use
- ⚠ Less suitable for outdoor or wet conditions
Padded upholstery
Utilised in conference chairs, upholstered seating prioritises comfort for extended periods, making it perfect for conferences, formal events, and meetings where attendees remain seated for long durations. However, this comfort often comes with higher maintenance requirements in environments with food or high turnover.
- ✓ Enhances comfort for prolonged events
- ⚠ Requires more intensive cleaning in food-service areas
- ⚠ Less practical for environments with frequent chair repositioning
Common questions about event furniture materials
Which material is easiest to clean?
Moulded plastic shells and smooth, powder-coated steel surfaces are the most straightforward to wipe down and maintain in busy commercial settings.
What provides the strongest modern look?
Steel tables, Tolix-style chairs, and clean-shell Eames seating collectively create a cohesive and strong contemporary aesthetic, perfect for modern commercial venues.
What if comfort is the top priority?
Padded conference seating is the optimal choice for situations where guests will be seated for extended durations, such as full-day conferences, seminars, or formal meetings.
How does material choice affect sustainability?
Materials that are easy to clean and highly resistant to wear and tear naturally extend the product's lifespan in commercial use. For more details on durability and responsible buying, please see our dedicated Sustainability page.
Explore our commercial furniture
Browse our comprehensive buying guides or head directly to our product categories for chairs and tables.