They are both cars, made from sheet metal, rubber, glass, fabric and so on, yet one is one of the best cars you can buy and highly wanted while the other is no longer on the road and not wanted at all. But both will get you where you want to go, made in Europe and so on. The same rules aply to upholstery. Value, one has value and the other has none or little. If you want more money for your upholstery work you have to rase how people see the value of what you do.
Education is a great way to do that.
Educate your customers to your craft and quality and the lack in fabricated factory furniture. Remember Vangoch's painting are just canvice and oil. Any one can do that. Tiffany Glass was once junk as well, now it's highly covited. Change in people's minds the value of upholstery.