Protective strips for use in the manufacture of upholstered furniture include a fastening strip portion, a cover strip portion and a hinge portion which flexibly connects the fastening and cover strip portions to one another. In use, the protective strips may be positioned such that a portion of the upholstery fabric is sandwiched between the fastening strip portion thereof and a portion of the furniture frame to which the fabric is to be attached. Suitable fasteners (e.g., staples, tacks, nails, brads and like fasteners) may then be physically driven through the fastening strip portion and the underlying fabric portion into the furniture frame and thereby fasten the fabric portion physically to the frame. Once the fastening strip portion has been fastened to the furniture frame, the remaining fabric portion may be doubled over the fastened tail portion which in turn causes the cover strip portion to be folded over the fastening strip portion. In such a manner, the heads of the fasteners are physically covered by the cover strip portion so as to prevent contact with the overlaid fabric. As such, rubbing of the fabric against the fastener heads is prevented so as to thereby preclude (or at least substantially minimize) fabric abrasion and wear.