On Seating, while fabric is preferable, vinyl can be acceptable; hard plastic is not.
I understand the challenges with fabric, though would note its fairly normative for GO Train seating, Coach buses and Airlines.
To me, the hygiene argument, while relevant (I'm a marginal germaphobe) is too much of an excuse for under-funding cleaning operations.
I would also add, there is a circular chicken-egg thing.......if an environment looks like it demands care, and it receives care, then people tend to take more care with it.
If it looks crap, and is maintained poorly, people tend to treat it with less care.
With some eye to practicality I'd rather aspire to raise the bar than to lower it.