Harbour linen
A heavy Belgian linen with a soft, slubby hand. Creases are part of the charm.
Fabrics
The fabric library.
Sixteen fabrics we keep on the shelf because they work, plus every book from the major mills. Each one below has a rub count (how many thousand Martindale rubs it survived in testing), a fire rating, and an honest price band.
Showing all 16 fabrics
The fabrics
Oatmeal linen
The sofa fabric everyone asks about. Washable loose covers available.
Chalk linen union
Linen and cotton blend. Lighter on the pocket and takes a print well.
Brecon wool
Woven in Wales. Warm, naturally fire-retardant and nearly indestructible.
Slate herringbone
Classic weave for armchairs and footstools. Hides the dog.
Heather tweed
Flecked purples and greys. Suits Victorian frames and modern ones alike.
Ink velvet
Our signature. A dense cotton-blend velvet that catches the light.
Bottle velvet
Deep green, Crib 5 rated. The banquette fabric for half the pubs we do.
Rust velvet
Burnt orange with a brown undertone. One chair in this changes a room.
Mustard bouclé
Loopy, tactile, and made for mid-century shapes.
Cloud bouclé
Soft white with a cream fleck. Lovely on a curved sofa.
Oxblood hide
Full-grain aniline leather from a Northamptonshire tannery. Ages beautifully.
Tan hide
Classic saddle tan for car seats, bar stools and Chesterfields.
Sage performance
Stain-resistant, wipe-clean, looks like a plain weave. For families and cafés.
Charcoal performance
The office and waiting room workhorse. Crib 5 rated as standard.
Ticking stripe
Natural and ink stripe. Chaises, cushions and anything French.
Price bands: £ under £40 a metre, ££ £40 to £80, £££ over £80. Rub counts are the manufacturer's Martindale abrasion figure; 25,000 is fine for an occasional chair, 40,000 and up for a family sofa, 50,000 and up for commercial use. Every fabric here meets the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations as supplied or with the interliner we fit as standard.
Choosing well
Which fabric for which chair?
Linen for sofas and loose covers in a calm room; it creases, it softens, it looks better at five years than at one. Wool for armchairs and anything near a dog; it is warm, naturally fire-retardant and shrugs off wear. Velvet for a statement piece, a headboard or a banquette, where the pile catches the light. Bouclé on curved mid-century shapes. Leather for Chesterfields, club chairs and bar stools that get a hammering. Performance fabrics where small children, cafés or waiting rooms are involved.
Not sure? Tell us the room, who sits there and how hard. We will post you three samples that will work, free.
Questions we are asked
Can I bring my own fabric?
Yes. Send a sample first so we can check it is suitable for upholstery and either fire-rated or able to be back-coated. We will tell you how many metres to order and warn you if a dress or curtain fabric will not take the wear.
What does the rub count mean?
It is the Martindale abrasion test: a pad rubs the fabric until the threads break, and the number is how many thousand rubs it survived. For a sofa that is sat on every day, look for 40,000 or more. Commercial seating needs 50,000 and up.
Are your fabrics fire safe?
Every fabric in the library meets the UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations, either in its own right or with the fire-retardant interliner we fit as standard. For pubs and public buildings we specify Crib 5 rated cloths and supply the certificates.
How many metres will I need?
Roughly: a dining seat half a metre, an armchair five to seven, a two-seat sofa ten to thirteen, a three-seater thirteen to seventeen. Patterns with a large repeat need more. We will give you an exact figure before you order.
Three samples, posted free.
Tell us the piece, the room and who uses it and we will send you three fabrics that will work.