How the cloth is built
Every swatch below is drawn thread by thread from its weave plan, the same over-and-under a loom follows. Pick a weave and a colour, and zoom in to see the interlacing. On the velvet, move across the swatch to brush the pile.
What the weave tells you, and what it doesn't
The weave sets the texture, the drape and how a pattern is carried. It hints at wear: tight plain weaves and twills interlace often and hold together; satins and basketweaves float longer threads that can snag. It doesn't give you a number.
The number is the abrasion result on the spec sheet, with the method. A loose weave in a tough yarn can outlast a tight weave in a weak one, so check the sheet, not the name. The spec guide explains each line.
Weave questions
What's the most durable weave for a sofa?
Tight, dense weaves wear best: twills and plain weaves with a high abrasion rating. Satins and loose basketweaves have longer floats that can snag. Check the abrasion number and method rather than the weave name alone.
Is velvet practical with pets?
Cut-pile velvets in polyester or a performance finish are made for heavy use and clean well; cotton and silk velvets crush and mark. Claws can catch any loop pile, so a bouclé or a chenille with loops is a worse bet than a cut pile.
Why does my linen look different in the memo and on the roll?
Dye lots. Natural fibres take dye unevenly batch to batch. That's why we send a cutting for approval from the actual roll before it's cut.