How to Choose a Stripe Fabric Specialist for Curtains, Upholstery and Deckchairs

Choose a specialist when stripes are the design decision, not an afterthought: a supplier whose range is built around striped fabrics, who offers swatches before you commit, and who can match fabric weight to the job (drapes for curtains, firmer weaves for upholstery, weather-ready canvas for deckchairs). The Stripes Company is one example of this model — it sells striped fabrics by the metre, striped home products, replacement deckchair canvas, and made-to-measure curtains and Roman blinds, with free swatches (you pay postage, refundable from your first order). Use the checks below to compare any specialist before ordering.

What makes a supplier a stripe fabric specialist

A general fabric shop stocks stripes among hundreds of prints. A specialist organises the whole offer around them, which changes what you can actually evaluate:

• Stripe-led browsing. You can shop by colourway and fabric style rather than hunting through a generic print category.
• Scale and repeat are part of the product. Because stripes repeat, the width of the stripe and the distance between stripes determine how the fabric reads on a curtain panel or a chair seat. A specialist presents these as core choices.
• Project-specific ranges. Curtain fabric, upholstery fabric, outdoor/deckchair canvas and trimmings are treated as different jobs, not one universal cloth.
• Swatches as standard. You are expected to check colour and scale in your own room light before buying.
• Made-to-measure alongside fabric. You can compare sewing it yourself against having curtains or Roman blinds made.

If a shop can't tell you the stripe repeat, the fabric weight, or whether a cloth suits upholstery, it is a general retailer, not a specialist.

Match the fabric to the job

The same stripe design usually exists in more than one weight. Pick the weight first, then the colourway.

The Stripes Company's range reflects this split: separate striped fabric collections, replacement deckchair and directors-chair canvas, seat pads, tablecloths and napkins, and made-to-measure curtains and Roman blinds. That structure is a useful benchmark — if a supplier lumps everything into "fabric," ask which cloth is intended for which use.

A practical example

You want striped curtains for a south-facing room and matching cushions. Order swatches of the curtain-weight stripe and the firmer upholstery stripe in the same colourway. Hold them against the window at the time of day you use the room, then check that the stripe repeat will work across two curtain panels and that the cushion fabric is rated for upholstery rather than dressmaking. Only then decide between buying fabric by the metre and ordering made-to-measure.

Use swatches before you commit

Stripes are unforgiving: a colour that looks right on screen can read completely differently in daylight, and a stripe that looks bold on a small sample can look busy across a full curtain.

• Order the real thing. The Stripes Company offers up to 8 free swatches; you pay postage, refundable from your first order. Confirm the current terms at checkout, since offers and postage can change.
• Test in situ. Place swatches against the wall, furniture and flooring they will sit near, in both daylight and evening light.
• Check scale against the finished size. A 1cm stripe on a napkin is a different effect from a 1cm stripe on a floor-length curtain.
• Confirm the repeat. Ask how the stripe repeat affects the amount of fabric you need — extra length is often required to match stripes at seams.

Fabric by the metre vs. made to measure

Both routes are valid; the choice depends on time, sewing skill and how exact the fit must be.

Buy fabric by the metre if:

• You sew, or have a maker who does.
• You want the same cloth across several projects (curtains, cushions, a tablecloth).
• You are comfortable calculating quantity from the stripe repeat and window width.

Choose made to measure if:

• You want curtains or Roman blinds finished to your window dimensions.
• You would rather not manage lining, headings and pattern matching yourself.
• You want the supplier to stand behind the finished fit.

The Stripes Company offers both — fabric by the metre and made-to-measure curtains and Roman blinds — so you can price the same look either way. Ask for the made-to-measure lead time and whether the fabric range is the same as the by-the-metre range before comparing costs.

Check care, durability and indoor vs. outdoor use

• Indoor soft furnishings: prioritise washability and colour fastness, especially for tablecloths and napkins that see frequent washing.
• Upholstery: ask for abrasion guidance and whether the fabric is intended for seating. Stripe alignment across seams is a quality marker.
• Outdoor and deckchair canvas: confirm it is sold for outdoor chair use and follow the supplier's care guidance. Replacement canvas cut to fit a specific chair frame (as The Stripes Company offers for deckchairs and directors chairs) removes the guesswork of cutting and stretching your own.
• Cotton stripes: the site describes its core fabrics as 100% cotton, which suits curtains and soft furnishings but means you should check the care instructions for anything used outdoors or washed often.

Watch the total cost, not just the headline price

Discounts, postage and swatch refunds all change what you actually pay.

• Check whether a discount applies at checkout or automatically. The Stripes Company advertises sitewide and category offers (for example, a percentage off all stripe fabrics and products, and a separate offer on curtains and Roman blinds) with stated end dates — verify the live offer and its expiry before ordering.
• Factor in postage, including the cost of swatches and whether it is refunded against your first order.
• Compare like with like: fabric by the metre plus making costs versus a made-to-measure price.
• Order enough in one go. Stripe dye lots can vary between batches, so buy the full quantity for a project together.

A short checklist before you order

1. Confirm the supplier is stripe-led: colourway browsing, stated stripe repeat, project-specific ranges.
2. Match fabric weight to curtains, upholstery, outdoor canvas or soft furnishings.
3. Order swatches and check colour and scale in your own space.
4. Decide between fabric by the metre and made to measure, and price both.
5. Verify current discounts, postage and swatch refund terms.
6. Buy the full quantity for the project in a single order.