thestripescompany.com

Choose striped curtains by matching stripe scale to your window size, picking a fabric weight that suits the room, and ordering free swatches before you commit to made-to-measure. The Stripes Company sells 100% cotton striped fabrics for curtains and soft furnishings, offers made-to-measure blinds, and currently lists 10% off all curtains and Roman blinds for orders placed by 31 October, alongside free swatches (up to 8, postage only, refundable from your first order). Use this guide to decide on fabric, stripe scale, and ordering route.

Match stripe scale to the window and room

Stripe width changes how a curtain reads from across the room.

• Fine stripes (around 1cm): read as texture rather than pattern. Good for small windows, busy rooms, or where you want colour without a bold graphic effect. The site's Classic 1cm Stripes colourway appears across its soft furnishings range, so you can coordinate curtains with cushions, tablecloths and seat pads.
• Wide, bold stripes: make a statement and suit large windows or plain rooms where the curtain is the focal point. On a narrow window, very wide stripes can overwhelm the space.

Stripe direction matters too: vertical stripes make a window look taller, horizontal stripes widen it. Check the stripe run on a swatch before ordering, since the direction on the roll determines how the finished curtain hangs.

Choose fabric weight and lining for the room

The site describes its core range as 100% cotton stripes for curtains, upholstery and soft furnishings. Cotton suits casual living rooms and bedrooms where you want a natural look.

• Light control: for bedrooms or rooms facing streetlights, plan for a lining or a heavier option. The site lists made-to-measure blinds alongside curtains, which is worth considering where you need tighter light control than a curtain alone provides.
• Coordinating a room: because the same striped fabrics cover curtains, upholstery and accessories, you can carry one stripe through a room. Order swatches of your shortlist together so you can compare them side by side in your own light.

Decide between ready-made, made-to-measure and Roman blinds

Measure the track or pole width (not just the glass) and the drop from the pole to your preferred finished length before ordering either made-to-measure curtains or blinds. For blinds, follow the site's measuring guidance for the specific blind type, since recess and exact measurements differ from curtain measuring.

Order swatches before you buy

The site offers up to 8 free swatches; you pay postage only, refundable from your first order. This is the cheapest way to avoid a colour mistake.

1. Shortlist your stripe scales and colourways on the site.
2. Order up to 8 swatches.
3. Hold them against the window at different times of day — north-facing rooms and strong afternoon sun both shift how a stripe colour reads.
4. Check stripe direction and how the fabric drapes before committing to made-to-measure.

Check current offers and delivery before ordering

The site currently lists:

• 10% off all curtains and Roman blinds for orders placed by 31 October.
• 20% off sitewide with the discount applied at checkout, running until Monday 26 October at 11.59pm.

Confirm which offer applies to your basket at checkout, and check delivery times for made-to-measure items before ordering — bespoke curtains and blinds typically take longer than ready-made products. If you are ordering for a fixed date, place the order with enough lead time and confirm the delivery estimate at checkout.

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.

The Stripes Company sells striped Roman blinds and curtains made to measure, alongside striped fabric by the metre, so you can either order a finished blind or have one made from their fabric. Before ordering, confirm the current blind styles, lead times and whether made-to-measure items can be returned, then request free swatches, measure your window recess or outside mount, and place the order with your chosen stripe and size. The site currently advertises 10% off all curtains and Roman blinds for orders placed by 31 October, and free swatches (up to 8, postage only, refundable from your first order).

Check what the retailer actually offers

The site's product range covers striped fabrics, striped products, replacement deckchair canvas and trimmings. The made-to-measure offer appears in its curtain and Roman blind promotion, so the practical first step is to confirm:

• Blind style: Roman blinds are the style named in the site's offers. Check the product pages for the full list of available styles before assuming other blind types.
• Made to measure vs fabric by the metre: Both exist. Fabric by the metre suits a local maker; a finished Roman blind suits ordering direct. Decide which route you want before measuring, because the measurements you supply differ.
• Returns: Made-to-measure items are commonly excluded from standard returns. Confirm this on the product page or with the retailer before ordering, since the site excerpt does not state a returns policy for bespoke blinds.

Choose a stripe that works as a blind

Striped fabric behaves differently on a blind than on a curtain or cushion, because the drop is fixed and the stripes run vertically down a flat panel.

• Stripe scale: Fine 1cm stripes (as used in the site's tablecloths and napkins) read as a subtle texture from a distance; wide bold stripes become a strong graphic feature. Match the scale to the window size — a small window can be overwhelmed by very wide stripes.
• Pattern repeat: Ask for the vertical repeat so you know how the stripes will fall across the drop. A repeat that doesn't divide evenly into your drop can leave an odd partial stripe at the bottom hem.
• Alignment across panels: If the blind is wider than the fabric, or you're pairing it with curtains, confirm how stripes will be matched at the seams. This matters most with wide or irregular stripe designs.
• Light and colour: Order free swatches (up to 8, postage only) and view them in your room at different times of day. Screen colours are unreliable for judging stripe colour and contrast.

Measure before you order

Measurements depend on whether the blind sits inside the window recess or outside it. Use a metal tape measure and measure in millimetres, then convert to the units the order form requires.

Inside the recess

1. Measure the width at the top, middle and bottom of the recess and use the smallest figure.
2. Measure the drop at the left, centre and right and use the shortest figure.
3. Note any obstructions — handles, tiles, uneven plaster — that could stop the blind sitting flush.

Outside the recess

1. Decide how far the blind should overlap the window on each side (typically enough to clear the frame and reduce light gaps).
2. Measure the total width you want covered, plus the drop from your chosen fixing height to the point where the blind should finish.
3. Check there is a solid fixing surface for the brackets above the window.

Record both sets of figures and compare them with the retailer's measuring guidance for the specific blind before ordering — some makers ask for the recess size and make their own deductions, others ask for the finished blind size.

Place the order and check the details

• Confirm the fabric and colourway against your swatch, including the exact stripe name, since similar colourways can look alike on screen.
• Enter measurements in the format requested and double-check the width/drop order — reversed measurements are a common and costly error on made-to-measure orders.
• Check current offers: the site advertises 10% off all curtains and Roman blinds for orders by 31 October, and a separate sitewide discount applied at checkout with an end date shown on the page. Confirm which applies to your basket at checkout rather than assuming they combine.
• Ask about lead time before ordering if you have a deadline, as made-to-measure production times are not stated in the site information available.
• Keep your swatch and order confirmation so you can check the delivered blind against the fabric you approved.

Common sticking points

• Assuming every fabric is available as a blind: the site sells fabric by the metre and finished blinds; not every striped fabric may be offered made up. Check the blind product pages.
• Measuring the window rather than the recess or fixing point: this is the most frequent cause of a blind that doesn't fit.
• Skipping swatches: stripe colour and scale are hard to judge on screen, and the free swatch service exists to prevent this.
• Not checking returns on bespoke items: confirm before you order, not after delivery.

Choose replacement deckchair fabric by matching the canvas to your chair type first, then the stripe to how much sun the chair will see. The Stripes Company sells tailor-cut replacement canvas for deckchairs and directors chairs, plus striped fabrics by the metre if you plan to sew your own. Order free swatches (up to 8, postage only, refundable from your first order) before committing to a colourway, and measure your frame before you buy.

Start with the chair, not the stripe

Deckchair canvas is cut to fit a frame, so the chair type decides what you can buy.

• Deckchairs and directors chairs: the site lists replacement canvas described as tailor-cut for a perfect fit, so the practical route is to identify your frame and buy the matching canvas rather than adapting a general fabric.
• Directors chair loose covers and seat pads: sold as a bundle (listed at £99.17), which suits chairs where the seat pad and back cover wear out together.
• Sew-it-yourself projects: striped fabrics are sold by the metre for curtains, upholstery and soft furnishings, so you can cut your own canvas if you are confident with seams, hems and tension.

If you are unsure which category your chair falls into, measure the frame before browsing: the width between the side rails, the length of the fabric run from top rail to seat rail, and how the canvas attaches (sleeve, tacked, or slung over rails). Those three numbers tell you whether a pre-cut canvas will fit or whether you need fabric by the metre.

What makes a fabric suitable for a deckchair

A deckchair canvas lives outdoors, gets sat on, and fades in sun. The site describes its striped fabrics as 100% cotton, which is comfortable and breathable but not the same as a coated outdoor canvas. Treat that as a starting point for your decision:

• Sun exposure: a chair that stays on a balcony or in a garden all summer will fade faster than one folded away after use. Strong, saturated stripes show fading more than pale ones, so if the chair lives outside, favour a colourway you can live with as it softens.
• Load and movement: canvas takes body weight and flexes every time someone sits down. Seams and attachment points are where failures start, which is why a tailor-cut canvas sized to the frame is lower-risk than stretching a piece cut for something else.
• Rain and storage: cotton canvas that stays wet will mark and weaken. Plan to dry the chair open after rain and store it folded when not in use.
• Indoor use: if the chair is mostly decorative or used indoors, the cotton stripes are a good match and the fading question matters much less.

Choosing the stripe

The Stripes Company is a stripe specialist, and the range runs from classic 1cm stripes to bolder colourways. Two practical rules:

1. Match scale to the chair. A narrow 1cm stripe reads as a fine line across a wide deckchair back; a bold block stripe makes the chair a focal point. Look at the fabric at the distance you will actually see it — across a garden, not held at arm's length.
2. Check the colour in person. Screens shift colour, and outdoor light changes it again. The free swatch service (up to 8 swatches, postage only, refundable from your first order) is the cheapest way to avoid a colour that clashes with your cushions, tablecloth or paintwork.

If you are coordinating with other items, the site also sells striped cushions, tablecloths, napkins and throws in matching colourways, which makes it easier to build a set rather than guess at a match.

Fabric by the metre vs. pre-cut replacement canvas

If your frame is a standard type, the pre-cut canvas removes the measuring and sewing steps. If the frame is old, homemade or an unusual size, buy fabric by the metre and treat the old canvas as your pattern.

Before you order

• Confirm the fit. Compare your frame measurements with the canvas you are buying; a tailor-cut canvas only helps if the chair matches.
• Use the swatches. Order them early — postage is the only cost and it is refunded against your first order.
• Check current offers at checkout. The site advertises seasonal discounts (for example, 20% off sitewide and 10% off curtains and blinds in an autumn promotion, applied at checkout with stated end dates). Discounts change, so confirm what applies on the day you order rather than assuming a past offer still runs.
• Read the delivery and returns terms for made-to-measure or cut items before buying, since cut fabric is often treated differently from stock products.

A quick decision path

• Standard deckchair or directors chair, want it done this weekend → buy the pre-cut replacement canvas in a swatch-confirmed stripe.
• Unusual frame or a chair you are rebuilding → buy striped fabric by the metre and cut to your old canvas.
• Chair lives outdoors year-round → pick a colourway that ages gracefully and plan to dry and store it.
• Matching a garden or room scheme → order swatches alongside the cushions or table linen you are coordinating with.

The single step that prevents most mistakes is the free swatch order: it settles colour before you commit, and the postage comes back on your first purchase.

Choose striped fabric by matching weight and weave to the job first, then confirm stripe scale and colour with a swatch before you cut or order. The Stripes Company sells 100% cotton striped fabrics for curtains, upholstery and soft furnishings, plus replacement canvas for deckchairs and director's chairs, and offers up to 8 free swatches (you pay postage, refundable from your first order). That swatch step is the one that prevents most expensive mistakes, because stripe colour and scale read differently in your own room light than on a screen.

Start with the project, not the pattern

The same bold stripe can be right for a curtain and wrong for a seat cover. Work backwards from where the fabric will live.

The site groups its range accordingly — fabrics, products, chairs, garden, beach and trimmings — so you can shop by end use rather than scrolling a single wall of pattern.

Stripe scale and direction decide the cut

Stripe width changes the whole character of a piece. A classic 1cm stripe (used across the site's tablecloths, napkins and seat pads) reads as neat and traditional; wider, bolder stripes make more of a statement and are harder to match at seams.

Two practical points before you order:

• Repeat and orientation. Note which way the stripes run on the roll and decide whether they should run vertically on curtains (the usual choice, as it adds height) or horizontally for a deliberate effect. On seat pads and deckchair canvas the stripe direction is fixed by the cut, so confirm it matches your frame.
• Pattern matching. Bold stripes must line up across seams, cushion pairs and curtain joins. Wider stripes need more fabric allowance for matching, so buy a little extra rather than exactly to measure.

Order swatches before you commit

The site offers free swatches — up to 8, with postage the only cost, refundable against your first order. Use them properly:

1. Request the colourways you're seriously considering, not just your favourite.
2. View each swatch in the actual room, in daylight and in evening light.
3. Lay swatches next to existing paint, flooring and furniture.
4. Check the stripe scale against the finished item size — a swatch can look calm and a full curtain bold.

This is the step that catches the common surprise: a stripe that looks subtle online can dominate a small cushion, or a colour that seems neutral can pull warm or cool against your walls.

Measure for the finished item

Accurate measuring is what makes the stripe run the right way and the fit look intentional.

• Curtains and Roman blinds: measure the track or pole width and the finished drop, then add allowances for hems and pattern matching. The site also sells made-to-measure blinds and curtains, which removes the sewing step if you'd rather not cut and match stripes yourself.
• Deckchairs and director's chairs: replacement canvas is tailor-cut for a perfect fit, so identify your frame type before ordering rather than estimating. The director's chair loose cover and seat pad bundle shows how covers and pads are sold as a matched set.
• Upholstery and seat pads: measure the seat or panel, then add seam allowance and enough extra to centre the stripe.

Fabric by the metre or made-to-measure?

Both routes are available, and the right one depends on your time and skills.

• Buy fabric by the metre if you sew, want a specific stripe placement, or are covering several items from one length. You control matching and can plan around the repeat.
• Choose made-to-measure curtains or Roman blinds if you want the stripe handled for you and don't want to manage hems and pattern joins. Check current offers before ordering — the site has run 10% off curtains and Roman blinds with an order deadline, and a sitewide discount applied at checkout during a promotional window.

Either way, factor delivery time into your project plan, especially if you're working to a deadline like a room refresh or a gift.

Common pitfalls worth avoiding

• Ordering on screen colour alone — swatches exist for this reason.
• Forgetting pattern matching on bold stripes, then running short.
• Assuming a fabric suited to curtains will hold up on a seat.
• Guessing deckchair frame size instead of confirming the canvas fit.
• Missing a discount deadline that would have applied at checkout.

Work through weight, stripe scale, swatch and measurement in that order, and the fabric you receive will match the project you pictured.