Fabric FAQs

Everything you need to know about House of Hackney fabric

Whether you want fabric to create custom curtains and blinds, give a piece of furniture new life with bespoke upholstery or to create some statement home accessories, you likely have questions.

Fortunately for you, we have the answers. Here’s everything you always wanted to know about fabric (but were afraid to ask)...

What is House of Hackney fabric suitable for?

Yes; all of our velvets are suitable for curtains, blinds and upholstery. Our British velvets are made from the finest quality cotton and crafted on a loom by weaving two pieces of fabric face to face then cutting them apart. This creates a lavishly soft-to-the-touch finish that's resilient to everyday wear and tear.  

We digitally print all of our fabrics which enables us to realise our designs in glorious technicolour. The ink does not fully penetrate the fabric meaning the unprinted base cloth can be visible when used for upholstery. This is called 'grinning'. 

Velvet can show grinning, particularly if over-handled or when pleated, tucked, or stretched across a frame. This is a natural characteristics of velvet and is not considered a fault. 

Our organic cotton velvet has a longer pile than our standard velvet, giving it an especially soft and luxurious feel. Fabrics with a longer pile can be slightly more prone to shading, grinning, and bruising.

What are the rub counts for the House of Hackney fabrics?

Our velvets and cotton-linens boast rub counts of 40,000+, our cut-velvets achieve a count of 25,000+ and our jacquards come in at 10,000+. All our fabrics are family-friendly and hardwearing whilst remaining luxurious to the touch.

Are House of Hackney fabrics fire resistant?

Our fabrics are tested under British Standards BS 5852, using test source 0: a smouldering cigarette.

All our velvets and cotton-linens pass this test with no ignition.

For jacquards and chenilles, you may need additional fire-retardancy treatments (we can arrange this for you at an additional cost).

Upholsterers should use an interliner as standard with our velvets and cottons, as they pass the aforementioned test. Jacquards may need an additional treatment. If you’re taking on a reupholstery project, all our velvets, cotton-linens, chenilles and jacquards will need teaming with a fire-resistant interliner.

At present, just our WILD CARD jacquard requires a domestic fabric treatment if it’s to be used for furniture; whereas if you wish to create curtains and blinds, our chenilles would need an additional treatment – all of which can be arranged for you at an additional cost.

Can I purchase less than a metre of fabric?

Our fabrics only come in increments of one metre. In line with our Eco Manifesto, we follow a low-waste approach to production, which means we are unable to cut rolls of fabric to any other measurements – and as such, do not have cut-offs available to sell.

If you require an in-between measurement, we recommend ordering the next full metre up. This way, you’ll have extra fabric should you wish to create something else or keep it as a spare for future use.

How do I calculate how many yards required for Curtains or Blinds?

If you are looking to purchase curtains or blinds, please use the 'Create my Curtains' option on the product page to calculate how much fabric is required.

If you require a quote for another project, please contact our team and we will do our best to advise.

Can I return fabric?

We cut our fabrics specifically for each order, which means they are non-returnable. We always recommend buying a sample first to help you choose the right fabric. Our in-house experts are always on hand to advise should you need any help with calculating how much fabric to order.

How long will my fabric take to deliver?

Fabric is cut to order, so it will be with you within a few working days, unless otherwise specified on the product page.

Once your order is on its way, you’ll receive tracking details via email.

Why is there an additional fee on fabric orders?

We deliver fabric on a roll to ensure the beautiful material is preserved. The additional cost matches the £12 fee our couriers charge us for handling the rolls, which are classed as oversized parcels.

How do I care for my fabric?

As most of our fabrics are made using natural fibres, we recommend avoiding continuous direct sunlight where possible, as this can naturally affect the material’s appearance and lead to fading over time.  

This can be more noticeable in our printed velvets, particularly in darker or more richly colored designs. 

All our fabrics are dry clean only.

How do I clean my fabric?

Our fabrics have different care requirements depending on the type. Most are suitable for dry cleaning (professional clean) only, unless stated otherwise below:

- Performance recycled fabrics can be washed at 30°C on a gentle cycle.

- Sheer fabrics can be machine washed at 40°C or below, on a permanent press cycle.

Our Curtains & Blinds are not suitable for dry cleaning or machine washing. For the safest and best results, we recommend gentle spot cleaning alongside regular dust removal using your vacuum cleaner’s upholstery attachment. Using a low setting, gently clean the curtains while they are hanging, working from top to bottom. 

Can I order bespoke House of Hackney fabric?

Yes - we can create custom options for fabric, including bespoke colourways and scale, flame retardant & stain treatments.

We can re-print our archive designs, recolour and rescale any of our prints, and we can print our designs onto any of our substrates, including cotton velvet, cotton linen and performance fabric. Artwork fee and minimum quantity applies - please contact our team for more information.