How sampling works

A photo shows you a texture and a colour. Only a sample shows you the hand, the weight in your fingers and the colour in your own light. That is why almost every fabric order starts with sampling, whether the fabric is for prayer rugs, upholstery or curtains.

The usual sample types

Suppliers use different formats for different stages of a decision. The names vary from company to company; these are the common ones.

• Swatch or cutting. A small piece of one colour. Good for a first look and for comparing textures side by side.
• Colour card. All the colours of one fabric on one card, each with its number. Good for choosing colours and for keeping on file. See our colour cards.
• Hanger or header. A larger piece, or a strip of each colour, with a label. Good for judging the drape and how the colours sit together.
• Length sample. A metre or more, enough to cover a cushion or a seat, or to cut a test rug. Good for checking how the fabric behaves when it is cut, sewn or upholstered.
• Lab dip or strike-off. For a custom colour: a small sample dyed or woven to match your target before production. You approve it, or ask for a correction.
• Pre-production sample. A piece from the production lot, sent before shipment so you can compare its colour and quality with what you approved.

What to tell your supplier

The more precise the request, the more useful the samples. Include:

• Fabric codes and colour numbers. Quote them exactly as they appear on the fabric page or the colour card. If you are not sure yet, describe the look you need.
• The end use. Prayer rugs, sofas, chairs, cushions, headboards or curtains. It helps the supplier suggest suitable alternatives.
• Your colour targets. A Pantone reference, a physical swatch or a photo. Physical references are the most reliable: screens and photos shift colours.
• Quantities and destination. They shape the quote that follows the samples. Wholesale quantities are usually given in rolls.
• Any test or market requirement. For example a fire-safety standard or a test your own customers ask for.

How to judge a sample

• Look at it in daylight and in the light where it will be used. Colours shift between light sources: a sample that matches under a shop's lights can look different at home.
• Brush the surface both ways. On velvet, chenille and other pile fabrics, the colour looks lighter or darker depending on the direction of the pile. Decide which direction you will use.
• Fold it, crease it gently and rub it with your palm. Watch how the surface recovers.
• Compare it with your references side by side, never from memory.
• Make something if you can. A cushion, a small panel or a test rug tells you more than a flat swatch.

Keep in mind that a sample can come from a different dye lot than your order, and small colour differences between lots are normal in textiles. For colour-critical orders, ask for a sample from the production lot before shipment, and order each colour of a project in one lot where you can.

Sampling with Baris Kadife

1. Choose fabrics and colours. Browse all fabrics or the collections, and add whole fabrics or single colours to your Selection as you go.
2. Send your request by chat. Send your Selection in one tap, or write to us with the fabric codes, the colour numbers, your quantities in rolls and your destination. You can also start from the contact page.
3. We confirm before anything is sent. Samples and colour cards are on request: we confirm with you what we send, and how, before dispatch.
4. Order when you are ready. Confirm the fabrics, colours and quantities. Orders start from the minimum order shown on each fabric page, and prices and terms are confirmed per order.

More on this in Samples and colour cards and How we work. If a technical value matters for your decision, read how to read a fabric spec sheet and ask us to confirm it.