Casamance | Clyde

Clyde is a knitted pile fabric with the look and feel of a foal's coat: short, dense, silky hair lying in one direction over a soft, woolly base. It is made from two knits bonded together, the lower one giving the cushioning and the upper one the skin-like surface, and the result is warm and tactile without being a fur. Stroke it one way and it is smooth; the other way and it darkens, which is part of its character. As a plain it is quiet in colour and loud in texture.

The composition is 100 per cent polyester, made in China at 138 centimetres wide and 510 grams per square metre, with a free match. There are 7 colourways: Gris Bleuté, Gris, Taupe, Acajou Foncé, Beige, Caramel and Kaki Foncé. All are animal tones, and Caramel and Acajou Foncé look most like the real thing; Gris Bleuté is the cool option for a more modern room, and Taupe is the safe one.

We use Clyde on small pieces where the hand matters: an ottoman, a bench, a bedroom chair, a stack of cushions on a leather sofa. It is very good on a dining bench under a table where people sit for hours. We would not usually make curtains from it. It pairs well with the woven wool of Arthur's Seat and with leather, and it likes plain company. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

A making-up note: the pile has a direction, so mark it on the back of every piece and keep it running towards the front of the seat, as you would a velvet. Knitted cloths stretch, so ask your upholsterer to use a stable backing or to stay-stitch the edges before stretching it over a frame, and to avoid pulling it too tight around corners. Vacuum with a soft brush rather than beating it.

• Composition: 100% polyester
• Width: 138 cm (54 in)
• Weight: 510 g per square metre
• Match: Free match
• Care: Dry clean recommended
• Origin: Made in China
• Collection: Scotia, Casamance
• Colourways: 7 (Gris Bleuté, Gris, Taupe, Acajou Foncé, Beige, Caramel, Kaki Foncé)