de Le Cuona | Shepherd's Cloth – Fleece

Shepherd's Cloth is a linen cloth with a little nylon in the weave, and the result is a fabric that feels natural but behaves more robustly than pure linen. The surface is gently textured, with the slub and slight irregularity you expect from linen, and Fleece is a soft, warm off-white, the colour of undyed wool rather than bleached cotton. It has a relaxed hand, with enough body to hold its shape and enough give to drape, and in a room it works as a quiet, tactile backdrop rather than as a pattern.

The composition is 90% linen and 10% polyamide, and the cloth is 138 cm wide. It is rated at 40,000 Martindale rubs, which is a high figure for a linen-based fabric and puts it comfortably in the range for regular domestic upholstery as well as curtains. We sell it by the half metre, so order in multiples of 0.5m and allow for the width when you plan your quantities. It is a plain cloth, so there is no pattern repeat to calculate, which makes the planning more straightforward.

We would use it in two ways above all. For curtains, Fleece gives a soft, filtered light in a living room or bedroom, and it hangs well at a generous fullness. For upholstery, it suits a deep sofa or a pair of armchairs, where the Martindale rating means it will cope with daily use. It sits well with oak and walnut, with stone and plaster walls, and with darker accents such as charcoal or deep green. We often pair it with a heavier wool or a patterned linen on cushions to add some contrast.

For making up, we recommend interlining curtains in this cloth to give them weight and a fuller fall, and lining them to protect the linen from sun. Because it is a natural fibre, allow for a small amount of shrinkage and tell your workroom that the cloth should be handled according to the care instructions we supply. For upholstery, ask your upholsterer to check the direction of the weave and use the cloth consistently on all cushions so the texture catches the light evenly. Order a sample first to check the colour against your walls.