GP & J Baker | Worlds Apart

Worlds Apart is the most textural of Kit Kemp's stripes for GP & J Baker, a jute and cotton weave in which the stripe is carried by the yarn itself. Jute gives it a dry, slightly hairy surface and a natural irregularity that stops the bands looking mechanical. It is a robust cloth with real body, closer to a matting than a curtain fabric in the hand.

It is 60 per cent jute and 40 per cent cotton, 135 centimetres wide, with a 3 centimetre vertical and 27 centimetre horizontal repeat. Abrasion is tested at 54,000 double rubs on the Wyzenbeek scale, which puts it comfortably into everyday upholstery. Six colourways: Fuchsia/Ochre, Indigo, Green, Green/Coral, Aqua/Ochre and Plum, with the paired names carrying two strong colours and Indigo and Plum the deep ones.

With that rub count we would put it straight onto a sofa or a pair of armchairs, and it makes an excellent seat cover for dining chairs in a room that gets used. It also works as a flat Roman blind. What it does not do is drape softly, so keep it away from tall gathered curtains. It also makes a good loose cover for a sofa that sits in strong sun, because the natural irregularity of the jute hides fading far better than a flat woven plain. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

Jute takes up very little stretch, which is good news on a tight seat but means an upholsterer needs to work it warm and pull evenly. Ask for a cotton interlayer over the foam so the weave does not print through. The 27 centimetre horizontal repeat lets you centre a stripe on a seat, and the cloth railroads cleanly if you want the bands running across.

• Composition: 60% Jute 40% Cotton
• Width: 135 cm (53.1 in)
• Pattern repeat: 3 cm vertical, 27 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 54,000 double rubs (Wyzenbeek)
• Care: Dry clean professionally only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Kit Kemp Stripes, GP & J Baker
• Colourways: 6 (Fuchsia/Ochre, Indigo, Green, Green/Coral, Aqua/Ochre, Plum)