Mark Alexander | M649 Fabric

M649 is the heavy plain linen at the centre of the Heritage Linens collection, and it behaves the way a good linen should. The yarn is slubbed rather than smooth, so the surface carries small irregularities that catch the light differently as they travel across a wide panel. There is no pattern to read here; the whole interest sits in the handle, which is dry, substantial and a little crisp until the cloth has been worked and hung for a season.

The composition is 90% LI linen with 6% PA polyamide and 4% PL polyester spun in to steady it, woven to a 140 centimetre width with no repeat to match. It is rated 50,000 rubs on the Martindale test, severe domestic. Twenty colourways run from the undyed end, White Sand, Pebble, Natural and Sand, through earth tones such as Chestnut and Sienna to the deep blues of Abyss, Ink and Peacock. The pale shades read close to raw flax; the darker ones flatten the slub and look more solid.

We tend to use M649 at the window first, in long curtains where the weight pulls the folds straight and the cloth hangs quietly. It is equally good as a loose cover on a sofa, or fitted on a headboard where the texture is close to hand. We would put Natural against lime plaster and oak, and keep Abyss for a north-facing room that needs anchoring. Order a sample to see it in your own light.

With no repeat there is nothing to match, so cutting is straightforward and waste stays low. Linen relaxes after it is hung, so ask your curtain maker to leave the hems unstitched for a fortnight and then level them. A cotton interlining gives the drop body without stiffening it. For upholstery, expect the cloth to soften and settle over the first year rather than stay as crisp as it arrives.