Rubelli | Sharky

The name is the finish. Between the yarns chosen and the chintzing it is given after weaving, the surface takes on the tight, faintly ridged sheen of shark skin, and that low gloss is what separates it from the usual flame-retardant faux uni.

The performance is serious. 70,000 Martindale, certification for contract upholstery and curtains in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the United States, and IMO 8 for marine work, on a flame-retardant polyester and eco polyamide blend. It is a cloth for the things that actually get used: a family sofa, a hotel banquette, a boat. Thirty-five colourways run from neutral through to fully saturated. 140 cm wide, 580 g a metre. Design by Formafantasma, made in Italy.