Threads | Mistral

Mistral is a striped performance weave from the Threads Winch Design Indoor I Outdoor Weaves Natural collection. Fine linear stripes run across the width with a tailored, graphic regularity, softened by the surface texture of the weave, and the 10 centimetre repeat keeps the rhythm tight enough to read as a texture from a distance. It was developed with Winch Design for use inside and out, so the hand is drier and crisper than a cotton or linen, and it shrugs off sun and damp.

The cloth is 100 per cent polyolefin, 135 centimetres wide, with a 10 centimetre vertical repeat. It is rated at 40,000 rubs on the Martindale test, so it is rated for upholstery, and the page lists it for loose and fixed upholstery; being an indoor-outdoor cloth it is also suitable for terrace and poolside seating. It comes in a single colourway, Cloud, a soft pale grey with white running through it, which we treat as a neutral that goes with almost anything.

We tend to use Mistral on outdoor sofa cushions and loungers, on a bench in a garden room, and indoors on dining chairs and window seats in a kitchen where spills are a fact of life. It pairs well with the plainer weaves from the same collection and with teak, powder-coated metal and pale stone. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

The stripe repeats vertically, so keep the direction consistent across seats, backs and scatter cushions, and centre a stripe on each piece. Because the cloth can be machine washed cool on a minimum wash, ask your upholsterer for zipped, removable covers where possible and do not tumble dry them; use outdoor foam and a solution-dyed thread if the cushions are going to live outside for the season.

• Composition: 100% polyolefin
• Width: 135 cm (53 in)
• Pattern repeat: 10 cm vertical
• Abrasion resistance: 40,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: Loose and fixed upholstery, cushions, indoor and outdoor use
• Care: Machine wash cool on a minimum wash or dry clean professionally; do not tumble dry, bleach or iron
• Collection: Winch Design Indoor I Outdoor Weaves Natural, Threads
• Colourways: 1 (Cloud)