Threads | Tufa

Tufa is a textured plain from the Threads Quintessential Naturals collection, named, like most of its neighbours, after a stone. The weave has an open, slightly porous surface, with the cotton and linen yarns showing their natural unevenness and the cellulose fibre adding a dry, papery crispness, so the cloth looks like something hand-loomed rather than milled. There is no pattern; the interest is all in the surface and the way it takes light.

The composition is 58 per cent cotton, 30 per cent linen and 12 per cent cellulose on a 137 centimetre width, with no pattern repeat. The page lists it for curtains, and the collection is designed for curtains and blinds; there is no rub count and it is not intended for seating. It comes in a single colourway, Parchment, a warm off-white that sits between chalk and string and works with almost any wall colour, from pure white to deep green.

We tend to use Tufa for full-length curtains in a living room or bedroom where the scheme is built on texture, and for Roman blinds in a kitchen or bathroom where a flat panel lets the weave be seen. It pairs well with a heavier textured plain on the sofa and with one of the Nala Prints on a chair or cushion. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

There is no repeat to match, but the weave has a visible grain and can shade slightly along the roll, so cut all the drops for one window from the same bolt and keep the direction consistent. Line and interline the curtains to give the cloth weight and to protect the natural yarns from sun, allow a generous hem for movement, and dry clean rather than wash.

• Composition: 58% cotton, 30% linen, 12% cellulose
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Suitable for: Curtains, blinds
• Care: Do not wash; dry clean professionally, do not bleach and do not iron
• Collection: Quintessential Naturals, Threads
• Colourways: 1 (Parchment)