Threads | Varas

Varas is a textured plain from the Threads Odyssey Weaves collection, a viscose and cotton blend with nylon added for extra strength at the seams. The surface has a soft, even grain and a gentle sheen, giving it a little more life than a matte cotton weave while staying firmly in plain territory. It is the kind of cloth we reach for when a room needs a dependable neutral rather than a pattern, especially where a room already has colour elsewhere.

The cloth is 48 per cent viscose, 36 per cent cotton and 16 per cent nylon, 137 centimetres wide, with no pattern repeat. It is rated at 35,000 rubs on the Martindale test, so it is rated for upholstery, and the page lists it for curtains and for loose and fixed upholstery. It comes in two colourways, Ivory and Pewter: Ivory is the soft, pale option, and Pewter is the cooler, mid-toned grey we use with black metal and pale oak, and it works just as well in a warmer scheme.

We tend to use Varas on sofas and armchairs where a plain needs to work hard, on a tall headboard, and as curtains where its weight helps the drape. It pairs well with a printed Nala cushion or a striped weave on a single chair. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

There is no repeat, but the blend can shade slightly along the roll, so cut all the pieces for one item from the same bolt and keep the weave direction consistent. The nylon content adds strength at the seams, but the cloth should still be dry cleaned rather than washed, with curtains lined and interlined for weight.

• Composition: 48% viscose, 36% cotton, 16% nylon
• Width: 137 cm (54 in)
• Abrasion resistance: 35,000 rubs (Martindale)
• Suitable for: Curtains, loose and fixed upholstery, cushions
• Care: Do not wash; dry clean professionally, do not bleach and do not iron
• Collection: Odyssey, Threads
• Colourways: 2 (Ivory, Pewter)