Lead Times, Cuttings and Custom Colour Matching for Commercial Projects

Cuttings first: Request cuttings early to confirm colour, handle, and quality before the fabric is committed to a scheme.
Dye lots: Fabric colour varies between dye lots. A large or phased contract order must be secured against dye lot variation from the outset.
Lead times vary by fabric type: Stock fabric ships quickly; woven-to-order, treated, and bespoke-colour fabric carries longer and more variable lead times.
Plan backwards: Work back from the installation date through treatment, weaving, and cutting-approval stages to establish when the order must be placed.

The operational side of fabric specification, cuttings, lead times, dye lots, and custom colour, is where contract projects most often encounter avoidable delay and cost. A fabric selected correctly on performance can still cause a problem if the lead time is not understood, the dye lot is not secured, or a custom colour is commissioned without allowing for the approval process. This guide sets out the practical sequence for managing fabric procurement on a commercial project.

For the stage at which each fabric decision belongs in a project, see our RIBA Plan of Work fabric guide. To request cuttings, visit KOTHEA.com/cuttings.

Cuttings: Confirming the Fabric Before Commitment

A cutting is a physical sample of the actual fabric, and it is the only reliable way to confirm colour, handle, texture, and quality before committing a fabric to a scheme. Screen and print representations of fabric colour are unreliable: a colour on a monitor or a printed colour card differs from the real fabric because of the difference between emitted and reflected colour and the effect of the fabric’s texture and pile on how it reflects light.

Request cuttings early in the selection process, while there is still time to consider alternatives. A cutting confirms not only the colour but the hand of the fabric, how it drapes, the character of the pile or weave, and the quality of the construction. For a contract project these should be confirmed against the actual fabric before specification is finalised, not assumed from a colour card.

Where a scheme depends on the relationship between several fabrics, request cuttings of all of them together so the combination can be assessed as it will appear in situ. Colours that work individually on separate cards may relate differently when the actual fabrics are seen side by side under the project’s lighting conditions.

Dye Lots and Why They Matter for Contract Orders

Fabric is dyed in batches, and each batch is a dye lot. Colour varies slightly between dye lots even for the same fabric and colourway, because the dyeing process cannot be replicated with perfect precision from one batch to the next. For a small residential order cut from a single roll this is rarely an issue. For a contract order it can be a significant problem.

A large contract order that draws fabric from more than one dye lot risks visible colour variation between pieces of furniture, between runs of curtains, or between panels that are seen together. A phased project, where fabric is ordered at intervals as the installation progresses, risks later phases being supplied from a different dye lot than earlier phases.

The way to manage this is to secure sufficient fabric from a single dye lot at the outset to cover the whole requirement, including a wastage and future-repair allowance. Where a project is phased, discuss dye lot reservation with the supplier at the point of first order so that later phases can be supplied from the same lot or from a reserved allocation. This must be arranged in advance; it cannot be corrected once the initial dye lot is exhausted.

Lead Times by Fabric Type

Lead time varies substantially by fabric type, and understanding the difference is essential to project scheduling.

Stock fabric. Fabric held in stock in the required colourway ships in the shortest time, typically limited only by order processing and delivery. This is the fastest route but is available only where the specific fabric and colourway are held in sufficient quantity.

Woven-to-order fabric. Fabric that is woven to order rather than held in stock carries a manufacturing lead time. For handwoven and specialist fabrics this can be a matter of weeks. The cashmere throws, for example, are handwoven to order with a lead time of approximately two to three weeks from order confirmation. Woven-to-order lead times must be built into the project programme from the point of specification.

FR-treated fabric. Fabric requiring topical flame-retardant treatment carries the treatment lead time in addition to the fabric lead time. The fabric must be sourced, sent for treatment, treated, tested, and certified before it can be installed. Each stage takes time and the testing and certification stage in particular cannot be compressed. For contract projects requiring treated fabric, the treatment lead time is often the critical path item.

Bespoke-colour fabric. Fabric woven or dyed to a custom colour carries the longest and most variable lead time because it combines a colour-matching approval process with a manufacturing run.

Custom Colour Matching

Custom colour matching allows a fabric to be produced in a specific colour to suit a scheme, rather than selecting from the standard colourways. It is a valuable capability for contract projects with a defined palette, but it carries a process that must be allowed for in the programme.

The process begins with a colour reference, ideally a physical sample rather than a screen or print colour, since the same considerations apply as for cuttings. The mill produces a lab dip or strike-off, a small sample of the fabric dyed to the target colour, for approval. This is assessed against the reference, and if it is not correct the mill produces a revised dip. This approval cycle may take one or more iterations, each of which takes time.

Once the colour is approved, the fabric is woven or dyed to order in the approved colour, which is a manufacturing lead time on top of the approval process. There is usually a minimum order quantity for a bespoke colour, since the mill is setting up a production run for a specific requirement.

For a contract project, custom colour matching should be initiated as early as possible once the palette is confirmed, because the approval cycle plus the manufacturing run makes it the longest-lead item in most fabric procurement. Confirm the expected number of approval iterations, the minimum order quantity, and the total lead time with the supplier before committing to a bespoke colour, so the programme can accommodate it.

Planning the Procurement Sequence

The reliable way to avoid fabric-related delay on a contract project is to work backwards from the installation date. Establish when the fabric must be on site, then work back through each stage that applies to the specific fabric: installation, delivery, treatment and certification if required, manufacturing or weaving, custom colour approval if required, and cutting approval. The sum of these stages gives the latest date by which the order must be placed.

For a stock fabric in a standard colourway with no treatment requirement, this sequence is short. For a bespoke-colour, FR-treated, woven-to-order fabric, it can extend to several months, and each stage depends on the one before it. Identifying the critical path early, and placing the order to accommodate it, is the single most effective way to prevent fabric from delaying a project.

Quick answers

Why should I request cuttings before specifying a fabric?
A cutting is a physical sample of the actual fabric and is the only reliable way to confirm colour, handle, texture, and quality before committing it to a scheme. Screen and printed colour representations are unreliable because emitted and reflected colour differ and because a fabric’s texture and pile affect how it reflects light. Request cuttings early, and where a scheme depends on several fabrics together, request cuttings of all of them so the combination can be assessed as it will appear in situ.

What is a dye lot and why does it matter for contract orders?
Fabric is dyed in batches, and each batch is a dye lot. Colour varies slightly between dye lots because dyeing cannot be replicated with perfect precision from batch to batch. For a large contract order drawing from more than one dye lot, this risks visible colour variation between pieces seen together. Secure sufficient fabric from a single dye lot at the outset to cover the whole requirement plus a repair allowance, and for phased projects arrange dye lot reservation with the supplier at first order.

How long does FR-treated fabric take to supply?
FR-treated fabric carries the treatment lead time in addition to the fabric lead time. The fabric must be sourced, sent for treatment, treated, tested, and certified before installation. The testing and certification stage in particular cannot be compressed. For contract projects requiring treated fabric, the treatment lead time is often the critical path item, so it should be identified and built into the programme from the point of specification rather than assumed to be a short additional step.

How does custom colour matching work?
Custom colour matching begins with a colour reference, ideally a physical sample. The mill produces a lab dip or strike-off, a small sample dyed to the target colour, for approval against the reference. If it is not correct, a revised dip is produced, and this approval cycle may take several iterations. Once approved, the fabric is woven or dyed to order, which is a manufacturing lead time on top of the approval process, usually with a minimum order quantity. It is typically the longest-lead item in fabric procurement.

How far in advance should I order fabric for a commercial project?
Work backwards from the installation date through each stage that applies to the specific fabric: installation, delivery, treatment and certification if required, manufacturing or weaving, custom colour approval if required, and cutting approval. For a stock fabric in a standard colourway this sequence is short. For a bespoke-colour, FR-treated, woven-to-order fabric it can extend to several months, with each stage dependent on the one before. Identify the critical path early and place the order to accommodate it.

For the project stage at which each fabric decision belongs, see our RIBA Plan of Work fabric guide. For hotel and hospitality specification including dye lot strategy, see our hotel fabric specification guide. To request cuttings from the KOTHEA range, visit KOTHEA.com/cuttings.