---
title: "Black and Cream Striped Cushion Fabric: Black, or Deep Navy?"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/black-vs-navy-striped-cushion-fabric/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-06-19"
updated: "2026-06-19"
keywords: "black and cream striped cushion fabric, navy vs black stripe fabric, true black stripe cushion, navy striped bench cushion, beige stripe with navy piping"
---

# Is the dark stripe in your striped fabric black, charcoal or navy?

*Stripes keep secrets in low light. The dark one you are calling black is, more often than not, a navy with ambitions.*

Also asked as: Beige background with black stripes?; Is that stripe charcoal or blue?

> **The quick answer:** The dark stripe in most of the striped fabrics is navy, not black: N28, HM-23 and N-08 read as deep blue up close, even though they pass for black across a room. For a true black-and-cream stripe, choose N09. N29 is a denser navy-black with thinner stripes. When the tone must be certain, order a sample first.

![Black and white print cushion on a white storage bench with mustard, orange and white pillows next to a round dining table](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/black-print-dining-bench-cushion-mustard-pillows-1600.webp "A black and white print cushion on a family storage bench, where mustard repeats in the pillows, the vase and the rug.")

## Key facts

- The dark stripes in N28 and HM-23 are dark blue, though they can look black from a distance.
- N-08 pairs a very deep navy stripe with natural cream and has a slightly braided texture.
- N09 is the true black stripe option.
- N28 and N29 are deep navy-black stripes; N29's thinner stripes make a denser pattern.
- N02 is a beige stripe; 131 is a deep navy velvet for piping.
- A sample is recommended whenever a tone must be certain.
- The striped fabrics are 100% cotton (one chart is 98% cotton and 2% polyester) and are made for indoor use.
- Stripe widths vary by code, from about ¼ in to about 2¼ in (0.7–6 cm).
- A fabric swatch is roughly palm-sized, about 4 x 4 to 6 x 6 in (10 x 10 to 15 x 15 cm).

## Navy that passes for black across a room

My friends, most of the dark stripes in the striped lines are navy. N28 and HM-23 read as a dark blue up close, deep enough that from across a patio they pass for black. N-08 goes further: an ink navy so deep it is nearly black, set beside a natural cream stripe, never a bright white, with a slightly braided texture you can feel under your thumb.

If the plan is a crisp black and cream [bench cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/), choose N09. That is the true black stripe. The others will always carry a little blue into the afternoon.

## The dark stripes, code by code

| Code | Dark stripe reads as | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| N09 | True black | The one to choose for black and cream |
| N-08 | Very deep navy, nearly black | Natural cream light stripe, slightly braided texture |
| N28 | Deep navy-black | Dark blue up close, black from a distance |
| N29 | Deep navy-black | Thinner stripes, so the pattern looks denser |
| HM-23 | Dark blue | Can look black from a distance |
| N02 | Beige stripe | Pairs with navy piping such as 131 or 907 |

## Beige stripe, blue trim

For a beige stripe with a blue edge, N02 is the closest body. Trim it with piping from the Velvet and Soft charts: 131 is a deep navy velvet, and 907 is the other blue the workshop suggests. The piping line does the talking and the stripe stays calm. More pairings live in the [striped cotton and ticking library](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/striped-cotton-and-ticking/) and among the [navy ticking stripe sketches](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/navy-ticking-stripe-cushions/).

What is your stripe meant to echo: a black iron bench, or a navy front door?

## Why a swatch settles it

Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does. The workshop sends close-ups and photos of finished pieces, and they narrow the choice. When the tone must be certain, a swatch in your own light, beside the wood and metal it will live with, has the final word. The [swatch Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) explains how to order one.

> **Tailor's margin:** Most dark stripes on striped cushion fabric are navy: N28 and HM-23 read dark blue up close. For a true black-and-cream stripe, the code is N09.

> Black and cream striped fabric is rarely what it seems: N-08 is a very deep navy beside natural cream, and only N09 carries a true black stripe.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Is the dark stripe black, charcoal or blue? I can't tell from the photo.

**The workshop's answer:** The darker stripes in the striped lines, such as N28 and HM-23, read as dark blue rather than charcoal or black, though they can look black from a distance. The shop can send close-ups and finished-piece photos; for certainty, order a sample.

**A common question:** Which stripe is the darker navy, and what goes with a beige stripe and blue trim?

**The workshop's answer:** N28 and N29 are the deeper navy-black stripes; N29's thinner stripes make the pattern look denser. For a beige stripe body, N02 is closest, with blue piping such as 131 deep navy velvet or 907.

**A common question:** Is the black and cream stripe really black?

**The workshop's answer:** N-08's dark stripe is a very deep navy that reads almost black, and the light stripe is natural cream, not bright white, with a slightly braided texture. For a true black stripe, choose N09.

**A common question:** I can't tell what color one of the numbers on your chart is. Can you tell me?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Ask, and the workshop names the color behind any number, sends its full chart and close-ups, and confirms the number with you before production. If chart and listing numbering differ, the color you picked on the chart wins.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Is the light stripe on N-08 white or cream?

Cream. N-08 pairs its very deep navy stripe with a natural cream rather than a bright white, so the contrast is softer than a black-and-white stripe. Beside bright white trim, the cream reads warmer.

### Which striped code gives the busiest-looking pattern?

N29. Its stripes are thinner than N28's, so more lines cross the cushion and the pattern reads denser. Both are deep navy-black, so the choice is about rhythm rather than color.

### Will a navy stripe look black on an outdoor bench?

From a distance it can. N28 and HM-23 read as dark blue up close but pass for black across a patio. If the bench sits near black iron or black cushions, order a sample and see them together.

## Related at the atelier

- [What outdoor fabric do you offer for cushions?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/outdoor-cushion-fabric-choices/): Sunbrella isn't used or stocked; outdoor cushions are cut from the workshop's own outdoor fabrics, with close to 200 options.
- [Patio Cushions for a Cane Loveseat in Cream Leaf Jacquard](https://cushionguide.com/readings/cream-leaf-jacquard-cane-loveseat-patio-cushions/): Outdoor cushions for a cane loveseat should fill the seat from arm to arm and have box-edged back cushions cut to stand upright against the woven back, so the sofa reads as fully upholstered.
- [Can I get this cushion in outdoor fabric if the listing only shows indoor fabrics?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/order-any-cushion-in-outdoor-fabric/): Yes, most cushions can be made in outdoor-rated, water-resistant fabric even when the listing shows only indoor fabrics.
- [Do you have a striped fabric that works outdoors?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/striped-outdoor-cushion-fabric/): Yes, striped outdoor cushion fabric is on the outdoor charts: code V-38 is a water-repellent, UV-resistant outdoor stripe.
- [Outdoor Bench Cushion Patterns: Kilim, Stripe and Lime Mixed](https://cushionguide.com/readings/teal-kilim-stripe-lime-outdoor-cushion-stack/): To mix patterns on outdoor bench cushions, keep one thing constant and vary the scale.
- [Outdoor Bench Cushion in Navy Stripe: Feel, Wear and Care](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-teal-striped-cushion-marina-dock-bench/): An outdoor bench cushion on a dock works best slim and firm in a textured outdoor acrylic stripe, because a thick soft pad holds water after spray and a flat solid shows every salt mark.
- [Can indoor cushions go on a covered or screened porch?](https://cushionguide.com/guides/indoor-cushions-covered-porch/)
- [UV-resistant outdoor cushion fabric compared: solution-dyed acrylic, olefin, polyester](https://cushionguide.com/guides/outdoor-cushion-fabric-acrylic-olefin-polyester/)

*With color and care — Élodie*

---

Written by Élodie Marchand (https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/black-vs-navy-striped-cushion-fabric/