---
title: "Fabric Color Chart Codes: What K, L, N and P Mean"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-code-prefixes-explained/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-05-25"
updated: "2026-05-25"
keywords: "fabric colour chart codes meaning, fabric color chart codes, what do fabric codes mean, velvet linen corduroy color codes, cushion fabric code prefix"
---

# How do I tell which fabric a color code is?

*A color chart is a family tree. Read the first letters of a code and you know the cloth before you know the color.*

Also asked as: The color chart doesn't show the fabric type; What material are the codes starting with K?

> **The quick answer:** The prefix of a fabric code tells you the material, because each code family is one fabric. L codes are linen, K codes an acrylic-linen blend, N codes cotton stripes, numbers in the 100s velvet and 901-946 soft fabric. COR is corduroy, M and T are outdoor, DRM is a canvas-like duck and the 0- collection is bouclé.

![Trapezoid bay window seat cushion in dark tropical print with red and orange hibiscus, pink and cream pillows, rattan table](https://cushionguide.com/media/trapezoid-cushions/tropical-hibiscus-trapezoid-cushion-canal-house-bay-1600.webp "Against a gray brick street, a trapezoid cushion in a dark tropical print brings the color the view lacks.")

## Key facts

- Each code family is one fabric type.
- L = linen; K = acrylic-linen blend; N = striped fabrics, with N03 100% cotton.
- Velvet codes are in the 100s; soft fabric runs 901-946.
- COR = corduroy; M- and T- = outdoor; DRM = canvas-like duck; 0- = bouclé.
- Two palettes of one fabric differ only in colors.
- K-fabric covers are removable and wash at up to 86°F (30°C).
- There are no close-ups of K fabrics; use the chart or samples.

## The prefix, the cloth

| Code on the chart | Fabric family |
|---|---|
| L- | Linen range |
| K- | Linen range, an acrylic-linen blend |
| N- | Striped fabrics; N03 is 100% cotton |
| P- | A family of its own; P-02 is a zebra print on a patterned chart |
| 100s, such as 123 | Velvet |
| 901-946 | Soft fabric |
| COR | Corduroy |
| M- and T- | Outdoor fabrics |
| DRM | Duck, similar to canvas |
| 0- (trapezoid listing) | Bouclé |

## So the chart never needs to say velvet?

Exactly, my friends. The number carries the cloth. A buyer once wrote that a chart listed colors but never the fabric type; the answer was that the code itself tells you, since each code family is one fabric. Read 123 and you already know it is velvet; read L24 and you know it is linen.

One caution: the same color name can look different across families, because linen, velvet and corduroy hold light differently. Compare codes, not names, and keep [fabric types compared](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-fabric-types-compared/) open while you shortlist.

## Then why two palettes for one velvet?

Same fabric. When one velvet appears on two palettes, the split exists only to show more colors. Choose from either with confidence; you are choosing a shade, not a different cloth.

## And the K codes, up close?

The K family is described as linen, and more precisely as an acrylic-linen blend. There are no close-up photos of K fabrics, so the chart or a set of [fabric swatches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) is the way to see them. Like the rest of the range, their covers are removable and wash at up to 86°F (30°C). For true linen against its look-alikes, read [real linen vs linen-look](https://cushionguide.com/guides/real-linen-vs-linen-look-cushion-fabric/).

> **Tailor's margin:** If a color chart never names the fabric, read the code prefix: L is linen, N is cotton stripe, COR is corduroy.

> Two velvet palettes on one cushion listing are the same velvet, split only to show more colors.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** What material are the K codes, and can those covers be washed?

**The workshop's answer:** The K colors are linen fabrics. Their covers are removable and washable at up to 86°F (30°C) like the rest of the range. There are no close-up photos of K fabrics, so use the chart or order samples.

**A common question:** What fabric families sit behind DRM, K-, N- and 0- codes?

**The workshop's answer:** DRM is a duck fabric, similar to canvas. K- is an acrylic-linen blend. N03 in the N series is 100% cotton. The 0- collection on the trapezoid listing is bouclé, a curly, knotted texture that is soft and durable. COR is corduroy, M- and T- are outdoor fabrics, and L- is the linen range.

**A common question:** What's the difference between your two velvet color palettes?

**The workshop's answer:** The velvet is the same fabric in both. The palettes only offer different color options.

**A common question:** How wide are the stripes on the striped fabrics?

**The workshop's answer:** N01 has a 0.55 in (1.4 cm) stripe and N02 a finer 0.28 in (0.7 cm) one; N30 onward carry wide 2-2.4 in (5-6 cm) stripes. The red stripes share one color in different widths, with N14 the darkest.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Is there a Martindale or double-rub rating for these fabrics?

No lab rub count is available; there are no Martindale or Wyzenbeek certificates. The fabrics are heavy-duty upholstery grades for daily use, with the outdoor fabrics the toughest.

### Do the fabrics carry a stain-proof finish?

No branded stain-proof finish. The workshop calls its fabrics performance fabrics: durable, pre-shrunk and machine washable, except the 100% cotton stripes. For families, soft fabric and velvet clean most easily.

### Which fabric family is the most hard-wearing?

All are upholstery grade and wear well; velvet, soft fabric and linen are broadly equal. For the heaviest use choose soft fabric, pick velvet over linen, and use the outdoor range anywhere it may get wet.

## Related at the atelier

- [Do you make custom seat cushions in faux leather or real leather?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/faux-leather-cowhide-cushion-options/): Yes, custom seat cushions can be made in faux leather for a small extra cost; ask the workshop to show you those fabrics.
- [A color I saw in your photos isn't in the dropdown. Can I still order it?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/order-color-not-in-dropdown/): You can usually order a color that isn't in the dropdown, because the dropdown doesn't list every fabric in stock.
- [Every cushion shape, drawn once, with the numbers it needs](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-shapes-chart/): Cushion shapes fall into a few families: rectangles and squares, angled shapes such as trapezoids and clipped corners, polygons, corner runs (L, U, T), notched seats, curves, and traced shapes.
- [Angled Window Seat Cushion in Sage for a Kids' Reading Nook](https://cushionguide.com/readings/sage-angled-window-seat-cushion-kids-reading-corner/): An angled window seat cushion should be cut to the bay's real angle, not stopped square, so no wedge-shaped gap opens against the side window.
- [Can I get solid piping to match a color in my striped fabric?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/piping-for-striped-cushions/): Sometimes: striped and patterned fabrics have no solid in the same tone, so solid piping for a striped cushion comes from another chart and may differ slightly.
- [Trapezoid Bench Cushion for a Bay: Gray with Olive Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/light-gray-angled-bay-cushion-olive-piping-oak/): A trapezoid bench cushion that tapers almost to a point should be cut from a paper template of the ledge, not from tape measurements, because the narrow tip has no room to hide an error.
- [Making a paper template a cushion workshop can actually use](https://cushionguide.com/guides/paper-template-for-custom-cushion/)

*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/fabric-code-prefixes-explained/