---
title: "Fabric Sample Option in the Size Menu: Swatches, Not a Cushion"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-sample-option-size-menu-meaning/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Hana Lindqvist, The Quiet Geometer of Seattle"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/"
published: "2026-08-27"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "fabric sample option meaning, fabric swatch before ordering cushion, cushion fabric samples, fabric swatch palette, fabric sample refund"
---

# What does the "fabric sample" option in the size menu mean?

*It sits in the size menu, so it looks like a size. It is not.*

Also asked as: What does fabric sample mean when choosing the size?; Is it just a piece of fabric?

> **The quick answer:** The fabric sample option in a listing's size menu buys fabric swatches only, not a cushion. You get small pieces of the colors you ask for, often a palette of the whole range, to see and feel before ordering. The sample cost comes back as a discount on your cushion order. To buy the cushion, choose a real size and a color number.

![Honey mustard velvet window seat cushion on a white paneled bench between sunny windows, with cream pillows and tulips](https://cushionguide.com/media/window-seat-cushions/honey-mustard-velvet-window-seat-sunny-1536.webp "Morning sun turns a mustard velvet cushion honey-gold, framed by white paneling, tulips and a faded rug.")

## Key facts

- The fabric sample option in the size menu buys swatches only, not a cushion.
- Swatches show real colors and let you feel the quality.
- One sample order can bring a palette of the whole range.
- The sample cost is returned as a discount when you order cushions.
- To buy a cushion, select an actual size and a color number.
- Standard swatches are about 1.2-1.6 in (3-4 cm) square; velvet can come as 4 in (10 cm) squares on request.
- A sample ordered by mistake is cancelled and refunded.
- One buyer's samples reached the US in about 3 to 5 days. Ask when yours will ship.

## Sample or cushion: what you are choosing

|   | Fabric sample option | A size option |
|---|---|---|
| What arrives | Small pieces of fabric | The cushion, made to that size |
| Color | The colors you ask for, often the whole palette | The one color number you choose |
| Why choose it | To see and feel color and quality at home | You already know the fabric |
| Cost | Comes back as a discount on a cushion order | The cushion price |
| Chosen by mistake | The shop checks with you, then cancels and refunds | Nothing to undo |

## Why a swatch is worth the wait

A screen shows you a color. A swatch shows you the color in your room, at your hour of the day. The two are rarely the same. The [screen and daylight Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-color-screen-vs-daylight/) explains why.

The pieces are small. That is enough to judge color and texture. If you want more, velvet can be sent as larger squares, and the shop will send free close-up photos of any [fabric code](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#fabric-code) in the chat.

What light will the cushion live in? Hold the [swatch](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#swatch) there, not at the window you like best. The [swatch Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) covers the rest.

A swatch is small.
The room is large.
Let the room decide.

## How big the pieces are

| Swatch | Size |
|---|---|
| Standard swatch | About 1.2-1.6 in (3-4 cm) square |
| Velvet, on request | 4 in (10 cm) squares |
| Some orders | Around 6 in (15 cm) square |

> **Tailor's margin:** The fabric sample option in a size menu brings swatches, not a cushion; for the cushion itself, pick a real size and a color number.

> The fabric sample option buys swatches only, and the sample cost comes back as a discount when you order the cushion.
>
> — Hana

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Is the fabric sample option on the listing the cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** No. It buys pieces of fabric so you can see and feel the colors before ordering; no cushion is included. To buy the cushion, choose a size and a color number. If a buyer picks the sample by mistake, the shop messages to check what they meant.

**A common question:** I chose fabric sample and expected a cushion. What now?

**The workshop's answer:** It is only a small swatch for checking fabric quality and color. That buyer's order was cancelled and refunded.

**A common question:** What is the low-priced fabric swatch option in the size menu?

**The workshop's answer:** A fabric sample, not a cushion. One sample order brings a palette with all the colors so you can check shade and quality, and the sample cost comes back as a discount when you order cushions.

**A common question:** How big are the swatches? Can I get bigger ones?

**The workshop's answer:** Standard swatches are about 1.2-1.6 in (3-4 cm) square, enough to judge color and texture. Velvet can be sent as 4 in squares on request, and some orders arrived around 6 in (15 cm) square.

**A common question:** I'm an interior designer. Can I get every color at once?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Buy the fabric sample option once and ask for a complete swatch set of every color for the usual shipping-only fee, so future client orders can be picked with the fabrics in hand.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can I see a fabric before the sample arrives?

Yes. Name the fabric codes and the shop sends free close-up photos in the chat, often studio and daylight shots side by side. Lighting still shifts tones, so a physical sample is the safer check when color matters.

### Can I cancel a sample order and buy the cushion instead?

Yes. Checking out without a size buys samples only; the shop refunds it and you reorder with a size. A sample order that hasn't shipped can also be cancelled if you have already decided on the cushion.

### Do I end up paying for the sample twice if I then order a cushion?

No. The sample cost comes back as a discount when you order cushions, so the swatch works as a first step toward the cushion rather than an extra purchase on top of it.

## Related at the atelier

- [How big are the fabric swatches, and can I get bigger ones?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-swatch-size-bigger-swatches/): Standard fabric swatches are small, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 in (3-4 cm) square, enough to judge true color, weave and texture.
- [How long do fabric samples take to arrive?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/how-long-fabric-samples-take-to-arrive/): Fabric samples run on two clocks, preparation at the workshop and transit with the courier, and both change with the season, so ask the workshop for current times when you order.
- [Can I get fabric samples for the floor sofa before ordering?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/modular-floor-sofa-fabric-samples/): Yes, you can get floor sofa fabric samples before ordering: buy one fabric sample and write in the order note that it's for the sofa and which colors you want.
- [Kids Floor Sofa in Ochre, Rust and Cream Corduroy](https://cushionguide.com/readings/ochre-rust-cream-corduroy-rainbow-arch-playroom/): To order a multi-color kids floor sofa or play arch, type the exact fabric code for every piece in the personalization note, list any spare covers as separate lines, and confirm the full list when…
- [Kids Floor Sofa Arches in Corduroy: Ordering Colors Right](https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-blush-corduroy-arches-tunnel-run-playroom/): Order a kids' floor play set by writing one fabric code per piece in your message, checking the swatches in your room's daylight, and confirming the overall size against the space before you pay.
- [Mudcloth Window Seat Cushion: Mixing Print, Linen and Clay](https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-mudcloth-print-cushion-corner-self-piping/): To mix patterns around a printed window seat cushion, let the print carry the pattern and give everything near it texture instead.
- [How to order fabric swatches that actually settle the decision](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/)
- [Why the color on your screen isn't the cushion you'll get, and how to choose](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-color-screen-vs-daylight/)

*— Hana*

---

Written by Hana Lindqvist (https://cushionguide.com/masters/hana/) 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-sample-option-size-menu-meaning/