---
title: "Fabric Sample Price Per Swatch? One Fee Covers the Whole Order"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/fabric-sample-price-per-swatch-or-per-order/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-08-26"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "fabric sample price per swatch, cushion fabric swatches, order fabric samples, velvet and linen swatches, fabric sample fee"
---

# Is the fabric sample price per swatch, or do I get several colors for one price?

*Many buyers read the sample price as a per-swatch price and wince. Breathe. It is one fee for the package, and the package holds more than one color.*

Also asked as: Is the price per sample?; Is each swatch charged separately?

> **The quick answer:** The fabric sample fee is charged once per sample order, not per swatch. Buy one fabric sample, pick any color if the menu insists, then list every color number you want in the personalization box or order notes; they ship together in one package with no extra shipping, and the fee can be deducted from a later cushion order.

![Silver-gray pet-friendly L-shaped banquette cushion on white storage benches with rust and cream pillows by an oak table](https://cushionguide.com/media/l-shaped-cushions/silver-gray-l-shaped-banquette-scandi-kitchen-1600.webp "Silver-gray pebble-weave seats wrap a white kitchen corner, warmed by rust and cognac pillows.")

## Key facts

- The sample fee is per order, not per swatch.
- Buy one fabric sample and list every color number in personalization or order notes.
- All requested colors ship together, with no extra shipping.
- Different fabric types, such as linen and velvet, can go in one sample order.
- Full velvet or linen swatch sets can be requested.
- The sample cost can be deducted from a later cushion order.

## Ordering swatches the one-fee way

1. Choose the fabric sample (or 'fabric swatch') option and set the quantity to 1.
2. If the menu makes you pick a color, pick any one; it doesn't limit what you receive.
3. Write every color number you want in the personalization box or order notes.
4. Shortlist first: plan on about 5 codes per sample order, and ask if your list runs longer.
5. Mix families freely: linen codes and velvet swatches can share one order, or ask for the full velvet or linen set.
6. Remember the fee; it can come off your cushion order later.

## Why I want the swatch in your window, not on your screen

Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does. A washed-denim linen can read gray on a phone and blue on your sill, and velvet shifts with every turn of its pile. That is why the swatch matters more than the photo, and why one fee for many colors is a kind policy.

Lay the swatches where the cushion will live, at three times of day. Put the [velvet](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/) beside the [linen and cotton-linen](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/linen-and-cotton-linen/) and watch which one holds its color at dusk. The [swatch Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) walks through the rest, and the [screen vs. daylight Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-color-screen-vs-daylight/) explains why phones drift.

Which room will the cushion live in, my friends, and which window lights it?

## Swatch mistakes that cost a second fee

- ✗ Buying one sample per color; five samples means paying the fee five times.
- ✗ Checking out without writing the color numbers in the note.
- ✗ Ordering linen and velvet swatches separately when one order can carry both.
- ✗ Choosing the 'fabric swatch' size option and expecting a cushion; it ships fabric samples only.

## Swatches or close-up photos?

| Question | Fabric samples | Close-up photos |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | One fee per sample order, deductible later | Free, sent in the chat |
| What you see | Real fabric in your own light | Studio and daylight shots, often side by side |
| Timing | Ask when you order; slower when busy | Sent once you name the codes |
| Best when | Color is critical | You want a quick look, or finished cushions in that fabric |

> **Tailor's margin:** A fabric sample order is one fee, not one per swatch: buy a single sample and write every color number in the note.

> A swatch in your own window light settles a color faster than any screen, and one sample order can carry linen and velvet codes together.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** How do I order fabric samples, and is the price per swatch?

**The workshop's answer:** Buy the fabric sample listing and write up to 5 fabric codes in the personalization section; the price covers the whole sample order, not each swatch, and the shop has offered to deduct it from the final cushion order. If you'd rather not wait, ask for close-up photos of the codes instead.

**A common question:** Is the sample price per color? I want to compare several.

**The workshop's answer:** No. Buy one fabric sample and list all the color numbers you want in the order notes; the shop sends them all together.

**A common question:** Do I pay for each color, or can I get a whole set?

**The workshop's answer:** One sample purchase is enough. Choose the Fabric Swatch option in the size menu, buy it once, and list the color numbers you want, or ask for the full velvet or linen set. Everything is sent together, and the cost can be deducted from your cushion order later.

**A common question:** What do I actually get with the 'fabric swatch' option?

**The workshop's answer:** Small fabric samples only, not a cushion. The sample price covers the color range rather than a single swatch, and velvet samples can be added to the same sample order on request.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can you send close-up photos of fabric codes instead of samples?

Yes. Name the codes and the shop sends free close-up photos in the chat, often studio and daylight shots side by side, plus finished cushions in that fabric when available. Lighting can shift tones, so order samples if color is critical.

### How long do fabric samples take to arrive?

Ask the workshop how long samples are taking when you order. They travel by courier, and busy periods run slower, so leave room before you need to decide.

### Is there a showroom where I can see the fabrics in person?

No, there is no showroom. Order fabric samples to see the colors in your own light, or ask for close-up photos in the chat while you narrow the list.

## Related at the atelier

- [Are fabric samples free, or do I have to pay for them?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/are-fabric-samples-free-sample-fee/): The fabric swatches themselves cost nothing; you pay one small flat fee that covers shipping, charged per sample order rather than per swatch.
- [Can you send a foam sample with the fabric swatches?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/foam-sample-with-fabric-swatches/): Yes, a small foam sample can ship with your fabric swatches, so you can check firmness and density before buying a sofa or cushions.
- [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.
- [Custom cushions for Bulgarian terraces, mountain houses and apartments](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-bulgaria/): Custom cushions in Bulgaria must handle strong summer sun and real winters.
- [Bench Cushion Piping Colors: Moss, Oatmeal and Burgundy Stacked](https://cushionguide.com/readings/stacked-box-cushions-contrast-piping-pairings/): For a linen-look bench cushion, choose contrast piping by temperature: a warm cord on a cool body, like mustard on moss green, or a cool cord on a deep one, like pale gray on burgundy.
- [How to order fabric swatches that actually settle the decision](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/): Order cushion fabric swatches by shortlisting up to 5 fabric codes, including the piping colors you are weighing, and writing every code in the note of a single sample order.
- [Real linen or linen-look? Reading a cushion fabric label honestly](https://cushionguide.com/guides/real-linen-vs-linen-look-cushion-fabric/)

*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-sample-price-per-swatch-or-per-order/