The Cutting Table · a common question
How long do fabric samples take to arrive?
Also asked as:How fast could samples arrive?Arrival time to the US for 5-10 samples
Two clocks run on every swatch order: the one on the cutting table and the one in the truck. Add them up before you set a deadline.
The quick answer
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. Busy periods run slower than quiet weeks. Arrival by a set date can't be guaranteed, so state any deadline when you order and leave a margin before you have to choose.
SaveKey facts
- Sample timing has two parts, preparation at the workshop and courier transit, and both run slower in busy periods.
- Samples to the US travel by FedEx; transit after dispatch varies with the season.
- Arrival by a specific date can't be guaranteed, so allow a margin before your decision date, more in busy periods.
- A lost sample package was re-sent with a tracking number.
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Numbers first, fabric second, piping last. Jot down what you have, and the workshop will go down the list with you, item by item. — Maggie
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
Two clocks for fabric samples: prep time and transit
Right, then. A swatch order is small, but it doesn't skip the line. In a quiet week the samples can go out quickly; when the workshop is busy, even a handful of swatches waits its turn to be cut, labeled and packed.
Then the second clock starts: the courier, FedEx to the US. Add the two and you have your real wait, and only the workshop can tell you what both clocks read this week. Ask for current times when you order and leave a margin.
I once promised a client her swatches by Friday and learned what 'busy season' means. Mention your deadline in the order and it gets noted as urgent, though nobody can promise a date. When they land, judge them by a window, not a lamp: screen color versus daylight explains why, and ordering fabric swatches first covers what to ask for.
What date are you working back from?
The sample clock, stage by stage
| Stage | What moves it |
|---|---|
| Preparation in a quiet week | Swatches are cut, labeled and packed soon after the order |
| Preparation in a busy period | Even a small sample order waits its turn behind cushion orders |
| Transit after dispatch | The season and carrier volume; one past quote to the US was 3-5 days |
| FedEx to the US | Tracking; one lost package was re-sent with a tracking number |
| Order to mailbox | Both clocks added, plus room for a busy week |
Getting swatches in hand before a deadline
Count back from the day you choose
Start from the date you must choose, ask the workshop for current sample times, and order well before that date, with room for a busy week and the courier.
Put the deadline in writing
Say the date in your order message. It can't be guaranteed, but it gets noted as urgent.
Send every code at once
Sample codes can be changed or added until the order ships, so settle the list early rather than placing a second order.
Watch the tracking
If a sample package goes missing, the workshop re-sends it with a tracking number.
Fabric samples run on two clocks, the cutting table and the courier. Ask the workshop what both read this week before you set a deadline.
Maggie
Buyer questions
- A common question
How fast do fabric samples get to the US?
The workshop's answerTransit times vary with the season; on one occasion the workshop quoted 3-5 days after dispatch. Ask for the current estimate when you order.
- A common question
How long do samples take to ship out?
The workshop's answerPreparation time depends on the season: quieter periods are quicker, and at high volume even small sample orders take longer, so ask for the current time. Arrival before a specific date can't be guaranteed, though urgency is noted.
- A common question
What happens if my sample package gets lost?
The workshop's answerWhen a sample package couldn't be traced, the workshop posted new samples and promised a tracking number. In one case abroad, samples arrived just 1-2 days after dispatch.
- A common question
How many days do swatches take to reach the US?
The workshop's answerIt varies with the season. They travel by FedEx once the workshop has cut and packed them, and one past quote put transit at 3-5 days after dispatch; add the preparation time on top and ask for the current figures when you order.
- A common question
Can I add swatches to my cushion order or change the codes on my sample order?
The workshop's answerYes. Sample codes can be changed or added until the order ships, and a few swatches have traveled inside a cushion parcel when the codes arrived before dispatch.
Questions buyers ask next
Can I see a fabric up close while the swatches are on their way?
Yes. Name the fabric codes and the workshop sends free close-up photos in the chat, often a studio shot and a daylight shot side by side, plus finished cushions in that fabric when available. Lighting shifts tones, so rely on the physical sample when color is critical.
Is the 'fabric sample' choice in the size menu a small cushion?
No. It is a fabric swatch only: small pieces to see and feel the colors before you order. To buy a cushion, choose a real size and color; sample orders placed by mistake are cancelled and refunded.
Do floor sofa fabric samples follow the same timing?
Roughly. Buy one fabric sample, note that it's for the sofa and list the colors you want; one sample order has covered several colors, and in past orders its fee was credited against the sofa. The same two clocks apply, so ask for the current delivery time when you order.
