---
title: "Striped Cushion Fabric: 100% Cotton, and No Linen Stripe"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/striped-cushion-fabric-cotton/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-02-17"
updated: "2026-02-17"
keywords: "striped cushion fabric material, cotton striped cushion, striped bench cushion fabric, linen stripe cushion, black and white striped cushion"
---

# What are the striped cushion fabrics made of, and is there a linen stripe?

*A stripe is the most honest pattern in a room: it shows every straight line and every wandering one. Here is what these stripes are woven from.*

Also asked as: what fabric is the stripe; wide green and white stripes

> **The quick answer:** The striped cushion fabrics are 100% cotton, a fully natural fabric; the black-and-white stripe is 98% cotton and 2% polyester. They wash well and look lovely, but over the years they are not quite as hard-wearing as the linen or velvet ranges. There is no linen version of the stripes, and the listing stripes are the only striped options.

![Black and white zigzag box cushion on a white storage bench with red velvet, mustard ruffle and cobalt bouclé pillows](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/black-white-zigzag-bench-cushion-primary-color-pillows-1600.webp "A black and white zigzag cushion works as a neutral base for primary-color pillows. All three pillow colors come from the striped rug below.")

## Key facts

- The stripe range is 100% cotton.
- The black-and-white stripe is 98% cotton, 2% polyester.
- Cotton stripes wash well but are not quite as hard-wearing over the years as linen or velvet.
- There is no linen version of the stripes.
- The listing stripes are the only striped options; there is no linen-feel red stripe.
- An extra linen chart with creams and beige-whites is available on request.

## First question: “What is the stripe actually made of?”

Cotton, all the way through: a dry, matte cloth that takes a crisp line, like the wide green-and-white stripe one buyer asked about. The one exception is the black-and-white stripe, woven 98% cotton with 2% polyester. The eye sits down first, and a cotton stripe gives it a clean place to land.

See the whole [striped cotton and ticking family](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/striped-cotton-and-ticking/), and the [stripe direction pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/striped-cushion-stripe-direction/) for which way the lines run on a long bench.

## Follow-up: “Which lasts longer, the stripe or the linen?”

The linen and the velvet. The workshop says so plainly: the cotton stripes are washable and beautiful, but not quite as hard-wearing over the years. Choose the stripe for the look and plan to [wash the covers](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-wash-cushion-covers/) now and then; choose [linen or cotton-linen](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/linen-and-cotton-linen/) for the seat that takes the most wear. Is yours a window seat for reading, or a kitchen bench for every meal?

## Follow-up: “Is there a linen stripe, maybe in red?”

No. The stripes in the listing are the only striped options, and none comes in linen, red or otherwise. If linen matters more to you than the stripe, ask for the extra linen chart of creams and beige-whites, and let the throw pillows carry the pattern.

> Striped cotton cushion fabric washes well, but over the years it is not quite as hard-wearing as linen or velvet. Choose the stripe for the look, linen for the wear.
>
> — Élodie

> **Tailor's margin:** Cotton stripe fabric has no linen twin: if a cushion must be linen, choose a plain linen and let the throw pillows carry the stripe.

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Which of your fabric charts are linen, and what are the stripes made of?

**The workshop's answer:** There are two linen charts: codes starting with K, and the L range used on the linen bench cushion. The stripes are 100% cotton, washable and beautiful, though not quite as hard-wearing over the years.

**A common question:** Do you have other stripes, maybe a red one with a linen feel?

**The workshop's answer:** The listing stripes are the only striped options, and there is no linen-feel red stripe. An extra linen chart with creams and beige-whites can be sent on request.

**A common question:** Is there a linen version of the black-and-white stripe?

**The workshop's answer:** No. That stripe is 98% cotton and 2% polyester, and the rest of the striped range is 100% premium cotton. None of the stripes comes in linen.

**A common question:** Can I see close-ups of a stripe before I order?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Close-ups and real-life photos of specific codes and color combinations are sent on request, and samples are recommended for judging texture in hand.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Is cotton a good fabric for a bench cushion?

Yes, for the right bench. Cotton is natural and washable, and a cotton stripe keeps a crisp line. For a seat that takes heavy daily wear for years, linen or velvet is the more hard-wearing choice.

### Is “soft fabric” on a chart closer to velvet or to linen?

Neither, exactly. Soft fabric looks close to linen but is smoother and more even, without slubs, and it has no velvet pile. Check which chart a code comes from before you compare two swatches.

### What should I choose for a wipe-clean cushion instead of cotton?

Faux leather is available at a small extra cost, and one textile has a leather-like feel. For wipe-clean without leather, the workshop points buyers to velvet, which works well for it.

## Related at the atelier

- [Is the corduroy on the sofa cotton or polyester?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/corduroy-sofa-fabric-cotton-or-polyester/): The sofa corduroy is mostly polyester, not cotton: the workshop describes it as 100% polyester plush corduroy or a poly-cotton blend, because furniture corduroy isn't made in pure cotton.
- [What are your cushion fabrics made of: polyester, cotton or linen?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-fabric-composition-polyester-cotton-linen/): Most cushion fabrics in the range are polyester or polyester blends, chosen because they last longer on seating and clean easily: the velvet, the soft fabric, the linen-look fabrics and the corduroy.
- [Are your cushion fabrics and foam OEKO-TEX certified?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/oeko-tex-certified-cushion-fabric-foam/): The cushion fabrics come from a mill certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (03.T.3239); Standard 100 is the textile label for materials tested for harmful substances.
- [Outdoor cushions for Greek island terraces, courtyards and built-in benches](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-greece/): Outdoor cushions in Greece need UV-resistant, water-repellent outdoor fabric, ties or a non-slip base for the meltemi, and sizes cut to the built-in masonry benches of terraces and courtyards.
- [Ticking Stripe Window Seat Cushion: How the Cloth Feels and Wears](https://cushionguide.com/readings/black-piped-ticking-stripe-scandi-window-seat/): A ticking stripe window seat cushion in woven striped cotton feels cool, dry and faintly ridged under the hand, and its zippered cover comes off to wash on a gentle 86°F (30°C) cycle, then air dry.
- [Black Ticking Stripe Window Seat Cushion by a Garden View](https://cushionguide.com/readings/black-ticking-stripe-window-seat-garden-view/): A ticking stripe window seat cushion looks most tailored when the stripes run front to back, turn over a self-piped edge and drop straight down the front band.
- [Striped cushions: which way the stripes run, and why](https://cushionguide.com/guides/striped-cushion-stripe-direction/)
- [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/striped-cushion-fabric-cotton/