The Cutting Table · a common question
Is this cushion fabric true black, or a dark gray or charcoal?
Also asked as:Is fabric P72 black?Is T36 gray-black or blue-toned?
Black is the hardest color to buy on a screen. Navy, brown and charcoal all borrow black's coat in a thumbnail, and only daylight takes it off again.
The quick answer
A cushion fabric that looks black on screen is often dark gray, navy or brown, not true black. P72 is dark gray with white dots, the N07 stripe is a very dark navy, corduroy 03 is dark brown and T36 is charcoal with no blue. G-62 is a near-black anthracite. If you need true black, ask for a daylight photo before you order.
SaveKey facts
- P72 is dark gray with white dots, not black.
- The N07 stripe is a very dark navy that can pass for black in photos.
- There is no black corduroy; corduroy code 03 is dark brown.
- T36 is a charcoal mixed weave of black and gray yarns with no blue undertone.
- G-61 is a deep charcoal gray; G-62 is a near-black anthracite.
- G-47 is a warm cream oatmeal; G-48 is one shade deeper beige.
- Sofa corduroy comes in about 9 to 10 colors; the darkest are anthracite and brown, and none is black.
- The G-series pet fabric is 100% polyester, about 11 oz per square yard (370 g/m²), tightly woven with no loops.
Have it made
Have Élodie’s workshop cut this for you
Color is easier to settle in a conversation than on a screen. Tell the workshop about the room and the light it gets, and the fabric choice follows. — Élodie
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.
The near-blacks, read in daylight
| Code | Asked about as | What it really is |
|---|---|---|
| P72 | Black | Dark gray with white dots |
| N07 stripe | Black | Very dark navy |
| Corduroy 03 | Black | Dark brown |
| T36 | Gray-black or blue-black | Charcoal mix of black and gray yarns, no blue |
| G-62 | Charcoal gray | Almost-black anthracite |
Screens shift dark tones; ask for a daylight photo or a swatch.
Why black fibs on a screen
Black is where screens are least honest. The N07 stripe can pass for black in photos, and a mixed weave like T36 averages its black and gray yarns into something solid in a thumbnail; in daylight it reads as a textured, salt-and-pepper charcoal. Daylight never lies; your screen sometimes does.
On the linen chart, L-37 is a very dark gray, and replies have disagreed about L-38, so ask. Screen versus swatch explains the trap, and ordering swatches closes it.
Oatmeal and charcoal, done properly
A buyer in the US wanted oatmeal and charcoal from the pet-friendly chart. G-47 is the oatmeal, a warm cream; G-48 sits one shade deeper. G-61 is the true deep charcoal, and G-62 goes darker, to an almost-black anthracite. So G-47 with G-61 is the pairing, my friends, and G-62 is the one to ask about for the nearest thing to black on a bench cushion.
What is the darkest thing already in your room: a stove, a picture frame, an iron bed?
There is no black corduroy in the range: corduroy code 03 is dark brown, and the N07 stripe that looks black in photos is a very dark navy.
Élodie
Buyer questions
- A common question
Is this fabric black? I need a true black.
The workshop's answerSeveral fabrics that look black on screen aren't. P72 is dark gray with white dots, the N07 stripe is a very dark navy and corduroy 03 is dark brown. There's no black corduroy, so ask for a photo before you order.
- A common question
Is T36 a gray-black, or does it have a blue tone?
The workshop's answerA gray-black charcoal: a mixed weave of black and gray yarns with no blue. In daylight it reads as dark charcoal with a slightly textured, salt-and-pepper look.
- A common question
Which pet-friendly colors go with an oatmeal and charcoal gray scheme?
The workshop's answerG-47 is the oatmeal, a warm cream (G-48 is one shade deeper). G-61 is a true deep charcoal and G-62 an almost-black anthracite, so G-47 with G-61 is the pairing to choose.
Questions buyers ask next
What should I ask for when I need true black?
A photo of the actual fabric in daylight, with the code you're considering. A swatch settles it for good, because a near-black navy or brown can pass for black in photos.
Which pet-friendly code comes closest to black?
Of the codes buyers have asked about, G-62, an almost-black anthracite. G-61 is a lighter, true deep charcoal gray, which sits more softly beside the warm cream oatmeal G-47.
Why does one fabric code look different in two photos?
Lighting, camera and screen settings shift tone, so one code can look warm in one photo and cool in another. Treat the chart as the reference and ask for a fresh close-up.
