---
title: "Black Cushion Fabric: Is It True Black or Dark Charcoal?"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/true-black-vs-charcoal-cushion-fabric/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-03-17"
updated: "2026-03-17"
keywords: "black cushion fabric true black, charcoal cushion fabric, black vs charcoal fabric, dark gray cushion fabric, anthracite bench cushion"
---

# Is this cushion fabric true black, or a dark gray or charcoal?

*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.*

Also asked as: Is fabric P72 black?; Is T36 gray-black or blue-toned?

> **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.

![Burgundy, teal-stripe, dusty blue and cream cushions stacked on a curved cream bench under a candlelit arched window](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/burgundy-boucle-stack-walnut-paneled-reading-corner-928.webp "Dark walnut paneling, one candle and a pile of leather-bound books: burgundy bouclé is the color that holds this corner together.")

## Key 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.

## 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](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-color-screen-vs-daylight/) explains the trap, and [ordering swatches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) closes it.

## Oatmeal and charcoal, done properly

A buyer in the US wanted oatmeal and charcoal from the [pet-friendly chart](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/performance-and-pet-friendly/). 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](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/).

What is the darkest thing already in your room: a stove, a picture frame, an iron bed?

> **Tailor's margin:** A cushion fabric that must be true black deserves a daylight photo first: P72, the N07 stripe and corduroy 03 all pass for black on screen.

> 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 answer:** Several 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 answer:** A 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 answer:** G-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.

## Related at the atelier

- [Do you have a dark chocolate or espresso brown linen?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/dark-brown-espresso-linen-fabric/): Yes: K22 on the second linen chart is a dark espresso brown linen, because the main linen chart has no true dark brown.
- [Which striped fabric is raspberry, which is burgundy, and which is a true red?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/red-striped-fabric-raspberry-burgundy/): Among the red striped cushion fabrics, N17 is the closest to raspberry, N18 is a muted, dustier berry, N14 is a deeper burgundy red and N15 is a bright, classic true red.
- [Which linen color is closest to sage green?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/sage-green-linen-cushion-fabric/): L-24 is the closest linen to sage green: a soft, muted gray-green squarely in the sage family.
- [Charcoal Geometric Bench Cushion on a Plywood Box, Year-Round](https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-geometric-cushion-plywood-box-white-brick/): A charcoal geometric bench cushion works year-round because the dark ground holds steady while daylight changes around it; the seasonal shift belongs to the pillows.
- [Black Mudcloth-Style Bench Cushion on an Open Wood Frame](https://cushionguide.com/readings/black-mudcloth-style-bench-cushion-floral-wallpaper/): On an open-frame bench with no lip, a custom bench cushion must match the bench top exactly, because any overhang shows.
- [Custom Bench Cushion in a Monochrome Knotted Stripe](https://cushionguide.com/readings/monochrome-knotted-weave-box-cushion-white/): On a custom bench cushion with a strong stripe, choose thickness by the seat's depth, since a patterned boxing strip shows every inch of edge.
- [How much fabric do you need for a bench cushion? Yardage worked out](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-yardage-for-cushions/)
- [Choosing cushion fabric: seven families compared for real homes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-fabric-types-compared/)

*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/true-black-vs-charcoal-cushion-fabric/