Mulberry Home | Berber Stripe

Berber Stripe is a woven cotton and jute stripe named for the hand-loomed cloths of North Africa, with a dry, textured hand and a visible slub that gives it real character against a smoother furnishing cotton. The stripe is woven rather than printed, so it is the same on both faces, and the 22.5 centimetre repeat is broad enough to read as a confident band rather than a narrow ticking. The name points to the hand-loomed textiles of North Africa’s Atlas mountains, and the cloth carries some of that hand-made irregularity, with the jute slub varying subtly along each band.

The composition is 68 per cent cotton and 32 per cent jute, 134 centimetres wide, with a 22.5 centimetre horizontal repeat, tested to 6,000 rubs on the Wyzenbeek cotton duck scale. Given that moderate rub count, we treat it as a cloth for lighter use rather than a daily sofa. Two colourways: Denim, a workable mid-blue, and Spice, a warm terracotta.

We would use it on a bench cushion in a hall, a pair of unlined curtains in a garden room, or a Roman blind in a kitchen. It also makes a good cushion on a plain linen sofa. Pair it with the Bohemian Travels prints in a related colourway. In a garden room, left unlined, it lets in a good deal of light while still giving the window some structure. Sold by the half metre; order a sample to see it in your own light.

A making-up note: match the stripe carefully across any seam, and keep it away from pieces that will see heavy daily wear given the rub count. Jute can shrink slightly, so have it dry cleaned rather than washed, and avoid steam directly on the face.

• Composition: 68% cotton, 32% jute
• Width: 134 cm (53 in)
• Pattern repeat: 22.5 cm horizontal
• Abrasion resistance: 6,000 rubs (Wyzenbeek Cotton Duck)
• Suitable for: Curtains, loose upholstery, fixed upholstery, bedspreads
• Care: Dry clean only; do not wash, bleach or iron
• Collection: Stripes II, Mulberry Home
• Colourways: 2 (Denim, Spice)

• 68% Cotton 32% Jute