How to Buy Kravet Fabric Without Blowing Your Budget: A 5-Step Checklist for Designers

If you're an interior designer sourcing Kravet for a project—especially a smaller one—you know the drill. You fall in love with a Kravet design fabric in the showroom, spec it out, and then hit the order form and start doing math. Between yardage minimums, shipping splits, and the dreaded 'sample-to-order' lag, a straightforward purchase can turn into a cost management exercise.

This checklist is for designers, independent decorators, and procurement people who need to source Kravet carpet, Kravet couture fabric, or even tie dye bedding without the luxury price tag catching them off guard. It's five steps, and step 3 is the one everyone misses.

Step 1: Start With Your Total Yardage—Not the Per-Yard Price

Most buyers focus on per-yard pricing. That's like judging a car by the color of the paint. The real number is how many yards you actually need. Kravet sells upholstery fabric by the yard, and the per-yard price for a Crypton performance fabric is what you see on the tag. But the total cost? That depends on pattern repeat, railroading, and waste.

Here's what I mean. When I was ordering a Kravet velvet for a set of dining chairs, the per-yard price was reasonable. But the pattern had a 27-inch repeat. By the time I accounted for matching across six chairs, my usable yield dropped by about 18%. That added roughly $160 to the total—money I hadn't budgeted for because I was only looking at the base number.

Action item: Before you get a quote, calculate your yardage including a 15% waste buffer for pattern matching. Then multiply by the per-yard price. That's your starting number. Not the price on the sample card.

Step 2: Check the Grade—Contract vs. Residential

Kravet makes both residential and contract-grade fabrics. Contract fabrics (like their Crypton line or heavy-duty performance fabrics) are more expensive per yard. But they're also more durable. If you're upholstering a sofa for a family with kids, the contract grade might cost 20% more upfront but last 3x longer before showing wear.

I once specced a residential Kravet linen for a client's living room. Six months in, the fabric started pilling on the armrests. The client wasn't thrilled. The reupholstery cost more than if I'd just used the contract-grade fabric from the start. (Should mention: that mistake taught me to check the abrasion test results before ordering.)

Action item: Ask for the Wyzenbeek or Martindale rub count. For high-traffic seating, aim for 30,000+ double rubs. For light-use drapery, you can go lower. The grade affects cost, but it also affects lifespan—and a short lifespan is the most expensive kind.

Step 3: Negotiate the Split Shipping (This Is Where They Get You)

Here's the step most people miss. Kravet fabric is often shipped from different warehouses depending on the collection. You might order a Kravet design fabric from the Couture line and some tie dye bedding from a different product group. If they come from different locations, you're paying separate shipping.

Oh, and here's the kicker: each shipment has a minimum handling fee. So that $12 piece of Crypton fabric? If it ships separately, the freight cost can double your per-yard cost. I've seen this hit $30-50 per split shipment.

Action item: When you place your order, ask the showroom or customer service rep: "Is this all shipping from the same location?" If not, ask if they can consolidate. In my experience, Kravet's reps will help if you ask. But they don't volunteer it. (Not that I blame them—it's the system, not the people.)

Step 4: Confirm Minimum Yardage Requirements—Especially for Ruffled Packages

Kravet has a standard policy regarding minimums, but it varies by product line. For example, their Crypton performance fabrics might have a 1-yard minimum, while some of the more exclusive Kravet couture fabrics have a 3-yard minimum. That matters if you're doing a small accent chair that only needs 2.5 yards.

I once ordered what I thought was a "ruffled package"—meaning a fabric with a specific trim or finish that had its own minimum. The base fabric had a 2-yard minimum. The ruffled package had a 4-yard minimum. I ended up buying fabric I didn't need, and the leftover yardage sat in my office for a year. (Ugh.)

Action item: Ask specifically about minimums for the product line you're ordering. Don't assume they're all the same. And if you're ordering a "package" (like a bedspread with trim), confirm the minimum applies to the total, not each component.

Step 5: Watch for the "Sample-to-Delivery" Timeline

This isn't a cost issue on the invoice, but it's a cost issue on the project timeline. If your Kravet fabric is in stock, great. If it's not? Some Kravet fabrics are produced on-demand or come from overseas (especially the Kravet carpet and rug collections). Delivery times can stretch to 8-12 weeks.

In Q2 2024, I ordered a Kravet design fabric that was listed as "in stock" at the showroom. Turned out, that meant "in stock at the mill." The actual delivery took 7 weeks. I was on a 6-week project timeline. That meant paying for a rush install on everything else (which cost me about $900 in overtime labor).

Action item: When you place the order, ask: "Is this actually in the warehouse, or is it coming from the mill?" And always—always—build in a 2-week buffer on your project schedule. I should add that Kravet's customer service is generally good about giving you a realistic timeline if you ask. But you gotta ask.

Two Quick Things to Keep in Mind

First, don't assume smaller orders get worse service. When I was starting my design business, I would order $200 worth of Kravet fabric for a single accent chair and brace for attitude. Never got it. Kravet's showrooms are set up for wholesale—which means they're used to dealing with designers of all sizes. The vendors who treated my $200 orders seriously are the ones I still use for $20,000 orders. It's worth remembering that. Small doesn't mean unimportant—it means potential.

Second, verify pricing. The prices I've referenced are based on publicly listed information and my own experience. Kravet fabric pricing changes, and quantities vary. Always confirm current rates with your sales rep. What I've shared is a general guide, not a price list.

Pricing as of early 2025; verify current rates with your vendor. This is based on my experience procuring fabric for design projects—your mileage may vary.