Kravet Fabric Buying Guide: Cost-Saving Tips, Rush Orders & Hidden Fees

I’ve been managing fabric procurement for a mid-size design firm for six years—roughly $180k in textile spending across 200+ orders. Kravet is our go-to for luxury upholstery and drapery, but it’s not the cheapest option. That’s fine. I’ll show you where the real savings are (and where they aren’t).

Is Kravet fabric expensive compared to other suppliers?

Short answer: yes. The unit price per yard is often 20–40% higher than brands like Robert Allen or Duralee. But that’s the wrong comparison. Total cost of ownership (TCO) is what matters. In 2023 I compared 6 vendors for a large hospitality project. Kravet quoted $78/yd for a Crypton performance fabric. Competitor B quoted $62/yd. But B had a $250 setup fee, $45 per-color charge for custom dye, and a 3-week lead time—which forced us to rush-ship the rest of the order at +60% premium. Final TCO? Kravet: $78 × 120 yds = $9,360. Competitor B: $62 × 120 + $250 + $45 × 3 colors + $900 rush shipping = $8,275? No, we added a $600 restocking fee when colors didn’t match. Total: $9,715. Not cheaper. (And we lost a day arguing about the match.)

Should I pay extra for rush delivery of Kravet drapery fabric?

Here’s the thing: rush delivery isn’t about speed—it’s about certainty. We paid $450 for Kravet’s 3-day express on a drapery fabric order in Q2 2024. The standard 10-day option was free. But our client’s event had a hard deadline: $15k penalty per day late. The express fee bought a guaranteed production slot and a signed commitment. The alternative—saving $450 but risking a $15k loss—was a no-brainer. Since then, our procurement policy for time-sensitive jobs is: budget for guaranteed delivery, not the cheapest option. (Learned that after getting burned twice by “probably on time” promises.)

Where can I find Kravet fabric in NYC?

Kravet’s flagship showroom is at 225 Fifth Avenue, but honestly, their NYC inventory is limited to sample books and some stock rolls. For immediate need? Call the customer service line first—they can check warehouse stock in Bethpage, NY (about 30 min away). Last month we needed 40 yards of a Kravet velvet for a window display. The showroom had 12 yards. The warehouse had 80. They shipped next-day for $35. Not bad.

How do I avoid hidden costs when ordering Kravet fabrics?

We didn’t have a formal verification process for our first three Kravet orders. Cost us. Twice we were charged a $40 “custom cut fee” that wasn’t mentioned in the quote. Once we assumed “standard color match” meant Delta E < 2 (Pantone tolerance for brand-critical colors)—but the fabric came with a ΔE of 3.8, visible to the eye. Now I ask three questions before every PO:

• Are there any setup, cut, or handling fees not in the quoted unit price?
• What’s the color tolerance standard they guarantee? (I ask for ΔE < 2 per Pantone guidelines.)
• If I need to rush later, what’s the escalation path and cost ceiling?

One call to their inside sales rep usually clears it. But the third time we ordered the wrong quantity, I finally created a checklist. Should have done after the first mistake.

Can I get “cheap” upholstery fabric from Kravet?

Look, I’m not saying budget options are always bad. But Kravet’s “value” tier (their Kravet Performance line) runs $45–65/yd—still not cheap by discount-fabric standards. If your client insists on $20/yd upholstery fabric, Kravet is not the answer. (Nor should it be.) That said, I’ve found their outlet section at the NYC showroom—discontinued rolls at 30–50% off. Not consistent, but when we needed a black velvet for a long dress display backdrop (not actually a garment—just visual), we grabbed 8 yards at $28/yd. Worse than expected? No, perfectly fine for the use.

Can I use Kravet fabric for RV awning replacement?

Interesting question. Kravet’s outdoor collection (Sunbrella licensed) is designed for marine and awning applications. I wouldn’t use standard upholstery fabric—UV and moisture kill it fast. But their Sunbrella acrylics meet the ACT performance standards for outdoor use. We used Kravet’s Sunbrella Eclipse for a campervan window awning last year. The fabric itself was great. Installation is the tricky part: you need a heavy-duty sewing machine (Denier thread, 90/14 needle) and a proper awning track. I assumed “same specs” meant identical results across vendors—turned out the Kravet fabric had a tighter weave, which made the needle punch harder. Broke two needles. Should have used a leather needle. (A lesson learned the hard way.)

Is Kravet fabric suitable for a black velvet long dress?

Technically, you could. But Kravet doesn’t make apparel-grade textiles. Their velvet is upholstery weight (12–16 oz/sq yd vs. dress velvet at 6–8 oz). It would be stiff, heavy, and wouldn’t drape. Plus, the color might not be consistent with apparel standards (Pantone fashion colors use different dye lots). I had a client once ask me to source a black velvet long dress fabric for a theater costume. I sent them to Mood Fabrics instead. Right tool for the job. Kravet is for sofas, draperies, and awnings—not clothes.

One more thing: every spreadsheet analysis pointed to saving $200 by skipping the rush fee on a Kravet drapery order last spring. Something felt off—their customer service was slow to confirm availability. My gut said pay for the express guarantee. I went with gut. Turns out the warehouse had a backlog and the standard timeline would have pushed delivery past the client’s opening. The $200 “savings” would have become a $2,800 headache. Trust the gut, but verify with data.