From physical swatch to digital asset

You send us your physical swatches — by post, courier, or in person. On receipt, each swatch is logged, assessed for construction type, fibre content, and surface characteristics, and assigned to the appropriate workflow. We note any specific requirements: colourway references, scale calibration targets, or end-use context.

• Swatch logged with unique reference number
• Construction type identified: woven, knitted, pile, coated
• Fibre content and weight noted where provided
• Client brief reviewed and any questions raised before photography begins

Each swatch is photographed under controlled studio conditions. We use consistent, calibrated lighting to ensure that the colour and surface characteristics captured in the photograph accurately represent the physical fabric. Multiple passes are taken at different angles to capture weave structure, surface texture, and sheen behaviour.

• Consistent studio lighting — same conditions for every swatch
• Multiple capture angles for weave structure and surface detail
• Colour reference card included in each capture session
• High-resolution capture to preserve fine weave detail

The photographic captures are processed into seamlessly tiling digital texture maps. This is the most technically demanding stage: the repeat structure of the weave must be identified and extracted precisely, and the tile must be constructed so that it repeats without visible seams at any scale. Colour values are adjusted to match the physical swatch under standard illumination.

• Weave repeat identified and extracted
• Seamless tiling constructed — no visible repeat at any scale
• Colour calibrated to match physical swatch under D65 illuminant
• Surface normal and specular maps generated for 3D use (where specified)

Where visualization outputs are required, the digital texture is applied to a three-dimensional surface and rendered under studio lighting. The rendering process accounts for the specific material behaviour of the fabric — how it drapes, how light scatters across the surface, and how the weave structure reads at different scales and viewing distances.

• Texture applied to appropriate surface geometry
• Material properties set to match fibre and construction type
• Rendered under studio lighting conditions
• Multiple compositions produced: flat lay, draped, product-applied

Before delivery, every asset is reviewed against the physical swatch. We check colour accuracy, seamless tiling, scale calibration, and overall fidelity. Assets that do not meet our standards are reworked before delivery. Final assets are packaged with metadata and delivered via secure file transfer.

• Side-by-side comparison with physical swatch
• Colour accuracy verified under standard illuminant
• Seamless tiling confirmed at multiple scales
• Assets packaged with metadata and delivery notes
• Physical swatches returned if requested