Swatches are an important part of our business at Blank Label. You might receive swatches ahead of a virtual appointment, or following a wedding consultation. All of our clients have the ability to request swatches, whether they place an order or not. 

We’re going to give you the lowdown on how and why you’d request a swatch, but first let’s start with the simple definition:

What is a swatch?
A swatch is a small fabric sample, typically cut into a square or rectangular shape. Swatches give clients the chance to view and feel a fabric up close, and can be easily sent through the mail or passed along to a client to take home after an appointment. 

While you can browse our many shirt and suit fabrics online, it’s still important to handle fabric in-person to gain a better impression of its true color, texture and weight. Plus, you can hold a swatch against other fabrics—for instance, a swatch for a potential sportcoat against a pair of trousers you already own—to see how it might pair with your existing wardrobe. 

How do you request a swatch?
To request a swatch, all you need to do is contact Blank Label through email (sayhi@blanklabel.com), by phone (781-236-3559), via our live website chat feature, or even through a DM on our Instagram. 

Of course, getting in contact is only half the story. As we stock hundreds of fabrics, figuring out what swatches to request in the first place can be something of a puzzle. So here are some tips on how to narrow down your selection:

• Suggest a broad category, like “navy suits” or “white dress shirts”, and we’ll send you a few of our favorites. 

• If you’ve had a previous order with us and enjoyed the fabric, let us know what you liked about it and we can send you something similar. 

• Tell us what else is in your closet. If you’ve got a light grey suit, we can send swatches for shirt fabrics that might pair with it, or suggestions for what your next suit might be.

• Let us know the purpose or event for which you need the clothing, such as shirts to wear at the office or a suit for an upcoming wedding, and we’ll send you our recommendations. 

Already have a fabric in mind? Great. You can just tell us that fabric’s name or fabric number as it appears on our website, and we’ll get a swatch to your hands right away.