The character of a Cloth & Stone bag begins before the first stitch. Meet the fabrics and design styles that give each piece its texture, mood, and story.
A woven floral has depth that a printed fabric cannot quite imitate. A sturdy twill gives a bag an easy, everyday confidence. A smooth lining makes the inside feel as carefully finished as the outside.
This guide is here to make those details easier to spot, and to share a little of the history carried in the cloth.
Jacquard
Jacquard is a way of weaving a design directly into a fabric, rather than printing it on the surface. The pattern is created as the warp and weft threads are lifted and interlaced, which gives florals, damasks, and other motifs real depth and texture. In 1801, Joseph-Marie Jacquard introduced the mechanism that made intricate woven patterns far more practical to produce. Today, jacquard is prized for the dimension and body it brings to a handbag.
Brocade
Brocade is a decorative woven fabric in which an extra weft creates a pattern that appears to sit on the face of the cloth. It may be floral, geometric, or richly textured, and traditionally can include lustrous or metallic threads. Because the design is made as the fabric is woven, brocade has an especially dimensional, dressed-up character. It has been associated with ceremonial and luxury fabrics across many cultures for centuries, and it gives a bag a memorable sense of occasion.
Chenille
Chenille is known for its velvety surface and inviting softness. Its distinctive yarn is made with short fibers that stand out from the core, creating a gentle pile that catches the light and gives the fabric a rich, almost brushed look. In a handbag, chenille brings a cozy sense of texture and a lovely softness that makes an everyday shape feel especially considered.
Denim
Denim is a sturdy twill, recognized by the fine diagonal lines in its weave. Traditional blue denim shows more indigo-dyed warp yarns on its face and lighter weft yarns beneath, giving it its familiar blue exterior and softer reverse. The name is linked to serge de Nîmes, a robust cloth associated with 17th-century France. Denim later became an everyday American staple through workwear in the late 19th century. In a bag, it brings a relaxed, durable counterpoint to a floral print or polished hardware.
Cotton
Many Cloth & Stone bags are lined in 100% cotton fabric from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. These vintage linings bring a small, unexpected moment of color and pattern to the inside of a bag, where only its owner gets to enjoy them. Chosen from a much-loved family collection, the fabrics give each lining a character that cannot be reproduced by the yard today.
Sateen
Sateen is usually made from cotton and woven in a satin weave. That means its threads float over several others before interlacing, creating a smooth face with a gentle sheen. Unlike silk satin, cotton sateen has a quieter glow and a more grounded feel. It is an especially beautiful lining because it is soft to the touch, lets small items slide in and out easily, and adds a considered finish every time the bag is opened.
Jacobean
Jacobean is a design style, not a fiber or weave. Think generous stylized blooms, curling stems, leaves, birds, and a slightly fanciful garden feeling. The style takes its name from the reigns of James I and Charles I in 17th-century England. Related scrolling floral patterns were already popular in England around 1600 and remained fashionable into the 1620s. On a handbag, Jacobean florals make a strong, artful statement without feeling fussy.
Scroll Design
Scroll design is a pattern style built around flowing, curling lines. It may appear as unfurling leaves, delicate vines, waves, or ornamental flourishes, bringing movement to the surface of a fabric. A scrolling motif can feel romantic and traditional, or clean and tailored, depending on its scale and the colors around it. On a handbag, it gives the fabric a sense of rhythm and makes the pattern feel alive.
Paisley
Paisley is recognized by its curved, teardrop-shaped motif, often filled with delicate flowers, leaves, and small decorative details. The pattern can feel playful, bohemian, richly vintage, or quietly elegant depending on its color and scale. On a handbag, paisley brings movement and personality, turning a familiar shape into something more expressive.
Choose jacquard or brocade when you want texture and a little ceremony. Choose Jacobean florals when you are drawn to romantic color and an old-garden feeling. Choose denim when a bag needs to earn its place in the everyday. And notice the lining, too. A beautiful sateen interior is a small pleasure that meets you every time you reach inside.
Because Cloth & Stone works with special fabrics in small quantities, the exact fabric that catches your eye may only appear once.
Explore one-of-a-kind handbags shaped by the materials that make them memorable.
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