Are Sumba ikat table runners machine washable?

Cloth dyed with colourfast dyes can be machine washed on a cold, gentle cycle inside a mesh bag. Naturally dyed pieces using morinda and indigo should be hand washed in cold water, because heat and agitation pull colour out of plant dyes far faster than they do synthetic ones. Every runner we ship is labelled with the dye type so the correct method is never a guess.

Can you weave runners in a specific length and colour?

Yes, custom lengths and colour directions are available, and they are the normal route for hospitality projects. Because ikat patterns are dyed into the threads before weaving begins, a custom order is planned at the warp stage rather than cut from existing stock. That means longer lead times than stock pieces, so confirm your dimensions early and allow room in your project schedule.

Do the runners come with matching napkins or placemats?

Matching accessories are produced from the same cloth on request rather than held as standing stock. The simplest approach is to order runners and additional yardage from the same dye batch, then have napkins and placemats finished locally to your preferred hem. Ordering the yardage at the same time as the runners is what keeps the colours consistent across the set.

How many spare runners should a restaurant order?

Order enough to cover every table plus a working reserve, so laundering never leaves a table bare and damaged pieces can be swapped without breaking the set. Dye batches change over time, so a spare bought with the original order will match far better than one ordered later. Discuss your table count at enquiry and we will suggest a sensible reserve.

The shortest way into Sumba ikat.

A narrow handwoven cotton cloth cut or woven to span a dining table. Runners cost less than a full ceremonial panel, rotate seasonally, and carry the same tied-and-dyed warp patterning that gives Sumba cloth its reputation.

Send your table sizes See the size chart

Runner widths: 25–45cm
Runner lengths: 90–300cm
Dye batch per set: 1

Orange-red Sumba cloth with repeating white ikat motifs

What size should a Sumba ikat table runner be?

The working rule most stylists use: the runner should overhang each end of the table by 20 to 30 cm, or stop flush with the table edge for a tailored look, and it should never touch the floor. From there, width follows the table.

Traditional Sumba looms produce cloth in a limited width, so very wide runners are joined along a centre seam or woven to order.
If you need a seamless wide runner, say so at enquiry stage — it changes both the weaving plan and the lead time.

Suggested length

Diameter plus 50 cm

Which weave and dye suits a working dining room?

Naturally dyed cloth using morinda root and indigo has more depth than chemically dyed cloth, but it also reacts to moisture. A private dining room hosting guests twice a month carries natural dye comfortably. A restaurant running two services a day does not.

01

Natural dye, loose hand

Display tables, styling shoots and low-frequency use.
02

Natural dye, tight weave

The usual choice for villas and private residences.
03

Colourfast dye, tight weave

The practical option for restaurants and daily hospitality service.
04

Plain ground with ikat border

Hides light marking better than an all-over pattern.

Buyers who want the same cloth as yardage for napkins, placemats or upholstery can order handwoven Sumba ikat fabric by the meter and cut runners in-house.

Sumba woven cloth in orange-red with a repeating white motif band

Matching a set for a restaurant or villa

Handwoven cloth varies piece to piece, which is exactly why buyers choose it — but a dining room of twelve mismatched runners looks accidental rather than curated. We weave or select a set from one dye batch, since colour drift between batches is the single most visible inconsistency across a room.

For hospitality projects, order a spare allowance above the number of tables. Stains, burns and laundry accidents happen, and a matched spare is worth far more than a close approximation ordered a year later.

Ask about a matched set

Care, laundering and realistic lifespan

Natural dyes release colour in hot water, so the failure most buyers report is not wear but a wash that dulled the cloth. Cold water, mild detergent, no bleach and shade drying keep a runner looking correct for years.

01

Wash separately at first

Some excess dye will always release in the first two washes.
02

Cold water, no soaking

Move quickly from wash to rinse.
03

Dry flat or in shade

Never in direct midday sun.
04

Iron from the reverse

Medium heat, while the cloth is slightly damp.
05

Blot, do not rub

Rubbing a spill drives dye migration.

For daily-service restaurants, rotate two or three sets so no single runner is laundered continuously — that is the fastest way to age handwoven cotton.

Frequently asked questions

Four questions

Next step

Send your table sizes and we will send what is available.

Table dimensions, quantity, colour direction and destination country. We reply with current availability, photographs and a written quotation, and say plainly what is in stock versus what needs weaving.

Message us on WhatsApp [email protected] Read the full FAQ

The shortest way into Sumba ikat.

What size should a Sumba ikat table runner be?

Width and length by table

Two-seat cafe or bistro table

Six-seat dining table

Eight to ten-seat table

Console, sideboard, buffet

Round table (crossed pair)

Which weave and dye suits a working dining room?

Natural dye, loose hand

Natural dye, tight weave

Colourfast dye, tight weave

Plain ground with ikat border

Matching a set for a restaurant or villa

Care, laundering and realistic lifespan

Wash separately at first

Cold water, no soaking

Dry flat or in shade

Iron from the reverse

Blot, do not rub