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    Requesting Samples: Trade Etiquette for UK Designers

    By Faura ·

    Requesting Samples: Trade Etiquette for UK Designers

    Good etiquette when requesting samples comes down to four habits: identify the product exactly, say what the sample is for, ask early enough for the supplier to respond properly, and look after what you are lent. Do those four things and showroom teams will treat you as a working professional rather than an anonymous request in the queue. This guide is written for UK interior designers, architects, developers and contractors, with London projects in mind.

    Faura
    Bring material research together
    Faura brings samples, technical files and a materials library together across over 200 brands at its Westminster design residency.

    TL;DR

    • Quote manufacturer, collection, design, colourway and product code every time. Incomplete requests are the commonest reason a sample is delayed or refused.
    • Say whether the sample is for studio reference, a client presentation or a live tender, and give the application and scale.
    • Ask during design development or quotation, not the week before sign-off, and plan for natural variation in stone, veneer and textiles.
    • Label every sample, log where it went, and return anything on loan or proprietary without being chased.
    • Treat a sample as one part of the specification: confirm technical data, lead times and trade terms with the supplier directly.

    Table of Contents

    Why sample etiquette matters more in trade

    Search for this topic and you will mostly find advice about supermarket tasting stations. Trade is different. A sample here costs a supplier real stock, postage and staff time, and it is usually offered on the assumption that it leads to a specification.

    That is why many suppliers set rules. One UK fabric supplier, for example, lets designers request up to 10 free fabric or wallpaper samples at a time, provided the request quotes the manufacturer, design, colourway and code. Another trade-only stone supplier offers free samples to members of its trade club to support planning and client presentations. The rules differ, but the principle is the same: the supplier is investing in you, and good manners protect that arrangement.

    Four details needed for a sample request

    There is also a practical reward. Houzz Pro’s guidance on cultivating supplier relationships makes the point that any design project is the sum of its parts, so the people who supply those parts matter. The designer who is courteous and clear when asking is the one whose urgent request gets read first.

    What to include in every sample request

    A request should be answerable without a follow-up question. Include:

    1. Full product identification. Manufacturer, collection name, design, colourway and product code. For stone, add the quarry or range name and the finish (honed, polished, brushed). Suppliers matching a request to a specific production batch cannot work from “the grey marble one”.
    2. The purpose. Studio library, client presentation, or a project at tender. Be honest: a supplier would rather know a request is exploratory than discover it later.
    3. Project context. Application (floor, wall cladding, upholstery, joinery), approximate scale, and the building type. A residential bathroom in a Westminster mansion block and a hotel corridor may need different products or formats.
    4. Format wanted. Cutting, swatch book, finish board, full tile, door-handle on loan. Ask for the smallest format that does the job.
    5. Delivery details. A named recipient, a delivery address that is staffed, and a phone number. If you need it for a specific meeting, give the date.
    6. Your trade credentials. Company name, website and trade account number if you have one.

    A model request reads like this:

    Please could you send one cutting of [Manufacturer], [Collection], [Design], colourway [name], code [number]. It is for a client presentation on [date] for a first-floor residential reception room in SW1, approximately 24 sq m of upholstered seating. We have a trade account, reference [number]. Please confirm if there is a charge or a limit on cuttings.

    That takes two minutes to write and saves two emails each way.

    When to ask: the timing that suppliers respect

    Request samples early. Stone and surfaces specialists advise asking during the quotation or design approval stage, so selections are properly checked against the brief before commitments are made. Last-minute asks put pressure on a small team and tend to produce the wrong thing, fast.

    On a UK project, the RIBA Plan of Work gives you a useful marker. The RIBA Stage 4 checklist lists obtaining the client’s approval of materials and finishes, obtaining samples and preparing presentation panels for the client as tasks in Stage 4, Technical Design. If your material approvals fall in that stage, requests should go out well before it, so there is time for a second round when the first sample is not right.

    Some practical timing habits:

    • Avoid peak times in person. If you are calling in to a showroom, book an appointment rather than turning up unannounced, and avoid asking for a long pull of materials ten minutes before closing.
    • Batch your requests. One email with eight items, clearly numbered, is kinder than eight emails over three days.
    • Allow for iteration. Build in time for a colour to be rejected and a second sample to be sent.
    • Chase once, politely. If nothing has arrived after the supplier’s stated timeframe, send one short follow-up quoting your original request.

    Free, charged or on loan: know which you are asking for

    Not every sample is free, and not every sample is yours to keep.

    Type Typical examples Etiquette
    Free cutting or swatch Fabric, wallpaper, laminate, veneer Respect stated limits; don’t request quantities you will not use
    Chargeable or refundable Larger tile, full-size door furniture, bespoke finish Ask about cost and refund conditions before ordering
    On loan Furniture pieces, lighting, large stone slabs, proprietary panels Agree a return date in writing and return on time
    Library access Showroom materials library Book ahead, bring your own labels, and put things back

    Where a supplier would rather you came to them, take that seriously. Some trade suppliers run a sample library for exactly this reason: one UK worktop and panel supplier asks customers to visit its library rather than carry large samples around. Using the library, rather than requesting a full set by post, is often both faster and more welcome.

    Looking after samples and returning them

    Treat loaned and larger samples as the supplier’s inventory. Return them clean, complete and on time, with a short note of thanks. Houzz Pro’s guidance on supplier relationships and practitioner advice both stress the same idea: respecting a supplier’s stock investment encourages priority service next time.

    For your own library:

    • Label immediately. Product name, manufacturer or quarry, finish, code, date received and the project it relates to.
    • Keep records. A simple log of what went to which client and when means nothing disappears into a boot or a studio drawer. Our guide to a sample management system that stops swatches going missing sets out one way to do this.
    • Present samples as work product. Stone and surfaces specialists note that well-presented, labelled samples signal care, while shabby or unlabelled ones can undermine a scheme. A cut of fabric curling out of an envelope does your design no favours.
    • Request a second set where it matters. Many designers keep one set for the studio and leave one with the client for sign-off, so that everyone is looking at the same thing.

    Natural materials: set expectations before the sample leaves your hands

    Stone, veneer, leather and hand-finished surfaces vary from piece to piece. A sample shows a range, not a promise of a specific slab or batch. Say so to your client when presenting, and, where the material is critical, ask the supplier whether you can view or reserve the actual slabs or batch before ordering.

    View samples in the light they will live in. Stone and surfaces suppliers recommend showing materials in person so the client can judge variation, finish and performance under real lighting. In a London context, a north-facing lower-ground kitchen and a south-facing drawing room will make the same stone look very different, so carry samples to the site where you can.

    A sample is not a specification

    A lovely cutting tells you nothing about fire performance, durability or lead time. Before a sample goes into a client presentation or a tender pack, request the technical data alongside it: data sheets, finish and maintenance information, and any test or certification documents relevant to the use.

    A few cautions:

    • Check the exact version. Confirm that the product you were sent is the same version, treatment and backing you would be buying.
    • Fire safety. Requirements depend on the building type, use and location. For upholstery, curtains and soft furnishings in particular, read our guide to UK fabric fire rules and record keeping, and confirm project-specific requirements with your building control officer, fire engineer or other qualified adviser.
    • Confirm commercial details with the supplier. RIBA’s technical design material emphasises verified information; lead times and trade terms should be confirmed in writing with the supplier’s authorised contact well before the order stage, not assumed from a sample request.
    • Keep the paper trail. Technical files, approval emails and sample logs are your evidence if a substitution or dispute arises. A technical drawing checklist is a useful companion for confirming details before tender or order, and our FF&E specification writing guide shows how to carry sample references through to the schedule.

    If you are mixing contract and retail products, our contract versus retail furniture guide explains why the sample you were sent may not be the specification you need.

    Trade accounts, discounts and honesty

    Suppliers give trade terms to professionals who will specify and buy. Do not request samples under a trade account for personal use, and do not pass a supplier’s trade pricing to a client in a way that breaches the terms of your account. Terms vary by supplier and are agreed individually, so ask what applies to you. We cover this in more depth in using trade discounts ethically.

    If you are building a new supplier relationship, introduce yourself and your practice, say what kinds of project you handle, and ask how they prefer to receive requests. A short call is often worth more than a dozen web forms.

    Our perspective at Faura

    We opened the Faura Interior Design Residency in Westminster in September 2026, and we built it around a simple observation: most of the friction in sampling is avoidable. Requests arrive without codes, samples are held in six different places, and nobody can say which version a client approved.

    So we think about etiquette from both sides of the desk. For a designer, a good showroom visit means you can see finished interiors across two floors, handle materials from over 200 brands, and take technical files away with you rather than chasing them afterwards. For a supplier, it means fewer vague requests and fewer samples lost in transit.

    Our perspective at Faura — overview diagram

    Our view is that the best sample request is the one you do not have to post. Seeing a material in a materials library, in a finished room, with someone who can answer technical questions, usually answers the question faster than a cutting in an envelope. Where you do need physical samples, we would rather you ask precisely, tell us the project context and let our team help specify than receive a generic request.

    We do not publish trade terms: they are agreed individually with each approved trade account, and that conversation is the right place to ask about sample arrangements for your practice.

    — Faura Editorial

    Sampling with a trade showroom in London

    If your projects are London-based, a trade-only showroom in Westminster can combine sample viewing, specification and procurement in a single appointment. Our team can support specification, and handle procurement, logistics and delivery once you have specified, as one order with one invoice.

    Visits are by appointment, Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00. Before you come, our checklist for visiting design showrooms covers what to prepare, and the trade page explains how approved accounts work. If you want to present schemes to clients on site, see the residency for interior designers.

    FAQ

    How do I ask a supplier for a sample?

    Email or use their trade form with the manufacturer, collection, design, colourway and product code, plus the project purpose, scale and your delivery details. Mention your trade account if you have one. Ask whether there is a charge or a limit, so there are no surprises.

    How many samples is it reasonable to request?

    Ask for what you will realistically present or specify. Some suppliers set their own limits, such as up to 10 free fabric or wallpaper samples per request, so check the terms before sending a long list. If you need more, say why and ask.

    Do I have to return samples?

    Small free cuttings are normally yours to keep. Larger, proprietary or loaned samples should be returned, on the date you agreed, in good condition. If in doubt, ask when you request them.

    Should I request samples before or after the client approves the concept?

    Usually during design development or quotation, so selections can be checked and revised before approval. On projects following the RIBA Plan of Work, that means before the Stage 4 task of obtaining the client’s approval of materials and finishes.

    Can I request samples from Faura?

    Faura is trade-only and visits are by appointment, so the best route is to apply for a trade account and arrange a visit via our trade page. Sample arrangements, like all trade terms, are agreed individually with approved accounts.

    Book a visit

    If you specify for London projects and want to see, handle and compare materials before you commit, arrange an appointment at Faura. Our team will help you plan the visit around your project.

    Sources