Why wide-width cotton is hard to find, and what it changes

Ask ten mills for 130-inch cotton and most will offer you two 66-inch widths seamed together. Wide looms are rarer and cost more, so the standard answer to "wider" is "join it."

What the seam costs

• A line of stitching down the middle of a sheet, a tent panel or a backdrop.
• Cutting waste matching the pattern or grain across the join.
• Labour: the seam is a separate operation.
• A weak point and, on covers and tents, a leak path.

Where 140 inches changes the job

• Bedding: a king or emperor flat sheet, fitted panel or duvet cover in one piece.
• Tents and marquees: roof and wall panels with no centre seam.
• Upholstery: a wide seat or bench back covered in a single width.
• Scenic cloth: a painted backdrop up to ~3.56 m in one woven width.
• Dust sheets: a room covered in one or two pieces.

If your product is wider than 98 inches, the width question is worth asking before the price question.