The haptic propositions derived from the textile prototypes often allow for more than one interpretation. It impacts the decision on design alternatives during the phase of design evaluation and validation. The present study aims to conquer this challenge with a haptic design case study of automotive upholstery fabric. It links experimental psychophysics with design decision-making. The study results show that visual cues influence haptic detection accuracy and constancy to choose a final design option. © The Author(s), 2022.