diff --git a/src/components/StatusBadge.test.tsx b/src/components/StatusBadge.test.tsx
index 9a6d30c..6120696 100644
--- a/src/components/StatusBadge.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/StatusBadge.test.tsx
@@ -112,6 +112,76 @@ describe('StatusBadge', () => {
     expect(badge.getAttribute('aria-description')).toContain('diagonal stripes');
   });
 
+  // ── showPattern toggle (Issue #685) ──────────────────────────────────────
+
+  it('hides pattern data when showPattern=false', () => {
+    render(<StatusBadge status="error" showPattern={false} />);
+    const badge = screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Error' }) as HTMLElement;
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-enabled')).toBe('false');
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-description')).toBe('none');
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('aria-description')).toContain('no pattern');
+  });
+
+  it('applies sb-pattern--disabled class when showPattern=false', () => {
+    render(<StatusBadge status="pending" showPattern={false} />);
+    const badge = screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Pending' });
+    expect(badge.classList.contains('sb-pattern--disabled')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  // ── patternStyle modifier (Issue #685) ───────────────────────────────────
+
+  it('applies default pattern style by default', () => {
+    render(<StatusBadge status="maintenance" />);
+    const badge = screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Maintenance' }) as HTMLElement;
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-style')).toBe('default');
+  });
+
+  it('applies dense pattern style modifier', () => {
+    render(<StatusBadge status="maintenance" patternStyle="dense" />);
+    const badge = screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Maintenance' });
+    expect(badge.classList.contains('sb-pattern--dense')).toBe(true);
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-style')).toBe('dense');
+  });
+
+  it('applies high-contrast pattern style modifier', () => {
+    render(<StatusBadge status="maintenance" patternStyle="high-contrast" />);
+    const badge = screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Maintenance' });
+    expect(badge.classList.contains('sb-pattern--high-contrast')).toBe(true);
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-style')).toBe('high-contrast');
+  });
+
+  // ── down variant ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+  it('applies sb-pattern-down CSS class for the down variant', () => {
+    render(<StatusBadge status="down" />);
+    const badge = screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Down' });
+    expect(badge.classList.contains('sb-pattern-down')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('exposes data-pattern="stripes" and pattern description for down variant', () => {
+    render(<StatusBadge status="down" />);
+    const badge = screen.getByRole('img', { name: 'Down' }) as HTMLElement;
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern')).toBe('stripes');
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-description')).toBe('diagonal stripes');
+    expect(badge.getAttribute('aria-description')).toContain('diagonal stripes');
+  });
+
+  // ── data-pattern-description attribute (Issue #685) ──────────────────────
+
+  it('exposes data-pattern-description for every variant', () => {
+    const variants: StatusVariant[] = [
+      'success', 'error', 'warning', 'operational',
+      'degraded', 'down', 'pending', 'maintenance',
+    ];
+    variants.forEach((status) => {
+      const { unmount } = render(<StatusBadge status={status} />);
+      const badge = screen.getByRole('img') as HTMLElement;
+      expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-description')).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(badge.getAttribute('data-pattern-description')).not.toBe('none');
+      unmount();
+    });
+  });
+
   // ── maintenance variant ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
   it('renders with default label "Maintenance" for the maintenance variant', () => {
diff --git a/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx b/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx
index 02d3ddc..4faae95 100644
--- a/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx
+++ b/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx
@@ -6,15 +6,25 @@
  * status is distinguishable by texture as well as by color. This satisfies
  * WCAG 1.4.1 (Use of Color) and helps users with deuteranopia/protanopia.
  *
+ * Each status belongs to a "pattern group" — related severity levels share
+ * a texture so users learn the relationship between patterns and meaning:
+ *   Baseline (solid)    → success, operational
+ *   Diagonal stripes ╲  → error, down
+ *   Opposite stripes ╱  → warning, degraded
+ *   Dots               → pending
+ *   Crosshatch ╳       → maintenance
+ *
  * Usage:
  *   <StatusBadge status="operational" />
  *   <StatusBadge status="error" label="API Error" />
  *
  * Props:
- *   status  — one of the six supported variants (see StatusVariant below)
- *   label   — optional override for the visible text; defaults to the
- *             capitalised status name
- *   className — passed through to the root element for layout composition
+ *   status       — one of the eight supported variants (see StatusVariant)
+ *   label        — optional override for the visible text; defaults to
+ *                  the capitalised status name
+ *   className    — passed through to the root element
+ *   showPattern  — set to false to hide the texture pattern (default: true)
+ *   patternStyle — "default" | "dense" | "high-contrast" (default: "default")
  */
 
 import React from "react";
@@ -148,6 +158,7 @@ export function StatusBadge({
       data-pattern={patternKey}
       data-pattern-enabled={showPattern}
       data-pattern-style={patternStyle}
+      data-pattern-description={showPattern ? patternDescription : "none"}
       style={{
         display: "inline-flex",
         alignItems: "center",
diff --git a/src/styles/patterns.css b/src/styles/patterns.css
index 35d0440..900e9ce 100644
--- a/src/styles/patterns.css
+++ b/src/styles/patterns.css
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* src/styles/patterns.css */
 
-/* ── StatusBadge: color-blind-safe patterns ────────────────────────────────
+/* ── StatusBadge: color-blind-safe patterns (Issue #685) ──────────────────
    Each status gets a unique CSS background-image pattern so that the badge
    can be distinguished by shape/texture alone, satisfying WCAG 1.4.1
    (Use of Color) and supporting deuteranopia / protanopia / tritanopia.
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@
    Patterns are applied as a second background layer on top of the solid
    background-color already set by the --sb-*-bg tokens. They are rendered
    as inline SVG data URIs so no external assets are required.
+
+   Pattern groups (related severity levels share a texture):
+     Baseline (solid)    → success, operational
+     Diagonal stripes ╲  → error, down
+     Opposite stripes ╱  → warning, degraded
+     Dots               → pending
+     Crosshatch ╳       → maintenance
    ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
 /* Success / Operational: no pattern — solid color baseline */