Hi r/Fabrics. I built a directory of fabric stores in the US that shows what each shop actually carries: findfabricstores.com. It's mine, it went live this week, and I'd rather hear what's wrong with it from people who buy fabric than from my friends.

Why did I spend over 100 hours on this when Google Maps exists? Because since Joann closed its 800 stores, searching "fabric store" on Maps gives you Hobby Lobby and Michaels (one shelf of poly fleece and a few cottons), Walmart, an upholstery showroom that turns out to be trade only, a quilt shop with beautiful quilting cotton and nothing else, and somewhere in the list the one independent that stocks linen and apparel fabric. Maps can't tell you which is which. The r/quilting thread about Joann closing had 170 comments, and the top one was "I know where to buy quilting cotton. I don't know where to buy apparel or utility fabrics." Nothing answered it. When I pulled the data, Google still had 1,156 Joann and Hancock listings sitting in it, marked closed.

If you buy fabric in person you already know why online doesn't cut it: you want the hand and the weight, you want to see how it drapes before you commit to six yards, and you don't want to drive 45 minutes to find out a shop is all quilting cotton, or that the "wholesale" place won't let you in without a resale number.

I'll be upfront: I don't sew. I build directories, and I picked this one because that r/quilting thread, and dozens like it in city subs, were asking the same question with no answer that lasted longer than a comment. It seemed like a real gap that nobody had filled, so I built it.

What I did: pulled about 16,500 listings from Google Maps under fabric store, fabric wholesaler and quilt shop, across all 50 states and DC. Cut 5,719 closed stores (1,156 of them Joann and Hancock), the duplicates, the spam, the furniture showrooms, interior designers and mills that don't sell to the public. That left about 8,400. Then read each shop's own website for the fabric it carries (quilting cotton, apparel, upholstery, linen, fleece, minky, silk, lace, denim, canvas, vinyl, outdoor, drapery, wool, flannel, African print, deadstock, bridal) and whether it sells to the public or to the trade only. Dropped another thousand or so that turned out to be sewing machine dealers, trim shops, longarm services, or had nothing behind them.

What's left is 7,464 shops in 664 cities. Each has hours, its Google rating, a photo where I could verify one (4,909 of them; the rest show a placeholder), and for about half of the independent shops the fabric types, with a link to the page I got them from and the date I checked. Hobby Lobby and Michaels are on there as chain entries with a note to call ahead, because selection varies by store. There's a page of the 324 fabric wholesalers with the ones I could confirm sell to the public, and two calculators (yardage and quilt backing) because those questions kept coming up too.

What it doesn't have: fabric types for the other half of the independents, because their site didn't say or they don't have one. Those show nothing rather than a guess. No prices, no notions, no classes.

So: what's wrong, what's missing, which shop near you should be on it and isn't? And if you buy fabric locally, what do you want to know about a shop before you drive over? I'll reply to everything. findfabricstores.com

I've been slowing changing my wardrobe to all natural fabrics. Recently on a trip to Tokyo I wanted to get some nice made in Japan clothing.

There was a shop that carried only made in Japan clothing and they had beautiful stuff made from S140 wool, Loro Piana Cashmere, Sea Island cotton, etc. However, in the mix of all those, they had stuff made from all synthetic materials (polyester, polyurethane, acrylic, etc).

The associate told me that this fabric was very breathable and did really well in regulating body temperature. I think he also said something about how it was developed originally for space mission.

When I said that I wanted to stay away from synthetic fabrics and stick with material, he kind of giggled at the idea (but still helped me pick some great pieces).

It kind of seems like synthetic fabrics doesn't have the negative connotation in Japan as in the States and that it is commonly used in temperature regulating garments (think Uniqlo airism and their thermal wear).

Is it just a mindset thing? Is it because the synthetic fabrics we use in clothing in the west are just bottom of the barrel stuff? Is it because Japan's stuff has a lot more R&D behind it and is not as bad/harmful?

Would love to know more about this!

I've been into sewing for a very long time, sense I was a kid. My first job was a fabric store.

When I worked there, after a year I had been put in the role of managing the cutting counter. Part of that was cutting fabric and the other part was managing all of the fabrics. I started to through exposure be able to identify different fabrics. If you deal with them often you can start to identify materials through look and feel.

So a few things that's helped me with are:

While thrifting I can easily identify quality garments.

I was so much better at cosplay when I could grasp the importance of material and had a general knowledge base of them.

Laundry care. This took a little extra learning about fabric care, but with these combined skills you can feel a garment and from that you can figure out proper care. This helps all of your clothes feel nice for a long time, and extends their lifetime greatly.

I can sew much nicer things. With any kind of sewing my abilities greatly increased when I had a very solid knowledgebase of fabrics.

Another way you can develop this skill is to read tags while shopping. Next time you're shopping for clothes feel the material of all the clothing and ask yourself how it feels. How well does it hold its shape? Is it soft or more rough feeling? It it stretchy and if it is how stretchy? (Bonus: How is it constructed? As in knit or woven?) And then take a look at the tag. Take note of those materials and what they felt like. I usually go into those places guessing what the material is before checking the tag to confirm, I feel like it keeps me sharp.

I was laying out on my deck and wearing high waisted bathing suit bottoms with the following fabric according to the label: 83% nylon, 17% elastane. This was my first time wearing these bottoms, but they are from a brand I wear often. About 15 minutes later I felt intense heat on my lower abdomen, which was fully covered by the bathing suit bottoms. When i went inside, I checked and very large wounds that looked like blisters only in that area of my body almost in a perfect line. I have gone to the doctors and a burn specialist as they have now gotten worse and don't seem to be healing. The doctors are flabbergasted on what happened.

This is a really painful situation and I am wondering if it could have been caused by the fabric of the bathing somehow. Is there ever any other type of material used in making clothing that isn't listed in the tag? Maybe whatever threads or fibers are used? Thank you!!!

Recentlly purchased 100% silk organza robes from a supplier in India. When it arrived I felt the fabric and it felt very smooth and plastic like, similar to a synthetic fabric I have called liquid mikado.

I contacted the supplier and he denied it. I did the water test to show him and it instead of absorbing water, beads of water stayed on the fabric. Yet he still keeps claiming it’s real 100% silk organza. Even said if I send the robe back he will conduct a lab test to show me the results.

I even compared it to the real silk organza I have with me, the instant water touches it, it absorbed all the water and doesnt bead. How accurate is this water test?

Wool is absolutely a magical fabric compared to cotton.

I am slowly trying to replacing everything I have in cotton to wool; like t-shirts and sweaters.

As far as I know, the only disadvantage wool has is that it is expensive.

What are other disadvantages of wool?

I remember buying modal pajama pants from Victoria secret and they were sooo soft. I'm googling modal baby dolls and clothing and I keep getting polyester and spandex blends with 0 modal. Some have maybe like 40% modal. Does 100% modal not exist?

Most people cut the selvedge off without looking. Before you do, check it:

• Grain: it runs parallel to the warp, so measure from it to cut straight.

• Colour dots: on prints, these show how many colours were used. They’re handy for matching thread.

• Printed info: mill or design name. Snap a photo before you cut it off, so you can reorder later.

• Wavy edges: a sign of uneven tension, so the fabric may not lie flat after washing.

• Don’t sew it into seams: it’s woven tighter and can pucker after the first wash.

Worth a quick look on anything from cotton to silk before you cut.

What’s the most useful thing you’ve found printed on a selvedge?

I understand that mulberry silk is apparently one of the finer silk types according to the 200 articles all written in the past year that you find when you google it.

The thing is, I have personally noticed that most “mulberry silks” I see for sale (at least in america) admit to actually being satin weave viscose or polyester down in the fabric content.

So for the longest time I just figured mulberry silk=fake satin and only source my silks from either India or thrift stores with intact fabric content tags.

Am I the only one who has felt this way/noticed this? What the hell is going on here?? Is it legal to say anything you like about a fabric including outright lies as long as the finer content tag is accurate?

I am NOT looking for shop recommendations and am frankly sick of all the LLM generated slop out there telling me what to buy. Sellers will be blocked.

“Baby cashmere” gets mentioned a lot when people talk about high-end knitwear, so here’s a simple breakdown of what it means.

It comes from the first combing of young goats (under about 12 months old). Those fibers are naturally much finer than regular cashmere, which is why baby cashmere usually feels softer and warmer, even without adding extra weight.

For reference, the fiber diameter is typically around 14.5 microns (yes, finer than human hair), with decent fiber length. That combination is part of what makes it harder to source and less common than standard cashmere.

Because the fibers are so fine, they also need more careful handling during washing, combing, and spinning. When processed well, the yarn ends up feeling very smooth on the skin and surprisingly resilient for how delicate it is.

If you’re comparing different grades of cashmere, baby cashmere is generally about softness and comfort first, rather than being a totally different material altogether.

We also work under independent standards like The Good Cashmere Standard, but happy to keep this thread focused on fiber basics if that’s more useful.

Hi! I was just wondering if i can use acrylic paint to paint on a t shirt without it washing away. i saw that i should mix it with a fabric medium, then heat seal it. but can just mix it with fabric softener instead of buying fabric medium? again i’m hoping the paint stays on the shirt, but fabric paint is expensive, especially since i just wanna use it once. thanks!

I always assumed real silk pajamas were basically just nicer-looking satin with way more laundry rules, but I tried a set recently and yeah... I kind of get it now.

The fabric is way lighter than I expected and doesn’t have that clingy, slightly plasticky feeling some satin sets get. I ordered my usual size and it actually fit normally too, which was honestly a relief because online pajama sizing can be chaos.

I’ve only washed it once so far on a gentle cycle and let it air dry. Still feels the same, no weird shape change or rough texture yet.

I’m definitely not ready to become someone who hand-washes pajamas at midnight lol, but so far it’s been much less high maintenance than I expected.

For people who’ve worn silk pajamas for a while, do they actually stay nice after a few months, or am I still in the honeymoon phase?

Update: Thanks for all the helpful comments, I’ve learned a lot from this thread lol. A few people asked where mine are from, they’re from SilkSilky. So far so good, but I’ll see how they hold up over time.

Went to Michaels looking for rotary cutter blades, and saw on their window that they are now carrying fabric

It's just one aisle, but there was an employee working to make room for more, and the cashier said they were planning on expanding due to Joann's closing! Also jewelry and something else Joann's had

You have to buy a yard at a time and it was mainly quilting type cottons, but it is a start!

Helloooo i'm living in korea and i want show you some high-tech fabric like stone island

First fabric is GLASS BEAD REFLECTIVE COATING

Second fabric is heat sensitive coating

Hope more client contact to korea fabric company for order.

Have a nice weekend :)

fabric

With the advent of Joanne’s disappearing I have found fabric shopping to be the most frustrating thing in the world.

I have found maybe two options online that aren’t made of polyester or some other synthetic material. I hate synthetics with a passion. They make me so itchy. (I’m looking for wool specifically and they really seem to love making lightweight wool specially out of polyester)

Where is everyone buying fabric now? There’s no local places near me so I’m really in the trenches. Are there any reliable online shops that don’t use synthetics in their fabrics? I just want pretty colors and nice fabrics is that too much to ask from the universe??

Edit: Thank you so much for the quick replies!!! It’s been a lot of help! I found a lovely green wool for my coat with mood fabrics already and I’m going to try and find a nice cotton Sateen or silk for the lining on some of the other websites! Looking for a good fabric for the matching dress too! Thank you all!!!

I recently read that most people can’t name more than 3 fabric types they wear every day and honestly, I used to be one of them. Until I realised half the reason I hated my clothes wasn’t the fit or style… it was the fabric.

Let me tell you a quick story.

A couple of years ago, I bought this beautiful top, perfect colour, flattering cut, the whole deal. But every time I wore it, I felt hot, sweaty, and somehow just… uncomfortable. I thought maybe it was me being picky, but one day I flipped the label and saw: 100% polyester. That was my wake-up call.

Since then, I’ve started paying real attention to fabrics how they feel, how they wear, how they behave in different weather.

Now, every time I shop or get dressed, I ask myself:
“Will I enjoy this on my skin all day?”
“Will this require too much babying?”
“Do I like this fabric… or just the design?”

And honestly? My wardrobe is smaller, but it feels 10x better.

https://www.reddit.com/r/DIYmasks4heathcare/

My husband has a waxed cotton hat he wears every day. I washed it in the bath tub with a soft board bristle brush, cold water, and tide free and clear laundry detergent. After it dried I noticed the hat changed color, it looks a dull grey instead of green.

I had my husband send me the brand so I could figure out how to maybe condition the fabric. It is a Barmah hat and made of waxed cotton. When I looked up how to care for waxed cotton, it said to never use soap, which I absolutely did. What can I do to fix what I did and not mess up his hate any further?

Thanks

Edit: I am happy to say, Barmah did respond and sent me a link to a waxed canvas conditioner through Frost River. I placed an order. The lady who responded to me seems to think the particular hat he has is worth rewaxing. She recommended washing with warm water and dawn dish soap, so I don't think I ruined the hat, I just didn't know how to properly care for it. I'm excited to try my hand at rewaxing for the first time.

Most clothing that I have is the average clothing you'd get from a store and so it's usually made of cotton and polyester. Cotton is full of pesticides and polyester is a massive breeding ground for harmful bacteria. So now I'm thinking of gradually transitioning my entire wardrobe for health reasons and changing all the materials to healthier alternatives. So, in terms of toxic chemicals and harmful microbes, which is the best material that I should be looking at?

Where do you all buy your fabric from? JoAnn's use to be my go to place for everything for sewing but now they're no more and we only have like 3 options in my area and they're all an hour or more away. I'm open to reputable online stores.

Ok...some context...I'm an artist and history nerd. It is embedded in my very being to create art, whatever that art may be, including clothing. So I want to create an authentic 18th century men's coat. During this time one of the most common fabrics for men's clothing was silk. Ok, no biggie, right? So why do they say silk is one of the "strongest fabrics", yet washing it requires gentle, hand washing and laying it flat on the ground to dry while whispering soft words to it? In the context of an 18th century men's coat is such ridiculous handling really necessary?

E. Not sure if it matters but I would use 100% black taffeta silk (apparently it's really stiff) and 100% linen. Some fading would be desirable since it's a man's coat, it's ok if it looks a little worn.

I work outdoors, and I want pants that look good on me and can LAST. I often ride a bicycle in the city, and these "no sweat" pants seem perfect especially with the gusset in the crotch.

I have a desire to avoid synthetics on clothes that touch my skin. I want to minimize it's use on my undergarments, pants, hats, and socks (although for socks its almost impossible).

Other than the 2% spandex, should I worry about Tencel? Is this generally a natural fiber that isn't derived from petroleum?

https://duer.ca/products/mens-dress-sweatpant-slim-kalamata?variant=32863787712564

https://imgur.com/a/Y3a1KA7

Found on etsy but out of my price range, so I'm looking for a cheaper alternative but I have no clue what this is called.

Thanks c:

Would you buy clothing made from natural fibers (cotton, linen, silk, etc.) and plant based dyes if it meant better health? / Is this something you think about when trying to shop more consciously and sustainably? posing some questions for my brand research!