Purchasing Fabrics

[abruck]

Hi Everyone,


I was trying to find a good suiting-fabric supplier/distributor located in the US. Most of the websites I've found don't offer fabrics from the more well-known brands (e.g. Scabal, Holland & Sherry, Dormeuil, etc.). The only one's I've found are located in the UK and shipping is relatively pricey.

I'm not fixed on brand-names necessarily, but at least I know I can be assured of quality even if I do pay a little more.

Thanks in advance and I hope everyone is doing well!


Alec

[spookietoo]

B Black & Sons in LA maintains a decent selection at reasonable prices. Many of the other fabric stores get quite pricey and frankly they seem to be getting awfully proud of their synthetic blends.

Until a couple of years ago, it was possible to catch decent Japanese and Italian woolens on FashionFabrics Club for under $10/yd on sale (bolt ends, I'm sure). But they went the way of most everything else and now most is synthetic blend schlock. If looking carefully, a decent 100% woolen can still be found on rare occasion.

Very interested to see what others have to say.

[abruck]

Thank you!

I recently discovered B. Black and Sons and actually order some fabric to get an idea of how it feels/looks.


Alec

[PGithens]

I have had decent luck with fabric mart fabrics, especially if you hit their sales.

I bought 100% linen suiting for $10/yard, supposedly originally $40. It's a very nice medium weight and very smooth finish to the fabric. And wonderful to work with. so, yeah, i bought more in other colors.

They also have some lightweight wools at times. it's a bit hit-or-miss, but i was able to grab 2 yards of a 120s wool for cheap.

I don't know where you are in the US, but here is NJ, we have a place called Fabric Warehouse. They sell the 2-4 yard samples that are usually sent to manufacturers maybe as well as yardage goods. it's a fun afternoon of going through fabric and i have found 110s, 120s italian and english wools for under $10/yard. They typically have 40 or 50% off sales for a weekend, too.

not sure of their online presence.....

[abruck]

I have had decent luck with fabric mart fabrics, especially if you hit their sales.

I bought 100% linen suiting for $10/yard, supposedly originally $40. It's a very nice medium weight and very smooth finish to the fabric. And wonderful to work with. so, yeah, i bought more in other colors.

They also have some lightweight wools at times. it's a bit hit-or-miss, but i was able to grab 2 yards of a 120s wool for cheap.

I don't know where you are in the US, but here is NJ, we have a place called Fabric Warehouse. They sell the 2-4 yard samples that are usually sent to manufacturers maybe as well as yardage goods. it's a fun afternoon of going through fabric and i have found 110s, 120s italian and english wools for under $10/yard. They typically have 40 or 50% off sales for a weekend, too.

not sure of their online presence.....

Thank you so much!

I'm actually moving to NJ from NY in a few weeks so hopefully I'll find some time to check out Fabric Warehouse.

All the best,

Alec

[PGithens]

oh wow!!! good luck with the move! Fabric Warehouse has a location in Bellville and Rahway.

There's also Halsey Fabrics on Halsey St. in Newark - another place for italian wool at $8-$10/yard or less and easily walkable from the train station if you don't have a car.

Oh yeah, Farbric Mart Fabrics is in PA - about 2hrs drive from my location in central NJ by the beach. it's dangerous.

[Cafe Impecunious]

I have been told that fabrics-store.com has some of the best linen available for the non-commercial market, and I also know Burnley & Trowbridge out of Williamsburg, VA (online only), has some spectacular woolens, although they are much pricier, starting at about $15 p/yd.  I buy my woolen types from a local discount fabric warehouse, and I can live with that, as I don't have much of a fabrics allowance, and I'm only making for myself, with an eye to learn, so I can't afford to be precious

[abruck]

I have been told that fabrics-store.com has some of the best linen available for the non-commercial market, and I also know Burnley & Trowbridge out of Williamsburg, VA (online only), has some spectacular woolens, although they are much pricier, starting at about $15 p/yd.  I buy my woolen types from a local discount fabric warehouse, and I can live with that, as I don't have much of a fabrics allowance, and I'm only making for myself, with an eye to learn, so I can't afford to be precious

Thanks for the help, will check them out!

[DrLang]

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask if anyone knows a good source for actual medium weight wool (> 8 oz). I have now purchased two six yard cuts, plus a remnant that I am working with now, that I thought would have been in this range and I am realizing that it's all pretty light weight (sad because I really like the black wool that I just got). That's fine and all, but I know that it will be harder to work with and, quite frankly, I prefer something with a little bit of heft to it. This stuff that I have now feels like every cheap RTW suit in existence. Which to be fair, I did buy it at a decent discount.

[Greger]

Good stuff is rarely cheap. And do they expect you to buy 20 yards or more? $200

[DrLang]

I don't necessarily need good stuff right now. Just something with a bit more body like this one thrift store find that I have would be nice. One cut I have came from a visit to B Black and Sons, and the other was a recent find on Fashion Fabrics Club heavily discounted. The cut from B Black and Sons is a little heavier. I should see if I can estimate the actual weight. I have not seen anyone requiring 20+ yards. That would not even be on my radar.

[Greger]

I wouldn't buy expensive cloth either until my skills were capable of handling that quality.
Bespoke companies might have something that they would like to see gone.
Mill ends can be very good prices and quality. Years ago I bought some on ebay. One was junk. But the others were high quality.
Believe that bespoke customers pay $200 a yard. Top quality silk might be around $2,000 yard by now. People have their names woven in, gold thread, diamonds, so the price can climb beyond $10,000.
But a hard wearing cloth is all that is necessary- Super 80.

[DrLang]

Well I weighed these cuts I have and both are in the he range of 5 - 5.5 oz. Oof, is this what people are calling "medium weight"? I blame my ignorance more than anything. One of the. I can still return, I wonder if I should. Which is a shame because I like the look of that one a lot.

[Greger]

Those weights are really light look up some neat shirt designs that they would be good for, or light weight jackets. I weR flannels as an overshoot. Different kinds of robes witha lining perhaps.