Fabrics are the heart and soul of the cloth, and you want them to be the best. Different coloured fabric & patterned fabric will attract you the most. But is it the only thing to look at while shopping for the right fabric?
Fabrics have countless qualities, and deciding which fabric to pick is a tough job. If you are a beginner and need tips for choosing the right fabric, you are at the right place. This blog highlights all the important points you must check before buying a fabric.
For instance, when you are buying printed georgette fabric online in India or may be elsewhere, the first thing you want is for it to last longer. In simple words, longer shelf life. However, choosing a suitable fabric with a good shelf life comes with many checkboxes.
Read further and learn all about fabrics you should pick for your clothing.
The thread count, the dyes, and the way the fabric has been made all contribute to the quality of the fabric. The fabric must be spotless, especially in terms of dye, print, fibres, tears, and other imperfections.
The best way to check the fabric's quality is to touch the fabric. Feel the fabric and see if it is of good quality before buying it. It helps in understanding the thickness, the thinness and also helps in gaining clarity about the fabric material. While buying a fabric, we have to do the same thing.You need to pick the fabric up and feel it against your skin before thinking about the type of fabric. Once the quality is ensured, you can move ahead with the type of fabric you want to purchase.
If you are looking for a material to stitch a dress that you only need once, e.g., a fancy dress competition or Holi, then investing in high-quality fabric will be a waste of money. It’s better to purchase a cheap quality fabric appropriate for one-time use and not spend so much on it.
If you are looking to design a wedding dress or something you would like to use for the long term, then going for a better quality fabric that is premium, comfortable, and fits your budget is better. Picking up fabric according to your need helps you save or invest in the right quality fabric.
The most common fabrics are natural, synthetic, or a combination of the two. Genuine instances of normal textures are cotton, denim, cowhide, and silk.
Synthetic Fabrics are Polyester, rayon, spandex, DTY texture, Acrylic, Nylon, etc. As long as they are in excellent condition, fabrics that combine natural and synthetic fibres are also good for clothing production.
Decide whether you want to purchase natural, synthetic, or a combination of two fabrics. Since natural fabrics typically cost more than synthetic ones, your budget will also play a role.
As you check the quality of the fabric, make sure you open the fabric wide and check out for any spots or fading. If you find any spots on your fabric, it means that it is not pure fabric, and you may end up buying a defective piece. If the fading of the fabric is different from the design or pattern of the fabric, then you must leave that fabric and move on to another fabric.
Going for fabric shopping during the day should be preferred. Checking the fabric in the sunlight helps you identify the quality of the fabric. Fabrics can look different in artificial light settings, so shopping in broad daylight makes sense if you want to purchase the right quality fabric.
Choose a colour that suits you the best. If you want a fabric for some special occasion, make sure you choose a fabric that blends perfectly with your skin tone. If it’s an occasion, you definitely want to stand out and look beautiful in the chosen fabric. So make sure you pick a nice colour and the right fabric.
You definitely have a dress in mind before shopping for the fabric. Make sure that the fabric matches the garment requirement and isn’t too heavy or dull according to the occasion. You can check the pattern, material, and fabric quality that suits the occasion the best.
Let’s consider that you are buying fabric for casual ethnic wear. So the best type of material in summer will be cotton as other fabrics like nylon will not be suitable in warm weather.
Another thing to remember is the fabric’s shrinkage factor. As the fabrics shrink after one wash, it is better to purchase a little extra fabric than what you had previously decided to buy. If you have already considered that factor, then no need to worry. Check for labels such as “Sanforised” or “Mercerised”, as these fabrics are preshrunk.
The weight of the fabric depends on the type of fabric, the weave of the fabric, and so on. Knowing the weight will help you select the right fabric for the occasion. Also, you must understand that the fabric’s weight does not necessarily indicate its pure quality.
The direction of the weft thread and warp threads are the grains of the fabric. If you see that the grain of the fabric is wrong and going in the opposite direction of the fabric, then the fit of the fabric will be uneven.
Choosing the right fabric depends on the grain of the fabric. The moment you doubt the grain of the fabric, it’s better to drop the fabric and move on.
