How to get the best fabrics for your business?
Fabric sourcing involves choosing the best supplier to provide the fabric you need. It involves finding suitable materials that meet quality, cost, and design requirements. This is essential for industries such as clothing and home textiles, as they rely on specific fabrics for their products.
So, in this post, we'll explore key information about fabric sourcing so you can make smart decisions when purchasing fabric for your next collection.
What should you know about fabric sourcing?
Which supply method suits you best?
What other additional textile terms should you know?
Five things you should know about buying fabrics
It's essential to accurately define your fabric needs before contacting a supplier. Therefore, you should keep the following key points in mind.
Fabric application
Whether the fabric is for clothing, household goods, or industrial use, knowing the intended use helps select the right fabric type, as different products have different fabric requirements. Take sock material, for example. General socks are always made of cotton, modal, wool, etc. Functional socks have higher demands on elasticity and strength, so they always combine other functional fibers such as elastane and polyamide.
Fabric construction
This is how fabric is made. This can affect the fabric's properties, durability, and appearance. The most common fabrics include knits and wovens.
In the apparel industry, suppliers often ask if the fabric is knitted or woven. If you don't know, tell them the end use, and the supplier will be able to help you. Knit fabric is always used for leggings, swimwear, T-shirts, underwear, etc. The other type of fabric is mainly used for jeans, bed sheets, etc.
Natural or synthetic materials
Compared to synthetic fabrics, natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, and silk are more skin-friendly, breathable, and comfortable. However, they tend to be slightly more expensive. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and spandex, on the other hand, are known for their durability and easy maintenance.
There's also a mixed fabric option. You can choose the proportion of different fabrics based on your desired performance.
Fabric weight
This is calculated in GSM to define the weight or thickness of the fabric. The higher the GSM, the thicker the fabric and the better it retains warmth. For example, winter sweatshirts always require between 350 and 400 g/m².
Special finishes
Specific treatments can add unique properties or functionalities to the fabric. These often include waterproofing, fire retardancy, wrinkle removal, and more.
Choose your best tissue procurement method
Alibaba
Most people choose Alibaba as the first choice to source fabric online because it includes a wide range of materials and different types of suppliers, such as converters, fabric factories, wholesalers, etc. You can choose suppliers located in China's fabric industrial clusters, such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, etc.
The industrial chain here tends to be more mature and complete than elsewhere. Prices are also lower due to the larger number of factories and intense competition. However, it's important not to rely too heavily on low prices, as this could indicate potential issues with fabric quality or an excessively high MOQ. You can compare prices among several suppliers to find a reasonable price range.
If you're interested in a particular supplier, consider placing a small trial order first to verify whether the supplier is as professional as they claim. This way, even if there is a loss, it won't be too significant.
Fabric fairs
If you have large orders and sufficient budget and time, you can attend trade shows. They are the most direct way to see and check out fabrics and suppliers. You can communicate with suppliers face-to-face to see if they can provide the fabrics you need. In China, major fabric trade shows include Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, QDTextile, Ningbo International Textile and Garment Supply Chain Expo, and more.
If you can't physically attend a trade show, check the vendor list (found on the trade show website) and contact them directly.
Five additional textile terms
Like other businesses, the textile industry has its own terms for sourcing and manufacturing fabrics. These common terms can make it easier for you to find the right fabric and give you a professional image in the field.
Cloth grain
The grain of a fabric refers to the alignment of the threads in a woven fabric. It is critical in dressmaking and pattern-cutting, as it influences how the fabric behaves, stretches, and drapes. The most common types include lengthwise grain, crosswise grain, and bias grain.
Fabric curtain
Drape refers to the way fabric hangs or falls over the body. Fabrics with good drape tend to fall and conform gracefully to the body, while those with poor drape can appear stiff. It is an essential consideration in garment design and fabric selection, particularly for items such as dresses, skirts, and other loose or fitted garments.
Fabric samples
It serves as a fabric swatch. It's a small cut of fabric so buyers can see and feel the material firsthand to check the color, drape, texture, etc. You can also use the swatch as a reference during the design process.
Raw goods
This is an unbleached, undyed raw fabric, usually an off-white or grayish hue. It can be used for custom colors, finishes, or treatments to achieve the texture and properties you need.
Selvedge
It's the finished edge of the fabric. It prevents fraying and unraveling. The hem always runs the entire length of the material.
