Fabrics are tricky to get right from the get go! Here's an explanation of how to choose the right fabrics for your clothing brand
If you're starting a fashion brand, at some stage you're going to have to choose fabrics for your clothes. It can be a minefield with so many options to choose from...
Here's our ultimate guide to everything you need to know about fabrics and how to easily pick the best ones to compliment your designs.
Where to start with choosing fabrics
Ever wondered...'what fabric do I use for my clothing designs'?
The rules of fabrics are pretty simple. If your item is tight then your fabric needs to be able to stretch so look for words like 'Spandex' or 'Elastane'. If you're designing for garments like hoodies or joggers that don't need stretch then look for words like "Fleeceback' or 'Loopback'. A stretch hoodie fabric would use a combination. Take a look at our fabrics pages for an easy understanding - these pages show a small selection of our fabric library.
Using stock fabrics
A good manufacturer will always have their own 'standard' or 'stock' fabrics.
These should always be your go-to whenever you're thinking of a making a new design.
These fabrics have usually been tested the most and have the highest quality standards. Clothing manufacturers want orders to be as smooth as possible, so they make sure that their stock fabrics are the best quality, as they don't want to have to deal with returns! Good manufacturers will have a fabric library that they can guide your through to the right selection for your style.
Swatch Cards
You may have noticed that clothing manufacturers don't tend to hand out fabric swatch cards easily.
Why is that?
There are two main reasons: the first is that is its very bad for the environment to produce endless fabric cards and the second is that it is not cost effective. If you want to see/feels fabrics the easiest way to do this is in person.
Trialling different fabrics
Once you've had a look at some swatches and have an idea of the fabrics you'd like to use, a really good tip is to get a sample design made using those different fabrics (before you go to bulk manufacture). That's the best way to really test how each fabric type will look and feel in real life.
Get your fabric names right!
Why can't I just send the composition of the fabric I want to my manufacturer??
This is because the composition could mean anything! If you said you wanted green paint and told the artist you wanted 67% yellow and 33% blue but you had no idea what the base yellow or blue colour started as then you'd have no idea how the final green would turn out. It's the same with fabrics. You are always better to know the specific fabric name that you want for your clothes. That will avoid unpleasant surprises when your clothes come back from the manufacturer.
If you look at the example image below you will see there are two fabrics with the exact same composition but the specific fabric name 'stretch cotton pique' is used to make polo necks and the specific fabric name 'cotton elastane' is used in garments such as leggings and cycling shorts.
Eco-friendly fabrics
Lots of manufactures have to use the term 'Eco-friendly', rather than 'organic', as the term 'organic fabric' has a full definition and it's so difficult to get the accreditation for.
To be able to call a fabric 'organic' the soil the cotton is grown in has to be free from pesticide use for several years. Eco-friendly fabrics do not have such strict protocols, this means they are usually slightly lower in cost (and MOQ).
We have both 'organic certified' and 'eco-friendly' fabrics available. Get in touch with us if you'd like to talk through the pros and cons of each.
Conclusion: Choosing the right fabrics
Always sample in as many fabrics as you can so that you can get a good idea of what you do and don't like. Also, keep in mind that compositions are not the key to everything - you need to know the fabric type as well!
If you're looking to start a fashion brand, or want to add new designs to your fashion label, we can help you find the perfect fabrics. In our tech pack and design sessions we always talk you through all possible fabric options to give you the best possible guidance for your designs!
Book a Tech Pack and Design Session and our designer can help guide your through fabric selection while creating your tech packs in from of you.
I hope this was helpful!
Hook and Eye UK Team
