Striped Fabrics

How to choose the right fabric for your project

It can be tricky picking the right fabric for your next DIY or crafts project - whether you're a dab hand at dressmaking and sewing soft furnishings or looking to engage in a new and fun hobby. Finding good quality fabric is crucial for creating beautiful and durable pieces. Here’s what to look out for to ensure you’re getting the best quality fabric:

• Fabric content: Is the fabric made of natural or synthetic fibres? We always recommend fabrics made from natural fibres like linen or cotton as they are made from easily renewable materials and are biodegradable. They are also soft, breathable, strong, durable, and easy to care for - making them ideal for clothing, bedding, upholstery, curtains and blinds. While fabrics made from polyester fibres possess some of these benefits and may cost less, they are made from non-renewable materials, are not biodegradable, and are not an environmentally friendly option.
• Fabric weave: Fabrics with a tight weave tend to be more durable, more heavyweight, and less prone to fraying than those with a loose weave. Those with a loose weave can be light and airy, ideal for curtains. If you hold the fabric up to the light and can see a lot of light passing through it, then odds are it's a medium-weight or lightweight loosely woven fabric. Many people often use thread count (the number of threads in a square inch) as a gauge to determine the quality of a fabric. However, thread count is by no means a firm guarantee of quality, because a high thread count doesn't indicate whether the fabric material, the yarn, is of a high standard.
• Fabric weight: This is an important factor when picking fabric for your next project and depends on the functionality of your piece. Fabrics with a high gsm (gram per square metre) ranging between 200 to 600 gsm tend to be ideal for warm curtains, blinds, upholstery and bedding, while fabrics with a low gsm between 85 to 150 gsm are lightweight and lovely for sheer curtains or summer shirts. The higher the gsm, the more durable the fabric.
• Fabric finish: Be wary of fabrics with heavy chemical smells or excessive stiffness, which might indicate poor-quality treatments or finishes. Look for more natural finishes, where the fabrics have been stonewashed or pre-washed to ensure they are both delightfully soft and less prone to shrinking when washed. It's also important to know what dyes have been used, whether they are colourfast (will not fade away in time), and whether they contain any harmful chemicals. OEKO-TEX certified fabrics are always a good choice on this front, as they contain zero harmful chemicals.

Remember to order sample swatches to help with your decision. That way you can feel the texture of the fabric, check its color in different lighting, and see if its right for your project. All the best with your sewing project!