12 Tips to Pick Fabric that Will Last (for sustainable sewing)
One of the best ways you can combat fast fashion is by learning to make your own high-quality clothing. To do this, you’ll need to create clothing that will last by finding fabric that lasts. But if you have no idea what you’re looking at when you walk into a fabric shop, how do you make sure what you’re buying is actually high quality?
The good news is that most of the time if you buy fabric to make your own clothes, the material will automatically be higher quality than what you get from cheap, fast-fashion clothing. This is because companies that sell cheap clothing will try to cut the costs wherever possible both in the construction of the garment and in the construction of the fabric itself.
When you’re buying fabric to make your clothes, you are no longer dealing with the incentive to make the product as cheap as possible at all costs. You’re already bypassing the fast fashion industry, and you’ll find that most fabric that you can buy is actually decent. So if you want to start your sewing journey with cheaper fabrics it will still result in clothing that can last.
Of course, there are still some ways you can evaluate the fabric to find the higher quality types hiding in your local craft shop. In general, fabric with a denser weave made of mostly natural fibers will last longer if you take care of the fabric and resulting garment. If you’re looking for stretch fabrics, make sure that it can bounce back to its original shape quickly.
How you construct your garments and care for them are just as important (if not more important) for long-term quality as the fabric you choose. This means, as you get better at sewing and garment making, you’ll naturally start to make higher-quality clothes that last longer.
If you can touch the fabric
In an ideal situation, you will be able to touch the fabric to check it out before you purchase it. This is the best way to get a feel for the quality of the fabric, so if it’s possible, I recommend taking this route.
Keep in mind that the type of fabric you’re looking for will also be a factor in the longevity you can expect from the fabric. For example, denim fabric is going to be more durable than even the highest quality chiffon is a much lighter weight, looser weave fabric. This doesn’t mean you should never use chiffon, but instead compare one type of chiffon against another type of the same fabric.
1. How easily does the fabric rip or fray?
When in the fabric shop, try looking at the ends of the fabric. Pull at it gently to see if it rips easily or if it immediately starts to fray into nothing. You can also see if the weave of the fabric warps too easily when it’s pulled. This is if the horizontal and vertical lines that make up the fabric easily warp out of place and turn into wobble lines if you pull on it.
You can also hold the fabric up to the light and see if you can see through the fabric. This is really only a good test for medium and heavy-weight fabrics, as many lightweight fabrics are going to be slightly sheer regardless of quality. But basically, if a fabric is supposed to be opaque, it shouldn’t let much light through even when held up to the light.
As I mentioned earlier, keep in mind the type of fabric you’re looking at. Fabrics that naturally have a looser weave will rip and fray easily no matter what. I’ve also found that rayon fabrics tend to fray more easily than other fibers even if it’s not bad quality.
2. How quickly do stretch fabrics recover?
Stretch fabric with the ability to recover quickly means that it can bounce back to its original very quickly after it’s stretched. Many fabrics have a very high stretchability, but they don’t bounce back very quickly, making them not as useful for tight-fit stretchy clothing.
Usually, fabrics with a longer recovery period are also more prone to being permanently stretched out quicker than fabrics that recover easily. So these fabrics will retain their elasticity for a longer length of time, making them more durable in the long run too.
3. How comfortable does it feel?
You are more likely to re-wear clothes that you find comfortable, making the clothes last longer even if the fabric isn’t the highest quality. For example, I have fairly sensitive skin and find a lot of wool and linen garments are rough and uncomfortable to wear. Even though these two types of fibers tend to be of higher quality, they won’t last longer for me because I probably just won’t enjoy wearing them.
If you feel a fabric and enjoy how soft or smooth it is, you are much more likely to make and wear the clothing over and over again because it’s comfortable for you.
4. Look for consistent color in the fabric
A bad dye job can indicate a cheap fabric construction process. If you inspect the fabric and some parts of it look different colors (unintentionally), this could mean the fabric itself is low quality too. The same can be said for prints that are crooked, or incorrectly added to the fabric. It means the process of adding the print and color was likely rushed and indicates that the process for the fabric may have been as well.
5. Look for loose threads and imperfections
Fabric in shops is generally kept in good condition, but the exposed fabric on the bolt will still rub and pull against other fabrics and people browsing. A high-quality fabric will be able to maintain its appearance and continue to look nice while going up against this minor wear and tear.
If you are looking at fabric in the store and already see signs of pilling or pulled threads (on fabric where it’s not intentional, of course), it’s not a good sign. Unless you’re planning on making casual wear or pajamas and don’t care if the fabric looks a little rough, it’s best to skip this and find a higher-quality fabric.
6. Understand what to look for in different types of fabric
There are different qualities to look for, depending on the type of fiber the fabric uses. The fiber is the original material that’s used to create the individual threads (yarns) the fabric is made of. So we’re talking cotton, polyester, wool, silk, etc.
- Cotton should be soft with a very slight fuzzy feeling, it should not have a rough texture. Cotton should also be fairly dense in most cases (not letting much light through), and have fairly even yarns throughout the weave (so no yarns that are visually thicker than others)
- Linen is more often a high-quality fabric, it shouldn’t feel scratchy, but it is still rougher than standard cotton texture. Linen fabric does crease easily, but typically you don’t want to purchase it with severely defined creases right off the bolt. Slubs (yarns that are irregularly thick throughout the fabric) are normal in linen.
- Wool should have smooth and continuous yarns, look for broken fibers to know if the original yarn quality is low. A little pilling is normal in wool but it shouldn’t be significant. If you manage to find wool items with no pilling at all, it is almost definitely high quality. You should know what type of wool it is (sheep, angora, alpaca, etc.).
- Polyester should not feel like plastic when you touch it. Usually polyester is best when it’s combined with other natural fibers.
- Rayon should have even yarns throughout the weave, similar to cotton fabric. However, it will have a smoother texture and a softer drape.
If you are buying fabric online
When buying fabric online, you will not be able to see the fabric and really get a feel for how good it is. Instead, you will need to learn how to purchase swatches or rely on the sources of the fabric so you can learn where to get material that you can trust.
1. Higher thread-count fabrics tend to be of higher quality
This is not always the case, especially for lightweight fabrics, but a higher thread count often means the fabric is more densely woven and is less likely to rip, pill, or have threads pulled. It’s also an indication that the manufacturing process wasn’t made as cheap as possible by using as little of the original thread material as possible.
2. Take the type of fiber into account
Any type of fiber can be made into a high or low-quality fabric. However, it’s more common to find high-quality fabrics that are made using only natural fibers (cotton, wool, linen, silk) or natural fibers that are mixed with a small percentage of synthetic fibers. The properties of the synthetic fibers can add durability and wrinkle resistance to the end product fabric.
You can also learn (mostly through trial and error) which types of fiber you like to wear. That way you don’t buy a whole lot of high-quality linen fabric that you will never wear because you hate how it feels.
3. Where is the fabric sourced from?
You can also take a look at where the fabric is sourced from. Some shops will only include a country of origin, which doesn’t always tell you much, but if a shop goes into more detail about the source of the fabric, you can dig a little deeper and find out what kind of quality to expect.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that this is an area that I’m still learning about. I could not tell you what countries or provinces make the best wool that’s sustainably sourced. But some fabric shops will include certifications for different types of materials so you can feel more comfortable with the quality of the fabric.
4. Consider the price
Sometimes, a cheap fabric costs so little because it’s a cheap fabric. While it’s certainly not always the case, the price is a factor to keep in mind when looking for long-lasting, high-quality fabrics.
This doesn’t mean you should always get the more expensive choice when confronted with two similar products. But if you find a deal that’s too good to be true, it’s probably not a great fabric.
5. Look at the drape of the fabric
Most online fabric shops will include pictures of the fabric draped. This can give you some idea of what the fabric looks like. It’s not the best indication because images can be photoshopped to look good, but you can at least see if the fabric drapes as you expect it to.
If it’s supposed to be a flowy fabric, does it look too stiff in the photos? Do you notice color irregularities? Are the ends of the fabric fraying even in the picture? Does the fabric look way too shiny? It’s not going to give you much information, but you may be able to glean a little from the way the fabric hangs.
6. Purchase a swatch to get a feel for the fabric
If you can, the best thing you can do when purchasing fabric online is to get a swatch before buying multiple yards. This way you can actually see and feel the material to get a better sense of the quality before you spend the money getting fabric that you don’t end up using.
