Fibers

Cotton is a fashion industry staple; perhaps the most widely used material for garments. With so many designers and companies using the fiber, it comes as no surprise that it is one of the most difficult textiles to regulate. As of late, cotton’s impact has been a big one, both socially and environmentally. In this [...]

As fashion designers, we can all appreciate a beautiful piece of fabric. But more often than not, it is the garment created with the fabric that truly brings it to life. Not true for the whimsical textiles dreamed up by woven designer Angharad McLaren. She contrasts the traditional, domestic process of dobby and jacquard weaving with [...]

When we think of silk, it evokes a clear vision of glamous; gorgeous evening gowns, elegant kimonos, and slinky chemises. It is expensive and delicate, a high-maintenance fabric that needs to be treasured and cared for. However, these associations may be changing in the near future. In light of recent advances with the material, silk [...]

Hi Designers! Work in Knits? Then Save the Date and Pre-Register for SPIN Expo. [...]

As fashion designers, textiles are your medium.  You dream about hand, drape, silhouette, wovens, knits, prints….. They act as a constant source of inspiration when creating your work. So staying on top of industry trade shows and fully understanding everything that is available to you as a designer is quite important. So with that, we [...]

Can you produce a garment with zero fabric wasted?  Of course you can.  All it takes is a little adjusted thinking when it comes to patternmaking.  Your patterns become as thought provoking and design oriented as the clothes themselves. Why should you care?  Because the textile industry has one of the most significant impacts on [...]

I love finding new fabric suppliers.  The raw materials that go into creating fashion is where my interest (and heart) really lies. The first booth I saw the minute that I walked in Sourcing at MAGIC was the Pacific Coast Knitting.  Why? Because it was full of soft, drapey, colorful, and textured knit fabrics.  Upon [...]

As Ethical and Sustainable fashion become more mainstream, designers need to have a better understanding of exactly where their fabric are coming from.  Complete transparency when it comes to eco-friendly textiles and manufacturing processes is the only way to insure you are on the right track. With that in mind, here are 10 questions you [...]

I'm a big proponent of completely immersing yourself in your industry.Staying up to date is necessary for creating & sustaining a successful business. [...]

Hey folks. You may remember not too long ago when I shared the resource Source4Style, place for you to discover all your sustainable textile needs. Well, I came across a fun, and more importantly interesting, video on silk worms. I’ll be honest, I had to watch the video twice to fully take in the message [...]

Whenever I get a call from someone looking for fabric, one of the first things they ask is "How much?"...how much do I have to order, how much time until I can get the fabric, how much money to buy the fabric... Lately, the hardest "how much" to answer is the one about money. [...]

Yes, that Starbucks. No, they haven't stopped making coffee. What they have started doing, though, is furnishing their interiors with a revolutionary new textile made from natural and renewable materials. [...]