How to Choose the Best Fabric for You

Deciding on the kind of fabric you want to use for a project can be a hard task. This is because there can be so much variability in the fabrics themselves, and the projects they are required for. For example, a garment fabric may be required by a fashion designer for designing new clothes. This what we talk about here to make you understand how to choose different fabrics for different projects. You may take this content as an introductory lecture called, Fabric 101.

First, ask what kind of project you want to do:  

This is important because you will not be able to research what you are doing when you do not know what kind of project it is. For example, you did not know that you would end up making a swimsuit, you wouldn't have known that using rayon fabric for a swimsuit is not recommended. That will totally, eliminate the purpose of the swimsuit as this kind of fabric is not essentially cut out for making a swimsuit. One should use 80 to 90 % of nylon with some spandex or lycra because these absorb water fast. If you had known what kind of project it was, then in the research you would have found out what to use for a swimsuit.  

Do research on the project you have decided on:

After you all done with selecting the project that you want to do, you shall prepare for extensive research on it. Researches are what, which help you in finding little things like using flannel fabric for making a flannel shirt, even though a flannel can also be cotton fabric, but the flannel one should be used for the unique pattern.

Find the width of the that you want to buy:

It is the width that provides the basis for the size of fabric that you would want to buy. Price is also determined on this very same thing. It may get expensive if you had provided a lot of width for something like cotton twill (which is used for expensive clothing), and the extra is not finding any use.

Checking the drape:

This is very important because one needs to check the type of fabric one is buying. For example, one wants a cotton crepe, a cotton that has a pebbly surface texture but ends up buying normal cotton. If one had checked it's unique surface, then there would have been no problem.  

Stretch it:

Many fabrics are stretchable, and the more they are, the more high quality they can have. If one stretches a fabric that was being boasted as being very strong but is torn upon stretching, that is just some second rate thing.  

Make sure you have the right color:

Slight difference can be very harmful to your project, especially if you are a fashion designer.

Make visuals representations of your project first:

A lot of designers do this by drawing. If you are satisfied with the drawing, chances are you are going to be satisfied with the end product too. This will mean you bought the correct fabric for the job.