Textiles

Work with the best textile manufacturers in the business, and watch your business grow
By Kimberly Webb The best clothing in the world is only as good as the textile or fabric it's made from. Choosing the right textiles for your business can not only enhance the visual and tactile appeal of your work, it can increase the value of your pieces and your market share. The trick is to find unique textiles that fit your vision at prices you can feel comfortable with.

Textiles come in many different forms. You can start from scratch and design your own, or choose vintage or mass-produced patterns and designs. Typically, when you buy textiles, the company you buy from will fall into one of the following groups:

1. Antique textiles dealers

2. Textile wholesalers

3. Textile mills

Learn all you can about the textile industry

The textile industry is always changing, and as a designer or manufacturer it's up to you to keep up with the latest trends and fashions. You need to know about things that affect the business, such as labor strikes and technology advancements, as well as the types of fabrics that will be hot in the seasons ahead.
Try:  Join a group that knows all about the fabric industry. Affiliation with the American Apparel Producers' Network, the American Fiber Manufacturers Association or Cotton Incorporated can help you stay in the know. Subscribe to their newsletters as well to find out the latest developments as soon as they happen.

Find textile mills that can help you create your vision

Ideally, you want to find a textile mill that can create custom pieces of fabric to fit your needs perfectly. This may not always be in the budget, but the company may be able to dye certain pieces to match other items or help you find the perfect print for your garment. The possibilities are limitless if you have a mill that's willing to work with you to create your vision.
Try:  Explore the option of working with a textile mill to get custom fabrics for your business. You can browse the selection of Baum Textile Mills online and speak with a representative from Sunbury Textile Mills to find what sort of fabrics they can bring to the table.

Buy textile fabric in bulk to save money

As with so many products, the more fabric you buy, the cheaper it is per unit. If you're on a tight budget, work with wholesalers that can offer you discounts on your order. Many even give you a yardage discount that allows you to pick several prints and lump them together for one discount. Others only give discounts if you buy so many yards of one specific print or pattern.
Try:  Talk to wholesalers to find textiles in your price range. Raymond's Wholesale Textile, Foust Textiles and David Textiles all have reasonable prices and a large selection of fabric. The selection changes often, so check back frequently.

• Keep track of the different textile machinery and materials that go into making your textiles. Many consumers are conscious of the environmental impact that their clothing has, and will want to know that you have their interests in mind.