Apparel fabric is a catchall term for textiles that are used to make clothing and other wearable items. Your choice of material will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of garment you’re making as well as personal preferences. We’ve hand-picked a selection of high quality apparel fabrics to jump-start your apparel sewing journey.
If you need a little help to get started, check out the first video from the Wardrobe Builder tutorial series from our sister site, Nancy’s Notions, below!
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Shopping for apparel fabric online is a lot easier once you understand the various types of apparel fabrics available. If you are looking for high quality apparel fabric for clothing, we can certainly help with your search. First, let’s talk about the common types of apparel sewing fabric:
Cotton fabric : A natural fiber that is known for its breathability, softness, and comfort. It's widely used for making casual and everyday clothing.
Polyester fabric: A synthetic fiber that is known for its durability, wrinkle resistance, and ability to hold color well. It's often used in sportswear and activewear.
Wool fabric : A natural fiber derived from sheep, known for its warmth and insulation properties. It can be used for various types of clothing, from sweaters to suits.
Silk fabric: A luxurious natural fiber known for its smooth texture and lustrous appearance. It's often used for formal and special occasion clothing.
Linen fabric : Made from the fibers of the flax plant, linen is lightweight and breathable, making it suitable for warm-weather clothing.
Rayon fabric : A semi-synthetic fiber made from cellulose, it can mimic the feel of natural fibers like cotton, silk, and wool. It's versatile and used for various types of clothing, and is an excellent fabric for dressmaking.
Spandex fabric: Also known as Lycra, spandex is a highly elastic synthetic fiber that provides stretch and recovery, making it ideal for garments that require a close fit.
Denim fabric : A rugged cotton fabric that's commonly used for making jeans and other durable clothing items.
Velvet fabric: A plush fabric characterized by its soft texture and dense pile. It's often used for formal and evening wear.
Twill fabric: A type of weave that produces diagonal lines on the fabric surface. It's commonly used for fabrics like denim and chino.
Satin fabric: A weave that creates a glossy, smooth surface on one side of the fabric. It's often used for elegant and luxurious clothing - we love Cuddle Silky Satin Solids for sewing elegant garments!
At first, you may wish to buy apparel fabric in person, where you can see and touch it up-close before making your decision. But once you are familiar with apparel fabrics, you will be able to shop for apparel fabrics online–like right here! We are always adding new designer apparel fabric by the yard to our online store, making it easy to buy clothing fabrics online.
We might be biased, but we think that Missouri Star is the best place to buy fabric for clothing when you’re just starting out. You may be tempted to dive right into sewing with soft and stretchy knits, but they can be a tricky material to sew with. If you are not ready to take that leap, you can work your way there with our hand-picked selection of apparel fabric for sale, which includes rayon, denim, chambray and linen fabrics.
Everyone wants to be comfortable in what they wear, so if you plan to wear anything you make, you’ll want to choose apparel fabrics that are comfortable and breathe so well. The good news is that we have several cotton/linen blends that fit the bill nicely! Pick your favorite high quality fabric for clothing from our curated selection to create breezy, comfortable garments you’ll love to wear.
