Where to find the good fabrics?

Greenjeans

Building on lisap's Anthro post . . .

I am shopping again after some years of not and struggling to find fabrics I like. Seeing a ton of poly and rayon (not my faves). Though on a budget, I am willing to spend if the cuts and materials are right (silk, linen, cotton, wool).

Have already identified COS as with-potential. Anthro was a go-to but not so much anymore.

Ideas?

10 years ago

Shopping

15 replies

Latest reply was from Greenjeans

Mochi

Veteran

I have no answers for you but am personally invested in finding out for myself. I cannot get onboard with polyester and other manmade fibers (at least, there has to be a percentage of cotton, silk, linen, etc). I am fussy and it makes it challenging.

10 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

Pendleton for wool. Will be checking back on this thread for more ideas.

10 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

I have become very disappointed over the years regarding fabric. I just don't know anymore. I remember buying cashmere sweaters and merino wool ones that looked beautiful season after season. Not anymore. They pill, they stretch....I bought a beautiful merino wool Eileen Fisher sweater last year that looks awful already. : (

10 years ago

Anonymous

Wool makes me itch, so I don't buy it. I can't tolerate it even in a blend.

I have been very, very disappointed with sweaters, etc. that pill badly no matter what fabric they're made of. I'm to the point now where I don't want to buy any more. I'll have to figure out another way to keep warm in the winter, though.

10 years ago

Greenjeans

Veteran

Let us figure this out!

I'm excited about eShakti, where you can filter by fabric (cotton vs. blends) after seeing a few of you here wear it so well.

And I've had good luck with sweaters from Sierra Trading Post which has a great search/filter function on their site. If you can tolerate wool, Peregrine makes beautiful sweaters with a rustic/vintage vibe.

http://www.sierratradingpost.c.....thing~d~6/

10 years ago

BrieN

Veteran

Joie typically fabricates from silk, cotton, linen, wool etc. Pricey but lovely.

10 years ago

Greenjeans

Veteran

Yes, BrieN! I agree totally. Joie blouses are beautiful. Thank you for reminding me.

10 years ago

Greenjeans

Veteran

And Pendleton! Thank you, rabbit. I wore vintage Pendleton in my 20's but haven't bought anything new there. (Adding to list . . .)

10 years ago

Isabel

Veteran

Actually, I have a cashmere Joie sweater that has held up beautifully for 3 years now....

10 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I have found that I need to examine fabric item by item; quality can vary within brands and designers, at least in the lower-to-mid-price range that I usually shop.
Okay, that said, I had the opportunity to shop in a Kit and Ace store recently, and all the fabrics in there looked and felt beautiful. (I found the prices pretty high, though.)
Nic and Zoe is a department store brand that I find has consistently nice fabrics.
I find Eileen Fisher to be all over the map recently. I used to associate that line with very nice fabrics; not so much lately, though.
I do not rule out any fiber contents, as I've found some polyester to be very comfortable and beautiful, and rayon is one of my favorite fibers for its drape.

10 years ago

Ginger

Veteran

Good point about eShakti, Laura! I've got cotton poplin dresses and skirts from 4 years ago and they look great. The primary color cotton knits are starting to get a wee bit faded (probably only I can tell), but that's the nature of saturated dye on cotton knit. Would probably help if I was gentler in the wash. Absolutely no pilling that I can recall. Their chambray is really lovely and has held up excellently.

10 years ago

Greenjeans

Veteran

A couple more ideas . . . Has anyone ordered from Wrap or Poetry? (Two British mail order catalogs with a similar casual/natural sensibility.)

https://www.wraplondon.com
https://www.poetryfashion.com

I ordered a boiled wool coat from Wrap about 7 years ago that I loved but haven't found anything since.

10 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I have a cotton/ hemp t shirt from wrap, it was a nice thick material, a pleasant design but does need ironed which I find annoying for a t shirt.

10 years ago

Greenjeans

Veteran

Hmm . . . except for the wrinkles, pleasant is a good word for the Wrap line.

10 years ago

Greenjeans

Veteran

Adding . . . just because I like natural fibers doesn't mean I want a hippie/natural look which is the look I think Wrap, and a lot of the other more naturally-focused catalogs do.

10 years ago

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