Dress fabric sourcing from China
Dress fabrics are bought on drape and sold on how they photograph. The two are not the same, which is why a swatch under office light is a poor guide to a finished dress.
Fabrics that fit
| Linen and linen blends | 120–200 gsm, drape and texture; creasing is part of the look |
|---|---|
| Cotton voile | 80–110 gsm, light and airy; often lined |
| Viscose challis | 90–140 gsm, fluid drape; shrinks more than cotton |
| Cotton jersey | 150–220 gsm, casual dresses and skirts |
Put these in the spec
- · Drape, described against a reference garment
- · Opacity at the lightest colour, not just the darkest
- · Shrinkage after the finishing you will use
- · Whether the fabric is pre-washed
What usually goes wrong
- · Approving on a dark swatch and discovering the ivory is transparent
- · Viscose shrinkage that changes the fit after the first wash
- · Slub variation that looks intentional in a sample and random in bulk