Vintage fabric is highly sought-after amongst sewing and crafting enthusiasts, who can use it to bring character and elegance to fashion and homeware items and accessories. Knowing how to buy vintage fabric correctly is key to ensure you get what you desire, for the right project and at the best price.

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Know Your Grades

Whether you choose to buy vintage fabric from a physical shop or online store, it’s always important to know what you are buying. Vintage goes hand in hand with increasing age, so although you might want a fabric reminiscent of the past, you will want it to be in as good a condition as possible.

You can identify how well preserved the fabric is from its individual grade. According to eBay, vintage fabric is labelled as being in mint, nearly mint, excellent, very good, good and fair condition. Always know what grade you’re buying, and bear in mind that the definition of each label can be different to your expectations. Very good, for instance, can mean the fabric is very good for its age. You’re unlikely to find mint condition fabric for very old vintage items.

Uses

When buying vintage fabric, decide what you want to use it for. This can influence the type of fabric you buy. Different purposes may suit different types or weights of materials, depending on whether you’re using the fabric to make items for the home or clothing. Think about the maintenance requirements of the fabric, whether you choose cotton fabric, silk or rayon, for instance, and what you intend to use it for. Very delicate fabrics may not be suited for homeware items that may easily get dirty and require regular cleaning.

Sourcing Suppliers

Choose a trustworthy supplier of fabric, preferably one that specialises in this area such as http://www.higgsandhiggs.com/fabrics/cotton-poplin-fabric-112cm.html. Research all the details of the fabric, so you can be as sure as possible it is authentic vintage. The definition of vintage is often open to misinterpretation, and can be interchanged with retro. Experts regard vintage as falling between the early 19th century and 1970, although some fabrics from the 1980s or early 1990s may fall into this category.

If you are choosing vintage fabrics for crafting homeware items, look for those that blend in well with existing decor, to create the right look and feel for your home.