How to Read a Fabric Bolt
When I first started sewing, one of the most difficult things involved was buying fabric. I didn't have a ton of knowledge on how to go about buying fabric and was intimidated walking into a big fabric store. One way you can make this a better experience, is to understand how to read a fabric bolt. Below, I've included a comprehensive guide to help you better understand what to look for on a fabric bolt.
A - Fabric Brand: The fabric brand tells you what company made the fabric. When shopping for fabric, I'm drawn to similar brands, since I know their quality and how the fabric wears. Not all bolts will list the fabric brand or designer. The RN number will reveal this information (see RN number below).
B - Name of Fabric: The name of the fabric can give you a good understanding of what type of fabric it is. This example is called YWL Floral Clusters DBL Brush Poly Span, which means the print includes yellow floral clusters (YWL Floral Clusters). It is also a double brushed polyester spandex blend (DBL Brush Poly Span), which means it's soft and stretchy. This isn't always necessary to look at when you're in a store where you can feel the fabric, but it's necessary for online shopping. It gives a good description of what you can expect from the fabric.
C - Fabric Width: This is how wide the fabric is from selvage to selvage. In this example, the fabric is 58 inches. Some of the most common widths you'll see while buying fabric are between 36 and 60 inches. However, in some instances, these can range from 24 to 108 inches. Always take the fabric width into account when purchasing fabric. Most sewing patterns will tell you how much fabric to buy based on specific fabric widths.
D - RN Number: The RN Number (Registered Identification Number) is a number issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to U.S. businesses that manufacture, import, distribute, or sell products made of textiles, wool, and fur. If you're interested in finding out where your fabric came from, head on over to the FTC website and type in the RN Number and see what comes up.
E - Fabric Origin: This tells you where the fabric was made. Anyone looking for fabric made in the U.S.A. or made under fair labor laws would want to look at the origin to see if it aligns with their views.
F - Fiber Content: Fiber content tells you what the fabric is made of. In this example, the fabric is 85% polyester and 15% spandex.
G - Care Instructions: The care instructions tell you how to care for the fabric. When you go to the store and purchase a garment, care instructions are required on garments. If you plan to sell hand made clothing, always include how to care for the fabric.
H - Starting Yardage: This is how much fabric was originally on the bolt when it was shipped to the store. In this example, this bolt originally had 8 yards of fabric on it. This is mainly for the store's purpose to track fabric inventory.
I - Price: The price of the fabric is based on how many yards you purchase. In this example, the price is $15.99 per yard. You don't always have to purchase fabric in 1 yard increments. If you don't need much, you can request 1/8 yard ($1.99), 1/4 yard ($3.99), 1/2 yard ($7.99), etc. The price will reflect how much fabric you purchase.
Keep in mind this is just one example of a fabric bolt, but all of them should have the same information. If for some reason you can't find the information you're looking for, don't be afraid to ask the associates in the store. There's no shame in asking for help. The associates are there for a reason and want to help you!
I’m glad you liked it! Hope you could learn something new :)
Great information! Thanks!❤️