Buying Fabrics in Bulk

Whether you are a home hobby sewer or have larger fabric needs, buying fabrics in bulk is the easiest and most cost-efficient way to buy a large amount of fabric at one time. In order to save the greatest amount of money you can when purchasing bulk fabrics, you may need to do a little bit of research in order to get the best deal.
Before you order or purchase bulk fabrics, make a realistic decision on how much fabric you’re going to need. To do this, figure out your yardage requirements and round up so you don’t shortchange yourself. It is better to have left over bulk fabrics then to not have enough, as the fabric you bought may not be available if you underestimated your yardage requirements and should happen to need extra.
When buying fabrics in bulk or shopping for wholesale fabrics, shop around for the best price and check with several retailers or companies who sell material either online or in your area. Some retailers will advertise that they sell wholesale fabrics, but, in fact, some mark-up prices that can equate to a large difference if a high quantity of yardage is purchased.
To find wholesale fabric retailers, consult a directory of wholesale retailers or contact a wholesaler directly. If you’re searching for bulk fabrics at the lowest cost, search for discount outlets or clearance sales. While shopping for bulk fabrics in discount or at clearance sales, keep in mind that once you buy the fabric it may not again be available as it may be the last of the fabric lot or discontinued by a manufacturer. Also, some retailers do not allow customers to return bulk fabrics that were bought on clearance or at a discounted price.
Once you have found the bulk fabrics that you need at the price you wish to pay, the next step is placing an order. While a lot of retail and wholesale fabric suppliers let customers place orders online, some prefer to deal with customers by telephone, mail, or even in person. If you have the opportunity to speak with a wholesale fabrics supplier on the phone or in person, take the chance to do so as it’s a great way to build a relationship and perhaps negotiate favorable bulk fabric deals in the future.

1. Bulk Fabrics vs. Retail Fabrics
2. Buying Fabrics Online