Quality of fabric declining?
02-18-2011, 08:05 PM
#24
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 610
A lot of my fabric is from the 80's and 90's, and I have to say that the quality is very different from what is available now. It does tend to be thicker, although a lot of the LQS fabrics today are softer to the touch. I haven't washed any of my fabric, though, so I'm wondering if that will make a difference when it comes to softness.
02-18-2011, 09:05 PM
#25
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
here is what happened in the industry...Long before the prices of cotton went up the quality was already going down.
THere is a HUGE market for less expensive, cheaper made fabrics for those on less income, kids learning, GS, 4-H, crafting etc...quilting quality as we came to know is really the least sought after griege goods..believe it or not...
when walmart quit having fabric, that left a huge void in the market place for stores that carried that fabric..at the same time, hobby lobby cut back on fabrics, hancocks was closing stores, joanns was carrying more goods other than fabric, SO..what did that mean to the industry?
It meant that the makers of the fabric still have to try to please everyone AND make money...do to that, all the lower quality fabrics that used to fill walmart, hobby lobby, Hancocks, and Joanns, now had to be placed in other venues...some quilt shops are now carrying those lower quality fabrics..you might see them as flat folds, pre-cuts, or if you know the makers by name you will recognize what companies are lower quality. You see them online a lot because you can not feel them, you do not know their quality. Connecting threads is really thin fabrics...used to be much better...
I got some batiks from Timeless treasures...might just as well be chiffon...sheer as it is...
Either way...the fabric industry has to fill ALL the needs, and quite frankly, quilting is only a small piece of that pie! As long as the prices of cotton stay high the griege goods that fabric is printed on(no longer woven), will continue to decline so that the makers can see a profit!
THere is a HUGE market for less expensive, cheaper made fabrics for those on less income, kids learning, GS, 4-H, crafting etc...quilting quality as we came to know is really the least sought after griege goods..believe it or not...
when walmart quit having fabric, that left a huge void in the market place for stores that carried that fabric..at the same time, hobby lobby cut back on fabrics, hancocks was closing stores, joanns was carrying more goods other than fabric, SO..what did that mean to the industry?
It meant that the makers of the fabric still have to try to please everyone AND make money...do to that, all the lower quality fabrics that used to fill walmart, hobby lobby, Hancocks, and Joanns, now had to be placed in other venues...some quilt shops are now carrying those lower quality fabrics..you might see them as flat folds, pre-cuts, or if you know the makers by name you will recognize what companies are lower quality. You see them online a lot because you can not feel them, you do not know their quality. Connecting threads is really thin fabrics...used to be much better...
I got some batiks from Timeless treasures...might just as well be chiffon...sheer as it is...
Either way...the fabric industry has to fill ALL the needs, and quite frankly, quilting is only a small piece of that pie! As long as the prices of cotton stay high the griege goods that fabric is printed on(no longer woven), will continue to decline so that the makers can see a profit!
02-18-2011, 09:06 PM
#26
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Enid, OK
Posts: 8,273
Originally Posted by toomanycats
yes emerald46 chocolate does taste different too! what is the world comming too!
02-19-2011, 04:54 AM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 865
Originally Posted by fabric_fancy
moda has gone down hill, i loved them for years and now i won't buy anything from them because the quality is so poor.
02-19-2011, 05:01 AM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Indiana
Posts: 351
It seems as we all want more, the quality goes down so we can afford to purchase it. When I look at the amount of fabric I have stashed away, I can't help but think that at one time I would have considered it wasteful. I often wish we could go back to having less but better. Now that is definitely wishful thinking.
02-19-2011, 05:45 AM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 959
I was thinking the same thing yesterday while piecing a quilt block. I had purchased fabric last week from my LQS.
Jenny Beyer and E. Burns fabric. I chose the fabric for the color and pattern, didn't realize whose fabric until after washing and pressing. At the time I though this should be great fabric to piece. WOW! what a surprise, rather thin for LQS fabric.
I wonder if they are reducing quality instead of raising prices?
Jenny Beyer and E. Burns fabric. I chose the fabric for the color and pattern, didn't realize whose fabric until after washing and pressing. At the time I though this should be great fabric to piece. WOW! what a surprise, rather thin for LQS fabric.
I wonder if they are reducing quality instead of raising prices?
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