One of my readers Karen Mulkey, from Houston, Texas is in town next week and she asked for suggestions on where to buy fabric in London. This is not a comprehensive list but it covers places I have visited and can recommend.
South London
Simply Fabrics, at 57, Atlantic Road, Brixton, SW9 8PU, has been my favourite shop for a long time. It has recently gone downhill a little I must admit. Robert used to get some amazing Roland Mouret end of line fabrics that were sold for very low prices. I still go there as there are still some nice fabrics to be had but I am less loyal than I was. Expect to pay around £8m for silk and maybe £10 for good wool. I always ask Robert or Leo what they recommend, indicating that I am looking for high quality, natural fabrics and designer fabrics. The sister shop, just across the road is usually run by the ladies, and has zips, threads etc. It also has what I call “cheap fabric” – coming in at £2 to £4m – that will serve for toiles, school projects etc, plus calico, interfacing, curtaining, oilcloth, African prints, buttons, elastic etc.
Brixton itself, the Market and Electric Avenue, has lots of Asian run shops selling African fabrics, such as Wax prints and Laces, which are usually sold in 6 yard pieces. Expect to spend £25 – £60 depending on quality. The indoor market has stalls selling trimmings, again mainly from the subcontinent.
Rolls and Rems at 111 Lewisham High Street, Lewisham, London, SE13 (and also 9 The Concourse, N9 0TY) is a good local shop. It is ages since I went there but it was good value with all the basics. You have to get the train to Lewisham, so unless you live locally I wouldn’t make a special trip. Same with Fabrics Galore, 52-54 Lavender Hill, Clapham Junction BR. I haven’t been here for even longer so can no longer vouch for it, but it used to have some nice stuff. Some people recoomend Wimbledon Sewing Centre, 308 Balham High Road, SW17
West London
If you are based in West London, then I would mainly recommend Goldhawk Road. I used to work nearby and could get there in my lunch hour. The nearest tube is Shepherds Bush or Goldhawk Road.
There are a long line of shops – maybe 30 – almost all run by Asian people. People seem to like A1 Fabrics (50-52) and Classic Textiles (next door). There is plenty of choice and you can get just about anything you want. But the prices are not low. They are the going rate in most cases. For example I use habotai silk for linings. The very cheapest I have bought this is at £5m in Simply Fabrics and £3m at Goldcrest. But in both cases it was too flimsy and shoddy for the job. A very slightly heavier product is available in Goldhawk road for around £8 – 12 m. I bought strong colours (mainly from India or China) and the colours are not fast. I found buying better quality silk from Missan was the same price. Also Simply Fabrics sell nice blouse weight silks for around £8-£10 which are much better quality. On the other hand I have bought Liberty prints in Goldhawk Road for £21 for three metres which is great value, when Simply Fabrics sells Liberty for £12 a metre (and Liberty sells it for twice that).
Shaukat, 170-172 Old Brompton Road, SW5 0BA is nice big shop in Kensington that specialises in Liberty prints, mostly pre cut selections. People rave about it but I am just not that into the product. But if you are coming from abroad and want something typically English this might do the trick.
West End
I live close to the West End but I rarely buy fabric in the area. This is because rents are so high that every shop has to charge about double the going rate. Two very expensive shops near me (Edgware Road tube), (I have visited but never bought) are Jason’s at 310 Edgware Road and Joel and Sons is just off Edgware Road at 73-87 Church Street, NW8.
Berwick Street
This area is the centre of the historic London rag trade with the fashion colleges and many designers based nearby. When I was doing my qualification in the 1980s this was the place to go for silks, satins, “stage wear” cloth, and really unusual pieces. But with rents being so high now so are the prices and I can’t really recommend this area.
Cloth House (no 47 and no 98) is a modern, rather trendy shop where virtually everything is navy, grey or striped. There are some nice Indian block prints and some Japanese fabrics, denim, plain linens. All very tasteful, but of course expensive.
Misan has two shops, one like Jason’s has silly prices. The other is expensive too but has more standard fabrics. Downstairs it has remnants and off cuts. I have bought quite a few pieces here as they are unusual and because they are damaged or dirty you can get a bargain. But not necessarily. For example Linton tweeds which are around £22 to £28 a metre on line are £55 a metre off the roll in the shop. Even a remnant will work out at around £35 to 340 a metre, more expensive than from the Linton website. Small pieces of leather really are terribly expensive too.
For wedding fabrics there are specialist silk shops (Silk society and a few others) but, while you will get wonderful fabrics, you will have to pay top dollar for them.
Borovicks is a shop I used to use a lot when I was doing my fashion qualification in the 1980s. But today it has priced me out. For example when looking for floral stretch sateen it was £25 p/m here compared to getting similar stuff on line for about £12 p/m.
Macculloch and Wallis moved to their new spacious premises at 25-26 Poland Street London W1F 8QN earlier this year. Again the cloth is on the pricey side although they have some nice quality products. They will order gorgeous mohair woven fabric in fabulous colours but it costs about £55 p/m. They cover buttons and have a wide range of trims. It is a good place to go for a shoulder pad or some rivets on a Saturday if you just can’t wait. Nearby there are two or three specialist trimming shops.
Oxford Street (a short walk from Berwick Street)
Liberty of London is off Oxford Street and has a small selection of expensive fabrics including their own Liberty prints and some gorgeous but very expensive furnishing fabrics. Ideal for cushions if you want something classy. A great experience, and inspirational, but not really for spending money in, unless you have lots of it.
John Lewis has boring fabrics on the whole, lots of quilting fabrics which I have no use for, and things for “crafting”. My daughter gets fabric here for fancy dress outfits and it is good quality, reliable stuff and fine in an emergency. But everything from zips to threads to buttons and trimmings is full price. Nicely laid out and helpful staff.
East End
For wholesale prices try Woolcrest, at 6 Well Street, Hackney, E9 7PX. This is my current favourite shop mainly because the prices are so low. I bought cotton here at £2 a metre, which is the sort of price you will normally pay on a market stall. Crescent trading, Unit 2, Quaker Court, 41 Quaker St, E1 6SN is good for wools, with lots of choice, and nice designer silks too. But the prices are relatively high. Storm leather is a great shop at Unit 6, Stephen House, 1B Darnley Road, Hackney Central, E9 6QH.with lots and lots of choice of leather in all weights. Read my review and talk to the men. They are very helpful.
Fabrications at 7 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH a small but quirky shop that has ethical fabrics and some interesting classes where you can meet nice people. They sometimes run a class in making dolls that I hope to attend soon.
Walthamstow market is a traditional market – the longest there is in the whole of Europe – and it has a good range of fabric sellers with keen prices and some bargains. If you go to Walthamstow (on the end of the Victoria line) make sure you go to the William Morris museum too. It is great and free.
Out of town
Ikea has shops in Neasden and Croydon. They have furnishing fabrics from about £3m to around £10m for heavy weight linen. A few have a nice Scando vibe and may make up a nice little shift dress. I wouldn’t go especially but if you are there anyway and can stand it, go to the lower floor about half way in, and half way out and you will see a small collection that you cut yourself and then they weigh. If you go to Neasden be sure to have a look at the Neasden (Hindu) temple.
Markets
Throughout London there are lots of markets. You tend to get to know the ones near where you live or work. Not worth a special trip they do have everything you may need in the way of basic dressmaking fabric, upholstery materials, and notions. There are lots of these in every part of London – Brixton, Tooting, Church Street, Chapel Market, Whitechapel, Ridley Road, etc. Some of these have become hipster hangouts in my lifetime, but most still sell fruit and veg, meat, cheese and fish. Many still have a few stalls selling fabrics and trimmings and ethnic goods of all descriptions that allow you to make more interesting clothes.
Have I missed anywhere important that you would recommend? What is your local market like? Do please let us know. Thank you.
jay
Great list! I get lots of my cheap but nice fabric from a stall/shop in Watney market, near to that is a shop which sells zips, braids, thread in wholesale quantities at reduced prices , but they have a minimum spend. I rarely recommend either of these as they are off the beaten track, and there’s no guarantee that you will find what you want etc. The Petticoat Lane market area is good for Indian fabrics and African wax print fabrics – several shops there, nearest tube Liverpool St. Brick Lane has some fabric shops towards the Whitechapel road end, one of which is remarkable for the amount of fabric you can stuff into a very small space. I think of this every time I decide my stash must be brought to a reasonable level. You couldn’t actually browse in it, but the owner amazingly knows what is in there and will clamber through to pull out likely candidates – once you’ve managed to get into the shop that is. There is barely standing room for more than two customers. I think you have sensibly directed visitors to the main places where fabric shopping will be varied, easy and interesting. Berwick St is good for seeking out something worth packing for a long haul flight. Few short stay visitors will want to explore London’s fabric shop underbelly, fascinating though it is.
fabrickated
Excellent information as always. I like the London markets myself (having sold fabric on them myself during my youth), but you have to know what you are looking for.
viliene
Another one of your fabulous posts, thank you.
What about VV Rouleaux in 102 Marylebone Lane for buttons and trimmings? Have you been?
fabrickated
Yes! I should have included it although I don’t think it has any fabric? It has a wide range of nice trimmings including millinery supplies, but it is not cheap. Thank you Viliene.
Maria
It’s worth mentioning that Rolls & Rems have two other branches in north London, one in Holloway (21 Seven Sisters Road) and one in Edmonton on the Market Square.
Also a correction – Walthamstow Central is at the end of the Victoria line (not the Jubilee)
fabrickated
Opps. Relying on the “tube map in my head”; now corrected.
Mary Funt
Wow! This should be bookmarked for anyone wanting to fabric shop in London. I had already blown my fabric money in Linton and Locharren so didn’t do much shopping in London. I did stop in Joel and Sons and Jasons; beautiful fabrics but overpriced IMO. Maculloch and Wallis has great notions and trims.
Pia
I was just at Walthamstow today hoping to score some saree fabrics. But I was told by one of the shops that Walthamstow specialty is African fabrics. Not just ax prints but lots of embroidered net.
I’ll probably go back to Green St East London which has a concentration of Asian bridal bling. There were at least a couple that were fabric shops.
But in general, as a former New Yorker I have been underwhelmed by fabric shopping in London. It certainly is a lot more work.
Mood NY/LA was actually considering opening up a branch in London, but was unable to find a suitable & reasonably priced location. Real shame.
fabrickated
Thanks Pia. I agree with your analysis. Nevertheless I think London is much better than most parts of the UK. But generally the US has such a huge market and I would say you can get ANYTHING AT ALL there. It’s a shame we have such high postage, import duties and VAT otherwise I would buy more US goods on line.
Gill
You missed out Dalston Mill Fabrics in Ridley Road – it looks like a scruffy little shop from outside, but inside its like a Tardis crossed with Aladdin’s Cave – a huge selection of fabrics, stacking floor to ceiling, with patterns, haberdashery, trimmings and buttons. Some real fabric gems in the ‘designer leftovers’ upstairs.
fabrickated
Gill – I haven’t been there, but would love to. Want to join me? It’s always more fun with two.
Gill
Yes, that would be great – email me at vintagerockchick(at)hotmail(dot)com and we can sort out a date x
(Like I need MORE fabric!)
Toya
Great list – it covers most of the one’s I’d think of. I don’t really agree about the quality at Simply Fabrics though as I think generally they seem to have more high quality fabrics in these days, but I have noticed it no longer hangs around. They are much busier and often the really good stuff goes quite quickly, perhaps you’ve just been unlucky on your last few visits? The other South London shop I’d mention is Fabrics Galore on Lavender Hill (Clapham). Have you ever been?
fabrickated
Great if you can restore my faith in SF Toya. I guess I have been a bit unlucky. Nothing like a note like this to get me down to Brixton post haste.
Toya
Actually, they are a bit low right now (on the kinds of things I think you’d be after) but I’ll give you the heads up when there’s a new batch of stock that’s really good.
fabrickated
Thank you Toya, that is very kind of you.
jennifer miller
I gather that on next trip to London again, I’d better bring along an empty suitcase! You always offer so much information…
Sheila Harvey-Larmar
I wish I’d had this list when we went to London last weekend! I did actually happen upon Cloth House and bought some yellow silk velvet there from their new selection downstairs.
Pia
Just been to Goldhawk Rd again. The shops are more tidy than I remember & there’s even a new one that reminds me of NYC shops. Of course when you’re lust in after something very specific it’s almost always impossible to find – even in NYC. Goldhawk prices definitely can go up to Central London prices, but there are still some cheap & cheerful fabrics to be had. When it’s dirt cheap one can’t expect quality to be consistently high. (I’d say the same about the dirt cheap fabrics I saw in LA USA). But for pure concentrated fabric petting experience in London I’d say Goldhawk Rd is def on top & worth a visit. Other areas may have great value or better fabrics (@ exorbitant prices), but the shops here have variety & the concentration of shops mears less effort to check out multiple shops.
Laura Shimili
I would also mention Fabrics Galore, 52-54 Lavender Hill, Battersea in South London. They have plenty of fabrics and the same as the ones you’d find in John Lewis but half the price. I know that as we are looking for curtains for our house renovation project. Great post Kate – I have become a reader. Laura
Wai
Saeed Fabrics in Walthamstow is well worth a visit. And Queen’s Market next to Upton Park Tube station has a few stalls where fabric starts at £2 per metre.
For fans of Japanese fabrics – Kokka, Nani Iro double gauze fabric – Cotton+Steel, Cloud9 – visit The Village Haberdashery in West Hampstead.
Raystitch in Islington has a good selection of Japanese fabrics too, as well as bamboo knits, Merchant and Mills linens, cottons, and haberdashery.
See the Sewing Directory’s city sewing maps – http://www.thesewingdirectory.co.uk/sewing-city-guides/