When you decide to buy fabric online, you expand your options exponentially. While there will always be the charm of seeing and touching the desired fabric—whether cotton, polyester, or spandex—in person, the buying process online can offer the same excitement of finding the perfect material for your project with the range of choices that will guarantee that you will find exactly what you imagined. Before you dive in, though, here are a few tips for shopping online for fabric.

A Guide to Buying Fabric Online

1. Know Your Fabrics

Fabrics come with different specifications, namely content, weight, and width. These details about the fabric you’re buying are vital to know based on the project you plan for it. For example, a lighter fabric like spandex is better for apparel, and the content of some materials—aka what they’re made of—are better for a specific project than others. Width comes into play when you’re deciding on dimensions. Fabric widths range from 35 to 108 inches and wider, so this measurement is particularly important when you need a lot of material. Our site also offers descriptions of the stretch to establish the elasticity of our spandex fabrics.

2. Order Samples

Getting a swatch of a fabric you like allows you to see and feel it in person before committing to it. Buying samples can help you determine if the color is right for your space or the weight is right for what you need. Especially with projects involving spandex, you want to know the elasticity of the fabric you’re working with before you order. However, to assure the fabric you want doesn’t sell out before you have a chance to see the swatch and buy a full order, call our online store directly to confirm if the supply is limited or not. We offer our customers eight free samples and a $1 fee for each additional up to 18 swatches.

3. Create a Swatch Book

When you order samples, you get to keep them! Even if you decide against one fabric for your current project, having a labeled booklet of your samples will give you a clearer idea of the different types we offer for future orders.

 4. Factor in Shipping

Besides the fabric cost itself, you need to keep in mind the price of shipping. This cost depends on standard factors like the amount of fabric you buy, the weight, the dimension of the package, where you live, and which method of shipping you choose. We ship worldwide, and our wholesale prices are worth considering if you have a large fabric order of 50 yards or more to purchase.

Buying fabrics online—particularly for projects involving spandex—will feel a little easier with these tips leading the way, especially when placing an order with a trusted fabric supplier like Spandex House, Inc. With 25 years in the heart of New York’s Garment District, we have a vast selection of stretch fabrics and professionals who can help you find the perfect swatch for your needs. To receive an estimate on shipping for any of the fabrics you’ve discovered on our website, give us a call at (212) 354-6711.