You have an idea in your head but... which fabric actually suits your project?

Fabric choice is very important for the final result of your project. So pay close attention to this! If you want to go for a certain look, you'll need to look for a fabric that matches it. With a somewhat stiffer gabardine, for example, it's difficult to make a flowing dress. Our fabric selector will help you on your way.

Types of fabric: knit or woven

There are two types of fabric: woven fabrics and knit fabrics. Knit fabrics naturally have some stretch, woven fabrics do not. Woven fabrics can have some stretch if a bit of elastane has been woven in. Twill is also a type of weave that provides a small amount of stretch.

Examples of knit fabrics: jersey, tricot, jogging, big knits. These are generally lovely soft fabrics that are very comfortable to wear.

Examples of woven fabrics: viscose poplin, cotton poplin, denim, canvas. These are fabrics you use to make a beautiful dress, pants, or blouse with zippers, buttons, or other details.

Weight

The weight of the fabric also says something about how it drapes. A heavier fabric drapes stiffer than a lighter fabric. You'll therefore prefer to use light fabrics for garments that need to fall smoothly. You'll prefer to use heavier fabrics for garments that should hold their shape a bit more.

Example: a tricot/jersey of 175 grams/m² drapes differently than a jersey of 220 grams/m².

Fabric selector

The diagram below can help guide you to choose the right fabric for your project.

 

Go directly to knit fabrics:

Jersey/tricot: T-shirt, dress, pajamas, baby clothes, (flared) leggings, underwear

Jersey/lycra: Swimwear, sportswear

Summer sweat: Loungewear, dress, (hooded) sweater, leggings, baby clothes

French Terry: Loungewear, dress, (hooded) sweater, leggings, baby clothes

Jacquard knit: Skirt, dress, cardigan, sweater, blanket, (hooded) sweater

Big knit: Skirt, dress, cardigan, sweater, blanket

 

Go directly to woven fabrics:

All viscose

Viscose poplin: Blouse, flowy dress, skirt, top

Viscose twill: Blouse, flowy dress, skirt, top, flowy pants

Viscose crêpe: Blouse, flowy dress, skirt, top, flowy pants

Cotton poplin: Blouse, dress, skirt, top, pants, flowy pants, bag, pouch

Cotton sateen: Blouse, dress, skirt, top, pants, flowy pants, bag, pouch

Gabardine: Pants, coat, skirt, overalls, jacket, bag, zipper pouch

 

Twill: a special one among the woven fabrics

Twill weave is also called the twill/diagonal weave (keper weave). It creates characteristic diagonal lines in the fabric. Woven fabrics aren't stretchy, but the twill weave still provides a small amount of stretch.

Even more fabrics

There are of course many more fabrics than those in the diagram above. At Studio Wannedoen we don't offer all of them, because we focus only on sustainably produced fabrics. We are slowly expanding our range, though.

Samples

Still not sure which fabric to choose? Then feel free to order a few samples. Contact us for this via info@studiowannedoen.nl. We'll send you the samples of your choice as quickly as possible!