All woven fabrics interlace two or more woven yarns. Warp is the long yarn that runs vertically lengthwise of the roll and is often stronger and sometimes thicker, as this is the direction that withstands strain and is why grainlines often run parallel to the warp. Weft is the yarn that passes horizontally across the fabric roll and determines the design.

It’s easy to remember with this rhyme: weft goes from right to left.

Shopping at Drapers you’ll find specialty weaves that carry their own history such as herringbone, basketweave and tweed.

Fabric weight affects the way a fabric will drape or hold shape. 

Most fabrics are measured in GSM (grams per square metre). The general ruling we follow at Drapers is:
Lightweight fabrics measure up to 150GSM
Midweight fabrics weigh up to 270GSM
and anything weighing heavier than 270GSM is considered heavyweight. 

Denim is measured using the imperial oz (ounces), originating in America where the fabric first became popular. The weight of the denim will determine whether it requires special tools or machinery. At Drapers:
Lightweight denims measure up to 10oz and will work great for chambray shirts or dresses
Midweight denim weighs up to 13oz and is the benchmark of sturdy everyday jeans fabric
Anything heavier is extra dense and durable, with 15oz generally the heaviest denim fabric you’ll find.

To measure silk, the term Momme (pronounced mo-mee), is used. Originating in Japan, it presents a solution to calculate the incredibly fine silk yarn, a natural fibre that varies between cocoons. 1 Momme is measured within parameters equivalent to 4.34 grams per square metre. Similar to thread count, it measures the density, with a higher Momme count the heavier the silk will be. As a point of reference, a floaty silk organza weighs around 5.5mm and a heavy silk duchess weighs around 50mm.

Merino introduces another term, measured in microns, taking the diameter of the wool fibre, and indicating the quality of the wool. The lower the micron measurement, the more expensive and softer the wool will be. Fine merino you’ll often find at Drapers is around 18.5 to 19.5 microns.

Want to see a traditional way of measuring fabric weight and the way we do it here at Drapers? Check it out here https://www.instagram.com/p/DGmJYUrSn-k/

A fabric’s stretch is measured as a percentage. This is calculated by measuring in centimeters how much you can stretch the fabric horizontally - if its length doubles then that is 100% stretch! We always note the stretch percentage of a fabric in its bio.

Woven fabrics are created on a loom, with alternating warp and weft yarns running across each other to create unique designs. Some examples of specialty weaves you’ll find at Drapers are…

Basket weave is a looser weave than a plain woven fabric, so is often a softer fabric with more drape.

Gauze is a sheer and lightweight fabric with an open weave, which makes it often soft and delicate.

Satin is woven diagonally. There is a floating yarns that pass over the top of the weave, giving the fabric a sheen. The fibre used determines how much lustre the fabric will have (a pure silk will have more sheen than a cotton satin). Satin fabrics have an obvious right and wrong side, and tend to fray easily.

Twill is another fabric woven diagonally, with two or more floating yarns interlacing with the warp and weft, giving the fabric a tactile ribbed effect. Twill fabrics have a clear right and wrong side, and are hard-wearing (perfect for the timeless pieces!)

Chevron or Herringbone zigzags across the cloth, producing a distinctive striped effect with short diagonals across each stripe. Two or more colours distinctly emphasise the weave. This type of fabric tends to fray easily

Jacquard originates from the French inventor Joseph-Marie Jacquard, and is a weave that allows the warp threads to be lifted to create tactile, pictorial designs by using more advanced looms. A much slower process, this is a premium fabric type. A jacquard fabric tends to fray easily. 

Dobby is a weave that includes a small attachment onto the woven design.

Knit fabrics are made from one (or a few) continuous yarns. They are commonly  knitted using either spun or filament yarns. A spun yarn is most widely used, where two short fibres are spun together to create one before being woven to create a cloth. A filament yarn is smoother and stronger, made out of long continuous filaments grouped or twisted together. 

P.S. If you’ve been a Drapers customer for a while you’ll remember we stocked a special core spun merino that involved a spinning process, where a central nylon fibre is completely encased within a shroud of merino fibres. This made the yarn stronger, more durable and with enhanced stretch capabilities superior to other merinos. The merino still behaved and felt as soft as we know merino to be, as it is the only fibre actually touching your skin!

Warp knits are characterised by a wavy wrong side with little stretch. These knits don’t ladder when cut and are easy to sew.

Weft knits are the most common knits characterised by details similar to handknitting with plenty of stretch. They may ladder and tend to curl when cut. 

Jersey is a plain stitch knit, with a double jersey being a firmer knit with less stretch. A double jersey doesn’t curl when cut and holds its shape when worn. 

When working with patterns labelled for knits only keep an eye out for fabrics with stretch to allow for the ease and shaping calculated into the pattern. Weft and jersey knits are the best (not including double jersey).

Here’s a breakdown of the key fibres, and how they interact before, with and after the flame ignites.

Want to see it visually? Check out our burn test reel here https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvzDLUegR0T/

A Drapers favourite, boiled wool is dense and tactile, created by weaving wool yarns on a large loom to create a thick fabric 'sheet' before it is dyed and then transferred to undergo fulling. Fulling is the process of shocking the wool by placing it in boiling water and agitating it with an alkaline solution to bond the wool fibres together. Resistant to wind, water and odour, it’s the perfect fabric for beginners due to its non-fraying properties!

Learn more here.

Shop our Boiled wool range here.

If you’ve been following us for a while, we’ve mentioned New Zealand, Australia, Spain and Portugal when discovering the origins of our Merino fabrics. The merino fibre originally hails from Spain, while the original sheep flock dates back to Portugal. The Merino sheep breed is characterised by a dense fleece of notably fine wool, and despite Australasia now boasting the biggest population of quality Merino sheep, we can’t claim its origin! Most of our Japanese wools are woven from premium Australian wool, and you’ll find that our European suitings often use virgin wool sourced from down under too.

Want to learn more? We go into a deep dive here

Shop our Merino range here

Virgin wool is made from the lamb's first shearing, giving a finer and stronger fibre and resulting in a smooth, luxurious fabric that feels supremely soft against the skin.

Japanese denim is the epitome of a finely-honed craft passed down the generations and maintained to the highest quality. Following denim’s invention in America, Japanese workers mimicked the process on their own hand-woven looms, eventually taking over as the capital of denim fabric. Mills such as Kaihara Denim - which you’ll often find at Drapers - produce premium denim and specialty weaves, all chosen for their high-quality craftsmanship and unique textures. 

Selvedge denim is peak Japanese ingenuity, where a continuous weft yarn is used across the entirety of the fabric, giving the fabric tightly woven edges that won’t fray, and often highlighted with a colourful warp thread along the selvedge that has become a symbol of Japanese detailing. The looms are much narrower than standard denim, giving the fabric a traditional width of around 72cm. 

Ever heard of Jeans street in Japan? It’s worth having a read about here

Shop our Japanese Denim range here

Despite its French title, Broderie Anglaise, which translates to ‘English embroidery’, originated in eastern Europe in the early 16th Century but was aptly named after its height of popularity in England during the 1800's. Broderie Anglaise is the formation of small, thread bordered eyelets and surrounding embroidery usually depicting flowers, leaves, and vines. A staple for any Summer wardrobe, Broderie Anglaise classically appears on a cotton base cloth.

Shop our range of Broderies here

The original Terrycloth is a historical piece of fabric originating in France and dating all the way back to the Middle Ages. It was popularised as the luxurious choice aristocrats used across their opulent wardrobes and has since become the symbol of quality sweatshirting. A translation of the word, to pull, ‘tirer’, references the looped back. The face side is ultra soft, and the loose knit weave makes it an extremely breathable fabric, perfect year-round. We specialise in 100% cotton French Terry made in Seoul, Korea.

Shop our French Terry range here

Crepe is a woven fabric with a tactile crinkled texture, created through a process called ‘hard twisting’ where yarns are twisted tightly around each other across the warp and weft. Crepe can be found across all compositions, and whether it has a natural or synthetic make up it is soft with superb drape.

Shop our crepe range of fabrics here

Devoré (sometimes called burnout) is a detailed fabric originating from Lyon, France (where we often source our fabric range), and is a translation of the word ‘devour’, referencing the burnout design created as a chemical is applied to the upper natural fibre, and giving the fabric a semi-transparent design against solid cloth.

Ponte is a double-woven knit that involves two layers of yarns interlocked together, to create a sturdier and heavier knit, double in thickness as your average jersey. Due to the two layers, it is often reversible with a matte finish and makes for quality loungewear. Originating in Italy, the interlocking of the yarns was nicknamed Ponte di Roma, a direct translation to ‘Roman bridge’, the structure that the knit is similar to.

We always recommend pre-washing your fabric before you cut, just in case of shrinkage. A good rule of thumb to follow is to wash your fabric the way you’ll wash the garment once it’s made up.

Generally natural fibres will shrink on the first wash while synthetic fibres won’t, but a double check never hurts!

Specialty fabrics require an extra level of care. Here are a few guiding tips 

Delicate fibres such as silk and benefit from handwashing techniques using eco-shampoos or special detergents (or even dishwashing liquid) to keep the fibres from breaking.

Finished garments that have a delicate front (or right side) benefit from being washed inside out. This works especially well with fabrics such as corduroy and velvet.

When caring for denim garments, the saying less is more works best. Wash your finished denim pieces every few wears to extend their life. When washing, use a mild detergent on a cold water cycle, and turn the garment inside out to prevent fading. Always air dry to avoid shrinkage. We recommend pre-washing your denim fabric to test out dye leaching (wash it on its own in the machine or hand-wash in the bathtub), and to find out if there is shrinkage before you go to cut.

It can be daunting thinking of thefashion industry's impact on our environment, with few tangible solutions at our fingertips. Sewing a piece is the ultimate step to tackle consumerism, with the deadstock industry emerging as a genuine way of keeping excess fabric in circularity and extending a fabric’s life span. Our staff carefully curate a selection of international fabrics from Japan, France and Italy, so you can save quality designs from ending up in landfill.

Pairing deadstock fabrics with hand dyeing is a great way to merge your creativity with an environmentally friendly option. Hand dyeing provides endless creative possibilities, while also giving the option of restoring and extending the life of an existing garment.

Independently made in Japan since 1890, our Eco dye range is exclusively sold at Drapers across Australasia, and is the best environmentally and skin friendly option. All dyes are non-toxic and have an OEKO-TEX Eco Passport Certification. One box works for approximately 250g of fabric (roughly 2 t-shirts worth).

The Cold Dye range is suitable for all natural fibres such as cotton, linen, rayon, silk and wool, with a water temperature of around 30°C. We recommend using the cold dye for delicate fabrics prone to shrinkage. It is also a kid-friendly option and great if you’re after a softer wash of colour.

The Hot Dye range is suitable for natural fibres such as cotton, linen and rayon that can withstand a hot water temperature of around 85°C. It’s best if you’re after a strong, saturated colour.

The new Acid Dye range is specially formulated for animal fibres (silk and wool) as well as nylon. It’s a hot water dye with a dye temperature around 85°C. If you’re after a nice, strong colour on your silk, wool, or nylon garment, this is the dye to go for.

We highly recommend purchasing a fixing agent to ensure the longevity of your dye. The fixing agent is suitable for approx. 1kg of fabric (8 t-shirts), so it can be used over multiple dyeing projects.

Shop our Japanese eco dyes here

Using the correct needle type and size is an important first step for your projects.

Regular or universal needles are used on woven fabrics. The smaller the number on your needle packet the finer the needle will be - a size 60/8 needle is very fine (great for silks and light-weight wovens) while a 90/14 is much thicker and stronger (perfect for heavy or dense fabrics like denim).

Ballpoint needles are used for sewing knits. The tip of the needle is rounded so that it passes between the loops of the knit instead of catching on them (if you’ve ever had trouble with pinning knitted fabrics, this is why). Using a sharp needle when sewing a knit can often cause your machine to skip stitches.

The needles we stock are made in Japan and have a different code system than the Schmetz needles you may be used to. Here's a guide for working out what needle you need:

Size 9 - very fine, lightweight fabrics. Comparable to a Schmetz 60/8.

Size 11 - light to mid-weight fabrics. A good all-rounder needle comparable to a Schmetz 80/12.

Size 14 - heavier mid-weight fabrics. Comparable to a Schmetz 90/14.

Size 16 - very heavy or dense fabrics. Comparable to a Schmetz 100/16.