Jacquard Fabric: A Practical Guide to Specs and Buying by the Metre
A practical guide to recognising jacquard construction, reading supplier specifications and planning fabric quantities without relying on the product name or per-metre price alone.
clothing materials
Linen Fabric: How to Read Composition and Choose for Clothing
A practical guide to separating linen names from fibre declarations, checking the missing specifications, and matching a fabric sample to the clothing you want to make or buy.
Grainline in Fabric: A Practical Guide to Direction and Cutting
Learn how fabric direction affects fit and drape, how to measure a sewing pattern’s grainline against the selvage, and when straight-grain or bias layouts make sense.
Seam Types Explained: How to Choose the Right Garment Construction
Learn how common garment seams differ in strength, bulk, comfort, appearance and production effort, then choose a construction that suits the fabric and end use.
Fabric Drape Explained: How to Choose the Right Fall and Shape
Understand how fabric drape changes a garment’s shape, movement and feel, then use practical in-store and online checks to choose the right cloth.
Polyester vs Cotton: Which Fabric Fits Your Clothing?
Compare cotton and polyester by comfort, moisture, drying, durability and care, then choose the right fabric for everyday wear, sport or work.
Fabric Pilling Explained: Causes, Prevention and Testing
Understand why fabric pills form, what surface clues reveal, how to reduce friction during care and how to interpret pilling tests for clothing.
French Terry vs Fleece: Which Fabric Fits Your Clothing?
Learn how loop-back French terry differs from brushed sweatshirt fleece, plus what to check for climate, layering, care and garment sampling.
Knit vs Woven Fabrics: How Construction Changes Clothing
Learn how knitted and woven fabrics differ in structure, stretch, recovery, drape and garment construction, plus what to check before choosing a material.
Types of Fabric Material: A Practical Guide to 18 Common Fabrics
Explore 18 common fabric types, learn how fibre and construction affect clothing, and choose materials for South Africa’s varied climates.