Use Fabric Samples to Make Choosing Fabrics Easier

There’s a good reason that fabric suppliers and printers provide fabric samples for clothing and other productss. When you buy online, you are unable to see, feel and touch the fabric you’re about to order to find out its weight and texture.

If you’re a maake customer, we suggest you use a sample so you know what the material will look like when we have printed on it.

Why Fabric Samples Are Important in Your Business

Everybody wants a tactile experience, no matter whether you're a fashion designer, interior designer, manufacturer, small business or someone creating a home project. Many know that what you view on a computer screen isn’t what the fabric will look and feel like in real life. And this is the case, whether you print on it or not. 

We also have customers who supply us with their choice of material. For them, it’s essential to get an idea of exactly how the fabric will look when we print on it.

And that’s why it’s important to use a sample. Some suppliers offer these free; others request a small fee.

So, if you’re a fashion designer preparing your next collection for the runway or an interior designer decorating a home with furnishing fabric... Perhaps you're upholstering soft furnishings (couches, cushions, curtains, or other homeware and lifestyle accessories) and need upholstery fabric samples, or you’re a small company making fabric products to sell.

Maybe you're printing fabric for an entirely different reason. You need a sample, whether it’s free or you need to purchase it, to ascertain whether the fabric you want to print on will work the way you want it to.

What is a Fabric Sample?

A fabric sample is a small piece of the material the customer orders. The sample gives an idea of what the material they are about to order will look and feel like. If the fabric is going to have a pattern, shade or design printed on it, the sample will include that information and it will give a good idea of what the finished item will look like.

Now let’s measure the sample. A sample is usually very small (4x3 inches), but a fabric sample is larger – we use the sample to view larger-scale patterns and designs. We also use sample swatches and a fabric sample when the customer wants us to dye the fabric a particular shade, and they want a colour review.

Why use Samples of Fabrics?

Fashion designers and interior designers use a fabric sample for shade matching. They also request a sample when they plan to combine patterns, hues and textures effectively. So if you’re mixing shades, designs or colours, a fabric sample will certainly help. 

A very important use of a fabric sample: being able to see how a design, pattern or shade prints on different types of material. By printing on a sample, you can get an excellent idea of how different shades will look when you print on different fabric weaves, especially if the fabric is unavailable in-store. 

This is impossible to view in a picture or on-screen; you need to be able to see, feel and touch the products to decide which works for you. That’s why you need a sample.

6 Important Points to Consider When Looking at a Fabric Sample

1.    Save Money by Ordering An Example

Having a sample, whether it’s free or at a small cost, will save you a fortune and ensure you don’t choose the wrong fabric for a particular project. 

2.   It Shows Fabric Weight

The sample will give you an idea of whether the fabric is right for the product you want to make, whether it drapes well for a dress or curtains, what it will look like as a cushion, tea towel, tablecloth, etc. This is particularly important if the fabric is unavailable in-store.

3.   Wash it to See if the Colour Runs

This is essential if you are choosing fabric made from natural fibres such as cotton or linen, including when you buy Brera Moda heavyweight linen fabric ordered on a qty request. For this type of test, you would need to order two samples for each type of your favourites fabric, so that you could compare each sample before and after washing to ascertain stock qty and quality.

Does the sample shrink, stretch, or crease badly? Will the dye run when you wet the fabric? Is the fabric stain-resistant? Is it easy to remove accidental spills, stains, and marks? 

What does the texture feel like after you have washed the fabric? You need all this fabric care info to put on the product’s label for customers to read. This is why it’s a good idea to order a sample.

4.    It Shows How Colour Changes At Different Times

If you’re a fashion designer creating daywear, for example, you need to have a good idea of what the fabric will look like in daylight. The same applies for evening wear and accessories. 

If you’re creating a fashion collection, you need to be able to mix and match the fabric samples together to view what they look like in real life. After all, what you view on the computer screen is not what they look like on a sample that you can place in the sun, view at dusk,or in a dimly lit interior space.

5.   Shows You What the Material Looks Like When Digitally Printed On

At maake we use digital printing to print on fabric. Typically, the number of inks in digital printing range from the four process colours (cyan, magenta, yellow and black, or CMYK) to between eight and 12 colours. These additional colours add to the overall ‘gamut’, i.e., they expand the range of colours the machine can produce. 

This is what allows complex designs with a higher range of shades to print more accurately. Depending on the number of colours you use, your print will look different. This is one of the main reasons that having a sample is essential before you print your fabric. 

6.  More Important Info About This Free Material

At maake we provide plenty of information about the fabric online for you, but sometimes fabric suppliers and printers may only make the information available when you request your free sample. 

This information includes what type of fabric it is (natural or synthetic). It also tells you whether the fabric is a blend of different fibres, whether it’s organic or has a certification (eg Oeko-tex). We also find out if it's durable and what the best uses are for the fabric.

For more info, read our extensive guide to Fabric Certification!

How to Shop for Samples

We provide a textile samples book for you to see and touch the different types of fabric. This way, you can see exactly what the material will look like when we print on it.  

The Fabric Samples Book offers a sample swatch of every base fabric we offer, so that you can see the entire range available to print on. We print on the fabric to show you what each textile looks like when it is printed on. You can shop for your sample book, which includes various patterns and designs, including William Morris.

Order a Fabric Sample Book

“ Brilliant! A fantastic and extensive sample of fabrics. I didn't even know there were so many fabric options! This will be extremely helpful to determine what I want to use for projects. Thank you!” – Stephanie - 06 Jan 2022

Shop for This Useful Design Tool

maake also offers another excellent fabric sample design tool to include on your list to help you in your fabric choices. Our innovative  Colour Atlas is ideal for shade matching and selection. Designed to fit on 1 metre of fabric, it comprises over 2,400 shades and their codes. It allows customers to see the shades on fabric and to select which shades to use in designs. It’s also useful for shade matching and selection. 

Put this on your delivery add – make this your remaining order. Shop for your Color Atlas here. For more inspiration, take a look at the guide we compiled on creating perfect fabric shades with our Atlas. Check it out now, then get your hands on your own.

It’s Time to get Creative

There’s a lot you can learn about colour, including the Basics of Colour Theory. We’ve also compiled a fascinating guide that covers How Colour Affects our Emotions, which is an invaluable tool for any fabric design business.

Ready to get started? Check out our extensive collection of base fabrics before you shop.