On needing closure... This post may be overwhelming...

Every clothing item that opens or expands in some significant way, every bag you carry, and practically every sewn accessory that needs to contain something has to open somehow.  It also has to close somehow.  There are many creative ways to achieve this, but unless we invent something new, when it comes to hardware, we are mostly limited to what we have seen.

Elastics abound at Daytona Trimmings, M&J Trimming, Pacific Trimming, and Sil.  But have you looked at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply lately?  They've got some SUPER strong resilient elastic that would be wonderful in a waistband, and great gripping elastic that would be fantastic for lingerie. Check it out!

Drawstring Cord Stops.  Wildly imaginative ones can be found at Botani, and M&J Trimming.  Pacific Trimming has creative cord stops you never would have imagined!

Toggles. Go to Botani. M&J has them, too!

Grommets. Have them applied at Steinlauf & Stoler (they have moved in fairly recent past) or Star Snaps.

Snaps of all sizes. Magnetic or not... Have them applied at Star Snaps!

Covered Buttons. You can have them done at BT Button.  (But don't say I didn't warn ya.

Buttons in quantity? Buttonology or Pacific Trimming.

Buttons for just one specific project?  Possibly M&J Trimming, possibly Pacific, Joyce Trimming, plus lots of other choices.

Snap Tape. Manhattan Wardrobe Supply and Daytona are the best/easiest places to find it.

Hook & Eye Tape - Steinlauf and Stoller, Joyce Trimmings, Daytona Trimming, Pacific Trimming.

Zippers. Depends on what you need.  Jus function, specific size, or quality?  Is your zipper a design feature?  Botani or Pacific.  Functional?  Sil.  Specialty? Depends... 

Velcro. Manhattan Wardrobe Supply is certain to have what you need, but Daytona has plenty, too!

Leather laces. Leather, Suede Skins, Joyce Trimming, and Leather Impact will have what you need.

Fancy buttons?  Tender Buttons... (updateL now closed!) But you would have had to leave the garment district for that, anyway.

Oh, and a kind reader mentioned that I forgot to remind you that Jonathan Embroidery will do perfect, custom buttonholes for you!

If you need a closure map, that holds all of this information in one lace, you can buy one...

Where to buy closures in the garment district (with descriptions):

This map is $15. Purchase option below:

A Lou Lou Haiku...

A Garment district haiku for you:

The awning may seem

To say Lou Lou is no more

But 'tis only next door!

Maybe you'll like this one better?

Lou Lou Button Store
Only the address remains
Wait, the door has changed!

I stepped in, timidly asking "Is this Lou Lou?" And yes, it is.  No sign above the door yet. After a flood and collapsed ceiling forced them to move out of the store next door, the store has been neatly moved into the adjoining well lit, cozy space, happily accepting customers.  The awning?  "I think it is is old construction.  We can't take it down."  a voice said.

I looked around at the beautiful buttons displayed throughout the store. The wife of the owner quietly welcomed me, happy to show me some of her husband's best work.  After lots of "shop talk" and discussion about what makes a button shop like theirs possible in the garment district (for 20 years now), she gently added, "We custom make buttons here.  That's the difference. We sell to Broadway shows and Opera Houses and designers, and people who want something unique and individual."

Note: In the time I spent there, another person entered, asking... "Wait, is this Lou Lou?  Oh, thank God!  I thought you were gone!"

The most recent post written about Lou Lou was posted in 2008 by Meg, the former owner of this blog.

Betcha' didn't know about Evermax

And if you did, you're more observant (or in the know?) than I am, my friend. How many years do I need to walk past a place before I actually enter?  Maybe a decade or more, sometimes, apparently.

One of you recently asked me where you can buy a GREAT BIG enormous bag of buttons recently... and I said I DIDN'T KNOW!!!!  I hope you're reading today...

How did I find this place?

Bagel fanatic that I am, I thought my feet remembered the way to a local garment district bagel place, but I made a wrong turn a block early, and wandered just past a sign with an arrow pointing upwards that read "Evermax". That wouldn't have mattered to me, except that there was also some text beneath the name, referring to buckles, trimmings and buttons, so I rang the bell.  Nothing. 

Looked around the entrance for a bit...

No need to ring the bell, apparently.  You just push the door open and head upstairs.  You know, like a detective would...

Whoa, folks.  This place has got LOTS of stuff.  A home sewer would find it overwhelming, I assure you, but if you want to buy factory trims, notions, buttons, and other items, whether singularly or in larger quantities, this is the place for you! Wholesale or retail, they will welcome you!

HUGE bags of buttons, all sorts of embellishments, ribbons, cords, sparkly things and buttons are everywhere.  Neatly organized in a HUGE showroom. Shelves and shelves and shelves of them!

Elvia, the friendly and welcoming manager, explained to me that they are a huge international manufacturer (they are actually a Chinese company), but anyone at all is welcome to purchase there. They have had a presence in this location for 20 years.

What if you're not in New York?

They have an Ebay store. Yes, really.

Evermax International Corp.

Buttons and Trimmings Manufacturer

225 West 36th Street

2nd Floor

New York, NY 10018

In a much better Mood...

Update 5/22/13:  The Mood website is being revamped, as are some of the spaces within the store.  Keep your eyes open for more improvements as they move forward!

For some New Yorkers and frequent garment district shoppers, Mood has become the tourist attraction of the the area.  Arms crossed, squinting, scowling, people have complained that it is crowded, with inconsistent prices, long waits at the register, overwhelming...

But...

I really enjoy their leather and home dec departments, and ventured in to explore as I work out the design of a bag I'm currently working on. Boy, did I find what I was looking for, and boy, was has the shopping experience vastly improved!

With fresh eyes, I took myself on a bit of a tour around the place. At least 5 different employees must have asked me, in a completely friendly, gentle, and helpful way, if I needed help finding anything. The  organization of the space was incredibly neat and inspiring, and appropriate tools could be found near the supplies related to them.  Heavy-duty staplers, for example, are hung near the home dec upholstery fabric.  Thumbs up!

The seminar offerings are ever changing, and ever growing.  On the Mood website, the link can be found on the lower right, where the (small) word "classes" appears among the horizontal choices. Perfect for the tourist or the local, they are seminars, not hands-on classes, so you can learn without lugging equipment, or dedicating any large amount of time for multiple classes. Often taught by popular "sewlebrities" (like my new word?), they can fill up quickly. The free "Mood School" handouts with instructions for doing things like applying invisible zippers are fabulous.  The button selection is amazing, and as always, the home dec section is wonderful.

They have what i need for my bag!

Now, look at those wavy stripes!

Textures... colors...

More cool buttons...

In a nutshell, Mood can be a really great choice for the ambitious creative person who needs additional information or help. I have personally seen that management really listens and responds to the customer service feedback they have received. Mood is particularly great for the creative who craves order and instructions, and yes, it is a really inspiring place to be! 

Buttonology Inc.

Happy 2013, Readers!  My quiet over the past bit has not been due to rest or holiday fever as much as it has been about trying to find the time to write well about the exciting connections and people I've met over the past weeks.  I have lots to share, so stay tuned or follow me for a new string of posts!

The NYC garment district is truly a magical place. The streets are full of hustle-bustle, secrets, mysteries, and quiet experts who are simply engaged in their work, making connections, and reaching for the phone when/if it rings. If you've been here before, you might not know that tucked into so many buildings in the neighborhood, there is a sprawling collection of diverse workshops, tools, notions, and  materials, that you will never find on your own, unless you truly start to research and inquire.

Or, you can just let me do that for you, and continue to introduce you to the gems I find.  And yes, I have found another one.  The business I am about to introduce, while new to me, is not new to the industry.

Every once in a while, it feels like an illuminated garment district path suddenly just stretches out before me, I feel compelled to follow it, and find myself truly just amazed and energized by what I discover.

Last week, I held a firm, little business card in my pocket, that simply read "Buttonology Inc.", with all of the relevant contact details for the business it represented.  Why was I holding on to it? Why did I feel inspired to explore this business? Mind you, I did not procure the card from one of the "Buttonologists" employed there, but randomly picked it up from a quiet shelf while visiting another business in the garment district.

Buttonology Inc.
264 West 40th Street
Suite 404
New York, NY 10018
www.buttonologyinc.com

Tel: (212) 768-3342
Email: info@buttonologyinc.com

On Wednesday, I called the company after visiting the website, and spoke to Teddy Haft, (an overwhelmingly warm and open personality) who, after explaining what makes their business special, welcomed me to come in and visit.

On Friday, I did. After entering the serious, professional building on 40th Street, and stepping into the sterile hallway of the 4th floor, I opened the door to Buttonology Inc., revealing a quiet conference/meeting table and adjoining office space, and shelves and shelves and shelves of neatly organized, beautiful buttons.  Then, in a sudden tidal wave of kindness and enthusiasm, I was greeted by three wonderful men, (Teddy, Richard Levy, Marc Glassberg) with whom I easily fell into a long, delightful, fascinating and passionate conversation about their business, the industry, buttons, and life in general.  These three are obviously close and comfortable working partners, with a quick, theatrical banter between them worthy of their own TV show.  It felt like I had made three new old friends in just a click of an instant.

As with so many of the conversations I've had with industry veterans in the recent past, so many stories include a story of an uncle, a grandfather, a grandmother finding work or starting a business in the garment district.  Stories of family love and pride abound, and sprinkle everything with a dose of resilience, tenacity, creativity, and deep meaning.

Early in our conversation, Teddy shared an interaction he had with his young grandson, that went something like this...

Teddy (to his grandson): "Why do I love you so much?"
Grandson: "Because you're a part of me."

For those who can "feel" this, I need not offer any additional explanation for why it touched me so, but, for those who don't, think of the level of understanding a child must have to express that he is not just offspring.  He holds actual PIECES of the people who came before him.  That is what the garment district represents for so many people.  And for so many families.  Isn't that what it's all about... in a nutshell?

Okay, so what makes this business special?  We all know buttons.  Not these buttons, and not this company. You may feel that buttons are "a dime a dozen".  Or quite close, literally.  And that is all some folks want to pay.  There are big name designers outsourcing production to extremely low-wage workers in factories elsewhere, who put the least expensive, plastic buttons they can negotiate wholesale on their garments... And we have all learned that you generally get what you pay for, don't you?

These are interesting economic times in clothing production. What if we started to look at the buttons available for sale and think... Where were these made?  What are they made of? Can I get them locally? Consistently?  quickly? Can I get wholesale pricing on just a gross of buttons?   Can I buy samples? Who can help me? Who can help the small designer?  The costumer? The dressmaker?  The fanatical home sewist? Are they approachable, affordable, and will they work with me?

All of those questions have an answer.  Buttonology.  They do covered buttons, custom buttons, monogrammed or logo buttons, too! They use wonderful materials like coconut, wood and shell.  The buttons they offer are mostly European made, and I did also see that they can also customize already made buttons to a client's specifications right there in the office.  Just check out their website, and go visit in person.  You won't regret it.

P.S.  -  Designers, make sure you visit them at DG Expo in February, and we would love to see them at the FIT City Source show (note: When you click the link, you have to click the "City Source" tab to see that it is happening on January 15, 2013... yes, next week!), wouldn't you?

P.P.S - And if you need ideas for how to use and quality buttons, I DARE you to Google image search button shoes, button accessories, button lampshades, button home dec, button hats, button hair jewelry... need I continue?  The options are endless.

Psssst.... (Just button it.)

Let me begin by saying that is is so exciting to see Meg start her new venture, and equally exciting for me to add a new layer to this already wonderfully conceived blog.  I am passionate about and fascinated by the garment industry, the actual work and art of creating things, and this wonderfully vast collection of businesses who help us all to make the things we have been dreaming of!

I am Mimi Jackson, a New York dressmaker, owner of www.findadressmaker.com, and have been absolutely obsessed with the NYC garment district since I was a child.  Many of the old stores are gone, but I have discovered so many new places in recent years, that I am truly excited to share.

For my first post, I will let you all in on a garment district secret I've recently discovered; knowing the right terminology is KEY in this city.  No one, and I mean NO ONE will take the time to explain things to you.  And that is one reason why this blog is so important.  When you ask the right questions, sometimes the answer comes back in a whisper, a wink, and a nudge.  No, I'm not kidding... After all of these years shopping here, I still don't know why.  The garment district is FULL of secrets, and those secrets can lead you on unexpected adventures.  To make my posts more search friendly, when I offer a secret, I will name the post "Psssst..." followed by the relevant topic in parentheses. Now you know.

Months ago, I was making a soft jacket for a fabulous client who fell in love with a beautiful, silvery silk velvet she had found.  The catch: she wanted covered buttons.  Now I don't know if you've ever covered your own buttons with one of those Dritz kits, but when your fabric is cooperative, you can achieve a very respectable result.  With some additional work, you can even make it kinda classy, but it never quite has the feel and quality of an industrial, factory-made covered button.

Below, is an example of covered button I made with a kit, that turned out well enough...

Front

Back

Well, that's fine, until you want to cover with a fabric that is thick or slippery, like velvet, which moves and contorts, distorting the flimsy metal button base, and making you cry, scream, and pull every hair from your head... one by one....

Knowing this, I ventured into the garment district, and asked my favorite businesses who could/would make covered buttons for me.  The first two had no idea.  The third, looked both ways, leaned in very close to me, and whispered an address.  Weirded out by this speak-easy vibe, I went directly to the address she gave me.  Factory-like atmosphere, squeaky, old elevator... got wrong directions from security, which gave me a long labyrinth-like wander through a series of small production shops, ending with a handwritten sign telling me the business had moved downstairs.  

When I arrived there, I knocked on the huge industrial door, uncertain if they were open to the public. No one heard me over the clang of machinery.  Slowly, I opened the door. Inside? Button-covering wonderland.  Industrial equipment, knowledgeable staff.  Note: To do this, you must have your fabric ready, and know what size button you need.  They will not let you waste their time.  AT ALL.  Have cash.  If you need lots of buttons (1000 or more, you can certainly place an order).  If you need only a few, again, HAVE CASH, and trust them to know what they are doing.  The results will be perfect.

See below:

Front

Back

So great!  Why the secrecy? If, after posting this, I disappear from the face of the earth, you can always show this blog post to the detectives...

Note: BT Button sis now closed. (4/18)

The address:

BT Buttons

327 West 36th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues)

3rd Floor

NY, NY 10018

Jonathan Embroidery: Buttonholes While You Wait

Address: 256 W. 38th Street, New York, NYC
Phone: 212-398-3538
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Saturday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Online site: Jonathan Embroidery
Best for: Saving you from making dreaded buttonholes

Just like the sign says, Jonathan Embroidery in the garment district sews professional-grade buttonholes while you wait.

How fabulous is it that you can get professional buttonholes made in NYC's garment center—while you wait—for $1-$2 per buttonhole. I really don't like making buttonholes. Does anybody? I mean, by the time I put my buttonhole foot on, make a test sample or two, the technicians at Jonathan will have sewn 10 perfect buttonholes.

So yes, I am a complete Jonathan Embroidery buttonhole convert, letting them sew all my buttonholes for me, keyhole and regular. You usually don't have to wait long to get your buttonholes made—I'm typically outta there in twenty minutes or less. Do have your buttonholes marked in advance, either with pins, chalk or marker. The only thing left for you to do will be to snip some threads. Now if they could just sew the buttons on for us….

Note: Jonathan's takes cash only; no credit or debit cards accepted.

A buttonhole technician preparing to sew buttonholes on a coat I made in 2008.

A view of the buttonhole area.

Sewing a keyhole buttonhole.

Hundreds of thread color options.

Jonathan Embroidery has a decent selection of buttons.

NYC Button Store Review: LouLou Buttons

Address: 69 W. 38th Street (near Sixth Avenue), New York, NYC
Phone: 212-398-5498

Hours:  Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Online store: n/a

Best for: the wide assortment of buttons of all materials

I am a button fanatic. I frequently replace the buttons on the clothes I buy because I feel that buttons are a detail many RTW manufacturers think they can skimp on. I cringe when I see fellow sewists create a stunning jacket and then ruin it with cheap-looking buttons. There's no need to limit ourselves to the meager selection at Jo-Ann's when places like M&J Trimming sell beautiful buttons online. And if you're visiting NYC's garment center there are several excellent button stores, including LouLou Buttons on W. 38th Street.

LouLou Buttons is small and more manageable. When costumers for stage and screen need buttons they turn to LouLou Buttons. I've chosen LouLou Buttons for several jackets and tops I've sewn and will continue to shop there.

LouLou Buttons is just one long room of buttons. But what buttons they are.