Thursday, April 21, 2011

Attention Fabric Shoppers: Cotton Prices Going Up

"But at the mass-market level, every garment is as much a product of a spreadsheet as the muse, and right now the former is showing cotton prices up 126 percent from last July. That translates to about a dollar more per raw pound—a jump of approximately $2.12 for a pair of dungarees." —New York Magazine
Whenever I have a rare chance to talk with fabric store owners, this is what I hear: The price of fabric is going up. And up. For a better researched perspective, read Trouser Math: Cotton Inflation Means More Skinny Jeans in this week's New York Magazine. And while I'm personally not a proponent of building a fabric stash, now's the time to buy if you see fabric you like at a reasonable price….

4 comments:

  1. Same applies to cotton yarns too, unfortunately. I"m trying to finish up a granny square tunic made with 100 percent mercerized cotton. Need to finish it asap just to beat price increases on Takhi cotton.

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  2. How funny - I attended a class taught by Connie Crawford about a year ago and she said something similar - don't expect palazzo pants, high waists or anything requiring extra fabric to be "in" any time soon.

    I may have to forward this article to my husband and then go on a cotton binge. LOL.

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  3. It seems like we've been hearing about this for awhile. I guess it goes well with all the other gloom, doom, and despair with high gas prices and such!

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  4. This is where quilters have an advantage, because we're all about having a stash. Mine started over 15 years ago. I quit counting a few years later when it hit 2000 pieces. I have no idea how many pieces I have now, but it fills my sewing room cabinets & shelves. It's all organized by color, and by tint/tone/shade within that color. It's my big box of crayons with which I color.

    So even if cotton prices rise, I have happily reached SABLE-hood -- Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy.

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