Polyester Fabric

At Fabrics Galore we stock a high quality range of Polyester fabrics also known as drape. Unlike viscose which is only part synthetic polyester is a generic term for any fabric or textile, which is made using polyester yarns or fibres. It is an abbreviated name for a synthetic, man-made polymer, which, as a specific material, is  referred to as polyethylene terephthalate. 

 

What is Polyester Fabric?

Polyester fabric is 100% synthetic or man-made and was invented in the early 1940s in Britain from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid which essentially formed a plastic. Polyester slowly become popular as a cheap fabric for clothing and was marketed as long-lasting and stain resistant. Modern day polyester fabrics are far better quality and have long shed the scratchy, shiny image of the 1970s! We are pleased to offer a large range of polyester and polyester blend fabrics in our range. 

 

Can polyester be blended with a natural fibre?

Yes, the days of shiny polyester suits are long gone and polyester is often blended with natural fibres like cotton often referred to as polycotton which is popular for bedding as it washes so well and doesn't crease. 

 

Can you dye polyester fabric?

100% polyester fabric is extremely difficult to dye as it is essentially a plastic which is resistant to water whereas most dyes are water soluble. You need to use a disperse dye in boiling water - these dyes won't colour natural fabrics. 

 

Properties of Polyester fabric 

Polyester fabrics are very hard-wearing and last a long time. They are not prone to crease unlike cotton, it doesn't fade as quickly and can withstand a lot of washing and wearing. It is a popular material for staff uniforms as polyester is less absorbent than cotton, so it is more resistant to staining. Care must be taken as polyester is highly flammable. 

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One stop fabric shop

Welcome to the Fabrics Galore London online store, packed full of beautiful fabrics to inspire your next dressmaking, patchwork quilting, craft or home furnishing sewing project. We stock a huge range of different materials alongside designer fabrics from Liberty, Cath Kidston, Orla Kiely, Laura Ashley, William Morris and Alexander Henry. We source the highest quality fabrics, so whether it be a cotton, linen, viscose, chambray, jersey or wool, we have you covered.Check out our dressmaking fabric for something with drape, fabulous Liberty cotton lawn prints, quilting fabrics for patchwork inspiration or the home furnishing section to pimp your pad. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get sewing!

Frequently Asked Questions

We sell by the half metre on our website (the price is therefore displayed by the half metre) to allow our customers more flexibility. If you wish to buy a metre, you need to buy two units, but don’t worry, it will always be cut in one continuous length. 

We can send your fabric by courier which should arrive the next day, for the additional cost of £12. The simplest way to do this is by sending us an email  howdy@fabricsgalore.co.uk or by calling the shop on 0207 738 9589. We would need to know before 1pm, and we are unable to organise a Saturday delivery. 

Yes, we ship to Europe. For all the details, see our Shipping Page.  

We do, our samples are 10 cm by the width of the fabric (usually 112cm or 137cm) and cost 10% of the fabric’s metre price plus £1.50 for postage. Simply go to our Request a Swatch page.

Yes, we have a shop in South London. All the fabrics, which are available online (and more) are in the shop alongside a small haberdashery and pattern range. 

The address is 52-54 Lavender Hill, Battersea, London, SW11 5RH.

We are a fabric retailer rather than a wholesaler so the short answer is no, but if you are looking for a large quantity of fabric, it is best to email us on  howdy@fabricsgalore.co.uk to see if we can help you out.

OEKO-TEX 100 means the fabric has been tested for 100 harmful substances. The testing and certification process extends far beyond existing legal requirements, testing not only for substances already banned, but also for chemicals known to be unsafe, but not yet controlled by legislation. Fabrics which meet OEKO-TEX 100 are great for children’s clothing or underwear. 

All our orders are sent out by Royal Mail First Class so should be with you within a few days of fulfilment and often within 1-2 days. We send fabric out on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. During busy periods such as sales, deliveries may take slightly longer, and we are always grateful for your patience.

We stock British fabrics as well as fabrics from suppliers all over the world - including Germany, Italy, Taiwan and India. 

In recent years we have cut back on the number of shows we attend but we do still go to several. For the full list have a look on our Events Page.   

We select our fabrics from various ranges to create the interesting collections we offer and it’s rare that we buy the whole range. If you have a specific fabric you are looking for, it’s best to email us to find out if we can help you. Our email address is howdy@fabricsgalore.co.uk

When we sell out of a popular fabric such as our cream bouclé, we will try very hard to get it back in quickly. As soon as it arrives, it will go straight back on our website, and we will notify our customers via social media or our weekly newsletter. If you wanted to sign up so you never miss a thing, subscribe on our simple sign up form

Yes, we do have a few different types: you can buy a voucher for Free Postage for a Whole Year gift card. Or you can buy vouchers for £10, £25, £50 or £100 which will be emailed over to you immediately, in case it’s a last-minute gift. See our gift voucher page.

GSM stands for grams per square metre; the higher the number, the thicker and heavier the fabric will be. For example, a denim or a sweatshirt fabric will have a much higher GSM than a satin. 

What our customers say

Fast Delivery
Great Quality
Outstanding Customer Service
Fast Delivery
Great Quality
Outstanding Customer Service

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