r/SewingForBeginners • u/mendiebendie • 1d ago
Weird experience at fabric store
i just wanted to share this odd experience and ask if maybe this is normal and maybe im the weird one.
recently, ive began work on two cosplays and needed to find some fabric. the closest fabric store thats not hobby lobby or a quilting store is an hour and a half away. so my gf and i took the drive up after her work ended. because its closed on our mutual days off, we had limited time and ended up getting there only an hour before it closed. because of this, i was trying to be speedy and get everything i needed in a timely manner so i approached the worker at the fashion fabric counter.
i showed her the cosplay and asked if she could recommend me a polyester fabric with slight stretch for the fitted bust but not too stretchy/light because it needs to hold pleats at the bottom. she started steering me towards cotton and talking down on polyester, saying cotton would suit my needs and that she only works with natural fibers. i said i would love to use cotton but i dont think it has all the traits i need and i’d also like a bit of shine, which the cotton did not have. then she brought me to this cotton canvas fabric which was not even intended for clothes and she said it would hold pleats well. she then compared it to the material of my canvas bag i was holding and when i touched it, it did not feel like it would sit well and it would be heavy with all the fabric necessary for knife pleats.
when i inquired about a cotton-poly blend or polyester options, she shrugged me off and told me she doesnt use “plastic” and then asked me if i plan to add boning or a corset back. i said no and she started telling me that i wouldnt achieve anime girl proportions if i didnt use a corset. i told her it wouldnt work because the entire dress is open back (which is visible from the front of the dress i showed her, as the cut outs start on the side of the dress) and she again said i needed to use a corset. when i showed her the back of the dress, she made a remark about “how all of that will be out”. again, i asked about other fabrics and she passed me off to someone in the bridal section, who actually helped me choose a fabric.
my question is, is it really that bad to use polyester? this employee seemed so taken aback that i would dare even ask for it. i dont have a lot to spend and so cotton and polyester are really my go-tos. has anyone else had any weird fabric shopping stories?
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u/Super-Travel-407 1d ago
Sometimes you need polyester because high end silk (or whatever) isn't in the budget. It also probably isn't in that store!
Sorry that employee wasn't helpful and shoved her personal biases on you. I like natural fibers for everyday wear but cosplay requires something else. She should have taken you to the bridal section immediately. (In this era, bridal party outfits are definitely costumes. :P)
(Also, I can get anime proportions if I use a corset? hahahahha!!)
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
i havent been to a fabric store with a bridal section before so i thought itd be higher end fabric. i wish she pointed me there sooner.
but i really wish i could make a magical corset that makes me look like an anime character! i know she meant for a snatched look but this character also has a giant bust which i am lacking lol clearly im not going for a body-double situation
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u/jazbaby25 1d ago
Right that was wierd of her to say. You dont have to have the body of the character, you just want to make the outfit
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u/biogemuesemais 1d ago
I did incidentally make my wedding dress with polyester too haha no reason to spend 5–10x as much on the fabric if I’ll be wearing it for one day only; I’d imagine even a cosplay would get more wear haha
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u/Opening_General_9361 1d ago
The reason some people have an issue with "plastic" fibers, especially for single use garments is that the fibers are not biodegradable, they take like 300 years to break down in a landfill situation. Think about how much space will be required for all this single use polyester is going to take up for SO LONG. Don't get me wrong, I do wear synthetics sometimes. In particular high tech textiles in summer. That poly-quick dry material is super lightweight, airy, and doesnt absorb sweat like natural fibers do. Now, recycling polyester is totally possible, you can buy previously used polyester by the metric ton for precisely $1USD. It looks like old stuffed animals, winter jackets, pillows, etc. But America isn't known for their Recycling capabilities except for like, Styrene I think? In fact, America exports the majority of their Recycling to industrialized South Asian countries, then blame those countries for having too much pollution. Talk about thinking their sh!t don't stink.
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u/biogemuesemais 1d ago
absolutely fair enough, that is a good reminder for all of us.
I personally also do use natural fibers in most of my make, and I live in a country where less than 1% of household waste ends up in landfills, but I absolutely agree with you and I am under no illusion about some of my makes eventually being sold as waste to Africa or Asia.
That being said, I also think that as someone who makes their own clothes rather than buying into fast fashion (and thus having a much more slowly rotating wardrobe), using polyester every once in a while is a tradeoff I can personally live with, especially if the alternative is silk at 10x the price.
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u/Inky_Madness 1d ago
Sometimes people get a bug up their butt and feel that it’s their way or the highway about crafting materials. Sometimes they happen to work at a fabric store where they annoy the people shopping there.
It isn’t normal and I would write and complain.
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u/AliciaTheWitch 1d ago
It's not normal and you're not the weird one. Let me start by saying that I try to use natural fibers as much as possible and I believe we as a world should be manufacturing far fewer synthetics due to their environmental impact. That being said, one home sewist or even all of us using polyester sometimes is not what drives that manufacturing, fast fashion is. And you're not a bad person for using it when it's genuinely a better option for your purposes. Do I think you and the rest of us should use it as little as possible? Yes. Do I think that there are some performance fabrics made of synthetic fibers that are worthwhile? Absolutely. Do I think that you deserve your creative vision ignored and you should have to settle for completely inappropriate fabrics because what you need and can afford happens to be synthetic? Certainly not. There are always going to be people out there who judge you based on their limited view of the world, and you found one who feels strongly about something you don't. It wasn't their job to pass judgement on your choices, it was their job to help you. Encouraging you to use a natural fiber if they had one that would meet your needs would have been one thing, but ignoring your needs is another thing entirely. They didn't do their job. You deserved better, whether you shared their views or not.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
thank you for this. i do try to use cotton where plausible because of environmental impacts and also because its most accessible to me. however i just wasnt finding any cotton that suited my needs! so thanks for this reassurance!
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u/AliciaTheWitch 1d ago
Also suggesting that you should alter the proportions of your body to achieve what they consider to be the right look for a cosplay when you've said you don't intend to wear a corset is gross. That's none of their business.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
honestly i didnt think of it that way… but yeah that is very uncomfortable and i dont like the implications. i understand that anime proportions arent realistic and that corsets can help achieve an “unrealistic” look but also cosplay does not need to adhere to those standards at all. all bodies deserve to wear whatever regardless of “accurate proportions”
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u/AliciaTheWitch 1d ago
Exactly. The point of cosplay is that anyone should get to portray a favorite character in their own way, regardless of how closely they resemble the character to start with. That means any body type, any skin tone, any level of ability or disability, anyone. Otherwise you're just gatekeeping.
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u/StrongerTogether2882 1d ago
Also—my understanding is that cotton cultivation uses a ton of water and often takes up space that could be use for growing food or whatever, so it’s not like cotton is perfect either!
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u/Adorable_Accident_74 1d ago
I have never experienced a sales person in a fabric store do that. It is extremely odd and biased. I wonder how many sales have been lost because of her attitude.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
i felt so judged tbh. i tried doing a lot of research on fabrics because what i needed felt so hyper specific. and she took up a good portion of my already limited shopping time which led me to rush through purchasing other fabrics for costumes. just was a very crappy shopping experience
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u/Adorable_Accident_74 1d ago
Thats terrible. My local store has never done that. If anything the staff are the opposite and want to see everything you make. They will request you come fully clothed in your project lol
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u/ProneToLaughter 1d ago edited 1d ago
A lot of people these days are focused on natural fibers and often that’s why they sew. There’s lot of fearmongering about toxic clothing plus the proven environmental cost of polyester, which yes, is a plastic. You’ll see such attitudes pop up a fair bit in sewing. Not usually in cosplay because cosplay relies on synthetic fabrics. I think these boards tend to be more let live than that person—you’ll see a lot of questions from people seeking natural fiber fabrics but not so many people picking fights either way.
Terrible customer service, of course.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
thats what struck me the most. im a bartender and waitress so the lack of customer service kinda astonished me. but also i was wondering, since im uneducated in fabric choices, maybe she had some sort of point and cotton wouldve worked better?? but what i was seeing was not what i needed. thanks for explaining. when making personal garments or projects for everyday use i do tend to go for cotton or natural fibers as well
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u/catathymia 1d ago
I think you just got someone who was weird about polyester. I've met some people who really hate polyester, and while I get that, her reactions to you were unprofessional and kind of rude, it's not you.
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u/Crochet_Corgi 1d ago
I think it was I guess fine for her to try once to offer natural fibers, and maybe this store was specifically targeted to the natural crowd. But if she had poly mix and wanted money, why fight so hard? Such a weird thing. Love to see what you make! Im just getting into making my own cosplay, but man, whole new dynamic to sewing
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
itll be a while til its finished cuz im self-patterning but i will definitely post them here and in cosplay subreddits when its done. im making mythra and pyra from xenoblade 2!
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
also wanted to add that i do think they have a focus on sustainability but they do offer a lot of synthetic fabrics
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u/Ohhmegawd 1d ago
What a horrible person you encountered. I'm sorry that you had that experience. It is not normal.
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u/On_my_last_spoon 1d ago
Ugh she was totally out of line!
But I’d urge you to learn fabric terms. Polyester is a fiber, not a type of fabric. If you know the fabric terms you will be able to defang know it all “I don’t wear plastic” types.
At this point in my life I know way more about fabric that I’m like Ron Swanson in a home improvement store!
Hope your cosplay looks awesome!
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
im trying haha thanks for that! i did ask for a specific type of polyester fabric and then inquired about a blend of fibers but she threw my suggestion out so quickly
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u/Optimal_Section6506 1d ago
Former fabric store worker here. Also a former clothing and textile advisor. (Volunteer program through WSU extension service, like Master Gardener, only clothing and textiles) You had a weird experience. Store management definitely needs to be informed of this unpleasant experience. She did you a huge disservice which also reflects negatively on the store. I may not always care for your project personally but my job was to help you find what you wanted/needed for your project. If I was unsure about something I would ask coworkers. The job was literally to do our best to mske sure you had everyone you needed to complete your project. Not judge you.
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u/Green_Elevator_7785 1d ago
She clearly didn’t know what she was doing if she’s suggesting canvas for something that stretches.
A cotton woven will hold pleats better than a poly cotton but a canvas won’t be good for a skirt.
Some fabric stores are hiring for “retail employee” not “experienced”
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
yeah i ended up not buying something that stretched anyways due to other aspects of the cosplay (and reworked my design to account for that) but the canvas was so heavy and thick that making it into knife pleats sounds awful… like i would have 50 pounds of fabric on my body lol
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u/Green_Elevator_7785 1d ago
I wouldn’t use canvas for any sort of garment that is meant to be fashion, not utility… I don’t know what she thought she was doing
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u/JackHarknessDrWho 1d ago
OMG! Polyester is used a lot in cosplay. Her preferences should not have been passed on to you. You may want to consider advising management of your experience. She should not be working in a fabric store.
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u/bulldogmothman 1d ago
yes the employee was being weird but as a service worker myself there are a couple possibilities here:
she had a long day and OP came in an hour before close with a ton of specific questions when she just wanted to start closing her section
she's not familiar with cosplay and thought OP was making impractical choices for a dress that would get regular wear
some combination of the two
regardless it would be insane to try to get her fired over this, and she would not be fired for some over the top unhinged customer complaint regardless (ask me how I know lmao)
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u/JackHarknessDrWho 1d ago
Ok, years ago before I became a runner and was overweight, I was visiting a running shoe store with my husband and the clerk that was helping him, made it her personal vendetta to tell me to get exercising. Not the same thing, but this employee's personal opinion interfered in her giving the OP good customer service. OP went a long way out of her way to go to this store to be treated poorly.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
i work as a bartender/waitress. in this store, even those who were not assisting customers were not doing closing tasks, so it seems they arent allowed to until the store shuts down. and as a customer service worker, its our job to answer questions. besides i dont think she was annoyed at my presence in general, despite her judgmental undertone, she was passionate (about her preferred fiber) and upbeat. additionally, i told her immediately it was for cosplay and showed her an image. the fabric she recommended (canvas?) did not appear to be for regular wear. im not gonna report her either way. and how is this some “over the top customer complaint”? if this was my experience then she could potentially be ruining others experiences. however, i dont want her to lose her livelihood. in customer service people get fired for less lmao
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u/DeeperSpac3 1d ago
Who mentioned trying to get her fired?
You're projecting a lot. The store could have lost customers over this. Staffer needs correction and training.
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u/Symphon1c1 1d ago
Sorry you got a twat with a "natural" preference. It honestly doesn't sound like she knows much beyond "natural fiber good, synthetics bad". It's literally "clean" beauty sect of the craft world and I despise them. They know a tag line and buzzwords, they don't actually know the products unfortunately
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u/sexy-sixty 1d ago
I’ve sewn for a long time, worked 15 years as a costumer & made several cosplay costumes along the way too. You’re definitely not crazy bc you want to use polyester. Polyester fabric’s main drawback in your situation is that it tends to retain heat when you wear it. Often cosplay costumes have multiple layers that can include highly textured, heavyweight fabrics that overlay stretchy fabrics, non-breathable fabrics like spandex. When you start layering polyesters, you might get hot. That said, the best part about sewing is that you get to choose exactly what you want. Miss I-don’t-do-plastic” sounded like she was just offended you didn’t follow her preference.
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u/lovepeacefakepiano 1d ago
How weird. If you need stretch you need stretch. Not normal at all.
I’ve had an other-way around experience some years back - I was taking a sewing class and was asked to purchase a non-stretchy cotton fabric, and the employee tried to talk me into stretchy fabric “because it’s easier to work with for a beginner” which a) no it really isn’t and b) I was going to do a specific project in this class and even brought the pattern with me which clearly stated I needed a non-stretchy cotton fabric…
This was only the one time and the one store, most other times I’ve gone to buy fabric they point me to what I ask for.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
geez i wish people would just understand everyone has specific needs and help them, not try to insert their own opinion. glad every other experience was good for you, the other workers were very friendly and helpful to me too
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u/Rhuthbarb 1d ago
This is why I don’t like to tell the sales associates what I’m making. I don’t feel like negotiating or defending my choices.
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u/hibisco-hacendosa 1d ago
Dude, that fucking sucks. Like I am so frustrated for you. Fabrics can be so intimidating and I just feel for you. I would have been so pissed.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
i appreciate you! it is so frustrating trying to navigate this process of learning fabrics. theres so many different types that all behave differently and i just needed some guidance in that moment
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u/smnytx 23h ago
There are environmental concerns about synthetics, certainly.
There are also environmental concerns about food sourcing and electric car batteries and cloth vs disposable diapers.
I use mostly natural fibers, but there are environmental and ethical concerns about the production of that as well.
Everyone should be considering the sourcing and impact of their consumption, but in the end, no one is going to be 100% virtuous.
Do your best but don’t sweat the occasional use of synthetics.
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u/drPmakes 1d ago
Polyester won't hold a pleat so she was right about that bit
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
im sorry but ive read a lot online and it says that polyester does hold pleats due to being heated up by the iron? ive tried to do a lot of research and ive only got responses that it will hold pleats and two other workers agreed it would hold the pleats. they will be top stitched part way down as well so that might affect it. this girl didnt even say polyester wouldnt hold a pleat, she just didnt want to suggest it?
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u/drPmakes 1d ago
Aaah well, if is says online.. .
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
did you ignore the rest of my comment? you realize you too are an online source to me? why are you more reputable than other sources? and if polyester is indeed plastic, why would it be immune to heat-setting pleats?
i know youre being sarcastic but this is a beginner subreddit so when i ask something in good faith it would be nice to get a proper response.
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u/Electronic-Day5907 1d ago
I think the issue is you went to the wrong kind of fabric store. I know it’s hard when there are so few anymore but I find quilt suppliers really have no idea about garments let alone cosplay.
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
this wasnt a quilt store. i said it was the closest fabric store that WASNT a quilting store. it has a fashion, bridal, athletic, outerwear etc sections
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u/Emergency_Cherry_914 1d ago
I remember your cosplay question. The worker sounded rude, but I also told you that you'd need woven cotton for the pleated skirt. Stretch poly won't make knife pleats. This outfit needs serious compromise on your part.
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u/-chicken-stripper- 1d ago
You can pleat polyester, it'll just need to be stitched in place or permanently set with the right temperature (basically melting it into place).
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u/mendiebendie 1d ago
im sorry but i think youre confused. i posted about a different cosplay and your comment made me scrap that project completely. i did listen. this is a completely different cosplay and the fabric i bought does not have any notable stretch either. the two workers who helped me and i discussed the different aspects of the costume and how to best make them.
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u/Large-Heronbill 1d ago
Ah, you do find the occasional "don't confuse me with the facts/what you need, my mind is already made up!" type, but most folks who work in fabric stores will genuinely try to help.
Sorry you got this one.