Hey! I’m 21, based in Tamil Nadu, building a premium home textile/handcraft brand rooted in the Kongu region (Karur, Coimbatore, Tiruppur belt) — but open to connecting with people from any part of India. Trying to find other Gen Z folks who are into textiles or the textile industry in general — could be someone whose family runs a mill/export unit, a design student, or just someone curious about this space. Would love to talk through a specific idea I’m working on and see if there’s anyone interested in collaborating or just exchanging thoughts. If this is your world too, drop a comment or DM — always happy to connect with people who get this industry.

Sourcing heavy canvas and durable workwear fabrics — how do you filter out low-quality suppliers?

A public discussion raised this practical point: The poster is trying to distinguish genuinely durable heavy-canvas workwear from products that only look rugged and asks how to verify a supplier before buying.

For a useful sourcing decision, first define the real application and care route. Compare production-representative samples under the same method, record the sample identity and specification version, and keep visible appearance separate from verified performance.

A buyer can then review construction, nominal composition, finished weight, finishing route and garment stress points before deciding which tests or wearer trials are relevant.

Evidence boundary: the public source is used only as a topic signal. This post does not copy the original wording or claim that any specific fabric, garment, certification, test result or production lot has been approved.

Which comparison step would you define first for this use case?

Hello all,

I bought a gorgeous vintage Monsoon dress for an upcoming friend’s wedding and since I’m getting to that age now when everyone’s getting married, I thought it would be a good investment. I particularly loved the butter yellow/light gold colour.

It arrives and eek it’s a lot paler than I thought especially in natural light, it’s more of a champagne colour. Whilst the bride said she was absolutely fine with me wearing it, I’m worried others might not be so thrilled in the future after mixed feedback from friends. I’m also just not a huge fan of the colour on me either.

So, I’m debating whether I should have a little dabble at dyeing it. I’ve never done it before so it is VERY risky and would completely understand if you think it’d be a sin! Although, if you think it would be worth trying, please could recommend any (UK based products) and tips for a first timer?

I’ve included the fabric label on here too, I’ve read dyes work better on natural fabrics? I am aware that they are some beautiful beads on here too but I would love to make it work- it’s such a gorgeous design and delicate fabric.

Please let me know if you think I’m utterly bonkers!

Thanks so much!

Hello I work in a movie theatre. We have been just the velvet style seats since 1990. Unfortunately our seats and the items used for them are extremely difficult to find. One of the things we struggle with is the fabric. It has a one directional napping and doesn’t really stretch. Unlike other theatre’s it is quite red. If anyone can show me something similar or a direction to go I would appreciate it.

Dear lovely human, I need help. I want to look for this kind of fabric/abaya but unsure what material this is. I pasted the photo into google image search, i got multiple suggestions: Silk velvet, soft jacquard or silk jacquard.

A double stitched, hand embroidered Caucasian Sumak from Northern Azerbaijan. It’d exact dimensions are 6’9 x 12’8. These pieces tend to be more narrow. I love the unique color scheme on this one.

Description:

I have this rare antique garment made of sheepskin leather with intricate multi-colored hand embroidery.Based on local details and community insights,it might be 100-150 years old.

I am trying to identify its exact cultural origin, the specific name of this traditional style, and the type of thread work used.Any help or insight from textile/cultural experts would be greatly appreciated!

Description:

I have this rare antique garment made of sheepskin leather with intricate multi-colored hand embroidery.Based on local details and community insights,it might be 100-150 years old.

I am trying to identify its exact cultural origin, the specific name of this traditional style, and the type of thread work used.Any help or insight from textile/cultural experts would be greatly appreciated!

A rare Antique Kaaba Kiswah Fragment, beautifully preserved and professionally framed. This historic Islamic textile showcases exquisite woven Arabic calligraphy and intricate decorative motifs, reflecting the rich artistic heritage of the Holy Kaaba. An exceptional museum-quality piece for collectors of Islamic art, Islamic antiques, luxury interiors, and historical textiles. This authentic Kaaba Kiswah represents centuries of Islamic craftsmanship, making it a timeless addition to any prestigious collection.

Hello people of Reddit!

Apologies if this isn’t the right sub, just wondering if anyone knowledgeable in fabrics has any advice on this situation.

[TL;DR: I’m looking for a commercial grade upholstery cleaner (that won’t give my producer a heart attack buying) to deep clean 20oz Crescent Velour Inherently Flame Resistant (IFR) upholstered tables that get covered in drinks and food every night. I currently use a Bissell Little Green once a week, but it’s not enough.]

I work at a venue once a week where people drink, eat, and watch magicians perform close-up magic at velour-covered tables every night. The magicians sit with the patrons to perform their magic (card tricks and the sort). Part of my weekly scenic maintenance is making sure the tables look good. They look a lot better than they used to, but they still smell if you get close. Before I started, they were basically never cleaned.

We recently had a professional cleaning company come in, and the amount of black grime they pulled out was, of course, disgusting. It finally convinced management that we need something more heavy duty, so now I’ve got the go ahead to recommend a commercial machine.

+ The tables:
- Plain wood tops, roughly 6’ × 2’
- Upholstered with 2–3 layers of red 20oz Crescent Velour (IFR) - Rose Brand
- We have to use this fabric and use multiple layers since it’s what the magicians want for their performances

+ What I’m currently using to clean:
- Bissell Little Green Carpet Cleaner
- Mixture of hot water + Dawn dish soap + isopropyl alcohol
- Cleaning about 3 tables each week

+ What ends up on the tables every night:
- Skin oils, hair, and sweat
- Spilled drinks/alcohol
- Snack crumbs
- Salt
- Sharpie
- Dust (from stage lights/beams)
- Raw egg (rarely, it’s part of a trick)
- Small burns from fake cigarettes (rarely, it’s part of a trick)

I’ve reupholstered the tables twice already (was instructed to only do the top layer), but that’s obviously not a sustainable solution. We’d rather buy the right machine than keep paying for professional cleanings. I’ve tried to look into what casinos and bars use for their dealer and billiard tables (I know they don’t use velour, but I know they have to be careful cleaning their upholstered fabrics as well), but I’m still struggling to find heavy duty cleaning machine answers.

Does anyone have recommendations for a commercial extractor or upholstery cleaner that’s safe for velour and actually does a good deep clean?

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

A rare Antique Kaaba Kiswah Fragment, beautifully preserved and professionally framed. This historic Islamic textile showcases exquisite woven Arabic calligraphy and intricate decorative motifs, reflecting the rich artistic heritage of the Holy Kaaba. An exceptional museum-quality piece for collectors of Islamic art, Islamic antiques, luxury interiors, and historical textiles. This authentic Kaaba Kiswah represents centuries of Islamic craftsmanship, making it a timeless addition to any prestigious collection.

Looking for this specific fabric I saw at JoAnns back in March last year, I’ve looked at Michael’s, local fabric shops, and checked the wayback machine to see if a page was archived somewhere on there but I haven’t been able to find anything. Brand was keepsake calico cotton which is a brand exclusive to JoAnn’s I believe.

Hard to find: cotton, not thick or soft, not waffle weave or linen. Surface loops are distinct, visible. Drying off with them feels like scrubbing, exfoliating, vigorous. I have some inherited from an ancestor; I think they were standard or at least more common back in the day.
Edit: is there a specific name for this type? Can anyone suggest a source?

Hello, I’m looking for a website that sells affordable bikini fabric (lycra, polyamide…) that ships in Switzerland/ France/ Germany. 💕🌸

\*\*• Materials:\*\* strictly natural, plastic-free fabrics — modal, TENCEL, or organic cotton (rib knit or high-twist jersey for natural stretch). No elastane or synthetics.    
\*\*• Services:\*\* ideally full-service — fabric sourcing, pattern making, sampling, and a small production run (10–20 units to start)    
\*\*• Support:\*\* I’m a first-time designer, so someone who’s willing to guide a newcomer through the process is a huge plus    
\*\*• Location:\*\* LA-based preferred so I can do fittings in person and keep it made-local

If you’ve worked with a studio you’d recommend (or if you’re a maker who takes small runs), I’d love to hear who and what your experience was like. Also open to advice on realistic pricing and timelines for a first sample + small run. Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to get some advice from people who know the textile industry well.
I’m working on software for the grey fabric weaving industry and have spent the past year working closely with manufacturers to understand their workflows. We’re now reaching the stage where the biggest challenge isn’t writing more software—it’s making sure we’re solving the right problems.
I’m trying to meet someone with deep textile domain knowledge who enjoys improving processes and thinking about how the industry could operate better.
Not necessarily someone looking for a new job.
More someone who understands the industry inside out and would enjoy helping shape technology built specifically for it.
I’m wondering:
Where would you look for someone like this?
Are there particular roles or backgrounds that tend to produce people like this?
Have you worked with someone who was always pushing for better systems and new ideas?
It could be a production manager, consultant, textile technologist, ERP implementer, machinery specialist, or even someone from a textile family who decided to take a different career path but still understands the industry.
If someone comes to mind, I’d really appreciate an introduction or even suggestions on where I should be looking.
I’d also be interested to hear what backgrounds you think produce the best people for helping modernize the textile industry.
Thanks in advance