Looking for viscose fabric for your next sewing project? This guide highlights the best online stores in Chicago, making it easy to find high-quality materials delivered right to your door. We’ll cover what viscose is, why it’s a great choice for clothing, and how to choose the right online shop for your needs.
Viscose is a semi-synthetic fabric known for its silk-like feel, beautiful drape, and comfortable wear. It’s made from regenerated cellulose fiber, typically from wood pulp, which gives it the breathability of natural fibers like cotton but with a smoother, more lustrous finish. Whether you’re making a flowing dress, a soft blouse, or comfortable loungewear, viscose is an excellent fabric to work with. Let’s find the best places in Chicago to buy it online.
Why Choose Viscose?
Viscose offers a unique combination of qualities that make it a favorite among designers and home sewists. Here are some of the main benefits and common uses for this versatile material.
Benefits of Viscose:
- Soft and Comfortable: Viscose has a smooth, silky texture that feels great against the skin, making it ideal for everyday clothing.
- Excellent Drape: The fabric hangs beautifully, which is why it’s often used for dresses, skirts, and blouses that require a fluid, graceful movement.
- Breathable: Like cotton, viscose allows air to circulate, making it a comfortable choice for warm weather.
- Absorbent: It wicks moisture away from the body, keeping you cool and dry.
- Vibrant Colors: Viscose holds dye well, resulting in rich, bright colors that don’t fade easily.
Common Uses:
- Apparel: Dresses, blouses, skirts, t-shirts, and loungewear.
- Linings: Its smooth surface makes it a great lining for jackets and coats.
- Home Decor: While less common, it can be used for items like curtains and decorative pillows due to its drape.
How We Chose the Best Online Stores
When you’re buying fabric online, you want to be sure you’re getting a quality product from a reliable seller. Here are the criteria we used to select the top online viscose fabric stores in Chicago:
- Fabric Selection: The store must offer a wide range of viscose fabrics, including different weights, prints, and blends.
- Quality: We looked for stores known for providing high-quality materials that stand up to wear and washing.
- Customer Service: Good service, clear communication, and helpful support are essential for a positive online shopping experience.
- Website Usability: An easy-to-navigate website with clear product photos and detailed descriptions makes finding what you need much simpler.
- Pricing: We considered stores that offer fair pricing and good value, including options for fabric wholesale.
Top Online Viscose Fabric Stores in Chicago
Based on our criteria, here are the leading online stores for purchasing viscose fabric in the Chicago area.
Fabriclore Pvt Ltd
Fabriclore is an excellent online source for a diverse range of textiles, including a substantial collection of viscose fabrics. While not based directly in Chicago, their efficient shipping and extensive online catalog make them a top choice for local designers and sewists. They focus on providing unique, high-quality materials that are often hard to find elsewhere.
Selection:
Fabriclore’s viscose selection is impressive. You can find everything from plain, solid-colored viscose to intricate prints like floral, geometric, and abstract designs. They also offer different types of viscose, including viscose georgette, viscose muslin, and modal satin, which is a type of viscose known for its extra softness and sheen. If you’re looking to buy viscose fabric by the yard, they have plenty of options.
Services:
- Custom Printing: One of Fabriclore’s standout services is custom fabric printing. You can upload your own design and have it printed on your choice of fabric, including viscose.
- Wholesale Options: They cater to both individual buyers and businesses, offering competitive pricing for fabric wholesale orders.
- Fabric Swatches: To help you make the right choice, you can order swatches of their fabrics to see and feel the material before committing to a larger purchase.
Vogue Fabrics
A Chicago institution since 1945, Vogue Fabrics has a massive inventory available through its online store. They are well-known among local sewists for their huge selection and knowledgeable staff. Their online presence makes their extensive collection accessible to everyone, not just those who can visit their brick-and-mortar locations.
Selection:
Vogue Fabrics stocks a wide variety of viscose, often listed under its brand name, rayon. You’ll find rayon challis, which is perfect for blouses and dresses, as well as viscose jersey knits for more comfortable, stretchy garments. Their selection includes a mix of designer fabrics and budget-friendly options, with new stock arriving regularly.
Services:
- Detailed Descriptions: Their website provides detailed information for each fabric, including weight, width, and care instructions, which is very helpful when buying online.
- Swatches Available: Like other top stores, they offer swatches for most of their fabrics, allowing you to check the color and feel beforehand.
- Promotions and Sales: Vogue Fabrics frequently runs sales and promotions, making it a great place to find high-quality fabric at a discount.
Fishman’s Fabrics
Fishman’s Fabrics has been a family-owned business in Chicago for over a century, specializing in high-end designer and upholstery fabrics. Their online store reflects their commitment to quality, offering a curated selection of apparel fabrics, including beautiful viscose options.
Selection:
While their collection might be more curated than larger stores, the quality is exceptional. Fishman’s focuses on designer-quality viscose fabrics, including prints from well-known fashion houses. This is the place to go if you’re looking for something special for a standout garment.
Services:
- Expert Advice: The team at Fishman’s is known for their expertise. While you’re shopping online, you can still reach out to their customer service for advice on fabric selection and use.
- High-End Options: They are a great source for luxury viscose blends, perfect for creating high-end apparel.
- User-Friendly Website: Their website is clean and easy to navigate, with high-quality photos that accurately represent the fabrics.
Tips for Buying Viscose Fabric Online
Shopping for fabric online can be tricky since you can’t touch the material. Here are a few tips to help you make a confident purchase:
- Always Order Swatches: This is the most important tip. A swatch allows you to check the fabric’s color, weight, drape, and feel before you buy a larger quantity.
- Read the Description Carefully: Pay close attention to the fabric’s weight (often in GSM or oz), width, and content. A heavier viscose will be better for pants, while a lighter one is suited for blouses.
- Check Care Instructions: Viscose can sometimes shrink or lose its shape if not cared for properly. Always check the recommended washing instructions before you buy. Pre-washing your fabric before cutting is a good practice.
- Understand Return Policies: Know the store’s return policy before you order. Most stores don’t accept returns on cut fabric unless it’s flawed, so be sure of your choice.
Your Next Project Awaits
Finding the right viscose fabric in Chicago is simple with these excellent online stores. Whether you need a unique print from Fabriclore, a classic solid from Vogue Fabrics, or a luxury designer option from Fishman’s Fabrics, you have plenty of choices. By ordering swatches and carefully reading product descriptions, you can confidently purchase the perfect material for your next sewing creation.
