Blog

Sometimes it's hard to get a loan when you've been in business for as long as we have. We're not exactly a new school, but we know what it's like to be an old-school company. We've been around since 2012, and we're proud of that, but sometimes the banks don't take us seriously because of our age.

When I started my company, Bolt Fabrics, I was thrilled to be able to make the best possible fabrics for my customers. However, about a year into the business, I realized that I couldn't afford to buy prime materials and fabrics for...

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The price of fabrics for furniture depends on several factors, including the quality of the material and how much you need.
If you want to buy a large quantity of fabric, the cost will be lower than if you only need a small amount. For example, if you are buying a full roll of fabric, it will be cheaper than if you were only buying one yard.

Fabrics can also vary in price depending on their quality and whether they are made from natural fibers or synthetic fibers. Natural fibers such as cotton and wool tend to cost more than synthetics like polyester. However, some synthetic fabrics like microfiber and velvet can be expensive because they require special treatment during production. ...

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Velvet is currently a popular fabric choice for home décor. Velvet comes in a range of weights and is woven from various fibers. Therefore, velvet can be used for draperies, bedding, pillows and upholstered furnishings. Despite its reputation as a luxury fabric, in today’s textile world there is no reason to shy away from using velvet in your home.

What makes velvet “velvety “ is the special loom upon which velvet is woven. A velvet loom weaves two thicknesses of the material at the same time. The two pieces are then cut apart creating the pile effect on each side and creating two bolts of fabric. If a fabric is not made this way, it is not velvet. Moreover, if a fabric is made this way, it is velvet—even if it does not look like the velvet you might be accustomed to seeing.

Before mechanized looms velvet was particularly expensive to make and thus often associated with nobility. Even today, a mill must be invested in producing velvet to acquire and maintain velvet looms. Furthermore, stored bolts of velvet must be suspended to maintain the pile over long...

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When you're buying new furniture, it can be hard to know exactly how much fabric you'll need. If you're looking for cheap fabrics for furniture, you'll want to think about whether or not the fabric will be visible. The price of fabrics for furniture depends on where you live and what kind of fabric it is.

In general, the price of fabrics for furniture that is exposed to the elements will be higher than those that aren't. If you live in a humid area with lots of rain, then your fabric may need to be treated with a protective coating or waterproofed so that it doesn't get ruined by moisture. This can add significantly to the cost of the fabric, but it's worth considering if you live somewhere with harsh weather conditions...

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“Sunbrella” is the trade name for a 100% solution dyed acrylic fabric manufactured by Glen Raven. Sunbrella got its start in 1961 as an alternative to cotton awning fabric. Unlike cotton fabrics, Sunbrella’s acrylic fibers resist damage from UV rays and are water resistant. In addition, Sunbrella’s acrylic fibers are extruded in color, rather than dyed like cotton fibers, so the fabric is highly fade resistant. Because of these high performance properties, Sunbrella has made its name as the premier indoor/outdoor fabric.

In addition to Glen Raven’s Sunbrella, other fabric manufacturers also make 100% solution dyed acrylic fabrics that offer the same high performance properties as Sunbrella. Sunbrella and similar fabrics have a fade resistance of up to 2000 hours—the number of hours in direct sunlight before fading begins.

There are other brands of outdoor fabrics made from polyester or acrylic fibers dyed after weaving. These fabrics tend to have lower fade resistance—between 300-800 hours. So while still serviceable for outdoor use, outdoor fabrics made from...

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When I was a kid I often shopped with my mom at a local store for fabric to make clothes. During those trips, I learned a lot about fabrics and how to use them. I learned how to match the properties of a fabric to the design of a garment. I learned how to use the proportions of a print to enhance a design, how to work with color and personalize outfits with buttons and trims. At Bolt Fabrics, I want our customers to have that same kind of experience, so I am launching this blog as part of my goal to provide the kind of customer service that makes Bolt Fabrics worth the trip.

So for my first blog I want to share some information that will stand the test of time.

DOUBLE RUBS. Never heard of a "double rub"? A double rub is a measurement of abrasion. The two most common test methods are the Wyzenbeek method and the Martindale method. Both methods assess the point at which repetitive abrasion causes noticeable wear on fabric. The Wyzenbeek method simulates wear on fabric by rubbing a piece of cotton duck in a back and forth motion over the fabric being tested. The motion...

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