Costings- 2nd December 2016

As I am wanting my collection to be based around the contextual issue of sustainability,I would prefer my garments to be made out of sustainable fabrics such as linen and cotton. However, as these fabrics I unique and can take longer to produce than synthetic fabrics, the price of fabric may cost more than I had imagined. I have been bench marking fabric prices online and this is what I found; 

Organic Cotton

• http://organiccotton.biz/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=255_202

This website sold many organic fabrics, including fabrics with bamboo content (which ranged from £7.95-£9.95 per metre) this was quite pricey however, bamboo fibres are a very natural source, and can be made into fabrics such as silk and jersey. Natural coloured linen can cost up to £12.95 per metre, however coloured linen such as black and blue can cost as little as £4.95 per metre. 

John Lewis

• http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-natural-linen-fabric-natural/p1097257?sku=232942466&s_kwcid=2dx92700013366480617&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CO7S97XZ1dACFbgW0wod7rYM8A&gclsrc=aw.ds

Department store John Lewis also offer a range of natural fabrics such as linen and cotton. 100% natural linen costs £18 per metre, and the they also sell 'linen look' fabrics with prices costing £10 per metre, which i made from 100% cotton, but has a linen textural finish to it. Either way, both are expensive. 

The Natural Fabric Store

• http://thenaturalfabricstore.co.uk/product-category/fabric/cotton/

The Natural Fabric store is a sewing and fabric shop based in Dorset and sells natural fabrics including, cotton, linen,tweed, denim and wool. However, this is more expensive per metre than the two stores above. Linen can range from £22-£30 per metre, and cotton ranging from £12- £20. 

Looking at the cost of fabrics I think I may have to budget myself, and maybe buy some pure natural fabrics, and then maybe some that are natural 'look-a-like' fabrics. It is clear to see why so many clothing brands these days prefer to use synthetic fabrics, because they cost so much less than the natural fabrics, and this is why they can sell products cheaply. However, a few brands do care about the sustainability and durability of their garments, therefore they are more willing to sell a smaller range of clothing, at a higher price. If I was in industry making garments, I would always aim to make my garments from sustainable natural fabrics, this way I can can be confident in guaranteeing an excellent high quality product, that will last a life time. However, from doing my research into synthetic and natural fabrics, for my collection I think I will be using a mixture of both synthetic and natural fabrics.