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The History of Garment and Fabric Making
written by: Joe's Fabrics

For centuries, fine
New York fabric stores and fashion designers have helped to shape the fashion industry, locally and internationally. Beginning in the early 1800's, skilled tailors and seamstresses were creating uniforms for sailors and prospectors, as wells as clothing for slaves. By the 1850s New York's Garment District was a thriving industry hub, already gaining a reputation for distinctive style and quality.

The rapid growth of the Garment District in the 19th century was largely due to the industrialization of the trade. Advancements in weaving and fabric making during the 1700s, such as the power loom, spinning frame, and cotton gin, led to increased availability of fine fabrics. As New your was a vital trading hub, garment makers had access to high end silks, wools, and other fabrics from around the world.

Busy New York sewing rooms and
fabric stores embraced the development of labor saving devices and precision equipment which emerged with the industrial revolution. The most notable, of these was the sewing machine, first introduced in 1830 by Barthel my Thimonnier. The creation of the first synthetic dye less than 20 years later further fueled the rapidly developing fashion industry. In the 1860s, much of the district was devoted to manufacturing uniforms for civil war soldiers.

Several new fabrics and weaves were becoming available in the exclusive fabric stores of New York. Rayon, developed in the late 1800s was not called by that name until 1924. However, it was being manufactured and sold in the United States as early as 1910. That same year, the first circular bed purl knitting machine was invented. At this time, New Your produced nearly three-quarters of all women's apparel, and nearly one half or men's, sold in the United States.

As fabric making, and clothing design and manufacturing, rose to a sophisticated international industry throughout the 20th century, and New York's Garment District remained an industry epicenter. With the introduction of synthetic fabrics, such as Gore-Tex., Spandex, and Polyester (originally marketed as Terylene) in the mid 1900's the fashion world was ablaze with sleek, modern styles utilizing these revolutionary new textiles. New York's elite fashion designers, throughout history, have been among the first to embrace new styles and fabrics. Although the blue jean was first popularized of the west coast, commonly worn by California prospectors, the fabric was embraced by high-end designers and transformed into an imperative fashion essential.

Following a tradition of trend setting excellence, New York continues to be an epicenter of the global fashion and textile industry. Many of the most predominant labels in the world are headquartered in New York City, and it is home to a large population of renowned high fashion designers. Exclusive New York fabric shops display the finest silks, wools, lace, linens, and cottons found anywhere in the world. They are also among the first fabric shops globally to stock many newly developed knits, textures, and types of fabric.
Today New York is widely considered to be the capitol of the international garment design community. Upscale New York fabric stores, boutiques, and fashion showrooms are known to display the finest quality examples of today's fashions and tomorrows trends.
Clerance House
Durallee Fabric
F.Schumacher
Enterprises
NY Textiles & Trim
Kravet
Robert Allen
Fabricut
Lee Jofa
Folia
Fabricut
Fabricade


Highland Court
J.F Fabrics
Kravet
Knoll
RomoKravet
S. Harris
S.Harris
Stroheim & Roman
S. Harris
Laura Ashley
Michael Textiles
Ashley Wilde
Fabricade
Stout Brothers
Robert Allen
Romo
Ashley Wilde
B. Berger
Manuel Canovas
Duralle
Donghia
F.Schumacher
Lee Jofa
Laura Ashley
Michael Textiles
Michael jon desing
Fabricate
ETC
Scalamandre
Norbar
Nobilis
Osborne & Little
Pindler & Pindler
Pollack
Romo
Robert Allen
RM. Coco
Stroheim & Roman
Stout
Scalamandre
Jim Thomson
Trend.
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