When purchasing fabrics, pricing is an important factor to consider. Whether you are launching a new collection or selecting raw materials for your next DIY project, your ideal fabric plays a major role in your budget. This guide provides a comprehensive look at the costs of different fabric types in the market, helping you make informed purchasing decisions.
A List of Natural Fabric Costs
Here are common fabric types made from natural fibers and their average prices per yard. Special notes on each fabric’s pricing factors are also included.
Angora wool: Angora wool is made from the wool of Angora rabbits. This type of luxury wool fiber is always blended with other animal wool or synthetic fibers to make fabrics. Fabrics with a high angora wool content vary from $80 to $300 per yard.
Bamboo: Genuine bamboo fabrics are derived from fine bamboo fibers that are mechanically produced. Though completely organic and sustainable, their limited availability puts the price between $15 and $35 per yard.
Camelhair wool: It is a type of thick but soft wool sourced from camel hair and ranges widely in price from $40 to $650 per yard, owning to its diversity in production techniques.
Cotton: Cotton is one of the most widely used fabrics, taking the fruit of cotton plants as raw materials. Its prices are between $5 to $25 per yard. Factors such as thread count, global certifications, and finishing techniques can raise the price.
- Cotton broadcloth: It is a tightly woven cotton fabric, known for its smoothness; It costs around $5 to $10 per yard.
- Cotton canvas: A heavyweight and durable fabric, priced at $10 to $20 per yard.
- Cotton flannel: Cotton flannel is very soft with a brushing finish and charges $8 to $15 per yard.
- Cotton muslin: A lightweight cotton fabric priced at $4 to $10 per yard.
- Cotton poplin: Smooth and crisp, cotton poplin costs around $6 to $15 per yard.
- Cotton sateen: Featuring a satin weave, cotton sateen has a lustrous finish and costs between $8 and $15 per yard.
- Cotton voile: Lightweight and semi-sheer, this fabric runs between $6 to $12 per yard.
- Organic Cotton: Organic cotton is grown and produced without harmful chemicals; It is usually at the price of $10 to $25 per yard.
- Pima cotton: Its raw material is a type of specific cotton fiber, Pima cotton fiber, a thin cotton filament. Pima cotton charges $8 to $20 per yard.
Guanaco wool: Sourced from the undercoat of guanacos, this rare wool is not used as a single fabric component but is usually blended with other fibers. Guanaco wool fibers cost approximately $350 to $450 per kilogram.
Hemp: Hemp is a stiff and strong fabric derived from the plant stalks of the Cannabis sativa; It varies from $20 to $50.
Horsehair fabrics: Made from horse mane or tail hair and blended with other fibers, horsehair fabrics vary widely in price, from $15 to $100 per yard, depending on the hair content and the type of fibers used.
Jute: A strong, tenacious, and coarse fabric made from vegetable fibers in the bast of the jute plant, this fabric typically costs between $2 and $10 per yard.
Kapok: Kapok, also called java cotton or silk-cotton, is a lightweight and silky fiber often blended or mixed with cotton or synthetic fibers. It varies from $10 to $20 per lb.
Leather: Strong, flexible, and durable fabrics made of animal skins, $3 to $20 per sq. ft.
- Cowhide: Cowhide is made from animal skins and hair from cattle, resistant to wear and tear; costs around $8 to $20 per sq. ft.
- Suede: A type of soft and fuzzy leather, around $10 to $20 per sq. ft.
Llama Fabrics: Llama is a fabric made from llamas’ hair, rivaling alpaca wool but less delicate. They charge from $20 to $50 per yard depending on the quality and processing.
Linen or flax: Linen is a type of tough fabric made from flax plants, stronger when wet. Its crafts of dealing with raw materials and finishing processes( washing and stone washing) affect its prices, ranging from $10 to $60 per yard. Usually, linen from European lines costs more.
Ramie fabric: Ramie fabrics take the stalk of ramie plants as raw material, offering great strength and durability. They are generally less expensive than flax of similar texture, costing $5 to $20 per yard.
Silk: Revered as one of the most luxurious fabrics, the cost of silk fabrics depends on the fiber source, weave, grade, width, and thickness. The thickness of silk is measured by Momme (mm), usually ranging from 5 mm to 40 mm. Sil fabric prices vary from $8 to $110 per yard.
- Mulberry silk: Sourced from mulberry silkworms, this silk is the most opulent and smoothest type. It costs between $8 to $80 per yard, with higher prices reflecting quality and purity.
- Tussah silk: Known as wild silk from wild silkworms, Tussah is less sleek and shiny than Mulberry silk but offers more warmth and texture. It’s always sold in a higher thickness and ranges from $15 to $90 per yard.
- Silk charmeuse: Silk charmeuse is woven in a weave similar to satin, but is shinier and more lightweight than silk satin; it costs around $15 to $50 per yard.
- Silk chiffon: A lightweight, sheer fabric, $15 – $30 per yard.
- Silk Duchess satin: As one of the most expensive silk fabrics, this thick and deluxe fabric is typically used in bridal wear and formal gowns. It runs between $80 and $110 per yard.
- Silk dupioni: With a slubbed texture, silk dupioni is a combination of rusticity and elegance, ranging from $25 to $45 per yard.
- Silk habotai: $9 – $20 per yard.
- Silk satin: $20 – $40 per yard.
Vicuña: Derived from vicuñas(a rare animal), vicuña is soft and shiny, close to cashmere. Prices range from $1,800 to $3,000 per yard due to its rarity and luxurious quality.
Wool: Made from the wool of various animals, wool fabrics have a wide price range depending on the animal source, processing, and quality. Basic wool fabrics in the market are priced between $15 and $70 per yard. Some specific types of wool from unique animals command higher prices:
- Alpaca wool: Sourced from alpacas, this wool is lightweight, fine, and hypoallergenic. It ranges from $30 to $70 per yard and is known for being soft, durable, and warm, with a silky texture.
- Cashmere: One of the most luxurious types of wool, sourced from cashmere goats, cashmere is prized for its softness and light weight. It ranges from $50 to $200+ per yard.
- Merino wool: Renowned for its fine, soft, and breathable texture, Merino wool is commonly found in high-end clothing and outdoor gear and its prices range from $25 to $80 per yard.
- Mohair: This wool, derived from Angora goats, is known for being lustrous and smooth, often used in luxury textiles for $20 to $50 per yard.
- Virgin wool: Taking a lamb’s first shaving as raw material, virgin wool is very rare and soft, priced at $30 to $100 per yard.
Wool fabrics are also available in many different textures, each with unique characteristics:
- Boiled wool: Felt-like in texture, boiled wool is durable and warm, commonly ranging from $15 to $40 per yard.
- Gabardine wool: This tightly woven wool is smooth and durable, popular for suits and trousers. The price runs between $25 to $60 per yard.
- Tweed wool: Tweed is durable, textured, and heavier than most wool fabrics. It has a rustic charm and is priced between $20 and $60 per yard.
- Wool crepe: This lightweight wool has a crinkled texture and slight stretch, and costs between $20 and $50 per yard.
- Worsted wool: Known for its smooth, tightly woven, and durable structure, worsted wool is one of the most popular suiting fabrics, priced between $25 and $75 per yard.
Yak fabric: Yark fabrics are made from the wool of the yak, which is soft but tenacious. Though Yark wool fibers are mostly used to blend with basic wool, there is a small amount of pure yak in the market, costing more than $100 per yard.
A List of Synthetic Fabric Costs
Synthetic fabrics are generally more affordable than natural ones. Made primarily from petrochemicals or natural resources, they offer versatility for various applications. Below is a list of common synthetic fabrics and their approximate costs:
Acetate: Derived from wood pulp, acetate mimics the luxurious appearance of silk. It typically costs between $5 and $30 per yard. The triacetate fabric, as a leveled-up version, ranges from $10 to $35.
Acrylic: A popular wool substitute, acrylic is lightweight, warm, and resistant to shrinking. The cost typically ranges from $4 to $25 per yard. Its variant, acrylic sweater knit, resembles wool in texture and costs between $4 and $10 per yard.
Bamboo viscose: A breathable rayon fabric derived from bamboo pulp, priced between $10 and $30 per yard. Woven bamboo viscose costs around $10 to $25 while bamboo jersey ranges from $15 to $30 per yard.
Cupro fabric: A regenerated cellulose fabric made from cotton linter, similar to rayon in appearance. Its price range is between $7 and $30 per yard.
Elastane: Also known as Spandex and Lycra, elastane is an added fiber used to promote textiles’ elasticity, charging $5 to $20 per yard depending on the fiber content.
Fleece: Made from polyester, fleece is renowned for insulation and warmth. The price ranges from $6 to $15 per yard.
Lyocell: Lyocell, or Tencel, is a type of rayon, known for its softness, sheen, and sustainability. It runs between $10 to $35 per yard.
Modal: A type of rayon made from beech tree pulp, better at moisture absorption than viscose rayon, priced at $8 to $30 per yard.
Nylon: A flexible synthetic fabric at a price range from $6 to $10 per yard.
Polyester: As one of the most versatile synthetic fabrics, polyester is known for its durability, wrinkle resistance, and affordability. The cost of polyester fabrics varies based on quality and type, ranging from $3 to $25 per yard. Sheer or semi-sheer polyester, such as polyester crepe, is priced around $8 to $15 per yard.
Vinyl(PVC): Used in rainwear and upholstery, basic vinyl costs around $4 to $8 per yard, while patent vinyl can range from $8 to $12 per yard.
Viscose/ rayon: Regenerated cellulose fabrics sourced from natural wood pulp but processed by chemical methods, mimicking natural fabrics like cotton and silk. Its cost is put at $5 to $25 per yard.
A List of Other Fabric Costs
Fabrics are sometimes named based on their manufacturing techniques or patterns, instead of their raw materials. Here is a list of the average prices of some fabrics using this way of naming.
Denim: Denim fabrics are durable twill fabrics known for their heavy weight and rugged texture, mostly made from cotton fibers. Denim prices vary based on weight, weave, quality, and finishing, ranging from $8 to $60 per yard.
- Overdyed denim: It is characterized by dyeing based on dyed denim, displaying vibrant and combined colors. Overdyed denim costs around $10 and $25 per yard.
- Poly denim: Poly denim refers to denim made from synthetic fibers like polyester or poly-cotton blends, polyester. It usually takes $4 to $15 per yard.
- Raw denim: Also called dry denim and unsanforizing denim, raw denim is a type of unpolished denim, sold after weaving, without washing or dyeing. It is priced at $8 and $35 per yard.
- Sanforized denim: This denim fabric is made by treating raw denim through sanforizing, and varies from $10 to $30 per yard. Its fibers are set less shrinkable.
- Selvage denim: As a special type of denim, selvage denim has redlines resistant to shrinkage and unraveling and costs from $30 to $50 per yard.
- Slub denim: With a unique grainy texture, slub denim uses different yarns in manufacturing and takes $10 to $40 per yard.
- Viscous denim: Viscose denim refers in particular to denim made from regenerated cellulose or blends of high viscous content. It costs around $5 and $30 per yard.
Felt Fabric: As a non-woven fabric made by matting fibers, felt comes in various types, thicknesses, and prices. It varies from $2 to $30 per yard.
- Blended felt: Made from a mixture of wool and synthetic fibers, blended felt ranges from $8 to $20 per yard.
- Synthetic felt: Made from polyester or acrylic, synthetic felt typically takes $2 to $8 per yard.
- Wool felt: With natural wool as its raw fibers, this felt is produced by more sustainable practices and has higher breathability, charging $15 to $35 per yard.
Fur Fabric: Fur fabrics offer high-end textures and a luxurious touch, with prices depending on the animal source or synthetic quality.
- Beaver shag faux fur: As a substitute for genuine beaver fur, beaver shag faux fur is often made of synthetic blends, mimicking the texture and touch of the real one. It costs around $15 to $25 per yard.
- Faux fur: As acrylic-based fur, faux fur is designed to mimic the feel of real fur, typically priced between $10 and $15 per yard.
- Real fur: Prices for genuine fur vary widely based on the animal source and finishing process, priced from $50 to $200+ per sq ft.
Satin: Satin fabrics are made by the satin weaving technique, featuring a smooth, glossy front and matte back. They can be made from different fibers and processed in diverse finishings, which influence their costs.
- Charmeuse satin: A lightweight and sheeny satin, made from silk or polyester, priced between $15 and $50 per yard.
- Polyester satin: One of the most commercially available satin, priced at $5 to $18 per yard.
- Silk satin: A more luxurious and skin-friendly option, between $20 and $40 per yard.
- Stretch satin: A satin incorporating poly and elastane, stretchable and flexible, at $10 to $30 per yard.
Velvet: Velvet is known for its variety of luxurious pileweaves. It can be made from natural fibers like silk or synthetic fibers like polyester, with different crafting techniques and finishing processes. Velvet’s price range is between $5 to $200 per yard.
- Cotton velvet: This velvet is pure cotton or full cotton (adding an amount of less than 5% synthetic fibers), costing $20 to $50 per yard.
- Crushed velvet: Crushed velvet refers to velvet produced by twisting piles or pressing down piles after dyeing. It displays varying luster with its patterned textures and varies from $10 to $40 per yard.
- Polyester velvet: Made from polyester or poly-blends, polyester velvet is an affordable and durable alternative to silk velvet, priced between $5 and $20 per yard.
- Silk Velvet: It is a luxurious type of velvet commonly used in high-end fashion and décor, and costs between $40 and $150 per yard.
- Velveteen: Made from cotton or poly-cotton blend and by a technique slightly different from velvet’s, velveteen takes $10 to $30 per yard.
- Velour: Velour is a knitted fabric of plush piles, priced at $5 to $30 per yard.
Silk Velvet Fabric
FAQs
Why Is Fabric So Expensive?
The cost of fabrics is mainly determined by their raw fiber content, origin, production treatments, and finishing treatment. So far, the textile industry has developed numerous collections of fabrics of different origins, each having its specialties and edges. These collections form a competitive landscape that drives the corporation between technologies and fabrics, increasing both the quality and cost. Additionally, sustainability is almost on everyone’s slips now and on an upward trend in consumption, also increasing the standard and cost of fabrics.
What Is the Cost of Upholstery Fabric?
Upholstery fabrics should meet the requirements for wear resistance and firmness. The price of upholstery fabric can vary:
- Low-end upholstery fabrics, such as regular synthetic or poly-cotton ones, can start as low as $10 to $30 per yard.
- Upholstery made of blends of natural and synthetic fibers or treated fabrics typically ranges from $20 to $80 per yard.
- High-end upholstery lines, including high-grade velvet, wool, silk, and more premium fabrics, can cost $70 to $300 per yard or more.
What Is A Cheap Fabric?
Fabrics made from polyester, basic cotton, rayon, and nylon are considered cheap ones. Besides, cheap fabrics do not undergo complicated or high-tech manufacturing and finishing processes.
Conclusion
Sinosilk hopes this price guide could give a clearer understanding of different costs associated with various fabric types and help to choose the right one for your project. As one leading textile factory in China, we have always provided high-quality fabrics at competitive prices and comprehensive custom services. Contact us to get expert assistance in fabric sourcing and save your budget on raw materials now!