What is the best fabric material available in the store, and “Which fabrics do you have in the store that do not wrinkle or rot,” or “What is the most expensive fabric you have in the store,” and “I want a fabric that does not change color with washing,” or “I want a fabric that will live with me and not get ruined,” all of these are Questions that the fabric seller is asked about by many customers when they enter the fabric store. So, what is the answer? How can we determine the appropriate fabric? And what is the best way to buy when heading to fabric stores?
Over the years, Japan and its companies working in the field of weaving fabrics have been and still are the largest source of fabrics for Gulf thobes, followed by fabrics woven in Indian, Indonesian, Thailand, China, Korean, and the other regions. Since the 1980s, Japanese fabrics have been manufactured by companies such as TETREX, TOYOBO, Shikibo and IMA occupies the lion’s share of sales compared to fabric suppliers from other countries, because the Japanese industry is famous for its high quality, and the rest of the countries have not been able to reach its quality to this day.
The fabrics offered by Toyobo, for example, are considered to this day among the best fabrics in the Gulf markets, and we often see the prices of their materials higher than others. They also compete with Shikibo fabrics, which are distinguished by the strength and quality of their materials and which maintain their brilliance and appearance for long periods, especially when following proper washing and ironing instructions. Then come the rest of the fabrics supplied to our markets, such as Nashibo fabrics, Semiramis fabrics, as well as Kurabo fabrics (which are characterized by natural cotton fabrics mixed with polyester or tatron) and other fabrics.
Do not look for the most expensive fabric in the store, but rather look for the best. There is no fabric that does not wrinkle or rot, and all fabrics change color with the passage of time, consumption, and repeated washing, especially white fabrics. There is no fabric that maintains its appearance for years. With water, wood corrodes and iron rusts. So, how do you expect the fabrics to be? But taking care of the fabric and following proper washing, ironing and storage instructions will help maintain its elegance and appearance for a longer time. Choosing the color of the fabric also plays an important role. If you want the color of your thobe to last longer, those working in this industry recommend bluish white, as they says that the more bluish white the color, the longer the garment lasts.
Determine the type of material you want, its color, and its composition, if possible, before heading to the fabric store. When you enter the store, ask the seller to show you your request, and specify it for him by saying, for example, “I want a plain, white material that is light and flat on the body when wearing.” This question will save you time and the seller’s effort in determining the materials that suit your desire, and do not sort dozens of materials at one time. Ask the seller to sort three or four types for you. Leave the ones you like aside and leave the rest behind, then repeat the process again, and God willing, it will make the choice easier for you.