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Joann Fabrics closing all locations—including Illinois stores

Weeks after announcing the closure of 500 stores, Joann Fabrics announced it will be closing all of its 800+ locations.


I am upset because that's the last big fabric store around here. All that's left will be a few specialty shops that I don't bother with because they're so limited and expensive. And I can't buy fabric without touching it. So that drastically limits the possibility of making clothes should commercial options become untenable.

I'm so frustrated with capitalism nowadays. It can't seem to keep things going anymore -- and the sector of affordable goods is getting hit really hard, as with the loss of Big Lots. You can't DIY if you can't source the base materials. >_<


EDIT 2/27/25 -- [personal profile] oracne offers this Bluesky thread listing some alternative places to buy fabric.

I also suggested that people get together and form a cooperative to purchase fabric and distribute it. This would work at a college fashion or theatre department, other schools, craft clubs, etc. It will be easiest to set up before the Joanns all close, because then you can talk with other crafters at the store and attempt to network solutions.

Also it's a great time to start your own fabric store if that has been a dream -- get in now while you can grab a massive amount of market share.

Re: Thoughts

Date: 2025-03-03 04:32 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] see_also_friend
>>I am capable of hand-sewing a capsule wardrobe of plain cotton knitwear. But that just got a lot less feasible, because I would want to do it affordably and not pay velvet prices for very basic fabric.<<

Here, I'd look for old sheets, scrap, etc of sufficient size. Or get some old clothes and modify them. I've resized really large thrifted shirts (with expensive fabric), for example.

If I am buying fabric new and off the roll, it is probably for something specific and custom I am marketing. Reenactment stuff, a custom dress, a baby quilt, etc.

Of course, there are also good thrift stores in my current town. One has very affordable sheets/linens (a couple of dollars) and the other has a very good selection of scraps (many sizes).

For clothes, I've also had good luck shopping at rummage sales and yard sales. It won't work as well if you need special sizes or some adaptive stuff, but $2-5 per garment is other wise fairly good, even if it needs slight repairs or alterations.

This stuff also might not work as well for specialty clothing - stuff that needs to be sun protective or waterproof or work for other such special circumstances.

>>They're redesigning perfectly serviceable products every year or two, just to justify having a job of designing products or packages.<<

Well, I guess it'll fizzle out eventually. Probably very inconveniently, too.

>>Salvage is a great idea. I think a fabric cooperative could work too.<<

I'll suggest centering it around a group or groups that routinely use a lot of fabric - theatres, SCA and so on. If other people buy in it will make it easier/more affordable, but you still want a fairly large and tight-knit group to form the core, for extra stability.

>>I definitely want to check ours, maybe after the fishbowl if it does well. The last couple didn't sell a lot.<<

I have a few prompt ideas floating around.
:)

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