Ever since Walmart decided not to carry fabrics in over 2500 of their stores, the fabric industry has been in a frenzy. With Walmart sprawling across the county, they have managed to push out over 80% of local fabric shops. Today, as local Walmarts are closing down their fabric departments, what are the fabric suppliers going to do?
The buzz in the textile industry right now is as to who is going to be the first fabric manufacturer to close their doors. This "honor" goes to a great company, Shamash and Sons Fabrics. Shamash has been around for over 50 years and has provided millions of yards of fabric to customers all over the globe. Everything from cotton velvet, batiks, novelty fabrics, designer fabrics and dress goods was produced by Shamash, though they are most known for manufacturing the Betty Boop Fabric line.
The impact Walmart's decision has had is attributable in large part to manufacturers' structuring their fabric lines around Walmart. Walmart would order thosands of yards from different companies. Their orders would provide revenue. The revenue would provide the manufacturers more money to spend on developing new designs and products. These novel designs would be shown at quilt markets and then sold in quilting stores. Sans the presence of Walmart, manufacturers such as Shamash lost their main source of revenue. Therefore, since some of the manufacturers neglected their previous buyers - which had since gone out of business - there was no place to turn to to replace what they had lost in Walmart. Sadly, once proud companies like Shamash are now withering away.
As Shamash closes its doors, what change - if any - does this indicate for the fabric industry? How will this closure affect fabric shoppers? Will Shamash be merely the first of many fabric manufacturers to close their doors?
Most people enjoy Walmart and the amenities that they offer. Walmart is a one-stop shop to get everything needed. What most people do not realize is that as Walmart sprawls across the US and the rest of the world they are putting small business and companies out of business. So when Walmart decides not to carry a certain section or product this decision hurts many businesses, jobs and industries.
Although it seems like a prosaic concern, Walmart's decision to drastically reduce its retail fabric business has already had an important impact on the fabric industry. The effect it will have on millions of quilters and sewing enthusiasts shouldn't be underestimated. It will take more time to better understand the full impact of Walmart's decision, but J&O will keep you posted with further developments.
Fabric. . . it's just delicious. It's soft, comfy and warm. It can be bright and pretty and draw you to touch it. Stretchy or stiff, snug and homely, here at J&O we just love fabric. At our store in New Jersey, it's literally all over the place. We have huge rolls of decoratives stacked on top of each other, a wall filled with tapestries of all kinds, and additional rolls on the floor display. Not to mention our aisles and aisles of novelty cottons from every manufacturer imaginable.
There's something about seeing rolls of beautiful fabric that signifies potential; a raw material with "sew" many possibilities. Could be a summer dress, a pair of slacks, a quilt, drapes, the possibilities go on and on. Meditating on all the possibilities could make a fabric lover go crazy.
Just think, we spend our whole lives wrapped in some kind of cloth. From the moment we arrive in this world to when our fragile shells deteriorate and become apart of the Earth, fabric is apart of our lives. Cotton, linen, cashmere, wool, silk and including polyester and rayon, fabric can be used for everything from apparel, to sails on a sailboat, to becoming a base for a lamp. Every group of people on this planet use fabric, so it can almost be put on the same level as food and shelter (or maybe not, lol).
From another perspective, if you sew, you're appreciation for fabrics may be on a more conscious level than everyone else. Someone who sews is constantly working, touching, manipulating and shaping fabric. So it's normal for a sewer to absolutely LOVE fabrics. Some sewers walk into our store in New Jersey and become overwhelmed at the amount of fabric we have. Who doesn't adore gorgeous fabric, that not only has an awesome surface but is pleasant to the touch? It's perfectly all right to buy fabric just because you think its gorgeous, without any immediate use in mind.
If you're an avid sewer, building up your very own "fabric stash." is an excellent way to stimulate your creativity. There's just something about looking at neatly folded stacks of beautiful fabric that will provoke a sense of calm and serenity. On a side note, we'll let you in on a little secret. . . the fabric industry is in many ways like the ever-changing fashion industry; styles come and go, prints come and go; items go in and out of style. So, if there's a print you just absolutely love, get it before it's gone and discontinued. Even the most popular prints have a cut off point.
J&O Fabrics is dedicated to doing all we can to keep your sewing possibilities fresh. If you LOVE fabric, celebrate it! Teach someone how to sew, make someone a quilt, or sew your own drapes. Allow yourself to reconnect with something that's very closely woven into our lives.
J&O Fabrics. . . sew many possibilities _______________________________________
If you're in the area, visit our store in Pennsauken, New Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia. The size of a supermarket, we have the largest selection of fabrics in New Jersey! Everything we carry is not on our website, so if you're in the area, check us out and browse our fabric aisles.
J&O Fabric Center 9401 Route 130 South Where Rt.73 and 130 meet Pennsauken, New Jersey 08110 info@jandofabrics.com
Warm weather has arrived. Are you ready to spruce up your lawn/deck/porch furniture? If you are, you have to browse through J&O's wide selection of outdoor fabrics. Outdoor fabrics are typically made to take more of a beating than regular cloths, and so of course J&O carries only the most durable outdoor fabrics that will hold up against the elements. Browse through our wide selection of tough and sturdy Textilenes. Textilenes are not only durable, but a delight to see. Easy to maintain with a porous surface, Textilenes dry quick and will resist fading, mildew and wear and tear. In varying neutral earth tones explore all of J&O's many Textilene possibilities.
In addition to our collection of Textilenes, we also carry Outdoor Fabrics in solid colors, stripes, animal prints, nature designs, florals, tropical themes and retro patterns. Take a look at a few featured designs below.
Your outdoor furniture deserves a summer make-over. Give as much attention to your outdoor decor as your "home" decor. Visit jofabrics.com today and peruse our variety of Outdoor fabrics.
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Not interested in outdoor fabric? Browse our wide selection of everything from upholstery to novelty cotton. If you're in the area, make sure to visit our store in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Big as a supermarket, we have one of the largest selections in this area. We are only 5 mins from Philadelphia and 1 1/2 hour drive from New York City.
J&O Fabric Center 9401 Route 130 South Where Rt. 73 and 130 Meet Pennsauken, New Jersey 08110 info@jandofabrics.com
What do you do with all those fabric scraps mounting up??????
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You should see the buckets of remnants we develop here at J&O cutting orders all day. For people who make things with fabric it may seem especially hard to throw away the substantial size scraps. One of the most traditional uses for fabric scraps is none other than patchwork quiltmaking. Even though quilting seems to be the end all for what to do with fabric scraps, not everyone is into quilting. J&O has included a list of ideas to lessen that ever growing pile of fabric scraps.
Here's four things to do with all those beautiful and useful fabric scraps. ________________________________________________ Wrapping Presents
For most of our holidays in American culture there seems to be a requirement to buy someone a present. Whether it's Mother's Day, Christmas or someone's birthday, on some level there's pressure to go out and spend money. At times, buying wrapping paper or purchasing a pretty gift bag on top of your gift expenses can be pretty annoying. One simple and "green" way to rid yourself of this annoyance is to wrap presents with your fabric scraps.
Depending on the size of the present and how creative you want to be, just cut your fabric into a square or rectangle and simply gather to the top and tie. If you have time to make it extra special, sew a custom-made fabric bag. Overall, the fabric scrap is out of your hair and passed on to someone else to reuse and do with it whatever they please.
To go along with wrapping presents with fabric, you can also use fabric scraps to make ribbon. Be creative and play around with contrasting patterns and colors as you would constructing a quilt.
________________________________________________ Fabric Envelopes and Cards
This particular use may be a little more "craftier" then making ribbons and wrapping presents, however if you really get into it you can end up making some really incredible cards. To make fabric envelopes and cards, most likely you'll need a stiffener.
If you're interested, check out these few links that give pretty good instructions.
Another idea, if you have a collection of novelty print scraps, cut out a repeat or just one item in the design and attach with glue to plain cards or envelopes. ________________________________________________ Donate!!
At the end of it all, if you still have a ton of fabric scraps; too much to even save for other crafts, DONATE IT :). There are a number of non-profit organizations that accept fabric scraps. Some organizations have a size requirement and may only accept fabric that is a of a particular material. Check out these links for more detailed information.
Project Linus, a volunteer, non-profit organization with a mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers."
AIDS Baby Quilts, a international voluntary network program to make and provide baby quilts to infants with HIV/AIDS
Art Therapy Connection, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving children who are at risk of failure in their school setting. Participating children visit therapists during their regular school day. By making art, they develop a language of expression.
Many local Day-Care Centers accept fabric scrap donations , to use during arts and crafts projects.
Overall, making good use of your fabric scraps can prove to be very rewarding. It will push your creativity and foster the idea that everything can have a use. ________________________________________________
If you're in the area, visit our store in Pennsauken, New Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia. The size of a supermarket, we have the largest selection of fabrics in New Jersey! Everything we carry is not on our website, so if you're in the area, check us out and browse our fabric aisles.
J&O Fabric Center 9401 Route 130 South Where Rt.73 and 130 meet Pennsauken, New Jersey 08110 info@jandofabrics.com
Today, almost all of the Fabric store chains are disappearing. We her at J & O Fabrics would like to know how to keep the textile industy alive. Today we are reaching out to fabric customers across the world. Customers are the best people to help the fabric industry understand what changes need to be put in place. At J & O Fabrics we base most of our business on what the customer needs. Example, if a few customers ask for a certain fabric that we do not carry we take it upon ourselves to find a manufacture to supply us with that type of textile.
J & O Fabrics would like to be a store that represents the sewing industry. What do we need to do in order to help you as a customer want to continue to shop at our store or on our website? We also want your insight on what you like about other fabric store website along with fabric stores that you visit. You can use this blog to either vent your frustration or add comments to help us change to suit your needs.
For generations of fabric shoppers in the Delaware Valley and Tri-State areas, the only place to go for fabric was the famous "Fabric Row" located on South Philly's 4th Street. At the time, those shops must have seemed like the only game in town when it came to fabrics. Fabric Row isn't quite what it used to be and it might take hours of searching through small fabric shops to find what you are looking for. Where can you go for a family business environment that is at the same time convient?
With J&O Fabrics you get an ideal combination of family business values and modern ideas. One of the ways this can be seen is at our online fabric store: www.jandofabrics.com. Behind all of the technology that goes into running the web site, however, is a staff with many years of experience that is capable of helping you with virtually any fabric project you have in mind.
The convenience of our web site can't be beat, but if you prefer to see the fabrics in person feel free to pop into our store in South Jersey. We are minutes from the major bridges such as the Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Betsy Ross and Tacony-Palmyra. We are also only about 45 minutes from the Commodore Barry Bridge.
Once you find your way here you will find a larger selection of fabrics than we have even on our web site.
Wal-Mart has initiated what it is calling a national pilot project by closing the fabric centers in many of its stores across the country. Many of Wal-Mart's fabric-buying customers are upset at the decision; the convenience and prices that attracted them to Wal-Mart are now gone for the foreseeable future.
The impact on the retail fabric industry
Nevertheless, there are those that stand to benefit from Wal-Mart's decision. Industry analysts estimate that up to $540 million in annual sales could be channeled to other fabric retailers. A portion of the sales that were formerly Wal-Mart's could find their way back to smaller fabric stores and encourage their resurgence. Consumers may rediscover the unquantifiable benefits often found at smaller shops, such as higher levels of customer service and knowledge.
Furthermore, the void left in the fabric retail market by Wal-Mart's withdrawal is certain to be filled with innovative online fabric retailers. This possibility seems very likely as an ever-growing number of consumers discovers the convenience of shopping online. In addition to convenience, online shopping opens up a much more extensive fabric inventory for the perusal of quilters and sewing enthusiasts.
Customer response to our earlier Wal-Mart post
When we first heard that Wal-Mart could potentially be eliminating their fabric departments, late last year, we issued a post detailing some of the questions both we and our customers had. Since that time, Wal-Mart has initiated said pilot project much to the chagrin of many quilters and sewing enthusiasts. Here is what some of them said in response to our earlier post:
One anonymous customer "wrote": "Since they are the only fabric store in my area I AM OUTRAGED!!!! (emphasis theirs).
Another reader vented: "The manager of the Wylie, Texas Wal-Mart told me today they are definitely closing the fabric department and that most other Wal-Mart stores in the area are closing their fabric dep[artments] too.
In response to this development many customers have taken to writing letters of protest or initiating petition drives, while others have begun to look for alternative retailers.
What J&O Fabrics is doing
In light of Wal-Mart's growing withdrawal from retailing fabric, many consumers have been left to look for a new resource from which to purchase their fabrics. What all too many consumers don't realize is that the most convenient alternative for all types of fabrics is J&O Fabric's online fabric store: www.jandofabrics.com.
At J&O Fabrics, we hope to be able to help fill the void left by Wal-Mart's vanishing fabric departments. Far from being an ancillary concern of ours, fabric is our primary business and we continually strive to have the widest possible selection of designer and discount fabrics in a variety of styles available to our customers.
In a recent post we detailed some of the measures we are taking to enhance the shopping experience of our customers. Within the next few months you will discover at J&O Fabrics a completely new way to shop for fabrics online. The innovations we are in the process of implementing will put more fabrics before you than ever before.
Moreover, our selection of such essential items as trim, notions, quilted fabrics, feather boas, sewing accessories and so on is increasing as well, so that with one online stop you will be able to take your project from beginning to finish.
The advantages of shopping with J&O
What are the advantages of shopping with J&O now? Our company began operating over 40 years ago and has established itself as an important part of the surrounding community. Therefore, we strive to maintain the hallmarks of family businesses, namely customer service and an extensive knowledge of our products.
Furthermore, as mentioned above J&O is constantly investigating new ways to improve your online shopping experience and expand your fabric horizons.
At J&O Fabrics, we combine the family business's emphasis on the customer with a keen eye for online innovation. In this way, we bring the tradition of the local fabric store right to your computer screen.
First Walmart starts phasing out their fabric departments. Now, Hancock fabrics said its six subsidiaries - including their website, HF Enterprises Inc and HF Merchandising filed for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday April 28th 2007. Hancock has defaulted on a $115 million credit line. The company has stated that they are going to close at a minimum of 100 of their 400 stores.
Today, it seems like fabric stores are a dying breed. Putting the kids into the car and going to the local fabric stores, is something of a quaint notion as today you can purchase anything pre-made from curtains to tablecloths. Is it the case that Americans are too busy to sit down with their sewing machine and create with their own hands. Is that the case?
We believe that there is a slight resurgence of sewers and crafters. HGTV and other design shows maintain interest in the fabric industry. These shows are not enough to support a fabric store in each community. Also, community and school sewing classes will help insure that sewing and other fabric arts do not fade into hobbies of the past. By stressing both fun and practical sides of sewing, both sewing classes and network design shows demonstrate that there are still plenty of uses for sewing abilities, abilities that almost anyone can develop. In reality, the only limits will be those imposed by your imagination. We still need sewing classes from grade school to high school. Sewing is not a hobby of the past but a ability that anyone can achieve. Sewing can help you make anything you want with any fabric you can find. One is not limited on what they can do or make.
Furthermore, because of the internet new fabric stores have emerged. The selection of fabric is bigger than the sewer of 30 years ago could have imagined. If you need a floral tapestry just go to a search engine and type in floral tapestry and there will be a vast selection of fabric stores and fabric patterns to choose from. If you need a dog fabric just go to Google and type in dog fabric and you will see 50 or more sites with all different kinds of dog fabrics to choose from.
Do the Hancock store closings and Walmart scaling down their fabric department affect you as a sewer, quilter, seamstress or designer? Will you even notice they are gone?
J&O Fabrics is updating its image! Founded on a 42 year tradition of excellence in variety, J&O Fabrics has been and still is one of the largest fabric stores in New Jersey. Thanks to our customers, in the recent years, J&O Fabrics has transitioned from being a local fabric store to a thriving online fabric business with a selection unparalleled.
If you're one of J&O's regular valued customers, you may have noticed that along with your fabric order we periodically include our discount cards. For the past few months, J&O has been experimenting with various visuals that will reflect the modern online business we've become. At this point, we're done experimenting with designs and we're ready to make some final decisions. You, our valued customer, can help us. Below, we have three sets of logos that may appear on our future newly designed website and discount cards. Of the three sets of logos, vote which design you think best exemplifies the J&O Fabrics you have grown to love.
Cast your vote by sending an email to info@jandofabrics.com. Feel free to comment!
