I'm just wondering if there's a particular place in Kunming that has a large selection of fabrics to choose from for sale, preferably cheap? In smaller cities and towns I've been to I've seen fabric stores, usually selling materials used to make traditional clothing of whatever ethnic group populates the area. However, I have yet to come across something similar in Kunming. Perhaps someone knows where I can buy fabrics? I'm also looking for old linen if anyone knows where that's lurking?
Luosiwan wholesale market has about a thousand or more fabric shops and tens of thousands of fabrics to choose from.
The bigger the quanitity, the cheaper the price of course. If you buy a small quantity, you pay a little more or closer to normal retail price.
Fabrics: Section A, B and C, floor 1,2 and 3 I believe.
Curtain fabrics: section D, E and F, 2nd floor
Metro stop: South Bus station (line 1/2)
Also in the market area just one block north and one block east of Dashanghui, there are many fabric traders.
Awesome, thanks to both of you for replying, I'm gonna check those places out tomorrow. Do either of you have any idea what the retail price for fabric is? I usually like to go prepared so I know in what vicinity I should be paying.
Aaand... Do you have any idea where I could pick up a cheap sewing machine from?
Hi guys,
Could I get a sofa reupholstered at any of these places, or if I take in the old covers, could they make me new ones? Or is it literally just fabric for sale?
Thanks!
They will make many things.
Sofa fabric is not the same though. Even loose covers are heavier, suggest you look for curtain fabric.
There is a curtain makers area just one block W of Dashanghui. Try there.
You would have to judge if it is heavy enough.
Remember TIC, some people will promise what they cannot really deliver.
YES, at Luosiwan you can get custom fabric covers, curtains and other things made. If it's a cover you can just pull over the sofa they can make it. Just bring the old covers in.
Does it really need staples, nails, sewing and putting in place (for you to bring the actual sofa there), then NO.
They prefer big orders, so don't expect a priority treatment or discount for a single item. But they do work fast.
Wholesale / retail prices per meter of fabric:
2 yuan to 500 yuan per meter.
Sorry, but it's not a straight answer because as I said, they have thousands of fabrics. You can buy the cheapest of cheapest linen, bedsheet fabric, bathroom nylon or upgrade to curtains with real gold thread.
Think of it this way: European / American store prices divided by 2 to 4 are retail price.
About the price: ask a couple stores and you'll get a feeling for what the price should be. They're not there to rip you off, but to do business. They prefer you to come back. Of course there's always the odd-one out who asks more.
(Cheap) sewing machines: also at Luosiwan. They have sewing-machine shops (and machine repair shops) at the fabrics department, curtain department and the electronics department (they are a bit scattered around because it's an electronic device meant for fabric).
Not all stores have in-house tailors or tailors on speed-dial. Ask if they can do custom sewing for you. There are tailors available in each department who are on call for the shops. The tailors don't own shops themselves there.
Whatever you order, make sure they write it down in detail and add a business card. Make a photo of the order and the prices listed. (so they cannot change it).
Im looking for Heavy Duty nylon material to make sail and boom bags for our sailboats....
Heavy duty nylon for sailboat covers and accessories? Hmm, that may be difficult. Do they have nylon fabric? Pretty sure. Is it strong enough? don't know. Is it waterproof or water-resistant? No idea.
Luosiwan is retail market orientated (home use, consumer, prosumer and small industrial) (private owned shops or run by factories putting their products there). Do they have industrial and heavy duty products? Yes, but limited. But considering you're not anywhere in a sail-boating surrounding, it may be harder to find what you are looking for. I definitely recommend checking the market out. You never know what you find. I bet there's someone selling it (there is always the odd-one out), but it may only be 1 or a handful of shops. There are also a lot of outdoor sporting and camping stores, but I don't think they sell fabrics, let alone per meter or roll.
An alternative for that is Taobao. If you know that you want big quantities, ask them to send you some samples.
If you go, try to bring a fold-up bicycle or step. The building is a quarter mile (300 meter) wide, 5-6 floors high and 1.6 KM (1 mile) long.
Each floor of each section is divided into 15 to 25 corridors with shops of which each corridor is 100 meters long.
You're not really allowed to cycle inside, but you can do stepping.
