Fabric is expensive. There's no getting around that. Especially when you're buying it by the yard as most hobbyists do! I don't know about you, but I rarely feel the need to buy an entire bolt of fabric for one project... So buying in bulk is not (usually) for me.

Typically when I chat with people about how to cut costs, the first idea that comes up is buying lower quality fabric. However, there are ways to get high quality fabric at very low cost. Sometimes even for free! Using second-hand fabric can be a great option for getting large quantities of fabric for low cost. Fabric purchased by the yard typically does not hold its value, so when it's time to clear out the fabric stash, many people will sell their unused fabric for cheap, or even give it away for free!

It takes a little more planning and a lot more patience. But I have built up a very large stash of almost entirely second-hand fabrics, so it's absolutely possible!

Here are the some of my favorite places to source fabric that is not a JoAnn's.

1. The thrift store- keeping it simple to start with. Going to a local thrift store can be a little hit or miss, but I have found some great fabric cuttings this way (all the light blue fabric for Suicune was from a thrift store!). Thrift stores also have bed sheets (great for mock-ups) and curtains (lots of beautiful pre-hemmed fabric!)

2. Second-hand craft stores- I'm separating this one out because I happen to live close to one. People donate their old craft supplies, sometimes beautiful beads, sometimes gorgeous fabric. I got a bunch of very nice leather hides from this place, and some really lovely fabric, too. (Also my entire hoard, I mean... bead collection)

3. Online Second-hand fabric stores- Swanson Fabric is my favorite place to shop online for pretty second-hand fabric. They drop fabric every Thursday, and you have to be quick! I like to have an idea of what I want in mind before I shop there, so if I see it I don't have to think twice about grabbing it. Last time I purchased from them, I also got a bunch of weaving cones...because I might as well make fabric I guess? (Still cheaper than JoAnns). Second hand-fabric stores: Swanson Fabric; A Thrifty Notion

4. Dead stock fabric- this is not quite second hand fabric, as it's usually sold on the bolt, however this is fabric that clothing companies are done with and it will usually get thrown out if it's not sold. Here are a couple of websites you can buy dead stock fabric from: Fabric Mart Fabrics; Our Social Fabric; Fab Scrap

5. Estate sales- sometimes a bust, sometimes a goldmine! Keep an eye out for estate sales that seem to have lots of crafting/sewing things in the pictures or listings. I recently picked up an absolute MOUNTAIN of fabric for free from an estate sale that had ended and they were just trying to get as much out of the house as possible.

6. Facebook marketplace- this is where I have gotten most of my favorites from. I have gotten boxes of fabric for free and I have paid about $100 for 3 bins of fabric that ended up being purchased at the LA fabric district 😱. You never really know what you're going to find, so just scroll it regularly and grab what you see when you can. You can also save your searches in Facebook, and Facebook will helpfully alert you when a new listing has been posted for that search.

OK, so now we have an idea of where to source fabric from. But there's so much out there that you probably don't want, especially if you are shopping for a specific cosplay. The reality is, by shopping second hand you are giving up some convenience. I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to con-crunch a specific cosplay AND shop for fabric second hand, that's a recipe for burnout and tears.

Here are things I keep in mind when I'm shopping for second hand fabric.

1. Can I use it in the future?

• Shopping this way is excellent for building up your fabric stash for future projects!

2. Can I dye it?

• I often gravitate towards white, or light colored fabric when considering this question.

• Part of this involves knowing what type of fabric you have. Certain dyes only work on certain types of fabric. I recommend doing a burn test (safely of course! Have water nearby) to determine if you have natural or synthetic fabric, at the very least. Like is it cotton or polyester, for example.

3. Can I stand the feel of it when I touch it? Am I willing to wash it?

• Let's be honest, sometimes things sit around for too long and dust and dirt build up on them. For some fabric it is definitely worth spending the time to deep clean it. For others... more than likely something similar and cleaner, will come around.

 Below are examples of cosplays I made that used mostly, or entirely, second-hand fabrics:

Evening gown Vex’ahlia, Flareon, Suicune, Mimikyu, Flareon (Z’s suit was not at all second hand for the record!)

Shopping for second hand fabric can be a viable option for building up your fabric stash for future projects, and getting a hold of higher quality fabrics for lower costs. AND it keeps these textiles out of landfills. Hopefully this blog can be a resource to help you get started with trying out a new way to shop for fabric!

Happy Shopping!