The
NYC Garment District
by Paula Nadelstern
www.paulanadelstern.com
The NYC Garment District IntroductionIt's easy to develop a love/hate relationship with New York. (Take that sentence for example. New Yorkers are so self-centered, we refer to the geographical entity known as Manhattan as New York. We know New York is not only a big city that includes four more boroughs, it's a huge, beautiful and diverse state. But to get you thinking like a New Yorker, I'm going to adopt this reference system and not make any other excuses for it.) It's big, it's loud, it's not easy to do the stuff that's probably easy to do where you come from, like parking or getting to the post office. But you probably aren't thinking of coming to New York because you want to mail a letter or test your parking karma. |
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FABRIC SHOPS The fabric shops in the garment district are mostly on 39th and 40th Streets, between 7th and 8th Avenues. Although they are open to the public, they cater to the apparel industry, meaning come with an open mind and don't expect many Fabrics & Fabricscalicoes and traditional quilting fabrics. But don't be shy: ask for cottons. Depending on the season, you could get lucky. Generally, the hours are Monday to Friday 9-6 and Saturday 10-5 (or 4:30). Interestingly, Saturdays are not as busy as weekdays when wholesale customers in the trade make up most of the traffic. A few stores open and close an hour earlier, and some are closed on Saturdays because of religious observance. |
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Mood |
Mood just keeps getting better and better. As of July 1, 2015 their six hundred YouTube sewing videos will go live. Home dec is now at ground level. Inquire about classroom with daily free workshops. Large warehouse ambiance with knowledgeable staff. Many designer end-cuts at great prices. I bought cloth here, shlepped it to Beijing and had a cashmere coat, cashmere pants and two pairs of linen pants made in a week. Act out out your Project Runway fantasy. Consider printing out the lay-outs of each of the thre floors from their website. If you only have an hour and you want to see fabric, start here. A beautiful selection of Liberty of London for $20/yard. And the leather corner is breath-taking. | |||||
B&J 525 Seventh Avenue, between 37th and 38th Streets, 2nd floor (212) 354-8150, www.bandjfabrics.com Open Monday to Saturday |
After 45 years in a multi-level storefront on West 40th Street, B&J Fabrics was forced to move to make way for the new headquarters of The New York Times. Huge selection of expensive, gorgeous, luxury goods. I always start here and I've never regretted a purchase. The stuff I've bought here has become grist for inspiration, sparking new quilts and directions. | |||||
Paron |
Features designer fabrics at discount prices. Their motto: Your Source for Better Discount Fabrics! | |||||
Fabrics&Fabrics |
Formerly known as Lace Star, they now have an entire floor which has enabled them to expand their stock. “While we still have our lovely laces in many, many varieties and colors, we now also have a large selection of solid and printed silks (including charmeuse, gazar, satin, to name a few), cottons, linens, a selection of knits, a large amount of beautiful brocades and jacquards, and a very large selection of wools. We even have some leather, ultra suede, and vinyl as well.” |
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Sposabella Lace 240 West 37th Street (212) 354-4729 Open Mon-Sat 9:30-6 Sat 9:30-5 |
Bride Heaven. Frank Sena, the owner, is passionate and sincere about being a manufacturer of specialty bridal headpieces and laces. When I got married in 1970, I wore an $8 Mexican wedding dress and eventually three friends wore it, too (=$2 per wedding). This shop, filled with yardage of gorgeous, beautiful lace, makes me want another wedding dress or to figure out a way to make a lace quilt. | |||||
NY Elegant Fabrics
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I haven't yet been to this new address for a maze-like store that gave the impressive it is never ending, filled with a very impressive range of beautiful fabrics: silks, woolens, cottons, designer fabrics, laces, imports. Swatches available. Not discounted. | |||||
Butterfly Fabrics 237 West 35th Street #241 (212) 719-9617, www.butterflyfabrics.us/ Open Monday to Saturday |
A full line of metallic silk organza and other wonderful stuff, including a fantastic line of dupioni silks, both 45" and 60" wide, at reasonable prices. (They will offer wholesale prices if you purchase twenty yards.) The proprietors own a factory in India that weaves a two color dupioni seen nowhere else. | |||||
Ayazmoon Fabrics 214 W 39th Street (212) 869-3315, ayazmoon@aol.com Open seven days a week. |
Big array of Chinese silk brocades and beautiful saris. Between 7th and 8th. | |||||
Spandex House, Inc. 263 West 38th Street (212) 354-6711, www.spandexhouse.com Open Monday to Saturday |
You Have To Take A Peek. This store is a hoot. Everything stretches and the patterns are mind boggling. | |||||
Fabric for Less 239 West 39th Street (212) 391-7504 Open seven days a week |
Best selection of decent fake fur - all the way in the back. | |||||
Beckenstein Fashion Fabrics 257 West 39th Street #2 (212) 475-6666 http://fabricczar.com/ Open Mon-Fri 9-6 Saturday by appointment |
Men's wool suiting, shirting, linens. The have a custom tailoring division on the premises (Beckenstein Bespoke) but I can't vouch for prices or costumer satisfaction. Their home dec store is Beckenstein Fabric & Interiors at 32 West 20th Street. http://beckensteinfabrics.com/ |
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Grayline Fabrics 247 W 37th Street (212) 391-4130 http://www.graylinelinen.com/ Mon-Fri 9-6:30 Sat 10-5 |
Imagine: only linen. Reasonable prices and sale bolts. |
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Rosen & Chadick A family run business for 50 years with knowledgeable and friendly staff. |
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Italo Leather Leather Impact Alan Handbags Eurotextil |
Serving the apparel, handbags, accessories and furnishings markets, this immaculate and hospitable leather skin resource has no minimums on stock items (meaning, you can buy a single skin). I'm not a leather maven but I thought the prices were really reasonable and immediately started devising how to use laser cut patterned leather in a quilt. Give me time. Stock includes lambskin, shearling, goatskin, cowhide, calfskin, pigsuede, printed, embossed and hair-on calf. Everything you could need related to leather. Smells great!
Reasonably priced repairs of all leather goods: bags, jackets, briefcases, handbags. Also pattern add sample makers. I bought a handsome bag made from an old kilim in Dubai and brought it here for a new, appropriate size zipper and handle. This is a new address for this upmarket store. No minimum purchase required for stock in existence ( but no fat quarters!) Lots of bridal, theater and film type fabrics, some novelties, mainly solids and mainly from Italy |
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Ribbon Stores Here's a list of the ribbon stores on 38th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, and a few close by additions. (My friend, Robin, wants me to make sure you know that 6th Avenue is also called Avenue of the Americas.) Start at Lord & Taylors on 5th Avenue and walk west. (You might want to stop first at Lord & Taylors to use the facilities.) |
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M&J Trimmings (Button store two doors down) 1008 6th Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets (212) 391-9072, www.mjtrim.com Open Monday to Saturday |
This isn't a store, it's an event. The content is mind-boggling: ribbons and sequins and appliques, oh my! M&J Buttons is two stores away. Don't go midday when it's swarming with garmentos on their lunch breaks. If you only have an hourand you want to see embellishments, start here. | |||||
Mokuba
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Just ribbons. Exquisite variety displayed in a museum-like ambiance. Very Expensive but definitely worth aspiring to. If they ask for a business card at check-out, yiu can say your purchase is for personal use, not business.Here's their idiosyncratic procedure: don't handle anything yourself. After you've decided what you want, an assistant follows you around with a cart and cuts what you ask for. Closes promptly at 5PM. | |||||
M&S Schmalberg
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This is a MUST-SEE destination! This family run business has the largest selection of silk fabric flowers, petals and leaves in the city; the collection is mind boggling and gorgeous. They do all manufacturing on premises and can even custom make something out of your fabric. They've been using the same toolss and techniques since 1916. They offer tours of the factory; it's living history. Textile lovers should pay a visit just for the experience. |
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East Coast Trimming Corporation 142 West 38th Street http://www.eastcoasttrimming.com/ (212) 221-0050 |
Purveyors of passementerie. There's something very Through the Looking Glass about this place when you enter the appealing, peaceful interior from the busy urban street. Listen to your fairy god shopper--expect to be inspired and seriously consider buying tht unique stuff if it inspires you. Go with a friend because you're going to want to point out eye-catching ribbons to someone else; it's weird to talk outloud to yourself. FYI: Hyman Hendler Ribbon and vintage trim is now located within this store. |
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MORE TRIMMINGS/BUTTONS/BEADS/NOTIONS The Bead District is around 6th Avenue from 36th St to 39th St. |
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B & Q Original Shine |
Bridals, veils, lace, trimmings (like to-die-for beaded fringes), laces, appliques, gloves, sequins, costume jewelry, artificial flowers, appliques, and things you've never even dreamed of. The 3 stores are grouped together online under Shine Trim. |
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Daytona Braids & Trimming 251 West 39th Street (212) 354-1713, daytrim@worldnet.att.net Open Monday to Saturday |
Lots of buttons, trim, embroidery thread, and pillow inserts. | |||||
Toho Shoji 990 Avenue of the Americas, between 36th and 37th Streets (212) 868-7466, www.tohoshojiny.com Open Monday to Sunday |
Good assortment of beads, ornaments, and related stuff. | |||||
York Novelty Imports Beads 10 West 37th Street (212) 594-7040, www.yorkbeads.com Open Monday to Friday |
A spokesman for this mammoth retail store, in business at the same site for over sixty years, says they are the major New York importer of Czech beads. Good selection of small containers of seed beads. | |||||
Beads World 1384 Broadway (212) 302-1199, www.beadsworldusa.com Open seven days a week |
From the outside, this new store looks well lit and well stocked. Large selection of Swarovski crystal, lampworked Czech beads, semi-precious stones and seed beads. I like the prices. If you say you found them on my website, they might give you a discount...if the owner is there. | |||||
Steinlauf & Stoller 239 West 39th Street Toll Free: (877) 869-0321, (212) 869-0321-2; www.steinlaufandstoller.com, Open Monday to Friday, 8-5:30 |
Thread, zippers, tools, shoulder pads, etc. They will put on snap sets. I buy the featherweight fusible interfacing (CL-FW) that enables me to play nicely with silks at this notions distributor; $30.00 minimum for mail orders. | |||||
Panda Threads 247 West 38th Street (212) 302-9434, www.zipperbank.com Open Monday to Saturday |
Great prices on giant spools of name brand threads (like Guttermann), elastics, hangers. Plus, they make labels. | |||||
Great Buttons 241 West 40th Street (212) 869-6811 Open Monday to Saturday |
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Top Tex 222 West 38th Street (212) 221-6433, toptextrim@aol.com Open: Monday to Saturday |
Manufacturers and importers of home furnishings, accessories, trimmings, woolen and pashmina shawls | |||||
Eskay Novelty 34 West 38th Street, 3rd floor (212) 391-4110, www.eskaynovelty.com Open Monday to Thursday, half day on Friday |
Imagine: this shop only sells feathers. | |||||
Stanley Pleating 242 West 36th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues (212) 868-2920 Open to the public: Monday to Friday, 12-1:15, 4:30-5:30 |
Pleating, stitching, embroidery services | |||||
QUILT STORE IN THE GARMENT DISTRICT | ||||||
Gotham Quilts 40 West 37th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues (212) 220-3958 us@gothamquilts.com Not open on Monday. |
The selection at this bright, creative quilt store focuses on Modern quilting fabric and basics like polka dots and blenders. They offer sewing and quilting classes as well as long arm services. | |||||
OUT OF THE GARMENT DISTRICT
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Metalliferous |
Metalliferous is a full-service, fully-stocked supplier of metal, tools, and supplies to jewelers, beaders, crafters, hobbyists, metal workers, sculptors, and everyone else interested in metalworking and jewelry. Kaleidoscope makers love this place. | |||||
Tender Buttons 143 East 62nd Street (212) 758-7004 Open Monday to Saturday |
The cream of the contemporary and antique button crop. This tiny shop is worthy of multiple ooh-and-aah moments. Expensive. | |||||
Zipper Stop |
YKK zippers in every size and color. Best prices for quantity zippers. Featured on CBS Sunday Morning. |
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Long Island
Huntington Fabric Depot
1949 New York Avenue(631) 424-7333 http://www.huntingtonfabricdepot.com/ Mon-Sat, 10AM-7PM |
Eleanor-from-Long-Island and her daughter-the-Salsa-dancer have great things to say about this mecca: “Garment silks, like Dupioni ($12), silk lining fabric ($5--cheaper than the polyester at Joann’s.), lovely wools ($10), Ultrasuede ($10 to 12). Discounted patterns at 50% off, loads of stock notions, accessories, trims and buttons, not to mention a decorating fabric section, too.
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P&S Fabrics 355 Broadway (about four blocks below Canal) (212) 226-1534. Monday to Friday and Sundays. Closed Saturday. |
According to Shirley Levine, it's the best stocked notion center, with a great selection of brand name rayon threads (including Madeira) and stuff like rat tail and cording for piping, and it's one of the few spots in the city that carries clothing patterns (at 25% off). According to Judy Speezak, this shop always has a good selection of genuine African cottons, cheaper than most anywhere else in the city. They also have an odd selection of quilting cottons, and she's recently seen woven patterned Chinese silks there, too. |
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Erica Wilson 717 Madison Avenue (212) 832-7390 Open Monday to Saturday |
Best place for hard-to-find pearl cotton | |||||
Bruce Frank 215 West 83rd Street (212) 595-3746, www.brucefrankbeads.com Open seven days a week |
BEADS! | |||||
Beads Of Paradise
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Isn't it amazing about the siren song of beads? You donj't think you could possibly need one more thing and then you start shopping. Thisshop, a block off Union Square, is fabulous with exquisite beyond seed-bead-beads. There's everything related to beads, plus lacquerware and African, Asian and Indonesian artifacts with knowledgeable, helpful salespeople. |
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Djema Imports 70 West 125th Street (212) 289-3842, www.djemaimports.com Open seven days a week |
Specializes in African fabrics: mudcloths, korhogo, and African cotton prints. | |||||
Lunch Advice from Friends Who Work in the Area | ||||||
My friends in the Benartex studio put together this list just for this website: Pain Quotidien Mandoo Bar Pig & Whistle Crisp Mexicue Macy's Stella 34 Trattoria Refinery Hotel/The Rooftop Bar |
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Teresa (a talented patternmaker and art quilter): Pret A Manger Victoria Findlay Wolfe (quiltmaker/owner Bumble Beans Inc; http://www.bumblebeansinc.com/ “Casa Nonna, Market Cafe, and Il Punto are the better places in the hood. The others are the ones that are a step tier down from the first three mentioned, but are still better than most of the pop up food places in the garment district. “ Casa Nonna Market Cafe IL PUNTO Ristorante Inakaya Mercato HK Hell's Kitchen FAST BITES: Dean & Deluca Inc Schnipper's Quality Kitchen Counter |
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Kait (Dimitrios Design Archive) |
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THREE HOUR GUIDE TO THE GARMENT DISTRICT
Consider the following itinerary a sampler of garment district attractions that can be collapsed into three hours (if you stay focused and on task and wear either roller-skates or rubber soled shoes). If you need sustenance, try Ben’s, a NY kosher type deli at 209 W 38th Street, corner of 7th Avenue, (212) 398-2367. Many thanks to Shirley Levine for her clever help compiling this list. SEGMENT 1 Wander through 3 shops on 40th St between 7th & 8th Ave 1. METRO CREATION Really reasonable prices for trimmings land accessories like rhinestones, sequins, bandings, handbag handles, beads 2. NY ELEGANT FABRICS An impressive range of beautiful fabrics: silks, woolens, cottons, designer fabrics, laces, imports 3. PARON WEST and PARON ANNEX A NYC legend; you’ll either luck into the buy of your life or wander through wondering what the hype is all about. All fabric is 50% off in the Annex.
4. B&J Fabrics Beautifully organized, high end, expensive. Check it out for scientific purposes. 5. MOOD This must-see store is one of the recurring characters on the iconic reality TV show, PROJECT RUNWAY. Jam packed with designer and home dec fabrics, it might behoove you to print out the layout of the three floors from the website. Also, it has restrooms. SEGMENT 3 Wander between four stores on 38th Street. 6. SIL THREAD A great range of colored thread 7. LEATHER IMPACT Smells great! 8. MATCH FEATHER Peek inside: feathers, feather trim, Swarovski stone, flowers, buckles 9. PACIFIC TRIMMING Inexpensive button source plus much more SEGMENT 4: 10. TOHO SHOJI (New York) Findings, beads, chains, cool stuff you didn’t even know you were looking for 11. M&J Trimming Although it might seem redundant after the other trimming stores, a visit to the garment district wouldn’t be complete without trekking a few blocks east to M+J Trimming. You might want to stop for a caffeine break on your way over; you’ll need renewed stamina to stand and gawk. M&J is a bit pricier .The view is fabulous bordering on overwhelming. If you’re into embellishment and you’ve only got an hour, you might want to spend it here.
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Compiled by Paula Nadelstern, June 2004. Revised June 2015, www.paulanadelstern.com |
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