The Olympus Thread Mfg. Co., Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan, has been A Threaded Needle's main Sashiko supplier since 2005. I choose them for their knowledge and manufacturing standards, first for sashiko products, and recently more and more for their interesting and exceptional quality fabrics.

(Olympus Sashiko Cloth)

I know when you are shopping on a website for fabrics, you need to be able to trust the quality of the fabrics will be consistent, and I plan for that when I buy for you.

In the beginning I searched for interesting fabrics I would use myself, and as you know if you've followed my projects over the years, I expect my fabrics to stand up to real life use.  They must stand up to being tossed around by grandkids, must be able to go in the washing machine and a (warm)* dryer, must keep their shape and colour, must be natural fibres, must have and keep their body (no getting thin or going limp!) over years of use. 

(Olympus Sakizomemomen Fabrics)

Over the years I've come to trust Olympus Fabrics. They are more expensive than North American fabrics, but their quality is heads above. 

Plus there is another reason for why I choose Olympus fabrics.

Aside from the quality standards which the Olympus Thread Mfg. Co., Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan, maintain in manufacturing their fabrics, they have cared to make it their goal to revive the traditional Japanese vintage textiles while using modern textile technologies, and they have done it very well.  The textures, colours and designs  retain the feeling and appearance of kofu (traditional) fabrics, but these Olympus fabrics will not shrink or bleed their colours during washing.

(Tsumugi Fabric)

(Wagara & wagara kasuri fabrics)

I carry several lines of Olympus fabrics from solid colour cottons with texture, perfect for sashiko stitching and boro mending, to the beautiful Wagara and Kasuri Kofu fabrics. Also the very beautiful cotton tsumugi fabric, and recently now, the slightly textured cotton sarasa printed cottons which are based on 13th century designs and dye colours. You can find them all in the Special Fabrics Collections

(Olympus Sarasa Fabrics - that blue piece in this photo, the one with the blossom is not a sarasa, it just hanging out with friends :-D)

From the beginning I have believed that even inexperienced sewers and stitchers should use the best quality fabrics they can afford.  A good fabric will bring the level of your work up, a poor quality fabric will pull it down no matter how skilled you are. 

More than that, working with good quality fabrics will give you joy just through the feel of it it in your hands :-)

Happy Sewing

Susan

*(The (warm) dryer note is because natural fibres hate to be rolled around in hot dry air. It 'cooks' them and they never feel the same again, so take them out before they are totally dry and give them a good shake.) Press with steam if you want :-)