Here is a list I will keep adding to of online sources for international fabrics. Click on the name to access the link. I am not endorsing any of these sites – I just thought it would be fun for you to have a list of ideas. Most of the description comes directly from their websites. If you find any great sites – please let me know and I will add them!
From sewing and quilting to home decor and headwraps, Cultured Expressions has the creative supplies and inspiration you need to enjoy Africa’s rich textile traditions every day – fabrics, beads, embellishments, kits and more.
EQuilter.com offers an impressive array of asian and asian inspired fabrics, batiks from around the world, and international books and patterns. In addition to their great selection, EQuilter.com is dedicated to contributing to charitable organizations throughout the world. They donate 2% of all purchases (before taxes and shipping) to your selected charity.
Since Oct 2000, French Connections has been offering an eclectic variety of fabrics, antiques, table linens, art, and crafts from France, Mexico, and about 20 African countries.They are proud supporters of sustainable, ethically-traded products of the highest quality, directly sourced from artists, small manufacturers, and personal contacts from around the globe.
Indonesian Batik’s selection of Batik Art Paintings provide quilters, fabric artists, and interior designers with an opportunity to combine an ancient art form with a contemporary use. Each Batik Art Painting is handmade individually using 100% cotton fabric. Currently they offer over 700 fabulous designs of Batik Art Paintings in all styles, colors and sizes. These are great for quilt projects, as medallion pieces, banners clothing or simply used as a signed art wall hanging. Their Project Ideas page has many fantastic beaded, stitched and bedazzled quilts, clothing and fabrics.
Vintage Japanese kimono fabric, kauri, boro and a wide array of apparel and other items made from these fabrics. Patch kits are small packets of scrap fabrics.
Knit One Quilt Too in Barrington, RI has a beautiful collection of Japanese fabrics on the bolt as well as precuts strips and squares. The fabrics range from traditional sashiko indigo fabric (very difficult to find!), to daewabu, ikats, and fabrics that are perfect for quilting and garment construction. The shop carries a wide variety of sashiko samplers as well.
Kimono and obi fabric and so much more!
Okan Arts sells beautiful vintage yukata cotton by the yard. Shop Owner, Patricia Belyae, has written a book, East-Meets-West Quilts: Explore Improv with Japanese-Inspired Designs.
Quilters’ Express to Japan is a multi-faceted retail and travel-related business established by Susan Ball Faeder, an American quilter whose love for Japanese art and culture spans nearly 40 years! Susan lived in Japan on two separate occasions through scholarships and study, and speaks Japanese fluently. She grew up sewing her own clothing, but joyously “converted” to quilting in 1983.
For the last 20+ years, Susan has been not only actively following the path of quiltmaking in Japan and researching the history of Japanese indigenous textiles, but also sharing this information through textile tours, workshops and lectures, a Japanese Fabric Club, online shopping, and most recently at The Beckoning Cat, her retail shop.
The Quilted Fox, established by Louise Georgia in 1995, features unique and high-quality quilting fabrics from all over the world. With more than 6000 bolts in stock, our friendly and helpful staff can fill almost any quilting need. As a full-service quilt shop, The Quilted Fox carries not only quilt fabric but all of the quilting books, notions, patterns, threads, and sewing machines you might need to make the quilt of your dreams. Let us help you get started! We have hundreds of bolts of Asian fabrics, toile fabrics, batiks, Japanese Indigo, Indonesian fabrics, African fabrics, Austrailian fabrics, English fabrics, French fabrics and more.
Asian Quilting Fabrics, and Wearable Art with an Asian Flair. Traditional Japanese fabrics (Yukata, Noren, Furoshiki) and Sashiko patterns, samplers, thread, notions, kits and books. Asian patterns, books.
Susan Briscoe Designs, home of The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook – your one stop sashiko shop, plus kogin threads & fabrics, Japanese fabrics, boro supplies and more! Located in the UK, Susan is author of some of the best books on sashiko and has a new book on Boro.
In business since 1989 and online since 1998, Yokodana Kimono sells authentic traditional vintage Japanese kimonos by the pound as well as traditional vintage Japanese fabrics for artists and artisans, crafters, designers, theatre troupes, quilters and other small businesses worldwide. Their main product is bulk vintage (used) kimono packages by pound (10lbs and up) on the website. They also carry antique & vintage Japanese country antique textiles (tsutsugaki).