I was just using two charm packs from two different Moda collections last weekend. One I had bought two years ago and one I bought recently. The 'newer' fabric was noticably thinner, not chintzy, just thinner than the other. I showed it to my table mate and she wondered if it was the finish that made it that way. Maybe this was the answer.
I agree, this would make shopping on line trickier unless it all goes this way and our hands just get used to it.