What a great topic! My first thought was that a change in the chemicals that fabric manufacturers are allowed to use was responsible - the older stuff (what ever that was) was deemed unsafe so alternatives had to be found that were safer but probably didn't work as well. My second thought was whether or not the manufacturers use some sort of treatment to prevent fading (after all, it sits on bolts in the shops for months or more) and that maybe by pre-washing we wash that treatment out. Mind you, I have absolutely no firm source for either thought, just things I've heard along the way.
In my quest to find a firm source, I came across yet another must-have book for my quilting library: From Fiber to Fabric by Harriet Hargrave. Even if the answers I'm looking for aren't in there, it sure seems like a very good reference book to have. Since it was published in 1997, that may be a bit of a hunt :wink: