Brands that tend to fade

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08-19-2009, 10:29 AM

motomom

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Join Date: Mar 2009

Location: Aledo, TX

Posts: 672

Have any of you noticed that certain brands of fabric are more likely to fade than others? I just pulled the fabric out of my stash that I had purchased only a few months ago for the backing of one of my projects, and I was so sad to see that the fabric had faded along the fold. I would really prefer to avoid this in the future, so I'm wondering if certain brands fade more than others?

The fabric in question says on the selvedge 1922 Fuchsia by Jackie Robinson and Maywood Studio. The website (www.maywoodstudio.com) says that they are owned by E.E.Schenck. I bought it back in April, and it has NOT been exposed to any sunlight.

08-19-2009, 10:40 AM

motomom

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Join Date: Mar 2009

Location: Aledo, TX

Posts: 672

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loretta

I have had good luck with Maywood Studios- but I think all fabric fades to a small degree over time. Is it really obvious?

Pretty danged obvious if you ask me. I think it is not too bad to use considering the quilt recipient. She has small children so it will probably have a pretty rough life. And, it is the back, so it won't be readily visible. After I quilt it, probably no one but me will see it.

However, I used some of this same fabric for blocks on the front, so if it fades badly it will fade there. At least it will probably all fade at the same time. :evil:

08-19-2009, 03:17 PM

Cathe

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Join Date: Jul 2007

Location: SE Wisconsin

Posts: 1,087

I bumped a thread about fading fabrics. This is what I wrote in it:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathe

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roben

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.

I believe this is true. A while ago (maybe 20 years?), DMC sent out notices that their red floss would no longer be colorfast because they weren't allowed to use the old standard mordants anymore. I think it was an environmental hazard or something??? Anyhow, they have new fixatives for that now, but some embroiderers are still boiling and/or setting it with vinegar or salt water before use.

I read this newsletter back in 1998:

In a newsletter generated by a special Keepsake Quilting mail order catalog in Spring 1998, Jinny Beyer, the famous quilt entrepreneur and designer of fabrics, reveals the following:

Quote:

The industry standard for light fading of 100% cotton fabric is 20 hours! This means that an 'apparel fabric' (the industry category that 100% cotton falls into) must hold its color up to 20 hours in direct sunlight; after that time, if it fades, the industry is not held responsible.