People have suspected this, but the manufacturers say emphatically, NO. They do not produce lesser grades of their fabrics.

The best thing to do is buy in person and feel what you are interested in. The hand test always tells you the quality. OR, if you can only buy online, always choose the name brand manufacturers.

No doubt, but this is a different issue. It's a lesser product made with lesser goods, not the same goods of two different quality grades.

I am in the same situation.. I started my own chapter of Quilts For Kids and I have to be "thrifty" on what fabric I purchase. We do get fabric donations but I still need some "filler" fabric to fill things out

I don't know how you feel about your projects, but I try to get decent fabric but I don't feel like I need top of the line... I just want it to hold up.

I have not seen where a certain brand/manufacturer has a cheaper line to sell to lower end markets. My experience is that those are different lines. They could be made in the same factories for all I know - but they have a different name/line they sell under

Just because you purchase from a quilt shop does not always mean it is top quality. But will be priced as if it were top quality.

There is a identifiable difference in fit and styling on the more expensive jeans vs the Walmart jeans. The construction is also cheaper not as durable in Walmart clothing in general.

When I remember the history of quilting, I have to chuckle at those who put great money into quilts today. If I were going to show quilts at a national competition, I'd probably do that but my quilts are for general use and I put into them what I like and think is a reasonable price. So far, nothing has failed to meet the test, even the ones that have been favorites of the grandchildren and had hard use. Most of the antique quilts that have failed, it is because of the dyes that were used at the time and those quilters used what they had, feedsacks or even recycled clothes. Putting aside that Quilts of Valor are certainly for a worthy cause, charity quilts may meet with a fate that is not what we'd hope. Use what you can afford and looks good at the time. Broadcloth is cheaper and holds up well but some quilters would not put that into their quilts. Sadly, some charity quilts are only appreciated by the family pet or end up in the trash. Some people do not realize the time and money put into them. Some may end up at nursing homes and endure harsh laundry methods. The real value of a quilt is the love that goes into it. Others can be purchased a lot cheaper at big box stores.

Robert Kaufman has consistently said that they do not make different grades of their cotton kona fabrics

Whittles.com has some great fabrics for QOV at reasonable prices. They sell lots o name brands. Thousands Of Bolts.com is another good source.

In the manufacturing of fabrics there are different runs to produce the final fabric. These first runs are not the same quality as the final run. These are the fabrics sold cheaper at the some stores. The best quality usually are sold at the quilt stores and more expensive.

Last year, I bought an "I spy" type print of dollar bills that was labeled with a name brand at Hobby Lobby. I ran short, so went to a different Hobby Lobby and bought some more, as it was closer. When I got home with it, it wasn't the same. It was coarser fabric and not printed as well. It was not labeled with the name brand, though.

A couple of weeks later, I was a JoAnn's and they had both versions - the name brand and not name brand.
bkay