I’ve contacted them to see what I can do to solve this problem. And agreed, I definitely don’t want to do business with them again!

It’s a really strange, awful smell that is quite hard to identify, so I have no idea what it could be. It just stinks! Considering this seems to be a large online shop, I’m really surprised that the fabric smells like anything at all since it should be stocked at some kind of warehouse.

Some yardage I bought several years ago was very stinky, not a musty smell, something else I could never identify. I suspect it had something to do with how it was printed. Anyway, the only thing that got rid of the smell was washing it and then hanging it in the sun to dry. I had to let it stay out in the sun for a couple of days before the stink completely dissipated.

Rob

keep it in the garage for now. stinking can be transferred. wash only when you have done everything else. some smells stay in no matter what you do. Good luck.

Why don't you want to wash it?

I would do as Rob says - wash and hang out in the sun to dry and air out.

I once participated in a block exchange. One block came absolutely reeking of cigarette smoke, it was so bad the stench overwhelmed me when I opened my mailbox. Since it was a block, I didn't want to wash it, so I sprinkled baking soda on my front porch (which has sunny southern exposure), laid the block down, sprinkled more baking soda on top, and left it there all day. In the evening I picked it up and the smoke smell was gone.

I'm not sure what kind of smell you're dealing with but if its a strong chemical smell, its probably just the formaldehyde used when the fabric is manufactured. It used to be quite common for fabric to have formaldehyde smell. I used to get a headached every time I was in a fabric store for any length of time. It will become stronger if the the fabric is packaged up for any length of time. I would definitely wash and hang outside. That will probably get rid of the smell.

Well that's the good news. If you can't get them to respond to your emails or messages paypal will get your money back for you.

You can try cleaning it, but if it's that bad it might not come out. And after washing it you can't return it, so I'd be careful with that too! If I were you I'd just return it at their cost since it's a problem with the fabric and if they don't they go to paypal and like others said never go there again. Any problem I've EVER had with fabric from the stores I've shopped at and they fixed it immediately. I've had very good luck, I know, which is why I'm a big repeat customer.

I very sadly had to toss some old fabric from my great grandmother, I tried EVERYTHING to get the weird smell, plus the musty smell, out. Nothing worked. Smells can really get into fabric (and yes like others have said here it can transfer to whatever is next to it too) and not come out. (funny side note I'm super sensitive to smells and I can't stand it when my sister comes to visit. She sleeps on the couch and it'll smell like her laundry soap for over a week!!!)

The first thing that I'd suggest is to tell everyone you know the name of the company so people can avoid them. Having said that, like others have said, you want to return it for a full refund. Whether the smell came from the store or from someplace along the shipping trail, it is defective fabric. Ask to have a call tag or postage paid return label sent to pick up he fabric at the store's expnse. Altho it may be difficult, try not to lose your temper when dealing with the people, or they will just ignore your requests and dig in their heels. If that fails, contact PayPal, they are very good about claims such as this. Just detail all the problems you have had and the company's responses. If you cannot return the fabric and still want to try and use it, place it in a plastic garbage bag with the cheapest clay kitty litter you can find. Open up the fabric and cover it with the litter, shake the bag well, and close up the bag. It should take up the odor. Leave it for a few days, discard the used littler, and repeat if necessary. (Clay litter, altho dusty, does work, as we spilled some gasoline on the carpet in our vehicle, and after a couple of applications of litter directly on the spill the smell was gone and the liquid residue was absorbed. Off topic, but useful, it also works to get rid of the odor from accidents in the car if someone gets car sick!)

Not always.

If you order something and the merchant can produce a delivery confirmation, even if it is for an incorrect item, Paypal will side with the merchant.

Happened to me on over $250 worth of fabrics that were wrong, even though I produced documentation that showed the merchant acknowledged sending the wrong stuff, told me to keep it, and promised a refund (yet never came through).

I have heard, but never had to try it, that the charcoal that is used in fish tanks will clear up nasty smells.