applique

It could be the amount of turn around time that a fabric has at the LQS. Since it sits on the shelf and takes up overhead costs, there is a point when it is no longer cost effective. It's share of heat, lights and rent dictates that it should have been sold within so many months; now it is costing the LQS to take up space on the shelf with no turnover. If that principal is applied to our stash, we have some very expensive fabric!! Maybe even wealthy.

stitchinwitch

whew - so its unanimous - thanks for your input. we have a ...."fabric"... store in town that MUST have fabric on the bolts for over 20 years! It is still there..so maybe "trends" is the way to look at it..

ckcowl

that is not the Life of the fabric...that is the length of time any COLLECTION of fabrics is expected to last before a new collection comes out to replace it. lots of fabric designs are only ran once...then never made again, the fabrics go out to the shops...and if it is a good seller they may be able to re-order from that line again...but they may not be able to ... some fabrics are considered (BASICS) and manufacturers re-run the lines over and over...but they (the designers and manufacturers) expect new fabrics to be released and replaced by shops at least every 6 months :thumbup:

MommaDorian

Waahaa, too funny. I got a good giggle out of this one. :lol:

MadQuilter

That would be my guess too. How long stores keep fabric around - not how long it will last. If that were true, my scraps would be shreds by now.

danade

Last year I saw an exhibit at Houston that included quilts from the 1700s, including one made by Francis Scott Key's wife! Let's see, that's 200 years +! No shelf-life problems there,I don't think!

Dana

Mousie

Well, then I sure inherited a bunch of "dead" fabrics. Some of them, my mother had for 30-40 years! and they still look good to me! ;-)

grandma Janice

I have material that I know is at least 30 years old. Nothing wrong with it. I do however have some of my mother's spools of thread that I think might be out dated. I use it mostly for basting.

geosprouter

What! Use by dates on fabric? What will they think of next to part us from our hard earned cash... My O My...

ragamuffin

Ckcowl is correct. I talked personnally to a designer of fabric for RJR and she said they only print the fabric for a set number of yards. When it goes to the stores, if it is liked and sold out, maybe you will never see the fabric again. If you see fabric you like, get it soon because it may go out especially at that store. You may be able to get it at another store if you are lucky. That is the story of fabric. I like designer fabrics and appreciate what they can accomplish. I sometimes think the price is high but most of the time the quality is there and the prints are to die for. I buy what I like. I am thinking about buying the boyscout fabric now even though my grandson is a cubscout. Probably it will not be available later. I must get it soon if I can still find it somewhere.