I get a lot of questions all the time on where to buy good quality fabrics for historical garments. I really appreciate you asking me this because that means you like my fabrics and you see me as an experienced textile shopper! Because I like answering your questions, I decided to make a list for you here. I have chosen a handful of my favorite textile merchants. This is where I buy my textiles or people I really, really admire for their craft and work. I can’t include every shop or merchant that sells fabrics so don’t be sad if your favorite is not on my list. I may add some more later on if I find it necessary. Not all of the ones on the list have a website – these merchants can be met at events and markets or be contacted on Facebook. There should be a link to all of the ones on the list.
The pictures I have chosen for each shop does not necessarily show the wide selection each shop has. If you want to see the whole range of fabrics, please visit the web pages. Also, most of these shops are reachable on Facebook for questions and pictures to drool to. Please buy fabrics from small or sole proprietorship instead of huge chain stores.
Historical Fabric store
Historical Fabric store sells a lot of different fabrics. Everything from wool, linen, silk, medieval brocade, cotton and velvet. She also sells accessories and tools for your projects, like buttons, scissors and equipment for corset making.
Raffina
Raffina is a very local merchant in my case. She has only a few (but very good quality) fabrics. She also sells high quality plant dye equipment.
Wooltrade
Wooltrade sells different types of wool and linen fabrics. It is very easy to find what you are looking for. You can easily navigate based on color, weave or weight.
Hand woven wool
Hand woven wool sells lots of gorgeous handwoven fabrics. They can also weave custom-made fabrics for you.
OldCraft
Mikhail Starikov and Ilya Starikov is the founders behind OldCraft. OldCraft sells lovely, handwoven textiles, blankets and cloaks. They even offers garments. They can be contacted on Facebook or on Instagram.
Woolsome
Very nice, good quality fabric. They send very fast and the prices are nice. A huge range of colours and types of fabric.
NaturTuche
NaturTuche is a German website which sells good quality wool, linen, silk and hemp.
Viking age clothing
Viking age clothing sells wool, linen and silk fabrics. She also offers helpful booklets with patterns to help you make your own viking age clothing. You can also buy tools and yarn and even finished garments from her.
Lepiglina
Lepiglina sells amazing fabrics and cloaks in different plant dyed colors. They also sell fabrics that are not dyed. You can also get beautiful pottery and baskets from them.
MedievalCraft
MedievalCraft sells wonderful blankets, fabrics, shawls, leg wraps, tablet woven bands, alongside many other things you need to survive the Medieval period and the Viking age.
Medeltidsmode
Medeltidsmode sells a varity of different fabrics. Wool, linen, brocade, silk, hemp, you name it. Medeltidsmode is often out in the field so there is a huge chance you will meet them at an event.
Diamantweber
Diamantweber takes custum orders and can weave historical cloaks or fabrics for you.
Ruční tkaní – Handweaving
Ruční tkaní – Handweaving takes custom orders and make the most wonderful historical fabrics. It is best to contact them on rucnitkani@gmail.com. I know that the link sends you to another site. I’m not sure what happened to Ruční tkaní – Handweaving, but I’ll keep them here until I figure out. They are too good to let go.
If you have any good recommendations on where to buy good quality textiles suitable for historical garments I would love to hear from you!
Love, Tonje Årolilja!
Tonje Rogersdatter - My historical life 
Good evening, Tonje. In my words, many of the links, especially Nornilla, Historical Fabric store by Runfridr Elna, and Wooltrade are very helpful for me when working on historical garments to sew for Viking, Merovingian, and Vendel reenactment garments. Firstly, as of Nornilla, she offers not only pieces of fabrics, but whole bolts of them as well. She also provides plenty of shawls, brocades, and veils I find interesting as well. Secondly, as for Elna’s Historical Fabrics, she offers sewing tools, (needles, kits, and beeswax, what Nornilla does not normally have), and also linens, brocades, and wools; like Nornilla, she owns an Etsy store, as I am used to both Etsy shops of theirs. In conclusion, WoolTrade offers a colourful array of wools, plain, herringbone, and diamond twill alike, and linens as well. As in preparations to making Viking and Vendel Age garments, the shops (even Etsy counterparts of some of theirs) are another good idea from the kindness of yours.
Greg.
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Hi Greg, you may also be interested to check this one : https://www.woolsome.shop/ . By the way, sadly Nornilla business is no longer on air. She stopped trading and her sites are down.
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Hi Cez! Absolutely! Woolesome is amazing. I should perhaps update the article – I will do that eventually! Sadly, I know about Nornilla. It’s very sad! Best regards!
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