Are you looking for where to buy swimsuit fabric? If so, we’ll tell you all about the best swim fabric shop on the internet – KnitFabric.com.
Where to Buy Swimsuit Fabric
Are you ready to sew a swimsuit? If you’ve followed us for long you know that we have a ton of amazing Swimsuit Patterns for women, men, girls, and boys. If you haven’t considered making a swimsuit before, maybe now is the time. You can make a swimsuit to custome fit yourself and you’ll be surprised to find it isn’t that hard. As our customer Karyn says, “Having your own unique swimsuit that fits well is priceless!”
At Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop you’ll find we have a wide range of different swimsuits for every person and occasion.
After you decide to sew a swimsuit for yourself, the next step is trying to find the perfect swim fabric. We have you covered there too. At KnitFabric.com we stock hundreds of different swim fabrics and board short fabrics that are perfect for every occasion. Here’s a little taste of what we offer:
Swimsuit Fabric Buying Guide!
Swim Fabric 101
Check your pattern to see what supplies you will need. These will likely include: (1) Swim Fabric; (2) Swimsuit Lining; (3) Power Mesh; (4) Swimsuit Elastic; and/or (5) Board Short Fabric.
In more detail, here’s a basic breakdown of each component that may be required for your swimsuit:
1. 4-way Stretch Nylon or Lycra Blends (Swim Fabric): Find it at KnitFabric.com
This fabric feels just like a suit you’d pick up at the store. It stretches in all directions and is cool and slippery to the touch. This is what you’ll use for any of the girl’s suits like the Riviera Reversible Swimsuit , Pool Party Swimsuit, or the women’s swimsuits like the Paradise Swimsuit or Bahama Mama Line.
This fabric is for fitted swimwear. Many of our swim fabrics are also rated UV 50+ for the best protection from the sun. These fabrics are also popular for sport or athletic applications or for men’s fitted swim trunks.
2. Swimsuit Lining: Find it at KnitFabric.com
Lightweight poly blend with 4-way stretch. Generally comes in white, nude, or black. We also have swimsuit lining that comes in a nylon/spandex blend.
3. Power Mesh: Find it at KnitFabric.com
Lightweight and stretchy poly blend. Can be used for the optional lining in boys board shorts. Availability might depend on the season.
4. Swimsuit Elastic: Find it at Peekaboo Fabric Shop
Comes in varying widths and is either clear or cotton. Swimsuit elastic is designed to stand up to salt water and chlorine without becoming brittle. You can use regular elastic instead just make sure to rinse the suit out after each use. I typically use regular elastic for boys’ shorts since it’s hard to find swimsuit elastic in wider widths.
5. Board Short Fabric/Micro Fiber: Find it at KnitFabric.com
Board shorts fabric has a brushed surface and no stretch. It’s perfect for boys swimwear like the Santa Cruz Board Shorts or men’s swimwear like the Long Beach Board Shorts. It can also be used for lightweight jackets or shorts.
This fabric is generally a polyester woven fabric. It dries quickly and is perfect for the applications noted above. We often have both custom board short fabric and board short fabric from other designers in stock.
Swimsuit Fabric Reviews from KnitFabric.com
“I LOVE the swim + sport fabric options. So incredibly versatile. I’ve been so happy with the quality…” – Heather
“I absolutely love the swim fabric! It was a dream to sew, and the grand look so cute in their swimsuits…AND the fabric is UV50.” – Billie
“Have you tried the swim fabric yet? It is such great quality. I used the Pastel Paint Splatter for a new bikini for my daughter….” – Paula
“OMG this swim fabric is even better and cuter in person than I imagined!!! The quality is incredible.” – Kasey
Our swim fabric selection changes from time to time: here’s some prints that we’ve had in the past:
We also have an amazing selection of Swim Solids:
That about covers the basics of swim fabric and what materials may or may not be required for your specific sewing swimsuits. If you have further questions join the KnitFabric.com Facebook Group for advice or to see how others have put their swim fabric, swimsuit lining, swim elastic, board fabric, etc. to use to sew amazing swimsuits.
I hope that helps on where to buy swimsuit fabric and what to look for when buying it. Happy Swimsuit Sewing! Share the image below on Pinterest.
Also, before you leave, make sure to check out some of our other articles:
23 Responses
That’s a very great info! Thanks for sharing.
swimmingwear fabric , sportwear fabric
SyFABRICS.com I have also had some great buys from Sew Sassy Fabrics. Both of these sites are great for solids and syFabrics offers Remnant Lots which are great for small projects.
Hi Amy,
I’m having the hardest time finding the white mesh lining used for boys swim shorts. Any idea where i can find this material?
Thank you for the fabric resources! I’m actually making an adult swimsuit rather than a kids… but I’ve given it a try once before and after looking for swimsuits that fit poorly and are low-quality I’m willing to try again!
The Fabric Fairy has some great choices!
What are your thoughts on using your Sun n’ Fun Swimsuit and Leotard pattern with seersucker?
This pattern is designed for fabrics with 4 way stretch so seersucker wouldn’t be a good choice
Spandex House has one of the largest selections of swimwear fabrics (thousands of options) including regular swimwear fabric, stretch mesh, stretch lace, stretch faux leather, stretch velvet, cotton knits- basically anything with a stretch ( and even some woven/ non-stretch fabrics.) They also sell elastics as well.
Price Point is $8 for most solids and around $13 for the prints. They offer wholesale pricing as well for orders of 15 yards and up.
They also have a brick and mortar location in NYC.
I was wondering if your pattern to the board shorts have a zipper?
No zipper
On a recent trip to Miami, (I’m from PA), I purchased some swimwear fabric at Nunez Fabrics in downtown Miami. They had a great selection of prints imported from Spain. Unfortunately they do not have a website, so you would have to go to their store. Fabric Depot in Portland, OR also has a nice selection including lining.
Thanks for the post! We’ve actually just added some more swimsuit patterns that I think you’ll enjoy:
http://www.girlcharlee.com/sahara-shakey-chevron-nylon-spandex-knit-fabric-p-10226.html?cPath=89
http://www.girlcharlee.com/black-cream-ethnic-ikat-nylon-spandex-knit-fabric/famous-designer-p-10225.html?cPath=89
This post is fantastic…..and so full of relative information! We’ve not sewn swimwear yet, but you answered many of our questions in this write-up :)! THANK YOU!
If anyone has places to buy in the uk would be very much appreciated as I’m struggling
Thanks
I just bought some fabric from an Etsy Shop Funkalicious fabrics. They have some swim fabrics (but even more cotton knits).
https://www.etsy.com/shop/funkaliciousfabrics
Just a thought but I know several bloggers have used that stretch ruffled fabric for swimwear as well.
I’ve actually done that and completely forgotten about it! Thanks for throwing that idea out there 🙂
Thank you so much for posting this! I knew about some places but not this many! Since I haven’t sewn with swim wear fabric I’m hesitant to buy, particularly for board shorts. The last thing I need is see through swim suits for my girls and board shorts for my son!
Haha too true! I know The Fabric Fairy stuff is nice and thick since I use it a lot 🙂 If you do end up with something thin though you can always line it
I have also good luck finding swim fabric on ebay when you buy from a fabric shop that has an ebay shop (I got some of the purple/pink chevron print and lavendar solid fabric just like the tankini above for less than $6 a yard) and I have gotten a great deal on swim elastic from the lace and trims store on there. Also Etsy is a good source for unique prints!
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Wow, That is the BEST fabric write up I have ever seen, Thank you so much for the research and being so detailed. I get so confused when I walk into a store and have no idea where to look, or look online and have no idea what to ask for. This is why I continually buy your patterns!
I’m glad this is helpful!