How to Tell if a Fabric Shop Is Trade Only
Ring and ask whether they sell retail. That is the only reliable test, because the shop front rarely says, and the words wholesale, trade, showroom and to the trade are used loosely enough that none of them settles it. Of the 320 fabric wholesalers we list, 100 sell both wholesale and retail and only 9 are strictly trade only.
What trade only actually means
Usually that you need a resale certificate or a business account to buy, because the shop is set up to supply upholsterers, interior designers and manufacturers rather than individuals. Some will sell to you at retail prices anyway; some will not sell to you at all; a few will let you in to look but not to buy.
Signs before you go
- The website asks you to log in to see prices, or shows prices only after an account application. That is a trade house.
- The phrase "to the trade" on the site, with no retail hours listed.
- Minimum order quantities measured in rolls or bolts rather than yards.
- An address in a warehouse district with no shopfront. Not conclusive, but worth a call.
Showrooms are the confusing case
A design centre showroom will often let anyone walk in and handle samples, then tell you that you have to order through a designer. If you do not have one, ask whether they have a retail programme; many do, with a markup.
What our listings say
Where a shop says on its own site whether it sells to the public, we record it and show it on the listing. Where it does not say, we leave the field off rather than guess, which is the case for 1,865 of the independent shops we list. A missing badge means we could not confirm it, so ring ahead.
Start from wholesale fabric stores open to the public, or find a retail shop near you by state.