Where to get fabric to make your outdoor gear and clothes

Finding quality fabric to use to make your outdoor gear and clothes is a challenge.  Especially when there are very few local, independent fabric shops to visit, and places like Joann and Hobby Lobby close down or carry not-so-great fabrics in limited styles and selections.  Plus those places rarely have nice fabrics like real linen or silk. And they rarely have good fleece or other technical fabrics.  

So, often the only option is to shop for fabrics online. This can be a challenge.  When you can't feel the fabric to understand what the weight is or what it will really feel like on your skin.  Or understand how it moves.  Or even what the real color is and if it will coordinate with the other fabric(s) you have.  All challenges to online fabric shopping.  

And finding good technical fabrics is an even bigger challenge when understanding the terms can be hard, and there are even fewer online (not to mention local) fabric stores even carry technical fabrics or options for outdoor clothes and gear.  

So, I wanted to go here to list places where you can reliably find fabrics that you can use for making Green Pepper patterns (or any outdoor gear and clothes).

For starters, we (The Green Pepper) carry fabrics that are great for our patterns.  We have fleece, waterproof fabric like Cordura and Pack Cloth, and water-repellent fabric like Supplex and nylon taffeta in stock.  We have a lovely line of laminated cottons as well.  We also have stretch fabrics for athletic patterns (like bike shorts).  But, our selection is limited and we only carry some basic colors for most fabrics.  However, I like to think our prices are quite good, and we only carry fabrics that will work with our patterns. 

But you can also find great outdoor and performance fabrics at the following shops:

Discovery Fabrics:  This shop has lots of the types of fabric you need to sew up all kinds of outdoor wear and gear.  Technical fabrics for outerwear or silks and swimwear fabrics -- they have a pretty good selection.  They have prints and lots of colors in many of their fabrics as well.  This shop is located in Canada, but has reasonable shipping rates.  If you go to this link (affiliate link), you will get an automatic coupon code for $5 off of $50 or more purchase.  

Rockywoods Outdoor Fabrics:  This company, located in Colorado, has a pretty massive selection of fabrics for making outdoor wear and gear.  Fabrics are organized by technical name, but also by their use.  And they have a large selection of Cordura and camo fabrics.  Also, they have great flash sales you can get in on if you follow their social media links.  Check out Rockywoods Outdoor Fabrics.  

Ripstop By The Roll:  Located in Durham, NC, this company specializes in technical nylon fabrics like ripstop.  They also have a large selection of mesh fabrics, as well as Cordura and PolarTec fleece.  This company can also print on demand -- getting interesting prints printed right on the nylon or poly fabrics you buy from them (you can even upload your own print).  Ripstop By The Roll also has down for filling jackets or sleeping bags.  https://ripstopbytheroll.com/

Seattle Fabrics:  Seattle Fabbrics (located in Seattle, WA) has a great selection of high-performance and technical fabrics, including marine-grade fabric.  A well-organized store for finding a wide variety of fabrics (and notions) that you might need for just about any outdoor wear or gear project. https://www.seattlefabrics.com/

Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics, Inc:  This company in Idaho, carries a nice selection of technical fabrics for outdoor wear and gear.  https://www.owfinc.com/

Quest Outfitters:  One of the only technical fabric companies on the east coast, this company specializes in technical fabrics, notions, and supplies for the DIY outdoor enthusiast.  https://www.questoutfitters.com/

The Rain Shed:  Another great fabric shop (in Washington state) with a large selection of fabrics (and notions) for outdoor wear and gear. https://www.therainshed.com/

For more great fabric companies, check out the list of our stockists.  There you will find the businesses above as well as some great shops for great fabrics.  Many of these shops carry regular garment sewing fabric and some technical fabrics.  They are all great and can help you find the fabric you are looking for.