Asia's fabric markets unraveled

A vendor at the Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market is ready to sew, sell and tailor whatever you want.

Sewing is not just for little old ladies. Like many young people in Asia, I love to make flamboyant cosplay and club outfits from scratch. My first stop for materials: The nearest fabric market. There’s no better place to pick up novelty prints and faux fur trims at bargain prices.

Asia’s major cities house some of the world’s best fabric markets. Here’s where to shop and what to look for.

Shanghai: South Bund Fabric Market

CNNGo listed South Bund as one of the 50 reasons Shanghai is the world’s greatest city. Clip out a thousand dollar gown from Vogue and take it to a tailor; she’ll whip up a facsimile for a fraction of the designer price. If you are a DIY-er, walk a few blocks behind the market and you’ll find rolls of cloth for basement prices. 399 Lujiabang Lu, near Zhongshan Nan Lu.

Shanghai: Qing Fang Market

Chinese home sewers swear by Qing Fang market. The vendors carry every material imaginable: silk, yarn, fleece, buttons; and the prices are cheap. A meter of flannel goes for 10 RMB; a meter of cotton is 12 RMB. 1618 Cao An Lu, near Feng Zhuang Road junction.

Tokyo: Nippori Textile Town

Next to Nippori Station is a street packed with tiny fabric stores -- some inexpensive, some high-end. The largest retailer, Tomato, has a wide range of cute cotton prints and oilcloths. Bring cash, as not every store takes cards. Here’s a map of the hotspots. Take the JR Yamanote line to Nippori and follow the signs to Nippori Textile Town.

Hong Kong: Sham Shui Po

There’s order to the colorful chaos: shops that sell the same types of fabrics are clustered together. Most vendors have headers (fabric samples) for grabs and will cut small amounts of material for home sewers. Here are some of the best suppliers. Take the MTR on the Tsuen Wan Line to Sham Shui Po Station.

Bangkok: Phahurat Market

Phahurat is Bangkok’s Little India and the site of its largest fabric market. Brace yourself for a phenomenal array of Indian cottons and silks. Take the MRT subway to Hua Lamphong station (the last stop heading southbound). A taxi from the station to Phahurat will cost around 50 baht.

Seoul: Dongdaemun Fabric Market

As blogger Jamie Sinz puts it, “If Bravo ever wanted to do a Project Runway in Seoul, this would be the place the designers would come to purchase their materials.” The six-floor building spans a block and is packed with fabric, trimmings, craft supplies and homewares. The best booths are listed here. From Dongdaemun Station (be careful not to disembark at Dongdaemun Stadium), take exit #9. The fabric market will be the large building slightly ahead and left.

Seoul: Gwangjang Market

Gwangjang Market is the oldest traditional market in Korea. The alleys of tiny fabric shops carry less of a selection than Dongdaemun. But this area is less packed, and the friendly vendors are more willing to sell in small quantities. Take subway line no. 1 to Jongno 5-ga Station.

Hanoi: Ninh Hiep Fabric Market

Located just outside Hanoi, Ninh Hiep Commune’s fabric market is big and bright. Over a thousand trading households offer a diverse range of cloths, including the village’s singular woven Nanh fabric.

Take a bus numbered 10, 54 or 203 from Hanoi, or alternatively, take a tour offered by the Kham Pha Viet Tourism Joint Stock Company (Tel: 04-3 878 7551). The tour, which costs VND210,000 (US$11.80), includes a shopping trip to Ninh Hiep Fabric Market as well as sightseeing at Giong Temple and Co Loa Citadel.

Mumbai: Mangaldas Market

Part of the famous Crawford Market, Mangaldas is a giant indoor space for clothes and fabrics alone. Hundreds of tiny shops sit on raised platforms; gregarious shopkeepers call to customers from gaddas (beds) on the floor. Most only sell one specific fabric or trim, but the prices can’t be beaten. From Masjid Station, walk east a few blocks.

Taipei: Yong-Le Fabric Market

Yong-Le is the favorite spot for both professionals and hobbyists to pick up sewing supplies. A large round building on Leli Street sells bolts of fabric for an eighth of the regular cost. A guide to the market, with an emphasis on novelty materials, is found here. Take the 508 bus from Shilin or Chientan MRT station and get off at Dihua Temple.

La Carmina writes about Harajuku pop culture and all things spooky-cute. She is the author of three books about Japanese pop culture and food, including Cute Yummy Time and Crazy Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo – for which she did all the photos and illustrations. Both books were released in October, accompanied by a US major city book tour.

For more, please visit her website.

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