Building a fabric library and a spec book

Everything you learn from tests, prices and suppliers is lost if you do not write it down. A library makes every collection faster, cheaper and steadier.

What is in the library

• An approved physical swatch of each fabric with its date and lot number.
• A spec page: composition, construction, weight, width and supplier.
• Test results and notes on performance after washing.
• The latest price, minimum quantity and lead time.

Organise it

Give each fabric a simple code, keep the swatches in a tidy folder or box, and keep a digital copy of the pages.

Review it

After each collection update the pages: what worked? What will you not order again?

Exercise

Create one spec page for your best fabric and code its swatch. Then set a monthly date to update the library.