Skip to main content

At Fabric Mart: Buying and Selling

This is where it starts.  Meet our Fabric Buyers!

If you didn't know already, half of Fabric Mart's business is wholesaling fabric to fabric stores, clothing manufacturers, and designers. But in order to wholesale fabric to these customers, we need the fabric first!
This is where Robert and Julie come in, our Fabric Mart buyers. They thoughtfully select the fabric to be purchased from many different places, such as manufacturers lots and sample room inventories, to name a few. This is also why our inventory is always changing and you never know what you will find at Fabric Mart!


Robert is the founder/owner. Since starting the company 35 years ago, he has gained a lot of connections in the industry to make our business what it is today. The process of buying fabric isn't easy. Deciding which fabric, how much to order and negotiating a price are some of the main factors in being a buyer.

Julie is the wholesale manager. Julie is in charge of wholesale orders, purchasing fabric, giving fabric to our retail website, and so much more! She is in constant communication with our wholesale customers and sending out samples to them. Julie also travels frequently to buy fabric and participate in Fabric Trade Shows around the country.


How long have you worked here?
Julie: Since Aug 2008
Robert:  I started the company 35 years ago in Manheim, PA.

Describe a typical day at Fabric Mart:
Julie:  "Julie, Line 1. Julie, Line 2!" *Laughs* I come into work, check my e-mails, answer and make phone calls, send out samples to customers, and select fabric to be put onto the website.
Robert:  Fabric Mart has 15 employees. When I arrive in the morning I say hello to each one. Notice that I usually arrive after the employees get in.  I check to see how many orders were received overnight and I like to see what the customers are ordering. The rest of the day consists of looking at samples of fabric that are for sale, picking fabrics for the website and selling fabric to some of our wholesale accounts.

What do you do when your leave work?
Julie:  Make dinner, go for a walk, spend time with my husband, do some sewing/crafting/creating, relax!
Robert: I live about 35 minutes from the store so I use the drive time to relax. I also enjoy woodworking and gardening.

How do you take your coffee?
Julie: I don't like coffee.
Robert: I am not old enough to drink coffee!

What is the best part of your job?
Julie: Working with customers to get them what they need, traveling to different parts of the country to meet our customers, and buying fabrics!
Robert: Coming into work in the morning and seeing all of the activity. I also enjoy seeing all of the new young employees with all of their ideas and energy.

If you were stranded on a desert island who, from Fabric Mart, would you take?
Julie: Sandy! Just because I think it would be fun and we'd have stuff to talk about.
Robert: Nobody, I would enjoy the peach and quite! Hopefully, I would have some fabric with me so that I could make a tent. I sunburn quickly!!

Do you sew and if so, what's your favorite thing to sew?
Julie: Yes! My favorite things to sew are accessories, clothing and things for my house.
Robert:  Nope

Comments

  1. The people are behind the scenes are my favorite photos. You'll notice a nose print on your window this morning from when I stopped to look in. I was so disappointed that you are closed on the weekends.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: A Tipsy Martini Transitional Three Piece Look

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon with Sharon Sews with my latest Fabricista make – a three-piece set I can wear as the weather transitions to fall here in Texas. It may look like a summer outfit but there will days filled with sunshine and high temps well into November.  At first glance it looks like a nice, lightweight jacket, top and pants. But look closer – it’s sewn from the designer Tipsy Martini cotton sateen that was originally used by the designer for a pajama set. Now I could have sewn myself a pair of pajamas using the Closet Core Carolyn Pajama pattern (available at Fabric Mart)  and replicated the designer pajamas.  But if I had gone that route the only ones who would have seen this adorable kitschy fabric would be my family.  This print is much too cute to hide out at home.  This Tipsy Martini cotton sateen fabric was lovely to sew. I used black thread, an 80/12 universal needle, and Palmer/Pletsch Perfect Fuse Medium interfacing (link here). Note that this is a rayon fu

Made By A Fabricista: Hooray for Cozy Fall Sews!

Greetings, all! I am in such high spirits with the best-of-all-seasons just beginning and change is finally in the air. I always rejoice when the sweatiest time of the year passes and we can all take a deep breath and gear up for cozier times.  Neighborhood Patterns is a new-to-me designer, and I came across them on Instagram in late summer and fell in love with the Plain Jane Skirt. This is such a simple A-line skirt, but with nice details like large inseam pockets and an optional drawstring, and though I’m sure I could draft this style myself, the appeal of having it all done for me was too tempting to pass up. A sew such as this is a lovely palate-cleanser and this was the first project I sewed after returning from a cross-country trip. Perfect! The gorgeous plaid flannel is exactly what I want to be wearing in the fall. The fabric is SO soft and a pleasure to snuggle up in. Because flannel does not have much body and is prone to stretching or shifting with all its mechanical give,

Made By A Fabricista: It's Sweater Weather Time

Hi Guys! It is officially fall and its sweater weather time.   Since it's that time of year, I decided that I wanted to make a hoodie for my son and me. I've been wanting to sew more for him. He is now a freshman in high school and no longer has to wear a school uniform, so I am able to take advantage of the situation and sew him up more clothes.   YAY for me. I don't know about you, but I am always scouring the internet for new PDF patterns. More specifically, free PDF patterns. I honestly don't know how I found this pattern, but I stumbled across a Yeezy x GAP Double Layer Hoodie. I'm sure it's inspired by the one that was sold at the store.   Well, I've had this pattern in my stash for a while and it was time to give it a try.   When I found the pattern, it was listed for free. It is currently listed for $10 and you can find it on yeezygapsewingpatterns.com. This pattern is designed to be a loose-fitting hoodie with drop shoulders. I did not realize w