A few weeks ago I got to go check out what will be our new home – Bangkok, Thailand! We are headed over in June and especially now that I’ve gotten to visit – I really couldn’t be more excited. I’m going to jump into the fabric shopping now, but at the end I’ll talk a little more about the move itself.
After googling and talking to Adrianna about Chinatown and having this map (affiliate) in hand for the trip, I ended up not needing to know anything about where I was going because a friend got me there. Yay for friends who know things! But we parked at the Grand China Hotel and walked a few blocks to get shopping.
Walking down Sampeng Lane to get to the fabric, we passed all sorts of jewelry and jewelry packaging. Makes me want to sell things just so I can package it up! Little bags for little things…
And bigger bags to bag up all those little bags…
And then we got to the fabric section. Not exclusively fabric – there were all sorts of everything everywhere with no plan other than “here’s an open spot, let’s fill it”.
Once we made a turn into fabric world, the first thing (shiny objects!) that caught my attention was sew on crystals! So so many!
A closer look so you don’t have to be so squinty.
A little farther in – the fabric was everywhere. Dozens and dozens of individual stalls and some larger shops. Wholesale buying is the way things work here, but it can start at 3 yards, and it turned out that when I bought 3 separate cuts that totaled 3 yards, they applied the wholesale discount. So buying “wholesale” didn’t mean I had to buy a lot of any one thing, at least as far as my one trip went.
There were also FANS everywhere, and some of the shops had air conditioning. Because I wanted to stick around and see it all, but without the occasional break from the heat (And it wasn’t even all that hot by Bangkok standards while I was there) it’s hard to imagine staying long.
The sign you see above – 60 baht – that’s less than US $2/meter. And a meter is more than a yard. When people say something’s really cheap I always want numbers. Do we have the same idea of cheap? Speaking of… in this shop I found quilting cottons. This cat print reminded me of a cat obsessed sewing friend.
Lots of cotton lawns and plenty of well-known designer prints.
20 cm (a little under 8″, so, 1/5 yard) cuts for less than $1.
I was about to say that my favorite shop was next – but I can’t say that. There were at least 5 I can’t wait to go back to. But in the next shop there were embroidered eyelets that I wanted ALL of.
SO MUCH YUM. I agonized over whether to take some home. But decided I could ponder that for a few months. BUT I’LL BE BACK FOR YOU, MY PRETTIES! At 35ish Baht to the US Dollar these were $3-5 a meter.
And then there were embroidered chambrays!
Next I found adorable birdie prints for under $3/yard. 
And then a knit store that made me flip out a little.
They had a slub knit – I never know what else to call it. Popcorn? Confetti? Whatever you call it, I love those little bits of other colors that get included in this fabric. I bought enough for me and another crafty friend to share! (photographed back at the hotel)
And at the knit store they packaged my kilo of knit (or was it more than one kilo? I forget.) in a knit bag!
Next we found trims. Every size and color of pom pom you could ever need.
As you’re pressing on through the crowd there are food vendors walking up and down the aisles with portable treats – and they seemed to be snapped up as often by the fabric vendors as by the shoppers. In Bangkok street food is EVERYWHERE. I loved it. Strawberries aren’t available or affordable year round but I happened to be visiting during strawberry season. My friend learned the hard way that that bowl full of sugar?
It’s actually salt! And while there’s lovely fabric everywhere, often it’s crammed in next to things like fried seafood. I was impressed that none of the fabric I brought home had much of a weird smell though.
At this point I’m realizing how much I didn’t photograph. There are a bunch of stalls and shops I wish I’d gotten photos of. But the good news is – I’ll be back in a few months for more! 
Our family will be moving in June for what will likely be a 3 year assignment. People ask what the kids think – and really, they’re THRILLED! We’re all excited about this move. There’s lots where we live now that we’ll miss, and being so far from family and friends will be hard, but we’re really excited about all we’ll get to do and see there. I got to check out schools and housing and all of that looks as nice or nicer than what we’re used to in the US. We have a few more months of America to soak up before we head out! If you’ve been fabric shopping in Bangkok and have any tips for me when I go back, I’d love to hear them! 
It’s been too long I can’t wait to go back my sewing habits are so different now since the last time I was in BKK.
I can’t wait to watch THAT unfold! I will carry bags! :D
If you ever need a fabric shopping companion, I live in Bangkok, too! You hit up most of my favorites (the cotton shop, L.Gemini). There is also good stuff in Chinaworld Mall (and it’s air conditioned!). And a lovely, centrally-located fabric shop right by the Asoke/Sukhumvit BTS/MRT stations called Hieng Yook Huat (https://www.facebook.com/hyhfabric), if you don’t want to go all the way to Yaowarat.
Yayayay! Fabric shopping date! (And yay air conditioning!)
Hi MEG
I VISIT TWICE A YEAR and sampeng and pahurad are no. One stops
Would enjoy company
Dianne
I visit ttwice a yearfrom Australia and have tried to contact Meg ree shopping sampeng and pahurad.
Do
I’m “sew” jealous! All that fabric–and so affordable! If I send you $$$, will you send me fabric LOL!
That’s my kind of fabric shopping experience. I’ve been learning to sew since living in Morocco so everything I’ve bought has been a mystery fabric and I just go around looking and fondling fabric and imagining how it would work on a human form. I find fancy shops with bolts you can’t touch much a bit weird now. I wouldn’t know half the substrates if they walked up and bought me a coffee to introduce themselves, but I do know what works. You know your fabrics, so it’s not a substitute for ignorance in your case :) but I really enjoy that kind of buying. So much fun. Much clearer links between fabric in the shop/market and what it’ll become as well.
Shopping in Greece I beggggged the universe for a labeled sample set of fabrics that would help me. In the end I just over-consumed fabric and learned the hard way. Fancy shops are off-putting in every sense!
I want to go back! I’m still sewing stuff I bought from Sampeng lane in 2014 though ;o) I could mostly find quilting cotton, poplin and coloured cotton broderie – couldn’t find any lawn or knits or denims. But I only had 2 excursions there, and there is a lot to sort through!!
i am seriously SICK with envy. $1 for 1/5 are you kidding me…i feel like we should be friends so that i can pay you to send me fabrics back!!! Too stalker-ish??? yeah i dont blame you..ill just have to be green with envy.
Drooling over here. You are just making all your friends want to visit you aren’t you? :-)
Hope to be shopping 4 matl in in BKK very soon when we visit GrandestKids but the matl is much cheaper here in Manila compared to the prices you posted…there have to be overflow alleys from the garment district where same stuff is 50cents/yd….we have them here. I’m spoiled by the 95% less prices in the alleys here. I’m all for finding those alleys! Love to shop w you when I come this fall.
Dear Meg, dear Susan, maybe you can help me: When I was in Bangkok a few weeks ago there was a shop at sampeng lane selling only iron-on patches – but thousands of it. Unfortunately I did not take any contact card with me. Could you help me out with name and contact details? I wanted to order some of these patches online for my little niece since this shop has an awesome variety and extremely good quality patches. Thank you sososo much!
I’ll be back there in July and will look and see what I can find!
Thank you so much that’s great!
That trims shop is one of my favs ! Whenever I go to Sampeng, I’ll go in there just to stare at the trims :D
Hi there, I just stumbled across your post while searching sewing supplies in Bangkok. I will be in Bangkok for a few days end of July and need to stock up on Flannel, Plastic Poly pellets, ribbons etc. Thanks for the tips.
Jill’s quilt site has quite a bit of information on bkk shopping, too.
This is the best overview of the market I’ve read. I have been trying to determine where I can buy shirting with wild patterns and your pictoral report gave me my answer. Thank you. I wonder if there is an expat here who would be interested in sewing some mens shirts for us…we are designing some unusual items. Thanks.
! am going to Bangkok in a couple of weeks. I do interior design work and I am looking for a shop that sells decorative trims,like, tassels, cord, fringe and tapes. Do any of you know where in Bangkok I may find a resource?.
The only trims I’ve seen were on Sampeng Lane at the end close to China World Mall. Jill’s Quilt Site has a few images. https://bkkquilt.com/2012/02/08/notions/
I haven’t been to the Jim Thompson Outlet yet but I’d guess there are some to be found there and is otherwise likely a must-do for interior design minded folks! Will update if I come up with anything else!
Hi ! Great post, really informative :-) I’m visiting Bangkok for the first time from NYC. Tons of fabric stores there but the prices are killing me lol. Do you know any stores that sell reversible sequin fabric that changes color or sequin fabric in general? I started my own clothing line using alot of those sequins but I’m paying $25 a yard in NYC plus shipping. Specifically looking for this kind http://fandecouture.com/product/reversible-goddess-robe/
Tons of sequin fabric. I haven’t seen the color change fabric by the yard here but I’ve seen bags made from it, so… possible!
I enjoyed reading your page and looking at the pictures of Bangkok, it looks like you will be in your element there with all the stunning fabrics they have. all the best.
Hi. I’ll be travelling soon to BKK & wondering if there’s any fabric shop that’s in Sukhumvit area apart from Hieng Yook Huat (got this shop name from here as well) as I’ll only can visit the shop in the evening around 6pm – 7pm. I’ve googled for days & realize that most textile /fabric shop close at 6pm. I’m looking for bag making material (canvas, linen, DC cotton) & cotton knit as well.
Thanks!
Hieng Yook Huat is mostly synthetic apparel fabrics from what I remember. Unfortunately you’re right – most places close by 6 and not much to speak of in the Sukhumvit area. There are some silk shops in Amarin Plaza near Central World… that’s about it as far as I know!
Thanks for sharing. Im brazilian and here in Bangkok now, just looking for a place like that! ?
Hi Susan, thank you for this blog, it’s so wonderful. Next year have 3 days in Bangkok to do some serious shopping and wondering if you may point me in the right direction. Looking for great quality Rhinestones both acrylic and glass and diamanté crystals to buy in large quantities. Any help would be much appreciated
Hi Susan:
Thank you for your blog and sharing great content to help me navigate the fabric shopping in Bangkok.
I will be in BKK on July 27 for three days and I am interested in finding high quality fabric for a line of women blazers and lining material.
Can you please guide me in the right direction? Would I be able to find metal zippers and thread there too?
Thanks much.
Hi there! I never dealt in large quantities – probably only bought 8-10 yards of any one fabric, at most.
That said, I’d look at China World Mall for fabric and on Sampeng Lane for zippers. Thread made locally isn’t as high quality as those that are imported and the imports (Guterman, Coats) are taxed heavily and probably not as reasonably priced as you can buy in other countries that don’t tax imports as heavily.
Hi, I hope you will be able to help me, I am looking for wholesale priced ITY fabric (Polyester spandex) in 20 to 30 meter lots, I have spent sometime in the area around China Town (China World Mall) I am sure stretch fabric must exist in BKK, however I am struggling to find it.
Hi John! I heard of a place closer to BKK airport in the Bang Na area – but I can’t find the name. So I’m sharing a myth, haha. Hope you found/find it! Yes, it must exist because there are soooo many finished goods. I’d try asking Gemini shop on Sampeng Lane. They don’t sell spandex, but I’d bet they know who would? I did find stretch fabric in India Emporium – they might also share connections?
Hi, i only have 1 day in bKK so wonder if there’s any fabric and sewing notions shop near Asok BTS
Yes, this one! https://goo.gl/maps/xZiqRi1tan7Di8My9
Also, hop on BTS and go just a few stops to Chit Lom and walk a block or two on the elevated walkway right into Amarin Plaza – lots of thai silk!