BRAND VOICE · UX WRITING

Case study · Content design

Designing a fabric-buying experience that replaces touch

When a boutique fabric shop closed its doors and moved online, the website had to do what the shop floor used to do - help customers feel confident buying fabric they couldn't touch.

ROLE / Content Designer SKILLS / Content strategy · Brand voice · UX writing · Product copy DELIVERABLES / Voice framework · Full product catalogue · Naming system STATUS / Awaiting client relaunch

What it refused to be

A SPEC SHEET

“This is a lightweight viscose fabric sourced from Italy.”

THE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE

Copy that lets you feel it, see it move, and picture what you’d make.

On a shop floor you'd be holding the fabric by now. The opening sentence has to do that job.

Off the roll

The website couldn’t do what the shop floor did.

What broke

The old product copy described what was printed on the fabric. “This is a lightweight viscose sourced from Italy.” Accurate, and it sold nothing. Online, a customer couldn't touch the cloth, and the words weren't doing the touching for them.

What I got right

I went back to the customers' own questions and the owner's own voice, and built a four-pillar framework from them. Lead with how it feels, how it moves, what it could become, and the honest expert warning. Testers across all three buyer types said the copy gave them enough to act.

The tension

A professional sewist wants drape, weight and composition, fast. A browser wants to be seduced. The same description had to serve both without boring one or losing the other.

The call I made

One voice, four pillars, balance shifting by fabric rather than splitting into separate copy for separate buyers. The framework flexed so a single description could reassure the beginner and respect the expert at once.

The problem

When the shop closed, the expertise had nowhere to go

When Selvedge & Bolts closed its physical shop and moved online, it lost the thing that made it work. The owner's expertise, her ability to tell you exactly what a fabric does, what it feels like, and what you should make with it, had nowhere to go. The website existed. But it wasn't doing the job the shop floor used to do.

The research

The insight came from the customers themselves

To understand what customers actually needed, I looked at the brand's social media comments and DMs and spoke directly with the owner. Two things stood out immediately.

Customers kept asking the same questions. “What can I make with this?” “Will I need a lining?” “Is it easy to sew?” The physical shop answered those questions in conversation. The website answered none of them.

And customers loved the way the owner talked about fabric. They loved her product names. They loved her storytelling. The brand voice that made her following so loyal existed entirely in her head, and it wasn't making it onto the product pages.

The research pointed to a clear gap. Customers wanted to feel the fabric, understand how it moved, know what to make with it, and trust the person telling them. I took those four needs and built a voice framework around them.

User research

Three types of customer, each with their own content needs.

The content had to serve different customers without losing the brand's voice. Understanding each type shaped how every description was written.

CUSTOMER 01

The Occasional Maker

“I sew a few things a year. I know what I like but I'm not always sure what I'm doing.”

Needs reassurance alongside inspiration. Honest caveats, clear guidance on difficulty, and enough detail to feel confident before committing.

CUSTOMER 02

The Professional Sewist

“I know exactly what I'm making. I just need to find the right fabric fast.”

Experienced and decisive. Needs precise detail on drape, weight, composition and behaviour. No fluff - just what she needs to confirm this is the right fabric.

CUSTOMER 03

The Browser

“I'm not making anything specific. I just love fabric.”

Open to being inspired. Buys when something sparks an idea. The content has to create the want before the decision.

The voice framework

One voice, broken into four pillars so it could scale.

The owner was already trusted as the expert friend - warm, generous, specific. The voice system needed to scale that across the whole catalogue while letting the tone adapt to the character of each fabric.

PILLAR 1

Tactile

MAKE THEM FEEL IT WITHOUT TOUCHING IT

Every description leads with how the fabric actually feels. Texture, weight, and temperature against the skin.

“This has a water-like drape that designers kill for. It's cool against the skin.”

PILLAR 2

In Motion

HOW IT LIVES WHEN YOU WEAR IT

Fabric is not static. Customers needed to understand how it moves and behaves on the body, not just what it looks like on a roll.

“Moves with a fluid, expensive swing.”

PILLAR 3

Creative Spark

SHOW THEM WHAT IT COULD BECOME

Customers don't just want to know what a fabric is. They want to picture themselves in it. Every description shows the fabric's potential and the life the customer will live in it.

“Born to be a bias-cut slip dress. Or an oversized French-tuck shirt.”

PILLAR 4

The Expert Friend

THE SHOP FLOOR KNOWLEDGE, NOW IN THE COPY

The owner never withheld information. She told you if something was tricky to sew, if you needed a lining, or if a project was ambitious. That honest expertise lives in every description.

“A word of warning: this fabric is slippery to cut. Take your time, use weights, not pins, and you'll be fine.”

The naming system

Names that did more than describe what was printed on the fabric.

The original product names described what was on the fabric. The new names put you somewhere - a place, a moment, a feeling. Every fabric became a character, not a SKU.

BEFORE

Interlocked Goodness

Describes the chain print on the fabric

AFTER

The 'Midnight in Milan' Viscose

Creates provenance, mood and desire

BEFORE

Drop the Anchor

Describes the anchor motif on the print

AFTER

The 'Weekend Sailor' Cotton

Creates a person, a lifestyle, a weekend

BEFORE

Orange Infusion

Describes the dominant colour of the fabric

AFTER

The 'Market Day in Positano' Jersey

You can smell the lemons

Before & after

Same fabric, different decision once the copy did its job.

Each rewrite was built using the four-pillar framework - not as a checklist, but as a way of thinking about what the customer needed to feel at each stage of the description.

The 'Midnight in Milan' Viscose - Ex-Isabelle Marrant

ORIGINALLY: INTERLOCKED GOODNESS

BEFORE

Original product page for Interlocked Goodness viscose

This is a lightweight viscose fabric sourced from Italy and ex-Isabelle Marrant. It drapes beautifully and it will be ideal for lightweight dresses, tops and skirts. It is not transparent but you might need a lining if making a skirt or trousers.

Composition: 100% Viscose · Width: 148cm · Length: 2.5mts

AFTER

This has a water-like drape that designers kill for. It's cool against the skin and moves with a fluid, expensive swing.

Born to be a bias-cut slip dress. Or an oversized French-tuck shirt. It's opaque enough for tops and for trousers I'd give it a silk lining. That drape deserves to move.

A word of warning: this fabric is slippery to cut. Take your time, use weights, not pins, and you'll be fine. Worth the effort.

100% Viscose · 148cm · Lightweight / High Drape · 2.5m remnant · £40 · Italy

TACTILEIN MOTIONCREATIVE SPARKEXPERT FRIEND

The 'Market Day in Positano' Jersey - Ex-Gai Mattiolo

ORIGINALLY: ORANGE INFUSION

BEFORE

Original product page for Orange Infusion jersey

This is a lovely lightweight viscose jersey fabric from Italian Designer, Gai Mattiolo. It features large multi-coloured flowers on an orange background. You can sew yourself a lovely wrap dress with this fabric. You can also use this fabric to make maxi dresses, cowl neck tops, turtle neck tops and t-shirts.

Viscose Jersey · Width: 140cm · Length: 2.70mts

AFTER

Oversized florals that walk into a room before you do. The orange is warm, not overwhelming. Those multi-coloured blooms have vintage holiday postcard energy.

This wants to be a wrap dress or a cowl neck top that doesn't need jewellery. The jersey is soft and moves with you.

If you're new to sewing, this is a good place to start. Jersey doesn't fray and the stretch forgives fit issues.

Viscose Jersey · 140cm · Lightweight · 2.70m remnant · £40 · Italy

TACTILEIN MOTIONCREATIVE SPARKEXPERT FRIEND

The 'Weekend Sailor' Cotton - American Brand

ORIGINALLY: DROP THE ANCHOR

BEFORE

Original product page for Drop the Anchor cotton

This is a lovely light weight cotton fabric from a well known American brand. This will be perfect for your spring and summer wardrobe. It will work well with dresses, shirts, tops and skirts.

Composition: 100% Cotton · Width: 150cm · Length: 2mts · Weight: Lightweight (120 g/m²)

AFTER

Nautical without being costume-y. Crisp, lightweight cotton that holds its shape but still breathes.

This wants to be a shirt dress that works for the farmer's market and Sunday lunch. Or a button-down that looks sharp tucked in or worn loose. It presses beautifully and won't go limp in the heat.

100% Cotton · 150cm · Lightweight · 2m remnant · £32 · USA

TACTILEIN MOTIONCREATIVE SPARK

The full collection

See the rewrite, fabric by fabric.

Every remnant in the shop, re-listed. The shop's original copy on the left, the rewrite on the right, each built on the four-pillar voice.

See the full collectionDownload the PDF

Nº 01Viscose

Before

This is a lightweight viscose fabric sourced from Italy and ex-Isabelle Marrant. It drapes beautifully and it will be ideal for lightweight dresses, tops and skirts. It is not transparent but you might need a lining if making a skirt or trousers.

After

The 'Midnight in Milan' Viscose

Ex-Isabelle Marrant

This ex-Isabelle Marrant viscose has a water-like drape that designers kill for. It's cool against the skin and moves with a fluid, expensive swing.

Born to be a bias-cut slip dress. Or an oversized French-tuck shirt. It's opaque enough for tops, and for trousers I'd give it a silk lining. That drape deserves to move.

A word of warning: this fabric is slippery to cut. Take your time, use weights, not pins, and you'll be fine. Worth the effort.

100% Luxury Viscose · 148cm · Lightweight / High-Drape · Italy (Designer Deadstock) · 2.5 metres · £40 for the full piece

Nº 02Jersey

Before

This is a lovely lightweight viscose jersey fabric from Italian Designer, Gai Mattiolo. It features large multi-coloured flowers on an orange background. You can sew yourself a lovely wrap dress with this fabric. You can also use this fabric to make maxi dresses, cowl neck tops, turtle neck tops and t-shirts.

After

The 'Market Day in Positano' Jersey

Ex-Gai Mattiolo

Oversized florals that walk into a room before you do. The orange is warm, not overwhelming, and those multi-coloured blooms have vintage holiday postcard energy.

This wants to be a wrap dress, or a cowl neck top that doesn't need jewellery. The jersey is soft and moves with you.

If you're new to sewing, this is a good place to start. Jersey doesn't fray, and the stretch forgives fit issues.

Lightweight Viscose Jersey · 140cm · Lightweight with natural drape · Italy (Gai Mattiolo Designer Deadstock) · 2.70 metres · £40 for the full piece

Nº 03Cotton

Before

This is a lovely light weight cotton fabric from a well known American brand. This will be perfect for your spring and summer wardrobe. It will work well with dresses, shirts, tops and skirts.

After

The 'Weekend Sailor' Cotton

American Brand

Nautical without being costume-y. Crisp, lightweight cotton that holds its shape but still breathes.

This wants to be a shirt dress that works for the farmer's market and Sunday lunch. Or a button-down that looks sharp tucked in or worn loose.

It presses beautifully and won't go limp in the heat, so it stays sharp through a long day and forgives a beginner at the machine.

100% Cotton · 150cm · Lightweight (120 g/m²) · USA (Brand Deadstock) · 2 metres · £32 for the full piece

Nº 04Stretch Cotton

Before

This is a lovely light to mid weight cotton fabric from an Italian brand. This will be perfect for your spring and summer wardrobe. It will work well with dresses, tops, skirts. It has some stretch in the weft.

After

The 'Secret Garden' Stretch Cotton

Italian

Tiny florals in green and blue that read more sophisticated than sweet. This Italian cotton is crisp to the hand, with just enough stretch to move with you, 4% elastane in the weft.

This is your fitted shirt dress, or a tailored top that actually feels comfortable all day.

That bit of stretch forgives a snug seam and means it won't wrinkle into oblivion after lunch. No lining needed, and easy enough that you'll want to make multiples.

96% Cotton, 4% Elastane · 143cm · Light-Medium (175 g/m²) · Italy (Brand Deadstock) · 1.55 metres · £24 for the full piece

Nº 05Stretch Cotton

Before

This is a lovely lightweight cotton poplin fabric from a well known American designer. This will be perfect for your spring and summer wardrobe. It will work well with dresses, tops, shirts and skirts. Use it for projects that require gathering as it is light enough for that. It has some stretch in the weft.

After

The 'Queens of Spring' Stretch Cotton

American Designer

Lightweight cotton poplin from an American designer, crisp enough to hold a pleat but soft enough to gather beautifully. The subtle beige has that expensive neutral quality that makes everything look intentional.

Born to be a gathered midi skirt or a shirt dress with volume in the sleeves. The kind of fabric that takes you from brunch to evening without trying too hard.

The 4% elastane in the weft means it moves with you without clinging, and it gathers and presses without a fight. Light enough for volume, structured enough for tailoring.

96% Cotton, 4% Elastane · 145cm · Lightweight (120 g/m²) · USA (Designer Deadstock) · 1.8 metres · £28 for the full piece

Nº 06Silk Crêpe

Before

This is a lightweight silk crepe de chine branded SM. It is Perfect for tops, dresses and skirts. You will need a lining if making a dress.

After

The 'Bordeaux Evening' Silk Crêpe

SM Brand

Silk crêpe de chine in a deep maroon that reads as burgundy wine at dinner. Cool to the touch, with that crêpe texture that catches the light and just enough body to drape without going limp.

Perfect for a bias-cut camisole or a draped cowl neck top. The kind of piece you save for special dinners, then find yourself reaching for every weekend.

A word of warning: silk crêpe shifts under the scissors, so cut single layer with weights and a sharp blade. You'll want a lining for anything below the waist, but for tops this is pure luxury.

100% Silk Crêpe de Chine · 140cm · Lightweight · SM Brand (Deadstock) · 85cm · £30 for the full piece

Nº 07Cotton Poplin

Before

This is a light weight cotton poplin fabric sourced from Italy. This will be perfect for tops, dresses, trousers and skirts.

After

The 'Coastal Path' Cotton Poplin

Italian

Italian cotton poplin with motifs in blue and green that feel more Mediterranean tile than twee floral. Lightweight and crisp, with that poplin finish that presses sharp and holds its shape all day.

This wants to be wide-leg trousers or a shirt dress with pockets. The kind of print that works as well in the city as it does on holiday.

Poplin is a joy to sew, stable under the needle with no lining required. You've got 2.5 metres here, enough for a matching set if you're feeling ambitious.

100% Cotton Poplin · 140cm · Lightweight · Italy (Deadstock) · 2.5 metres · £38 for the full piece

Nº 08Silk Jacquard

Before

This is a lovely light weight silk jacquard fabric from an Italian designer. This will be ideal for special occasion tops, skirts and dresses.

After

The 'Champagne Soirée' Silk Jacquard

Italian Designer

Italian designer silk jacquard with a subtle pattern woven right into the cloth. Mid-weight, with that luxurious hand only jacquard has, and a texture that catches light differently than flat silk, so it reads expensive without being showy.

Born to be a special occasion top or a midi skirt that makes any dinner feel like an event. The piece you reach for when something nice is required but you don't want to look like you tried too hard.

Fair warning: you only have 50cm, so plan your layout before you cut. A clean facing finishes it nicely, and the woven pattern hides small stitches well.

100% Silk Jacquard · 130cm · Mid-weight · Italy (Designer Deadstock) · 50cm · £15 for the full piece

Nº 09Viscose Blend

Before

This is a light weight viscose acetate mix fabric sourced from France. It will be ideal for tops and dresses.

After

The 'Riviera Afternoon' Viscose Blend

French

French viscose-acetate blend with a crushed texture that's deliberate, not accidental. Mid-weight at 180gsm, so it has presence without weight, and a matte finish that photographs beautifully.

This is your maxi dress that moves when you walk, or a draped top that doesn't need jewellery. It travels well and reads intentionally relaxed, never crumpled.

The blend can shift as you cut, so use weights and take it slow. You've got 3.6 metres at 123cm wide, enough for a full dress with sleeves or a few coordinating pieces.

Viscose & Acetate Blend · 123cm · Mid-weight (180 g/m²) · France (Deadstock) · 3.6 metres · £70 for the full piece

Nº 10Viscose Crêpe

Before

This is a medium weight viscose crepe cadi fabric from Italy. It is stunning, with a heavy drape. This will be perfect for dresses, skirts, trousers and blazers. It is not transparent.

After

The 'Sunset Boulevard' Viscose Crêpe

Italian

Italian viscose crêpe cadi with a heavy drape that makes everything look expensive. Medium weight, with enough body to hold structure in tailoring but enough fluidity for dresses that move. The crêpe texture keeps it matte and sophisticated, nothing shiny or cheap-looking.

Born to be wide-leg trousers that make you feel pulled together, or a midi dress with a defined waist. It works as well for a blazer as it does for a slip skirt.

It's opaque and ready to work with no lining needed, and it presses beautifully and holds its shape all day. Sold by the half metre, so order to your pattern.

100% Viscose Crêpe Cadi · 140cm · Medium with heavy drape · Italy (Deadstock) · Available by the half metre · £9 per half metre

Nº 11Embroidered Cotton

Before

This is a light weight embroidered cotton fabric sourced from Italy. This will be perfect for dresses, skirts and tops.

After

The 'Sunday Brunch' Embroidered Cotton

Italian

Italian embroidered cotton that's delicate without being precious. Lightweight, with texture you can see and feel, and embroidery that sits flat enough to wear easily against the skin.

Perfect for a simple sleeveless top that looks effortless, or a breezy summer dress for coffee runs and afternoon drinks. The embroidery does the styling work, so you don't need to overthink accessories.

Cut with the embroidery running in one direction so the pattern stays consistent, and finish raw edges, as embroidered cotton can fray. You've got 50cm, enough for a top.

100% Cotton (Embroidered) · 145cm · Lightweight · Italy (Deadstock) · 50cm · £14 for the full piece

Nº 12Cotton Sateen

Before

This is a high quality cotton poplin fabric that can be used to make shirts, tops and dresses. Sourced from Italy. This fabric is neither slippery nor transparent, and will be easy to sew. You do not need a lining.

After

The 'Candy Shop' Cotton Sateen

Italian

Italian cotton sateen in candy pink with just enough sheen to catch light without looking shiny. Crisp enough to hold structure, soft enough to wear all day.

Born to be a shirt dress with a nipped waist or a fitted blouse that actually buttons comfortably. The sateen finish gives it polish, so it reads more meeting-for-lunch than running-errands.

That 1% elastane gives where you need it, in a fitted bodice or a darted waist, so seams sit smooth. It presses beautifully and barely wrinkles, with no lining required.

99% Cotton, 1% Elastane · 148cm · Lightweight with subtle sheen · Italy (Deadstock) · 50cm · £5 for the full piece

Nº 13Cotton Sateen

Before

This is a high quality cotton sateen fabric that can be used to make shirts, tops and dresses. It is a very lovely quality fabric with a sateen finish. Sourced from Italy. This fabric is neither slippery nor transparent, and will be easy to sew. You do not need a lining.

After

The 'Freesia Garden' Cotton Sateen

Italian

Italian cotton sateen in a warm yellow-green that works with almost everything. The sateen finish gives it a subtle lustre without tipping into costume-y.

This is your shirt that looks polished tucked in or loose over jeans, or a simple A-line skirt that suits the office and the weekend equally.

With 2% elastane it forgives fitted seams and waistbands, sews up easily, and barely wrinkles. It always looks intentional, even when the make was simple.

98% Cotton, 2% Elastane · 148cm · Lightweight with sateen finish · Italy (Deadstock) · 50cm · £6 for the full piece

Nº 14Viscose Twill

Before

This is a lovely light weight EcoVero viscose twill fabric from a French designer. It has a lovely drape. This will be ideal for shirts, blouses, skirts, dresses and trousers.

After

The 'Coastal Breeze' Viscose Twill

French Designer

French EcoVero viscose twill in a crisp white that's anything but basic. The twill weave gives it subtle texture and more body than plain viscose, so it drapes without going limp.

Perfect for wide-leg trousers that move when you walk, or a shirt dress with a defined waist. The white is clean and fresh, the kind that makes you look like you have your life together even when you don't.

It presses beautifully and holds structure, but white reads sheer in strong light, so line a skirt or trouser if you want full opacity. Sold by the half metre.

100% Viscose (48% EcoVero) · 143cm · Lightweight (140 g/m²) · France (Designer Deadstock) · Available by the half metre · £5 per half metre

Nº 15Cotton Viscose Crêpe

Before

This is a light weight cotton viscose crepe fabric from Italy. This will be perfect for tops, dresses and skirts. It is not transparent.

After

The 'Summer Calm' Cotton Viscose Crêpe

Italian

Italian cotton-viscose crêpe blend that brings together cotton's breathability and viscose's drape. Lightweight and opaque, with a soft matte finish and a crêpe texture that doesn't cling and forgives wrinkles.

Born to be a relaxed button-down or a simple shift dress that works for everything. Easy to wear and easy to wash, with nothing about it to overthink.

The narrow 110cm width means you'll want to plan your layout carefully before cutting, but the drape is worth the effort. Sold by the half metre.

Cotton & Viscose Blend · 110cm · Lightweight · Italy (Deadstock) · Available by the half metre · £5 per half metre

Nº 16Viscose Jersey

Before

This is a light weight viscose jersey fabric made in Italy. This will be perfect for dresses, tops and beach coverups.

After

The 'Sunset Stripe' Viscose Jersey

Italian

Italian viscose jersey with stripes in pinks and reds that fade into each other like a summer sunset. Lightweight and drapey, with that jersey ease that makes everything comfortable. The 10% elastane gives it real stretch and recovery, so nothing sags or looks tired after a wear.

This is your casual dress for weekend markets, or a relaxed top that layers beautifully. The stripes do the visual work, so keep the silhouette simple.

A good one for newer sewists. Jersey doesn't fray and the stretch hides small fit slips, just use a ballpoint needle and a stretch stitch. It travels well and washes easily, so it earns its place in your rotation.

90% Viscose, 10% Elastane · 135cm · Lightweight with stretch · Italy (Deadstock) · Available by the half metre · £5 per half metre

Nº 17Stretch Cotton

Before

This is a lovely light to mid weight cotton fabric from an Italian brand. This will be perfect for your spring and summer wardrobe. It will work well with dresses, tops and skirts. It has some stretch in the weft.

After

The 'Monochrome Garden' Stretch Cotton

Italian

Italian stretch cotton with tiny florals in black and white that read more graphic than sweet. Light to mid-weight, with 4% elastane in the weft that gives it a soft, easy hand.

This is your fitted shirt dress that actually feels comfortable all day, or a tailored top with princess seams that doesn't gap at the buttons. A print that works year-round and never feels dated.

The stretch forgives fitted seams and stops it wrinkling into oblivion, so it's structured enough to tailor and light enough for warm weather. No lining needed. You'll want to make everything in it.

96% Cotton, 4% Elastane · 143cm · Light-Medium (175 g/m²) · Italy (Brand Deadstock) · Available by the half metre · £6.50 per half metre

Nº 18Bra Tulle

Before

This is a lovely lightweight bra tulle with a honeycomb texture. It can be used as the main fabric to make bras (cup and cradle). It can also be used to line embroidered lace. It has some mechanical give in the crosswise grain. It best used in double layers, placing the layers on opposite grain for added support.

After

The 'Mimosa Dream' Bra Tulle

Nylon

Lightweight nylon bra tulle with a honeycomb texture in soft mimosa yellow. Proper lingerie-making material, with mechanical give across the crosswise grain, exactly what you need for support.

This works as cup and cradle fabric, or as a lining for embroidered lace. The kind of foundation that makes a handmade bra feel professional.

Best used in double layers with the grains running opposite directions for maximum support. If you're making your own bras you already know what to do. If you're learning, it's forgiving enough to practise on.

100% Nylon · 150cm · Lightweight (35 g/m²) · Mechanical give on crosswise grain · Available by the half metre · £5 per half metre

Framework in action

How the four pillars work across the collection

The pillars work as a way of thinking, not a checklist to tick through. Each description uses all four, but the balance shifts depending on the fabric's character and who it's most likely speaking to.

PRODUCTTACTILEIN MOTIONCREATIVE SPARKEXPERT FRIEND
Midnight in MilanWarning: slippery to cut
Market Day in PositanoBeginner guidance
Weekend SailorBehaviour: presses beautifully

Framework applied across the full catalogue. The Expert Friend pillar adapts to each fabric - sometimes a warning, sometimes encouragement, sometimes practical guidance on care or construction.

Testing

Tested with 6 sewists across all three user types

Two participants from each user group were shown the rewritten descriptions without context and asked how confident they felt making a purchase decision. Across all three groups, the consistent finding was the same. The copy gave them enough to act.

TESTER

“It felt like having the Selvedge store on my phone - like someone who actually knows what they're talking about was helping me choose.”
THE OCCASIONAL MAKER

TESTER

“The technical details are there but they don't get in the way. And the warning about cutting the viscose - that's exactly what I needed to know.”
THE PROFESSIONAL SEWIST

TESTER

“I wasn't planning to buy anything but I found myself genuinely wanting the Positano jersey. The copy made me picture the dress.”
THE BROWSER

Method: 6 participants, 2 from each user type, recruited from the Selvedge & Bolts Instagram community. Participants were shown rewritten descriptions only - no original copy - and asked to rate purchase confidence and describe what the fabric felt like based on the description alone. One participant from the Professional Sewist group was involved throughout the rewrite process; the remaining five reviewed the final descriptions.

Deliverables

What I delivered

01

Voice Framework

A four-pillar brand voice system built to scale the owner's expertise across the full product catalogue.

02

Full Product Catalogue

Every product rewritten on the four-pillar framework, each one serving all three buyer types.

03

Naming System

A naming convention that positions each fabric as a character - evocative, specific, memorable - rather than a description of the print.

04

Content Guidelines

Scalable guidelines for ongoing use - so the voice stays consistent as new stock is added without needing a full content review.

Client is preparing for relaunch. Updated copy and naming system are ready to go live.