Product copy · Brand voice
Selvedge & Bolts
A fabric shop moving online, and a catalogue that needed to sound like the owner.
Selvedge & Bolts sells designer deadstock fabric. In the shop, the owner does the selling. She tells you how a fabric feels, what it wants to be, and when it's going to be a pain to cut. Online, none of that was coming across. The listings said what was printed on the fabric and not much else.
So I went back to what customers were actually asking, and to how the owner talks, and rewrote all 18 products so every description covers the same four things.
What it feels like on your skin.
How it falls and moves.
What you could make with it.
What the owner would warn you about.
I've coloured three of the rewrites so you can see where each one comes in.
The 'Midnight in Milan' Viscose
Before, on the old site
After
This ex-Isabel Marant 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% Viscose · 148cm · Lightweight / High-Drape · Italy · 2.5m · £40
The 'Market Day in Positano' Jersey
Before, on the old site
After
These are big flowers, and the orange is warm rather than loud. It's the perfect print for a summer holiday.
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 · Italy · 2.7m · £40
The 'Weekend Sailor' Cotton
Before, on the old site
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, so it stays sharp through a long day and forgives a beginner at the machine.
100% Cotton · 150cm · Lightweight (120 g/m²) · USA · 2m · £32
The names
The old names described the pattern, or there wasn't a name at all. The new ones put you somewhere.
The other fifteen
The 'Secret Garden' Stretch Cotton
Tiny florals in green and blue that read more sophisticated than sweet. This Italian cotton has just enough stretch to move with you (4% elastane in the weft), which means it forgives you after lunch and doesn't wrinkle into oblivion. Your fitted shirt dress or tailored top that actually feels comfortable all day. You'll want to make multiples.
96% Cotton, 4% Elastane · 143cm · Light-Medium (175 g/m²) · Italy · 1.55m remnant · £24
The 'Bordeaux Evening' Silk Crêpe
This is silk crêpe de chine in that deep maroon that reads as burgundy wine at dinner. Lightweight with the characteristic crêpe texture that catches light beautifully. Cool to the touch with just enough body to drape without going limp. Perfect for a bias-cut camisole or a draped cowl neck top. You'll need a lining for anything below the waist, but for tops this is pure luxury. The kind of piece you save for special dinners and then realise you want to wear it every weekend. Only 85cm. Plan accordingly.
100% Silk Crêpe de Chine · 140cm · Lightweight · SM Brand · 85cm remnant · £30
The 'Riviera Afternoon' Viscose
French viscose-acetate blend with a crushed texture that's deliberate, not accidental. Natural movement and a matte finish that photographs beautifully, presence without being heavy. Your maxi dress that moves when you walk, or a draped top that doesn't need jewellery. 3.6 metres here, enough for a full dress with sleeves, or a few coordinating pieces.
Viscose & Acetate Blend · 123cm · Mid-weight (180 g/m²) · France · 3.6m remnant · £70
The 'Queens of Spring' Stretch Cotton
Lightweight cotton poplin from an American designer that's 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 transitions from brunch to evening without trying too hard.
96% Cotton, 4% Elastane · 145cm · Lightweight (120 g/m²) · USA · 1.8m remnant · £28
The 'Coastal Path' Cotton Poplin
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 beautifully and holds its shape all day. This wants to be wide-leg trousers or a shirt dress with pockets. You've got 2.5 metres here, room for a matching set if you're feeling ambitious.
100% Cotton Poplin · 140cm · Lightweight · Italy · 2.5m remnant · £38
The 'Champagne Soirée' Silk Jacquard
Italian designer silk jacquard with a subtle pattern woven right into the fabric. Mid-weight with that luxurious hand that only silk jacquard has. The texture catches light differently than flat silk, so it reads as more expensive without being showy about it. Born to be a special occasion top or a midi skirt that makes any dinner feel like an event. Fair warning, you only have 50cm. Plan accordingly.
100% Silk Jacquard · 130cm · Mid-weight · Italy · 50cm remnant · £15
The 'Sunset Boulevard' Viscose Crêpe
Italian viscose crêpe cadi with that heavy drape that makes everything look expensive. Medium weight with enough body for tailoring but fluid enough for dresses that move. The crêpe texture gives it a matte, sophisticated finish, 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.
100% Viscose Crêpe Cadi · 140cm · Medium with heavy drape · Italy · Available by the half metre · £9 per half metre
The 'Sunday Brunch' Embroidered Cotton
Italian embroidered cotton that's delicate without being precious. Lightweight with texture you can see and feel, the kind of fabric that does the styling work for you. The embroidery adds interest without being fussy, so you don't need to overthink accessories. Perfect for a simple sleeveless top that looks effortless, or a breezy summer dress that works for both coffee runs and afternoon drinks.
100% Cotton (Embroidered) · 145cm · Lightweight · Italy · 50cm remnant · £14
The 'Candy Shop' Cotton Sateen
Italian cotton sateen in candy pink with just enough sheen to catch light without looking shiny. That 1% elastane means it has give where you need it, in a fitted bodice or darted waist. 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. It reads more "meeting for lunch" than "running errands."
99% Cotton, 1% Elastane · 148cm · Lightweight with subtle sheen · Italy · 50cm remnant · £5
The 'Freesia Garden' Cotton Sateen
Italian cotton sateen in a warm yellow-green that works surprisingly well with everything. The sateen finish gives it a subtle lustre without being costume-y. With 2% elastane, it has just enough stretch to forgive fitted seams and waistbands. Your shirt that looks polished tucked in or worn loose over jeans. Easy to sew, impossible to wrinkle, always looks intentional.
98% Cotton, 2% Elastane · 148cm · Lightweight with sateen finish · Italy · 50cm remnant · £6
The 'Coastal Breeze' Viscose Twill
French EcoVero viscose twill in crisp white that's anything but basic. The twill weave gives it subtle texture and more body than plain viscose, so it drapes beautifully without going limp. Lightweight enough for summer but substantial enough to hold structure. Perfect for wide-leg trousers that move when you walk, or a shirt dress with a defined waist. The white that makes you look like you have your life together.
100% Viscose (48% EcoVero) · 143cm · Lightweight (140 g/m²) · France · Available by the half metre · £5 per half metre
The 'Summer Calm' Cotton Viscose Crêpe
Italian cotton-viscose crêpe blend that combines the best of both worlds, cotton's breathability with viscose's drape. Lightweight and opaque with a soft matte finish. Doesn't cling, forgives wrinkles beautifully. Born to be a relaxed button-down or a simple shift dress that works for everything. Note, the width is only 110cm. Plan your layout before you cut.
Cotton & Viscose Blend · 110cm · Lightweight · Italy · Available by the half metre · £5 per half metre
The 'Sunset Stripe' Viscose Jersey
Italian viscose jersey with stripes in pinks and reds that fade into each other like a summer sunset. With 10% elastane, this has serious stretch and recovery, nothing saggy or tired-looking after one wear. Your casual dress that you throw on for weekend markets, or a relaxed top that layers beautifully. The stripes do all the visual interest, so you can keep the silhouette simple.
90% Viscose, 10% Elastane · 135cm · Lightweight with stretch · Italy · Available by the half metre · £5 per half metre
The 'Monochrome Garden' Stretch Cotton
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, so it forgives fitted seams and doesn't wrinkle into oblivion. The kind of print that works year-round and never feels dated. Your fitted shirt dress that actually feels comfortable all day, or a tailored top with princess seams that doesn't gap at the buttons.
96% Cotton, 4% Elastane · 143cm · Light-Medium (175 g/m²) · Italy · Available by the half metre · £6.50 per half metre
The 'Mimosa Dream' Bra Tulle
Lightweight nylon bra tulle with a honeycomb texture in soft mimosa yellow. Proper lingerie-making material, the kind that works as cup and cradle fabric or as a lining for embroidered lace. Has mechanical give in the crosswise grain, which is exactly what you need for support. Best used in double layers with grains running opposite directions. If you're learning, this is forgiving enough to practise with.
100% Nylon · 150cm · Lightweight (35 g/m²) · Available by the half metre · £3 per half metre
The shopping assistant
Good descriptions help once you've found a fabric. They don't help when there are 60 of them and you don't know which one is yours. So I also designed Fabric Matchmaker. It asks what you're making and how much you've sewn before, then suggests one fabric and tells you why, in the same voice as the catalogue.
Try it
It's live. It runs on a free server, so it can take a few seconds to wake up.