Upholstery SOS: The best places to buy upholstery supplies

One question I’m often asked is: Where are the best places to buy upholstery supplies when you’re starting out? Whether it’s fabrics and finishes or tools and fillings and foams, the shopping list can be endless – and it can be expensive! Over the years I’ve shopped around for the suppliers I know are good quality and reliable. Today, I’m sharing with you my go-to places. These are the suppliers I recommend you seek out to find all the upholstery essentials for your projects – big or small.

Fabrics

If you choose upholstery as a career, a love for fabrics goes hand-in-hand. I am such a fabric geek and to me, discovering a new design or fabric house is a real buzz. I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting suppliers, especially if they have a great story or first-class sustainability credentials.

As you become more accomplished, you’ll have your go-to places but as a starting point, the companies below are non-trade and totally reliable, so you can buy without an account – perfect for beginners. If you’re already in business, or as you get established, you can start to set up accounts and benefit from trade prices and discounts.

Always make sure you’re buying upholstery grade fabric and you’re aware of the fire regulations for your project and your chosen fabric.

Just Fabrics
The Millshop
J A Milton Upholstery
Yorkshire Fabric Shop
Timsmiths
Ross Fabrics
Camira Fabrics
Fabrics & Papers
Modelli Fabrics
Britannia Rose
My Fabrics

Sundries & Specialist Supplies

The shopping list for upholstery supplies such as stuffings, fillings and foam, feet and castors, tacks, staples, plus things like coverings and linings, webbing, hessian etc is long!

You’ll do better if you buy these things in bulk quantities but I know that if you’re a hobbyist or in business as a one-man-band, that’s not always possible. Most of the big suppliers also have online shops on eBay and Amazon these days too.

J A Milton Upholstery
Martins Upholstery
The Foam Shop
Glover Bros
Heico Direct
Southern Foam
Heritage Components

Toolkit

These days, my toolkit is my pride and joy and I love every bit of kit I’ve collected over the years. As is so true in so many other crafts and professions, you are only as good as your tools. But you don’t necessarily have to choose the most expensive. For example, second-hand tools will often do just as good a job.

As a beginner, you’re bound to have the essentials such as a magnetic hammer, webbing strainer, tack lifter, staple remover, ripping chisel and mallet already. Some of the suppliers such as JA Milton do beginner’s kits that have all the basics in one bundle. As you add to your armoury, the following places are worth a look and also give fantastic advice if you need it.

J A Milton Upholstery
Martins Upholstery
H.Webber & Sons
The Mills Shop

If you need help with a simple or perhaps more sophisticated upholstery project, drop me a line for an initial, no-obligation quote by filling in the online enquiry form. Alternatively, you can email me directly at sharon@vintiqueupholstery.com or call me on 07764 182 783.

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Note: A version of this blog previously ran in April 2021