Custom Fabrics Story
Our Journey to Custom Fabrics
Welcome to Custom Fabrics, a vibrant and family-run business born out of a love for sewing, creativity, and the desire to provide unique fabrics to fellow sewing enthusiasts around the world. We are Maciej and Dorota, brother and sister, and we would love to share a little bit of our journey with you. From humble beginnings we have worked hard to become a trusted source for custom printed fabrics, and we couldn't have reached this milestone without the unwavering support of our incredible customers many of which have been with us since the beginning. Join us as we take you through the story of Custom Fabrics, celebrating the joy of sewing, creating and the community that brings it to life.
Our Sewing Inspiration: It all began when Dorota, a passionate seamstress, found her heart captivated by the art of sewing. As a mother of young children, she wanted to create unique and vibrant garments for them, but struggled to find fabrics that matched her vision. Determined to bring her imagination to life, Dorota started importing fabrics from her home country of Poland and sharing them with fellow sewing enthusiasts. The positive response ignited a spark within her, leading her to open a sewing studio and share her skills with others.
Growing Together: As the popularity of Dorota's sewing classes soared, it became evident that there was a growing demand for high-quality, distinctive fabrics. Realising the potential of this venture, she invited her brother Maciej, armed with his expertise in online fabric retail and IT, to join forces. In June 2016, Flamingo Fabrics was born. The name reflected our dedication to offering fun, unique designs and embracing the creative spirit that sewing embodies.
A Home for Creativity: From humble home-based beginnings, Flamingo Fabrics quickly outgrew its initial space. We moved into a small shop, and as word spread about our vibrant fabrics and exceptional customer service, we found ourselves needing even more room. In a few short months, we transitioned to an industrial unit, which allowed us to expand our fabric selection and cater to the needs of our growing customer base. We were over-the-moon to import digitally printed fabrics from Poland and curate our first fabric collection, which was met with resounding success.
Embracing Innovation: Dorota's fascination with digital fabric printing methods continued to fuel our passion for growth and improvement. In November 2020, we fulfilled a long-cherished dream by acquiring our first digital fabric printer.
However, our commitment to sustainability led us to reevaluate our printing process. We shifted gears to embrace pigment printing, which reduced water waste, eliminated harsh chemicals, and minimised energy consumption. Our dedication to providing environmentally friendly solutions aligns with our belief in responsible business practices. This is something that is genuinely important to us as individuals, as a business and most importantly to our customers and something that we put into many aspects of our business; from re-using packaging, to offering smaller lengths of fabrics to minimise waste for the customer and the environment.
Expanding Possibilities: Flamingo Fabrics continued to evolve, and in October 2022, we added a sublimation printer and heat press to our arsenal of equipment. This expansion allowed us to offer printing on polyester-based fabrics, catering to popular choices like our waterproof canvas fabric. We take pride in constantly exploring new avenues and introducing new products. Our commitment to providing diverse options remains at the core of our business.
Rebranding:
Our digital fabric printing serivces rapidly grew in popularity thanks to our dedication to maintaining great quality and offering a diverse choice of designs. In December 2023 we decided to rebrand our family business to Custom Fabrics UK. This decision was made in order to reflect the change from our once more traditional fabric shop, that Flamingo Fabrics used to be, to the modern print on demand service that is today.
The change helped us to continue our message of sustainablity and our environmental impact in the fabric industry as it meant we were not collecting mass amounts of stock and instead only printing what was needed for the customer, all whilst continuing to give our customers a wide choice of designs and fabric bases to choose from to print as and when customers require them.
Our Heartfelt Thanks: None of this would have been possible without our incredible customers. Your support, enthusiasm, and trust in our products have fuelled our journey and brought us immeasurable joy. We are deeply grateful for each and every one of you who has joined us on this adventure. Your creativity, passion, and shared love for sewing inspire us to continually innovate, grow and strive for excellence.
At Custom Fabrics, we're more than just a fabric printer — we're a community of sewing enthusiasts, brought together by a shared love for creativity and self-expression.