How to keep track of fabrics and trims

Do you order a load of fabric and trims at the same time?  Stash them away to sew up at a later date, then by the time you get to use them, you either forget where you’ve got them from, the code they came under or the price they were?

It’s time consuming to scroll back through receipts or your emails, to check; then email the supplier to check if they have anymore.

There are simple ways to keep track, either in a note book or separate sheets of paper, or on the computer. I’m a fan of printing out forms and fling them in, mainly because fabrics and trims can go quickly so you;re always crossing out what has gone, and I usually order many fabrics at once, so put it all on the same sheet from the same supplier and can add to it, which can be quite hard if you have a paged book.

I also prefer to have a paper copy in case I need to put a fabric or trim cutting on as a reference and it’s easier to reach for my folder with it all in, rather than start up the computer.

What is on my ‘keep track’ list?

I have the date, the supplier, code, my description and the price. So at a glance I can check with the company if they have anymore or if i’ve bought a lot of that said item, I can check and work out costings without having to spend time trawling back through past paperwork. I also then highlight which item I am using for the collection.

Also I can check at a glance when I bought it. Get into a system that works for you. By doing so you’ll save time and feel a bit more organised even if you’re drowning in trims and fabrics - which in my opinion is not a bad thing!

If you need help with getting a system into place then these design sheets may help you. In them is a style sheet to keep progress of your designs, a fabric/trim tracker (as stated above) a cost sheet to work out your costs, a tech pack template and a spec sheet template.