hey guys, hope you all had nice xmas etc
i am just starting a project at uni to design and make fashionable sailing wear, so therefore i need some fabrics.

As im a student i thought id be a bit cheeky and ask wether any one has any spare bits /scraps of fabric going, (even stuff youd just chuck out, samples are helpful) or any old sailing clothes/boots/sails whatever really that you are willing to chuck to me. 

If you could send me an email that would be great
Thanks
Natt x

Errrr...the problem with old kit is....it's not exactly fragrant!

could give it a scrub or 2!!

i could give it a scrub or 2!!

Is that a total of 4 scrubs then?

Have you got anything in tartan?

Contact the trade. ie, Douglas Gill in Nottingham, Henri Lloyd in Manchester, Gul in Cornwall etc. Also contact the canoe clothing manufacturers, motorcycle clothing and ski. Ask for their sample department and I am sure they would help you. Also the cloth manufacturers would help. Contact WH Gore, Toray, Members of the trade would help. Go to the Marine and ski trade shows. Sounds an exciting project.

Hi Natalie,

There is a particularly interesting 'eco' fabric out there that isnt yet widely used that I could point you in the right direction for.  Could earn you some bonus marks!!

David

A couple of observations that might be of interest to you.

1) Some years ago was involved in a project to improve on an item of clothing used in the off shore industry it dosnt matter what the point is we eventually discovered all the new materials were actually inferior in practice to the older ones so we ended up not changing anything...

2)My current experience with sailing kit is very disapointing so think you might find that some of these new materials are suspect.

3) My business uses jackets some of which are manufactured in the UK & some in China. They are supposed to be made to exactly the same specification although the materials come from different factories. However, the UK made ones are heavier with, I think, a better but certainly a different "feel"... the workmanship is better too but have had no complaints & no one else seems to have noticed...

Hope these observations are of use to you.

Point North (now Profabrics) in Holyhead for mail order fabrics, including clothing, cover and sail fabrics. Service has always been good and samples are available. See their website.

thank you all for you advise and help, il deff look into it all. david that would be really good if you could point me in the right direction. thank you

I am new to merlin sailing...first post...

When I was at uni I did a sports bra project (for water sports) and I contacted Alder wetsuits, think they are in cornwall...they were really helpful and sent me some massive offcuts of neoprene, was a great help for my project being a broke student.

I suspect there are also many male students dedicated to studying bras whilst at university...

lol...weirdly I was the only girl on all 4 years of my uni course when I was there, and its amazing how many of the boys offered to help with the testing of my project.....

also, doing sports bras made presenting my major project interesting to a panel of 8 male tutors and lecturers :)