Posts are zipping around the internet about the new pricing policy Westminster Fabrics is putting into effect beginning Feb 1 of this year–just a couple weeks from now. The company has announced that it will require all retailers of its fabrics to adhere to mandatory minimum advertised pricing on fabrics less than one year old, which will place the retail cost of a yard of any Westminster print at $9.50. Kim over at TrueUP has a clear post on this that’s been referenced a lot today and gives a good number of details.
Here at Whipstitch, I’m thrilled to offer Westminster Fabrics. A number of other retailers have indicated that they’ll order less or none of Rowan and FreeSpirit fabrics as a result of the burden this decision puts on their business. I love the prints and designers over at Westminster, though, and am proud to offer lines like Joel Dewberry and the new stuff from Jay McCarroll. I love Amy Butler and Heather Bailey, and I know that customers like these prints, as well. I won’t be dropping Westminster, and realistically, won’t reduce the number of bolts I offer.
The truth is that at Whipstitch, I order ONLY fabrics that I love–not those that I anticipate will sell well or make the most profit for me. I know that some other retailers are hoping to reduce the yardage they might have left on hand if a particular fabric fails to sell well, but I tend to use mine or hoard it obsessively, and am far more concerned with offering prints I adore and feel good about having in the shop. Feel free to bookmark Whipstitch as your location for Westminster prints if you have trouble finding them elsewhere after Feb 1–but know that the per yard price will increase to maintain my good standing with this trusted manufacturer.
