Download my free printable Garment District Walking Guide and discover 20+ must-visit fabric stores, trim shops, museums, and fashion landmarks in the heart of New York City.

If your perfect vacation includes fabric shopping, fashion history, hidden notions stores, and enough inspiration to fill an entire sketchbook, New York City's Garment District belongs at the top of your travel bucket list.

As a costume designer, textile enthusiast, and lifelong sewist, visiting this neighborhood felt a bit like walking through the pages of fashion history. Every block offered something new—from towering shelves of designer fabrics to tiny trim shops overflowing with buttons, ribbons, feathers, and zippers.

To make planning your own trip easier, I created a FREE printable Garment District Walking Guide that maps out my favorite stops, along with a suggested walking route beginning at Homewood Suites Times Square South.

➡️ Download the free printable Garment District Walking Guide here.

Why Visit New York's Garment District?

For more than a century, New York City's Garment District has been the center of the American fashion industry.

Today, it's still one of the best places in the world to shop for:

Apparel fabrics
Designer deadstock
Silk
Wool
Linen
Lace
Buttons
Trim
Zippers
Industrial sewing supplies
Costume-making materials

Whether you're a quilter, fashion designer, historical costumer, cosplay maker, or home sewist, you'll find something to inspire your next project.

Download the Free Walking Map

Planning a visit?

I designed this printable guide specifically for textile lovers.

Inside you'll find:

✔ A suggested walking route

✔ More than 20 recommended stops

✔ Fabric stores

✔ Trim stores

✔ Zipper specialists

✔ Museums

✔ Coffee recommendations

✔ Shopping checklist

✔ Space to record your favorite finds

Print it before your trip or save it on your phone while you explore.

(Download Button)

Start Your Adventure at Homewood Suites Times Square South

One of the reasons I recommend this hotel is simple:

Location.

Homewood Suites Times Square South is only about one block from the Garment District, making it incredibly easy to spend the day walking from shop to shop without needing taxis or the subway.

Other perks include:

Complimentary breakfast
Spacious rooms
Kitchenettes
Easy walk from Penn Station
Comfortable beds after a full day of shopping

Affiliate Link: Book Homewood Suites Here

Stop #1: Mood Fabrics

No textile pilgrimage would be complete without visiting Mood Fabrics.

Known worldwide from Project Runway, Mood spans multiple floors filled with every type of apparel fabric imaginable.

Don't miss:

Designer deadstock
Silks
Wool coatings
Cotton prints
Sequins
Faux fur
Bridal fabrics

Even if you leave empty-handed (unlikely), you'll leave inspired.

Hidden Gems Along 37th–39th Streets

While Mood may be the most famous destination, don't stop there.

One of the best parts of the Garment District is wandering through the independent shops tucked between 7th and 8th Avenues.

Some of my favorites include:

Metro Textiles

Perfect for designer fabrics and surprisingly affordable treasures.

B&J Fabrics

Luxury fabrics, couture lace, and beautiful bridal materials.

Hamed Fabrics

An excellent mix of fashion fabrics with friendly service.

The Other Fabric Store

A wonderful stop for unique apparel fabrics and unexpected finds.

Hollywood Fabrics

A favorite for bargain hunters.

A.K. Fabrics

Another hidden gem worth exploring.

Every Sewist Should Visit the Trim Stores

One thing many first-time visitors don't realize is that some of the Garment District's most exciting shops don't sell fabric at all.

Instead, they're filled with thousands of trims, buttons, ribbons, notions, and hardware.

Don't miss:

Pacific Trimming

The ultimate destination for buttons, elastic, ribbon, hardware, and notions.

East Coast Trimming

Beautiful lace, ribbon, bridal trims, and embellishments.

Daytona Trimmings

Great selection of fringe, decorative trims, and costume details.

Botani Trimmings

Famous for specialty zippers and garment hardware.

Hai Trim & Feathers

If you're making costumes, this place is paradise.

Sil Thread

Walls of thread in nearly every color imaginable.

Steinlauf & Stoller

Professional sewing tools, pressing equipment, pattern paper, boning, and everything your sewing room needs.

Fashion History Stops

One of the things I love most about textile travel is combining shopping with fashion history.

After exploring the Garment District, continue your day with these nearby attractions.

Museum at FIT

Admission is free, and the rotating exhibitions feature everything from couture to historic fashion.

Macy's Herald Square

The original Macy's is worth visiting for its history, architecture, visual merchandising, and beautiful textile departments.

MoMA

If a fashion or costume exhibition is on display during your visit, don't miss it. Seeing garments presented as art is a wonderful source of creative inspiration.

Suggested One-Day Itinerary

Morning

Breakfast at Homewood Suites
Mood Fabrics
Steinlauf & Stoller
Metro Textiles

Lunch

Grab lunch in the Garment District

Afternoon

Pacific Trimming
East Coast Trimming
Daytona Trimmings
B&J Fabrics
Museum at FIT

Evening

Macy's Herald Square
MoMA
Dinner in Midtown

What to Pack for Your Textile Shopping Trip

This is a great place to include affiliate links.

I never travel to the Garment District without:

Comfortable walking shoes
Crossbody bag
Folding shopping tote
Portable phone charger
Small notebook
Measuring tape
Water bottle
Packing cubes
Expandable suitcase (you'll probably buy fabric!)

Bring Home More Than Fabric

One of my favorite parts of textile travel is realizing that inspiration isn't limited to what fits in your suitcase.

Sometimes it's a beautiful bolt of silk.

Sometimes it's a tiny trim shop tucked away on West 38th Street.

Sometimes it's seeing a couture garment in a museum that changes how you think about design.

New York City's Garment District is full of those moments.

I hope this free guide helps you discover a few of your own.

Happy travels—and happy sewing!

The Ultimate Textile Travel Guide to the Garment District, Fashion Museums, and Creative Inspiration

If your dream vacation includes fabric stores instead of souvenir shops, New York City belongs at the top of your travel bucket list.

As a costume designer, sewist, quilter, fiber artist, or fashion history enthusiast, there are few places in the world that offer the creative energy found in Manhattan's Garment District. Within just a few city blocks, you'll discover world-famous fabric stores, specialty trim shops, fashion museums, and historic streets that helped shape the American garment industry.

Whether you're visiting for the first time or returning for another fabric-shopping adventure, these are ten stops every textile lover should experience.

1. Mood Fabrics

No textile pilgrimage is complete without a visit to Mood Fabrics.

Known around the world from Project Runway, Mood has become one of New York City's most iconic fabric stores. Multiple floors are packed with thousands of bolts of fabric ranging from affordable cottons to luxurious silk, wool, designer deadstock, sequins, bridal lace, faux fur, and specialty textiles.

Even if you don't have room in your suitcase for fabric, simply walking through Mood is an inspiring experience. You'll see professional designers, Broadway costume shops, fashion students, and hobby sewists all searching for the perfect material.

Don't miss:

Designer fabrics
Bridal textiles
Fashion fabrics
Specialty notions
Endless inspiration

2. B&J Fabrics

Just a short walk away is another legendary destination: B&J Fabrics.

Unlike the warehouse feel of some fabric stores, B&J offers a beautifully organized showroom featuring premium fabrics from around the world. It's an excellent place to study fiber quality, texture, and drape, even if you're only window shopping.

You'll find everything from couture lace and silk charmeuse to luxury wool suiting, linen, velvet, and cashmere.

If you're planning a wedding gown, historical costume, or heirloom sewing project, this is a stop worth making.

Best for:

Couture sewing
Historical costumes
Bridal projects
Luxury garments

3. Pacific Trimming

Every sewist eventually needs the perfect zipper, buckle, snap, or piece of elastic—and Pacific Trimming probably has it.

This longtime Garment District favorite specializes in sewing notions and hardware. The shelves are filled with ribbons, bias tape, thread, boning, interfacing, closures, buckles, cords, webbing, and countless specialty supplies that can be difficult to find elsewhere.

Professional costume shops have relied on Pacific Trimming for decades.

4. Metro Textiles

Metro Textiles is a favorite among fashion designers looking for unique, high-quality fabrics at competitive prices.

The store carries an ever-changing inventory, so every visit feels like a treasure hunt. You never know when you'll discover designer wool, beautiful linen, colorful knits, or an unexpected luxury fabric at an excellent price.

If you enjoy finding one-of-a-kind materials, allow yourself plenty of time to browse.

5. New York Elegant Fabrics

Looking for sparkle?

New York Elegant Fabrics specializes in dramatic textiles that are perfect for evening wear, dance costumes, pageants, bridal gowns, and theatrical productions.

You'll find sequins, embroidered tulles, lace, metallic fabrics, and glamorous materials that instantly inspire creative ideas.

Even if you're not shopping for formalwear, it's worth visiting simply to admire the incredible selection.

6. Hamed Fabrics

For bargain hunters, Hamed Fabrics is a hidden gem.

Known for discounted designer fabrics and closeout finds, this shop rewards careful browsing. Inventory changes frequently, making every visit different from the last.

If you're creating costumes on a budget or enjoy the thrill of discovering unexpected treasures, add this stop to your itinerary.

7. Daytona Trimmings

Fabric is only half the story.

Daytona Trimmings is filled with decorative details that bring garments to life.

Browse rows of ribbons, fringe, decorative braid, appliqués, tassels, lace, beads, and specialty trims perfect for costumes, historical garments, dancewear, and creative sewing projects.

Small embellishments often become the feature people remember most.

8. The Museum at FIT

After shopping, spend some time exploring the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Best of all, admission is free.

The museum regularly features outstanding exhibitions covering fashion history, textile innovation, couture, accessories, and influential designers. The permanent collection contains garments spanning centuries of fashion history, making it one of the best museums in the country for anyone interested in clothing and textiles.

Whether you're a professional costume designer or simply love fashion history, the Museum at FIT offers endless inspiration.

Allow at least an hour or two to explore the galleries.

9. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute

If you're visiting New York between May 2026 and January 2027, don't miss the Costume Institute's special exhibition "Costume Art."

Presented in the museum's newly opened Condé Nast Galleries, the exhibition pairs more than 400 garments and accessories with paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and other works from across The Met's collection. Rather than presenting clothing only as fashion, the exhibition explores costume as an art form and places garments in conversation with centuries of artistic expression.

For costume designers, fashion historians, and textile lovers, this is one of the year's must-see exhibitions.

Be sure to check The Met's website before your trip for current hours and ticket information.

10. Wander the Historic Garment District

One of the best experiences isn't inside a store at all.

Spend time simply walking the streets between Seventh and Ninth Avenues.

Imagine the thousands of garment workers, cutters, pattern makers, sample sewers, and designers who transformed this neighborhood into the center of the American fashion industry.

Keep an eye out for:

The famous Garment Worker Statue
Historic factory buildings
Fashion-inspired public art
Window displays
Small independent fabric shops
Hidden trim stores
Unexpected creative inspiration

Some of the best discoveries happen when you step into a store you've never heard of before.

Tips for Planning Your Textile Adventure

Before heading out, a little preparation will make your day much more enjoyable.

Wear comfortable walking shoes—you'll easily walk several miles.
Bring a reusable tote bag or foldable shopping bag for your fabric finds.
Carry a small notebook or sketchbook to capture ideas and color palettes.
Compare prices before purchasing larger cuts of fabric.
Leave extra space in your suitcase—you'll almost certainly come home with more fabric than you expected.
Visit on a weekday when possible, as more businesses are open and crowds are often lighter.

Why Every Textile Lover Should Visit New York City

New York City isn't just a place to buy fabric—it's a place to experience the history, artistry, and creativity behind the textile industry.

From legendary fabric stores and specialty trim shops to world-class fashion museums and historic streets, every stop offers something to inspire your next creative project.

Whether you're designing costumes, quilting, sewing garments, researching fashion history, or simply appreciating beautiful textiles, the Garment District is one of the most rewarding destinations a creative traveler can visit.

If you're planning a trip, set aside an entire day—or even two—to explore. Trust me, you'll wish you had more time.

More Textile Travel Guides Coming Soon

Love combining travel with sewing, fashion history, museums, and fiber arts? Be sure to explore my growing Textile Travel series, where I'll be sharing creative destinations, fabric-shopping guides, museum recommendations, and inspiration for makers around the world.