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!