When you slip on a beautifully made blouse or dress, it’s easy to admire the colour, the fit, and how confident it makes you feel. But there’s an essential part of every garment’s story that often goes unnoticed: the fabric.
At dotty, based right here in Toronto, fabric selection is the heartbeat of our design process. The choices we make about materials determine how our pieces look, feel, drape, and last. Today, we’re lifting the curtain on how we source fabrics and why our local approach matters—for both quality and sustainability.
Why Fabric Selection Matters
Fabric is more than just the raw material for a garment. It defines:
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Comfort: Softness, breathability, and how fabric feels against your skin.
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Durability: How long your clothing lasts without pilling, fading, or stretching out.
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Drape and Fit: How a piece hangs and flatters your body shape.
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Sustainability: Whether materials are responsibly sourced and eco-friendly.
As a Toronto-based brand, we take pride in choosing fabrics that align with our commitment to quality, ethics, and Canadian craftsmanship.
Our Toronto Fabric Sourcing Process
Fabric Testing
We never choose a fabric based solely on appearance. We conduct in-house testing for:
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Colour fastness (so your garment won’t bleed or fade)
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Shrinkage after washing
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Wrinkle resistance
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Stretch and recovery
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Hand-feel and drape
This ensures every fabric meets our standards before it becomes part of your wardrobe.
3. Focus on Natural and Sustainable Fibres
Many of our customers ask about sustainable fabrics. We’re proud to incorporate:
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Organic cotton: Soft, breathable, and grown without harmful pesticides.
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Tencel™ (lyocell): A silky, eco-friendly fibre made from sustainably sourced wood pulp.
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Wool blends: Sourced from ethical mills for cozy winter styles.
These fabrics feel luxurious while minimizing environmental impact—a win-win for you and the planet.
Different Fabrics We Love to Work With
Here’s a quick guide to some of the fabrics you’ll see in our Toronto studio:
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Cotton: Perfect for breathable everyday wear.
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Viscose/Rayon: Offers a beautiful drape for blouses and dresses.
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Polyester blends: Used sparingly for wrinkle resistance and durability.
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Wool/ Sweater Knit: Warm, elegant, and timeless for fall and winter pieces.
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Tencel™: Sustainable, soft, and drapey.
Each fabric we select has a specific purpose in mind, ensuring our designs feel as beautiful as they look.
Why We’re Proud of Our Toronto Roots
Being based in Toronto gives us access to diverse textile resources and incredible local talent. It also allows us to collaborate closely with suppliers and manufacturers, ensuring:
✅ Shorter supply chains
✅ Faster turnaround times
✅ More sustainable practices
✅ High quality control
When you wear a piece from dotty, you’re wearing a piece of Toronto’s fashion story.
Our fabric sourcing journey is ongoing. We’re always exploring innovative textiles—like recycled fibres, new eco-friendly blends, and unique textures—to keep our collections fresh and forward-thinking.
Curious about any fabrics we’ve mentioned? Have a favourite material you’d love us to use? Visit our Toronto studio for a closer look!