Retro fabric evokes designs from past eras, made from various fibers and recognizable for their bold and colorful patterns. It is used in both home decor and fashion, with vintage and reproduction options available through specialist retailers and thrift stores.
Retro fabric refers to textiles in designs that evoke a bygone era. The word retro, which generally refers to styles from the 1920s to the 1980s, comes from the Latin prefix, retro, which translates to “backward” or “times gone by.” While the term can literally mean “old-fashioned,” the connotation of retro style is a return to fashion.
This type of fabric can be constructed with fibers ranging from silk, lace, and velvet to cotton, wool, and linen. It can also be made of manufactured rayon fiber or synthetic fibers, such as polyester and nylon. This material is recognizable as the bold and colorful chintz of the 1940s and 1950s, the striking psychedelic swirls of the 1960s and 1970s, or the neon colors of the 1980s.
Retro fabric is at the center of a larger retro design movement, in which homes and fashion are given the vintage treatment to appear transported from decades past. The demand for retro fabric, and retro fashion in general, follows the enduring popularity of nostalgia. With retro décor, consumers seek to surround themselves with objects that evoke their own youth or what can be perceived as simpler, happier times.
Vintage fabric is often used for DIY retro home interiors such as chair upholstery, bedding, tablecloths, or wall hangings. For example, curtains made from vintage floral rayon could bring authenticity to a 1940s-style decor, while pillows made from 1960s bandana-print cotton could add a unique touch to a child’s room with cowboy themes. The material used to cover the chairs in the kitchen can also be made into matching placemats. While in the bathroom, the retro fabric can be used to cover tissue boxes or sewn to the edges of neutral towels.
This fabric is also used with vintage button-downs and other notions to create retro fashions, whether it’s for preppie-inspired animal print prints for an 1980s shirtdress or a 1960s-inspired pacifier suit. Retro fabric can be a more cost-effective and efficient option for fans of vintage clothing. This is especially true given the challenge of finding out-of-era rare items in a certain size.
Retro fabric can be vintage or reproduction, made from material manufactured to look vintage. Both types of material are available in large studs and scraps through specialist textile retailers. For those willing to cut up existing garments and recycle them, smaller quantities can be obtained through thrift and vintage fabric vendors. Thrift-shopping enthusiasts find garage sales, estate sales, and used clothing stores to be an inexpensive source of vintage fabrics.
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