Fabric for outdoor trousers

[Bodgeitandscarper]

I'm still trying to find some fabric for outdoor type trousers.  So nylony/polyestery type stuff so it's quick drying, but most importantly it needs to be stretch.  Has anyone seen any, or know what it might be called?

[Ploshkin]

Have you had a look at Pennine Outdoors.  They do a lot of fabrics for outdoor clothing but I don't know if they have anything like that.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

Have you had a look at Pennine Outdoors.  They do a lot of fabrics for outdoor clothing but I don't know if they have anything like that.

I tried them and Point North, but no joy.   

[Holly Berry]

I've just had a quick search for stretch quick drying facbric and found this site http://www.vendfabricsonline.co.uk/

They do free samples and a you can also talk to them on the phone. They may be able to help.


If you can't find anything in the stretch category, microfibre such as Pennine sell is excellent. My walking trousers are made of this. I put them on first thing to walk the dogs and then practically live in them, they are so comfortable, but it is a woven, not a knit fabric.

[BrendaP]

So nylony/polyestery type stuff so it's quick drying, but most importantly it needs to be stretch.  Has anyone seen any, or know what it might be called?

IME quick drying and stretchy just don't go together.

Stretch fabrics, as opposed to jersey fabric with mechanical give, get their stretchiness from elastane (Lycra, Spandex) and fabrics which contain elastane are not quick drying

[sewmuchmore]

I tried them and Point North, but no joy.   

Did you see this? http://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/fabrics/Wind-and-Shower-Resistant-Fabrics-BREATHABLE-and-Lightweight/p1m-microfibre

Sorry BrendaP but as a hill walker who has climbed all the highest mountains in Britain i have to disagree with you. Whilst i haven't made any walking trousers i have paid a fortune for technical gear from specialist shops, and the very nature of the sport means you really need stretchy quick drying fabrics due to severe weather conditions you can encounter.  http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/berghaus-womens-fast-hike-trouser-p371253

[Holly Berry]

Did you see this? http://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/fabrics/Wind-and-Shower-Resistant-Fabrics-BREATHABLE-and-Lightweight/p1m-microfibres

Yes this is the one I recommended

[BrendaP]

Did you see this? http://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/fabrics/Wind-and-Shower-Resistant-Fabrics-BREATHABLE-and-Lightweight/p1m-microfibre

Is that microfibre truly stretchy?

Sorry BrendaP but as a hill walker who has climbed all the highest mountains in Britain i have to disagree with you. Whilst i haven't made any walking trousers i have paid a fortune for technical gear from specialist shops, and the very nature of the sport means you really need stretchy quick drying fabrics due to severe weather conditions you can encounter.  http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/berghaus-womens-fast-hike-trouser-p371253

Are the stretch parts quick drying?

It will be good if the answers to either of those questions is yes.

[Francesca]

I've been looking for softshell fabric and just found this site, based in Germany. http://www.activefabrics.co.uk/

[sewmuchmore]

OOPPS sorry sent the wrong link, no the microfibre is not stretch, i was supposed to send this
http://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/fabrics/Breathable-Water-Resistant-Fabrics,-Light-and-Mediumweight/PS30-Technical-%20Stretch-Sports-Fabric-from-Schoeller

Uk fabrics on line also sell Schoeller fabric http://ukfabricsonline.com/schoeller-technical-fabric#tab-product-view2

BrendaP, yes the stretch parts are very quick dying, all technical climbing/walking trousers tends to have a stretch and also have to be quick drying.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

Thanks everyone, I should also have said it's a woven fabric I'm after.  As a fat lass who sweats a lot  the fabric needs to be fairly thin and probably not a waterproof as even if it says "breathable" it won't be breathable enough in the, err, important areas.
I've found bi-stretch gabardine at Myfabrics, the sample feels really nice and very stretchy, but it feels like it would soak up water!  I might just get some anyway, and wear on dry days!

[Holly Berry]

I bought some gabardine from MyFabrics, which sounds like yours. It's beautiful fabric and I made trousers from it, which are lovely to wear. Check the composition, because mine are viscose and soaks up water and becomes very heavy.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

I bought some gabardine from MyFabrics, which sounds like yours. It's beautiful fabric and I made trousers from it, which are lovely to wear. Check the composition, because mine are viscose and soaks up water and becomes very heavy.

Thanks, I had seen they are a high viscose content and had exactly that thought!!  Good to hear that it makes nice trousers,  I may get some for everyday trousers I think.

[sewmuchmore]

Try a sample of the schoeller fabric, a lot of their fabric is woven using new technologies (blurb from their website). Plus if it helps i have checked the label on my walking trousers and it says 90% nylon and 10% spandex, they are woven.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

The schoeller looks nice, but the fibre content tells me sweaty!!
Thanks for the info from your trousers, I'll try a search for that and see if anything comes up.