
You may be already using calico fabric even if you are unaware of its origins and benefits. They are used for so many applications. It is a very versatile fabric that is popular for crafts. This is unfinished cotton that is woven together and it makes for a biodegradable material as well. You can identify calico fabric with its flecks of cotton seeds and the grey white colour that it has.
You can see calico fabric everywhere is daily items like calico drawstring bags, pillow cases, curtains, canvases, furnishings, bags etc. The calico fabric was first used in India. It then became popular all around the world. There is a very small difference between cotton and calico fabric. This is due to the fact that calico fabric is simply cotton fabric that has not been processed completely. There are different types of calico fabric. There are four main types. The unbleached and undyed fabric is 100% cotton calico fabric and it can be used for printing. There is fire retardant calico fabric that is resistant to fibre because of the treatments that the fabric goes through. For larger products, you can buy extra wide fire retardant calico fabric that is treated to become fire resistant. Drill calico fabric is a heavy fabric that is mostly used for upholstery. There are only slight variations between the four types but they determine the type of project that the fabric can be used for.

The calico fabric is breathable and biodegradable. Therefore, you can adopt a sustainability concept for your business if you are using calico fabric in your manufacturing. It is also resistant to abrasion and very strong which makes it a durable fabric. It has high absorbent properties. It can be treated in different ways and dyed in different colours. These properties make calico fabric a favourite of people who specialise in crafts. Naturally, the calico fabric is more of a greyish white but it can be dyed, printed or bleached easily. So you can have any pattern or colour with this fabric. You can either purchase the fabric in its original form or choose a coloured or patterned fabric. Make sure you ask about the sustainability of the manufacturing process. Because you can purchase the original form of the fabric, you can dye it any way you want which will help you control the quality of the colour.

You can use so many methods to dye the calico fabric. There are natural dyes and cold water dyes. There are also machine washable dyes that you can look into. You need to make sure that you practice safety when dyeing fabric at home. You need to check whether the dyeing method is right for the fabric. Make sure that you practice caution when handling chemicals during the dyeing process. You can use the calico fabric in so many crafts projects such as making flags, toys, flowers, banners etc. You can also make pillow covers with calico fabric along with throws, napkins, stockings etc. The natural colour and texture of calico can be great for rustic effects.
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