Cheap fabric is only a bargain if it's right for the job and you buy the right amount. After 20+ years of cutting fabric in Birmingham, here's how we'd shop if we were on your side of the counter.
1. Compare price per square metre, not just per metre
Fabric is sold by the metre of length, but rolls come in very different widths. A wider fabric gives you more to work with, so a higher price per metre can still be the better deal.
| Fabric (prices 24 Oct 2026) | Width | Price per metre | Price per square metre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stiff dress net | 150cm | £1.99 | £1.33 |
| Soft veiling tulle | 280cm | £4.35 | £1.55 |
| Cotton blend curtain lining | 280cm | £5.50 | £1.96 |
| Two-tone organza | 150cm | £3.99 | £2.66 |
| Cotton curtain lining | 140cm | £3.99 | £2.85 |
| Plain 100% cotton | 150cm | £4.99 | £3.33 |
| Plain polycotton | 114cm (45") | £3.99 | £3.49 |
| Rose & Hubble cotton poplin | 112cm | £6.99 | £6.24 |
Two things jump out. The extra-wide 280cm lining costs more per metre than the 140cm one, but it is about 30% cheaper for the same area. And our 150cm plain cotton works out cheaper per square metre than 45" polycotton, even though it costs a pound more per metre.
2. Work out how much you need before you buy
The most expensive fabric is the metre you didn't need, or the extra metre you have to reorder (and pay postage on again). Use our How Much Fabric Do I Need? guide for curtains, cushions, dresses and quilts, and add about 10% for pattern matching and shrinkage.
3. Buy a swatch for anything you can't easily return
Many Bullring fabrics have a swatch option on the product page. It's worth the small cost for colour-matching curtains or upholstery, where you might be buying 5 to 10 metres. Screens show colours differently, and a swatch tells you how the fabric feels and drapes.
4. Choose the cheapest fibre that does the job
- Polycotton is cheaper than pure cotton, creases less and holds its colour well. It's ideal for costumes, bunting, kids' projects and quilt backs.
- 100% cotton is better for clothes you'll wear against the skin and for quilting, where you want it to press flat.
- Net, organza and satin are some of the cheapest fabrics per metre and go a long way for party décor, tutus and draping.
Our cotton vs polycotton guide goes into more detail.
5. Buy in longer lengths for big projects
Many fabrics come in 10-metre and 20-metre lengths at a lower price per metre. Our Christmas polycotton prints are £3.99 a metre, or 10 metres for £35 (£3.50 a metre). Embroidered circle voile is £4.99 a metre, or 20 metres for £75 (£3.75 a metre). For full rolls, ask our Wholesale & Trade team or browse wholesale fabric rolls.
6. Check the bargain and end-of-roll rails first
End-of-roll fabric is the last of a production run, not seconds. Check our Pound Fabrics bargain rail and the Sale before paying full price. Lines there don't come back once they're gone.
7. Think about delivery before you check out
A cheap metre isn't cheap once postage is added to a tiny order. UK delivery at Bullring is free on orders over £65, so it often pays to buy linings, thread and next month's project fabric in the same order.
8. Shop the season early
Prices don't change much, but stock does. Popular Christmas prints and party fabrics sell out by late November, and spring dressmaking fabric goes fast once the Great British Sewing Bee is on. Buying a few weeks early means you get the colour you want, not what's left.
Ready to shop? Browse all our cheap fabric by the metre, cheap curtain fabric and cheap upholstery fabric, cut to order and sent the same day if you order by 9pm Monday to Friday.
