What Fabric Collections Does John Foster Offer?

John Foster (john-foster.co.uk) is a Yorkshire-based weaver of worsted and mohair apparel fabrics, and its site organises what it sells into four distinct routes: a Spring Summer seasonal collection, the year-round Stonedale stock-supported collection, The Stockroom online archive shop, and the appointment-only Mill Archive. Which one you use depends on whether you need current-season cloth, a repeatable stock line, a small quantity of archive or development cloth, or access to rare discontinued pieces.

Spring Summer Seasonal Collection

This is the forward-looking, season-led range. The site presents it as the current seasonal offer rather than a permanent stock line, so availability is tied to the season rather than to ongoing replenishment. If you are developing a spring/summer garment and want cloth that reflects the mill's current direction, this is the starting point.

Stonedale: The Stock-Supported Collection

Stonedale is the mill's first official collection under its year-round stock support, meaning it is intended to be available beyond a single season. Key details from the site:

The 450 GMS weight puts Stonedale in a mid-to-heavy suiting and jacketing range rather than lightweight tropical cloth. The RWS accreditation is the relevant credential if you need documented responsible-wool sourcing for a collection.

The Stockroom: Archive Cloth, Development Pieces and Overmakes

The Stockroom is described as a "digital window" into the warehouse. It carries:

• Archive cloth
• Development pieces
• Overmakes
• Selected special releases

Two practical points matter here. First, full details and swatch sampling are available before ordering, so you can check handle and colour before committing. Second, the nature of the stock — development pieces and overmakes in particular — means quantities are likely to be limited and non-repeatable. This route suits sampling, small production runs, or a one-off garment where you can work with what exists rather than specifying a cloth to be woven.

Mill Archive: Appointment-Only Historic Cloth

The Mill Archive is a separate service with its own access rules:

• Who it is for: trade clients
• What it holds: a historic cloth collection preserved within the mill, extending beyond current bunches to one-off and discontinued cloths woven over time
• Why it is different: the cloths are no longer in production, so each piece carries a natural sense of rarity
• How it works: visits take place on site, so the collection is viewed in its original setting before you select and purchase directly from the archive
• Access: exclusively by appointment

To arrange a visit, the site lists telephone +44 1274 655900 and email [email protected]. Because the archive is appointment-only and on-site, plan for a visit rather than an online order — and treat availability as fixed, since discontinued cloth cannot be rewoven.

Choosing Between Them

• Need current-season cloth for a new range: Spring Summer seasonal collection.
• Need a repeatable, certified stock cloth in a 450 GMS weight: Stonedale.
• Need small quantities, samples, or a one-off: The Stockroom, using the swatch sampling service before ordering.
• Need rare or discontinued cloth and can travel as a trade client: Mill Archive, by appointment.

The mill itself sits at Stanley Mills, Edward St, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD4 9RS, and operates as a division of Luxury Fabrics, part of SIL Holdings Ltd.