Meet Annie & Yvonne of Yardblox Fabrics

Today I’m excited to share more about one of the collaborations that brought our Poppy Dress to life. For View D of our recent photoshoot, we had the pleasure of working with Annie and Yvonne, the creative minds behind Yardblox Fabrics, to select the perfect textiles for our samples.

Yardblox was founded with a mission to provide a curated selection of high-quality fashion and designer fabrics, sourced from some of the top producers around the world. What sets them apart is their flexibility - whether you're a home sewist looking for just a yard of that perfect print, or a small designer needing larger quantities, Yardblox has you covered.

I got the chance to interview Annie and Yvonne about their journey, their passion for fabrics, sustainability in fabric manufacturing, and more. Join me as we discover the stories behind the beautiful fabrics that helped bring our Poppy Dress to life!

How did you first meet?

Annie: Our story is one of those where we can’t believe we didn’t meet sooner! Both of us are from Taiwan and had moved to Shanghai around the same time, right at the height of our careers. I was working in marketing, and Yvonne was in fashion. We actually met at a startup that had nothing to do with our backgrounds—or what we do now! We ended up sitting next to each other in a sleek high-rise office, often working late nights, which gave us plenty of time to talk. The rest is history. Interestingly, we both come from families involved in garment manufacturing, so we had a lot in common from the start. Even our dads have worked for the same companies before!

What was the inspiration or impetus behind starting Yardblox Fabrics?

Yvonne: Growing up, we both witnessed firsthand the challenges smaller brands faced in sourcing reliable fabrics and finding production partners. My family ran fabric mills that only worked with container orders, and we were often approached by smaller brands needing lower minimums, which we just did not offer. Many of these brands had amazing ideas and designs, and I always wanted to help them in the past.

Annie: One day, while working late nights, we had a lightbulb moment: "Hey, why don't we combine our resources and start something together?" The rest is history. It took us about a year to get everything up and running, and we’re thrilled to have just celebrated our first anniversary!

What does a typical day look like for you as small business owners?

Yvonne: I’d love to say that a typical day is all about browsing beautiful fabrics and dreaming up new creations, and while that’s definitely a part of it, much of our day revolves around operations. We usually start by checking customer emails, following up on orders, ensuring packages have arrived as expected, and responding to new inquiries. Customer service is a huge priority for us—we know most of our customers by name.

Annie: In the afternoons, I typically focus on social media and marketing strategies, while Yvonne manages the day’s shipments. It’s a busy routine, but it’s also incredibly rewarding!

You started out offering fabrics for small designers and expanded to the home sewing market. Do either of you sew? If so, how did you start?

Annie: Since we come from a background in bulk production, starting with designers and brands felt like a natural fit. But right from the launch, we started receiving orders from patternmakers, and it quickly became clear that expanding into the home sewing market was a perfect move. Plus, offering fabrics for home sewing is just so much more fun!

Yvonne: I’ve been sewing since I was about 18. Growing up in Taiwan, the standard sizes were often around a size 0, and it was tough to find brands that offered clothing past a size 8. It was also tough to find any good quality fabrics or sustainable options. I could never find anything that fit well, so with my family’s background in fabric mills, sourcing fabrics and making my own clothes was a no-brainer. Ironically, now that we’ve started Yardblox, I hardly have time to sew anymore!

What should home sewers pay attention to when shopping for fabric?

Annie: Buying fabric online can definitely be more challenging than visiting your local fabric store, simply because you can’t feel the fabric to see if it’s right for your project. That’s why we’re all about offering free swatches for every fabric —and yes, we hand-cut every single swatch! See how to order swatches here. 

Yvonne: Understanding your project and having some knowledge of common fabric terminology is key. On our website, we list fabric specifications like type, fiber content, color, weight, stretch, and any performance features. Fabrics have so many layers to consider—everything from texture to how it feels on the skin. For example, we often get asked about Linen for projects where people want something softer and less crepey. In those cases, a Linen blend with Viscose might be the perfect solution.

It’s a bit of a trial and error process, so keeping a swatch journal can really help you track what you like. Each of our swatches comes with a hand-feel sample and a color chip, giving you a better sense of what will work best for your sewing projects.

What, in your opinion, makes a good garment fabric? Or what makes a fabric not well suited for garments?

A good garment fabric depends on your personal comfort and the project at hand. Look for breathable, soft materials to keep you comfortable all day. The drape is important too; it should flow beautifully for dresses or provide structure for jackets. Durability is key—no one wants their favorite piece to wear out quickly! Easy care is a plus; fabrics that hold up well in the wash without losing shape or color are ideal. Some of our favorites in our upcoming new launches include:

Rib knits - Rib knits are the ultimate fabric choice for anyone who values comfort and style. The alternating knit and purl stitches provide excellent recovery, ensuring your garments maintain their shape even after repeated wear.

French Terry is moisture-wicking and so soft against the skin, making it the perfect choice for coordinating loungewear sets.

Double gauze's soft, airy hand makes it an excellent choice for voluminous garments like blouses and dresses.

Pointelle is a lovely, delicate knit that we absolutely adore for fitted tees, t-shirt dresses, or jumpsuits. Its subtle texture adds a beautiful dimension to any garment. 

We worked with your Lyocell / linen slubbed challis which was absolutely gorgeous to cut, sew, and looked amazing on our models. Can you explain a little bit about the differences between rayon/tencel/lyocell/etc? It’s a question we hear asked a lot.

That is a great question, we get asked about that all the time too, we actually wrote a blog post about it recently.  Rayon, Tencel, and Lyocell are all fabrics made from plant-based fibers, but they differ in how they’re processed. Rayon is the broad category for fiber that is made from regenerated cellulose.  Lyocell, Viscose, modal, bamboo, Cupro and Acetate are all different types of rayon.  It is known for being soft, drapey, and lightweight, great for flowy garments like dresses or blouses.

Lyocell is a more eco-friendly version of rayon, made through a closed-loop process that recycles chemicals, making it more sustainable. Tencel is actually a brand name for a high-quality type of Lyocell, produced by Lenzing AG. The main difference is that Tencel ensures strict eco-friendly practices and consistently high quality. Both Tencel and Lyocell are breathable, soft, and durable, but Tencel is often considered the premium, more sustainable option within the Lyocell family.

You have a lot of sustainable fabrics on your site, from fabrics made with biodegradable materials, organic fibers, deadstock, and more. What got you interested in working with sustainable fabrics?

Annie: Sustainability has always been at the heart of what we do at Yardblox. When we first started, our focus was entirely on deadstock fabrics, sourcing from major mills and factories that typically worked with big brands like Macy’s, Walmart, Gap, Uniqlo, and Nike. We wanted to make sure these high-quality, unused materials didn’t go to waste. As we grew and started connecting with more people in the industry, we were introduced to smaller, family-run mills that offered incredible sustainable fabrics, like biodegradable materials and organic fibers, all ready to go. It felt like a natural evolution for us to expand into these areas, and now sustainability continues to shape our offerings and mission.

Do you or your mills have any certifications the customers would like to know about?

Yvonne: A lot of the mills we work with are certified, and that's something we take pride in. Some of the most premium mills we collaborate with are bluesign® certified, which is one of the toughest standards to meet. We also work with suppliers who hold certifications like OEKO-TEX®, BCI (Better Cotton Initiative), GRS (Global Recycled Standard), GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OCS (Organic Content Standard), BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative), RCS (Recycled Claim Standard), and Woolmark.

What is your favorite part about your job?

Annie: My favorite part of the job is being part of such a creative and passionate community. We've met so many incredible people who have supported us from the start, and that’s been really special.

Yvonne: Same, and I also love the thrill of sourcing new fabrics and discovering innovative fibers that we recently added like Kapok, Liquid Ammonia, and Artemisia. It’s exciting to see how fabric technology is evolving and being able to offer unique, high-quality materials to our customers is a great feeling!

What is the most difficult or frustrating part about your job?

Yvonne: The most challenging part of our job is definitely working with fabric factories and mills on a daily basis. It can feel like we’re speaking the same language, but on completely different wavelengths! Navigating that, along with coordinating with over 100 different suppliers, can be overwhelming. We vet each one carefully and handle the inevitable issues that arise in fabric production and sourcing—it’s definitely not easy, but that’s why so many brands choose to work with us. We take on the headaches so they don’t have to.

What is the one thing you wish people knew more about in regards to fabric manufacturing?

Annie: The one thing we wish more people understood about fabric manufacturing is just how unpredictable it can be. No matter how organized or prepared we are, something unexpected almost always comes up—whether it’s a delay in production, quality control issues, or miscommunications with suppliers. It’s not as straightforward as placing an order and receiving the fabric. There’s a lot of problem-solving behind the scenes that people don’t see, and we’re constantly juggling these challenges to ensure our customers get the best fabrics possible.

What do you imagine next for Yardblox?

Annie: We’re really excited about the possibility of opening a brick-and-mortar shop for Yardblox! While it would significantly change our business model and require a lot of planning, we see it as a fantastic opportunity to connect with our community in a more personal way. We’d love to explore potential partnerships with others in the community to make it a joint venture. Together, we could create a space that not only showcases our fabrics but also fosters creativity and collaboration among sewists and designers.

Can you give us a few personal recommendations that you think would work well with the Poppy Dress?

1. For something more unique and premium, we think our designer deadstock would look great in the Poppy dress
   
   
2. Poppy dress does go so well with Lyocell fabrics. Our Lyocell Cotton/Poplin, Lyocell Twill, or Lyocell Linen Twill would be great options.
   
   
3. Linen blends like this Linen/Cotton Slub or Plain Woven Linen/Viscose are excellent options.
   
   
4. Some other great options if you're looking for checks are this Gingham Cotton/Poly blend, Gingham Cotton/Poly Slub, or Windowpane Cotton/Poly Chambray.

Thank you so much to Annie & Yvonne for doing this interview, I hope you found it as interesting to read as I did! Don't forget, Yardblox has generously offered a 10% discount on your fabric order, just enter the code GL10FW24 at checkout! Discount code ends on Sunday, November 3rd at 11:59 CST. Limit 1 use per customer.