New Rainbow Fabrics

This place is bomb. I am making a 1920s dress and was looking for some good quality vintage looking wool crêpe or flannel. Stopped at Fishmann’s around the corner and they had really bad selection. Almost passed this place up because it looks sorta cheesy from the outside but decided to go in in the end. We asked the young guy if they had either flannel or wool crêpe and they said no but that they had other wools. we decided to go look and I’m glad we did. Randomly they had some of the most beautiful wools, a great many imported from Italy and England. and the prices were not bad at all! And I think it’s a father running it with his 3 kids or some other family members and they were all super nice and adorable. I’ll definitely come back here. I got a happy surprise today.

I make skating dresses, and this shop is great for performance wear. I didn’t get the stellar customer service that some other reviews mentioned, but because of their selection, I’ll probably go back again (a three hour drive for me) the next time I need to make dresses.

Small but nice selection… will be back! A little pricey but owner will negotiate if you are buying a few items!

Very organized displays. Large selection at good prices. They were helpful without being pushy. Drove two and half hours to New Rainbow Fabric and will definitely go ago.

The people who work here are very helpful and kind. Fantastic selection of pretty fabric.

This store has a lovely selection of print chiffon fabrics and the service was very personal and helpful. I am so glad I found this shop and will return even though I live 2 hours away

Don’t you hate it when you have something in mind and you can never find it? Well, that didn’t happen here. Quite the opposite happened here. I had actually given up on Vogue across the street, because their selection on wool fabrics was less than stellar, and I hate to say it, but it smelled like a dirty public restroom. I had to get out of there.
This store was right across the street from Vogue and they had more wool fabrics than I could even have imagined. The selection was superb! Plus, the customer service was top-​notch! It was a dad and his 2 daughters, and they were incredibly friendly and helpful. The daughters helped carry bolts of fabric for me, and when I accidentally knocked over a bunch of bolts on the floor, they happily came over to pick them up (I helped, of course).Their kindness will definitely keep me coming back.
While I was checking out, the family was very personable and talked to me about what I was making. Small talk, yes, but I felt important and valued by them. The dad also knocked off quite a bit from the prices. I got beautiful Italian woolen silk for really great prices. Not that I’m always looking for a deal or to get a discount, but this is definitely another reason I’d go back.
Hands down, my best fabric store experience :-)

First and foremost I am a repeat customer and may I say I have never had a problem like this before until this day. I went into New Rainbow Fabrics and needed to purchase a particular denim. I’d mentioned to the sales associate (their daughter) that this was the only place that carried this fabric and I was so happy about it! I’d mentioned to her that I was even interested in buying the whole bulk of fabric. Upon inspecting the fabric I noticed that the first yard, had stains, glitter and dust all over it. Being that I needed to present a sample to a potential buyer, I needed a clean yard of fabric. When I asked the sales associate if she could cut off the dirty fabric and cut me a clean yard she explained to me that she needed ask her manager (the owner/​her father). He came over 10 minutes later only to tell me that he would not cut off the dirty portion. He explained to me that no fabric stores does this. I said to him that was not true and that it wasn’t my fault that they are storing the fabric wrong and that it is not the customers responsibility to have to eat the cost of a dirty fabric. He didn’t offer me a discount nor was he willing to help, he simply tried to wipe off the fabric and convince me it was not dirty. He then told me that it was not his fault that the fabric was dirty and that he would not eat the cost as well. I explained to him my situation, in which he knew he had an upper hand) and let him know that I am a repeat customer but that did no good. He knew that I needed the fabric and gave me an ultimatum that I could either purchase the dirty fabric or get out! I couldn’t believe that he’d said this to me! I am on an advisory board at one of the biggest fashion design schools in Chicago, I am a well known designer and I am very fluent in the design community is what I told him. This did not bother him one bit. I left the store and let him know I will be letting everyone know! If you need fabric, there are tons of stores in that neighborhood that are way more willing to accomoadate you as a customer than this store! PLEASE SPEND YOUR MONEY ELSEWHERE!!! They think that they have gotten so big that they don’t really need your business! I would suggest not buying their fabric as they never have deals, their fabrics are cheap and overpriced and they don’t store their items properly (like off the floor)!

My service was great plus the fabric was priced fair and quality of the fabric was excellent. I will be back.

I can’t believe I haven’t discovered this fabric store before! They have a really great selection of costume and formal wear fabrics. Plus the family that runs the store is really sweet.

Great selection of fabrics here, excellent prices, and also wonderful service. I wanted something to make a purse, and the woman working here really helped me find a fabric that worked. I also couldn’t resist a quarter yard of some amazing red silk for a scarf.

Small store, helpful owners and good fabric choices. Quite a few up-​scaly fashion fabrics.

Best fabric store in the city. Went there and felt so welcome. The women seemed to be all family and helped me pick out everything. And then gave me a discount for some reason. Loved it and will be back.

Upon walking in I was greeted right away. Very friendly but I felt like I was being monitored and push a little too much while I was there, I prefer to browse without assistance.
The fabric selection is limited by the smaller size of the shop (much smaller than Joanne’s or Vogue Fabrics selection). What they do have is extremely elaborate and high quality fabric with a matching price tag. Lots of silk, chiffon, lace and other high end threads. This would be the place to go if I was skilled enough to sew a wedding or prom dress or had an event where a sari would be fitting. Their fabric is extremely beautiful.

And if I could have given zero stars, I would have. I am a 40 year old African American professional who has been going to fabric stores her entire life. The selection in this small store was reasonable, but I wasn’t there long enough to get prices. The low rating is for the obvious discrimination and poor service I received, way disproportionate to the othe customers. I assume it is because I am black. I asked about a specific fabric, was given a vague «over there» when I asked for help. However, when I wandered to find it, the? manager/​owner figure then followed me like a hawk. Not helped, just followed. I see why Vogue across the street is so much busier.

I loved this little store. It was super organized and very clean. I do very little garment sewing anymore, I make quilts and do home sewing lately but if I was still making my clothes, I would definitely come here. I loved being able to find 60 inch wide fabric and bought 3 yards of a red and white check for a tablecloth.
My husband and I were on the way home from brunch and boy did that coffee hit me. I asked the very polite woman if there was a public bathroom in any of the stores and she said, oh you may use mine even though we do not normally do that.
Wasn’t that the nicest ever? See why I loved it?

This store is directly across street from Vogue Fabrics, this place has a lot of great fabric for cheap. They had fabrics that Vogue don’t have for a real good price.(I like Vogue as well) Very well organized and extremely nice and helpful people.

Be sure to check out this place next time you need some fabric. The place is small but extremely organized, unlike Vogue across the street. The owners are really sweet and will help you find exactly what you are looking for, or recommend where to go if they don’t have what you need.
I bought some beautiful silk burnout fabric from there the other day and can tell that it is top notch. They don’t have many prints but their selection of solids are great and once again, all easy to locate. (Go here for solids and to Vogue for prints, trust me!) You can tell that they spend a lot of time making their space customer friendly and I hope they continue to stay in business despite the fact that there are other much bigger fabric stores in their immediate vicinity.

Fabric lovers, be sure to check out this store! This is a real mom-​and-​pop local business which charges good prices for superior goods and offers excellent, friendly service. Located just across the street from the indomitable Vogue Fabrics (another hometown favorite of mine), there’s no reason not to pop in here for a look when you’re doing your fabric shopping in the area. This store is much smaller than Vogue and has less selection, but everything in the store is top-​notch and priced fairly. They stock beautiful Italian wool suiting and incredible and unusual special occasion fabrics the likes of which I’ve never seen before– real «artisinal» fabrics. The store is well-​organized and not even remotely cramped, which makes for a very relaxing and sane shopping experience.
The owner is really nice, knowledgeable, and helpful. I got an amazing price on some gorgeous cream-​colored cashmere coat fabric, and he tossed in a little extra as well (if you want your cashmere, get it soon because prices go up in winter when it’s in high demand!)
Often when I visit, I’m the only customer in the store– this breaks my heart considering how great this store is. I’d hate to see this place lose out to big national chains that specialize in cheap, cheaply-​made fabrics. Chicago needs to keep supporting wonderful little local businesses like this, so definitely consider Rainbow Fabric when you’re looking for beautiful, quality material at reasonable prices.