The Kingston store will close its doors on 28 November and move to an online-only model.
The Kingston fabric and haberdashery shop Fabric Land is to close, after being an Old London Road staple for over 40 years.
Manager Maxine Smith said a drastic shift in sewing skills, ongoing building issues, and economic pressures are the reasons behind the business’s change in course.
The neighbourhood mainstay has struggled to compete as needlework decreased in popularity. In a 2025 Good Housekeeping Domestic Skills Survey of 2,138 people, only 27% knew how to operate a sewing machine, and only 9% darned clothes regularly.
Smith said: “Trade isn’t as good as it used to be. People aren’t sewing as much as they used to, and we’ve seen it all across the board. We sell buttons for 10p. And that’s the whole thing.”
The rise of fast fashion and second-hand clothing markets has contributed to the decline in sewing.
“Halloween used to be one of our biggest times of year, but the supermarkets are churning out a costume for between £8-10, and we can’t compete with that. And people haven’t necessarily got the skills to sew and do it anymore,” Smith said.
The shop also dealt with flooding. Employees reported days when nearly eight litres of water flooded the space. The risk of product loss and concern for customer safety impacted the store’s decision to close its doors.
The closure came as a blow to customers who loved the convenience of having the speciality store in Kingston. Without this shop, colour-matching materials, testing fabric tactility, and experimenting with new textiles will make projects much harder.
“It’s going to be a little bit of a problem because I don’t want to go to central [London] every day for small things,” said Kingston University fashion student Jarod Dinnerbier. “Just being able to get something spontaneously is a good thing on a daily basis, but waiting 2-3 days from an online shop isn’t really helpful.”
The small chain has closed three of its four locations in as many years, and its employees are facing unemployment.
The last day to shop in person is 28 November 28, 2026. You can shop online here: https://fabricland.co.uk/
