Albert Cuyp market in Amsterdam

Buying fabric is an addictive activity. I don't often go fabric shopping in Holland due to the lack of fabric shops. The occasional fabric markets here are - even though you can find some cool stuff - not to be compared with markets in India, Thailand or China.

There is a reason for this off course. Compared to for example India, in Holland hardly anyone wears tailor-made clothes. Almost all our garments and home accessories are ready made. There is no need for fabric shops! For this reason it has grown extremely difficult to find nice and unique fabrics. There are a few good shops here and there, but you really have to make the effort to find them.

There is one market though, that is different. On the Albert Cuyp market in Amsterdam you will find many fabric shops clustered in one street. There is one silk shop called Silk Route with a nice collection, but if it is upholstery material you are looking for you have a wider range of choices. But that is not all. You can find typical Dutch cottons (here is where I get mine), theater fabrics (amazing stuff! over the top and beyond!), and everything in between. And when you are done fabric shopping (and you picked up a pair of soft Dutch clogs on the market itself), take yourself to Jan de Klein vakman for zippers, buttons, and more.



So no, it is no Kalbadevi, but Albert Cuyp is not bad at all and worth a visit. On my visit last tuesday I picked up some really amazing e batik cottons at very reasonalbe prices. They are only for me, for me, for me!!!! (Ok maybe I will use it in a bag or something).

How to get there