Alternative fabric to fjallraven g1000 for making my own trousers

[niall.marsay]

I love Fjallraven g1000 trousers but my god are they expensive. and after learning that the fabric is just a 60/40 polycotton I feel like I (mum) could make myself something that has the same feel.

but upon looking up polycotton fabric online I have been overwhelmed and I don't know how to specify the specific type I want.
do any of you have experience in sourcing polycotton for outdoor clothing?

links/websites and keywords would be very welcome

 

[benbee]

These are the 1 I mostly use.

Pennine Outdoor

Pennine Outdoor specialise in fabrics, with a huge range of outdoor fabrics for making outdoor clothing. Lightweight, waterproof, breathable and much more.

www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk

Waterproof & Breathable Fabric

Welcome to Point North Profabrics, the UKs largest range of Outdoor & Marine Fabrics including Waterproof Fabrics and our high tech Breathable Fabrics available online.

www.profabrics.co.uk

 

[Minotaur]

If you want to try hard, try getting plain polycotton ripstop!
Poundfabrics
John Fenna on the site has a book for sale on making these sort of things.

 

[benbee]

If you want to try hard, try getting plain polycotton ripstop!
Poundfabrics
John Fenna on the site has a book for sale on making these sort of things.

Do you know what the book is called and who sells it?

 

[Minotaur]

John Fenna (Member on this site) and it is called A basic Guide to Making your own Outdoor Activities Clothing.
You might want to check out on youtube people like Bernadette Banner who use this sort of pattern regularly.

 

[demographic]

Pretty sure Pointnorth sells Ventile by the metre on Ebay, might be worth a look.

 

[Tipi]

Search for drill, twill and workware polly cotton on eBay. Usually around £6/m
Samples are usually a few £ so you can see what the fabric weight and colour is like in real life.

Look at the fabric weights too. There are online calculators for converting metric to imperial.

Not familiar with g1000, but guessing it’s probably 200-250 gsm, though some else may know better.

couple of helpful YouTube sewing channels too:

https://youtube.com/@jaliepatterns

https://youtube.com/@LearnMYOG

 

[Erbswurst]

In my experience it doesn't matter so much in real life if you get 50:50 or 60:40 or 40:60 polyester - cotton mix fabric.

I suggest to try Solognac Hunting Trousers Steppe 300 and Shorts 100.

Regarding the prices I don't understand why people buy Fjällräven clothing. The Solognac stuff above is nearly the same for a fraction of the price and different to FR clothing it doesn't fall in pieces after a year of continuous use.

 

[FerlasDave]

The Solognac stuff above is nearly the same for a fraction of the price and different to FR clothing it doesn't fall in pieces after a year of continuous use.

In my experience Fjallraven are very good, I’ve had my latest pair of Vidda pro for 3years and they’re just fine. Also had a skogso jacket for 5 and it looks brand new. Both receive heavy use when I’m at work.

 

[Erbswurst]

Perhaps they use a better thread now?

 

[Tipi]

Also have a look at the Austrian army trousers. Olive green with plenty of pockets. Rip stop too. I have a pair a couple of years. Good value of money.
Paul kirtley is a fan too.

 

[demographic]

Also have a look at the Austrian army trousers. Olive green with plenty of pockets. Rip stop too. I have a pair a couple of years. Good value of money.
Paul kirtley is a fan too.

They don't have back pockets.
Not the end of the world but its worth mentioning.

 

[Erbswurst]

So far I understood the Austrian KAZ 75 exists in an older fabric blend and the newer polyester-cotton mix that's used in the newer KAZ 02 / 03. And the beige version seems to be made of 100 % cotton and they even made olive clothing in 100% cotton for dry and hot weather conditions. Obviously one has to ask the seller which fabric he actually offers.
Cotton is called Baumwolle in German, by the way, "tree-wool".
Polyester is called Polyester though.


Helikon Tex has also pretty interesting offers. A BDU jacket in polycotton for example.

 

[Scotty Von Porkchop]

Anything with a tight weave will work much the same as g1000 in regard to resistance to thorns etc, personally I prefer pure cotton as it holds wax better but that just my preference.

Buying from point north or similar makes it easy to get a nice fabric but it’s fairly easy to find fabric of similar quality at a fabric store but once you’ve paid the petrol it’s rarely worth the faff. Probably best avoid eBay as the fabric sellers on there often mislabel