Yongle Fabric Market

Yongle Fabric Market was on my list of places to visit months before we moved here. Although I've read that other international fabric markets are even bigger and better, this place is overwhelming enough for me.

The main entrance

Mix of old and new on the outside

The large building houses a regular food market on the first floor (complete with hanging poultry and lots and lots of produce), a food court on the fourth floor and random government agencies on the floors above that.

The fabric market is on floors two and three. I haven't made it up to the third floor, but I've read it's full of tailors and sewists who can make just about anything.

I've been content to wander around the 2nd floor. It's a rabbit's warren of fabric. Row after row of quilting cotton, jersey, suiting, linen, upholstery fabric, sequins, satin... You name it, you will most likely be able to find it here. There are also a notions for sale, but for a bigger selection you're better off perusing the streets around the market for doo-dads, zippers and buttons.

Trimmings

One of the many, many rows of fabrics

Another row of fabric - look how long it is!

I first visited on a Friday morning with Sage just as the market was opening and the stall owners were mostly all smiles as she raced around the place and there were very few other shoppers. My second visit (alone!) was a Monday morning and it was busier than I expected. Monday tends to be a day off for many businesses and it looked like many women were taking advantage of it.

My goal was to find fabric to add some length to our bedroom curtains in order to cover the wall of windows (which are in almost every room in the apartment). No luck finding fabric wide enough, so I'm thinking about alternatives. I did manage to pick up a few things over my two visits, though, that I'll try to take pictures of when the light is better.

Yongle Fabric Market (永樂市場)
21 Dihua St. Sec. 1 (台北市迪化街一段21號)
Open Monday - Saturday, 10-6

For more pictures, check out Shu Flies blog: http://shuflies.blogspot.tw/2010/02/taipeis-fabric-heaven.html