Bleeding Madras Fabric – Very Preppy & Vintage Leave a comment

Bleeding Madras Fabric – Vintage and preppy at the same time
By BUD for FabricOnlineStore.Com

Bleeding Madras is madras fabric essentially, and in the same kind of plaid patterns as regular madras plaid fabrics are.

However, bleeding madras is woven using yarns that have been dyed and colored, using only vegetable dyes, and no commercial synthetic dyes. This was the traditional way that madras fabrics had always been woven on handlooms in India, lent a particular characteristic to the fabric, that was unique.

Upon washing this fabric, the yarn dyes would “bleed” or the colors would run, since these were not color-fast dyes, and some of the colors would intermingle as well, giving the fabric a washed out “worn” look, and this was a very vintage look.
Due to this property of bleeding madras fabric, it became very popular in the 50’s and sixties, when madras was very much in demand, for its summery, classic and vintage preppy look.

Bleeding madras was the name that was coined for this washed out look of madras plaid fabric, and it was highly sought after.
Today, bleeding madras is pretty much made in the same fashion, by dyeing yarns using vegetable dyes that are not color-fast. Ideally, these are still woven on hand looms and not electric / power looms.

Atlantis Fabrics has a new selection of bleeding madras fabrics, and these are suitable for shirts, pants, vintage wear, and preppy men’s wear.
Atlantis also customises bleeding madras to the colors and styles you need, and typical lot sizes of 100 yards can be made this way, for each style.

Bleeding madras is a vintage heirloom and is reminiscent of a tradition that exudes class, style and summery elegance.