I love the new Berkeley location (it's in the old Wooden Duck space west of 4th Street). It's especially great for quarantine shopping as it's got LOTS of space to see all the great fabrics, while staying distanced from others. read more

Holy houndstooth! I discovered Discount Fabrics a while ago when I bought a sewing machine and was on the hunt for quality fabrics at great prices. This place has all of the best fabrics and notions at the best prices in the area. The only spot that comes close to their caliber of deals is their sister shop in SF, but I just don't have time for all that. I prefer the convenient location (and available parking spots) that the Berkeley joint offers. They have an enormous selection that sprawls multiple rooms and friendly staff on hand to help you with any resources you may need to start crafting your next fabulous project. Check this place out if you're looking for fabrics or sewing supplies at a very reasonable price. read more

I shop here often and LOVE the selection! I don't mind bad customer service but the gentleman that runs the store is always unfriendly. I have overheard him bad mouth customers and be not so nice to his employees. But I keep going back. I went in again just a few days ago and thanked him so much for being open and that I was happy to see them back. He just mumbled something and kept cutting fabric! No smile no thank you....... nothing. I'm sure I will still shop there hoping that one day he will be somewhat nice :( read more

I recently got back into sewing with the online purchase of a new sewing machine and serger and I needed to snag some fabric for a few projects. Discount Fabrics is only a few miles down the same street as my favorite fitness studio so it's super convenient for me. Parking was pretty easy down a side street though there was a woman idling in her car in front of my car when I left who told me her car was gonna run out of gas and she needed money... but like, I had a lot of questions (why did you get in the car if it had no gas and you had no money and mostly why are you just sitting in it with the engine on?) and she had no answers but most of all, I had no cash, sooo it was outta my hands. Anyway, I walk in and it's a little and slightly low-budget warehouse but in the most wonderful way. There's great big rolls of fabrics that require quite a bit of strength and muscle to move around and bring to the cutting tables. I found some stellar deals on knits, picked up a new pair of pinking shears, some felt remnants that turned out I actually did not need but I'm sure I can repurpose them. They had an incredible sale on muslin so I got a buncha yards for draping and pattern making. Everyone who worked here was super nice. The staff isn't huge so you still have to DIY all the heavy lifting but if there's something you're looking for and don't see, they're happy to point you in the right direction. The selection is limited in that everything is some sort of clearance so it's not the carefully curated fabric shop that you'll find elsewhere but the prices are incredible and it's a cool place to go and get inspired on a budget. First day in and I got all my machines set up, created a pattern for my size underwear, and made a pretty snazzy pair of high-waisted underoos so, watch out Hanes. I'm excited to make this a regular stop in my routine and to make some more cool shit now that I'm the craftiest son of a bitch on the planet. read more

Discount fabrics is a real jewel! Their new location is beautiful and much better, with free parking and larger selection. Check it out!

I visited the Berkeley location yesterday. I don't get the chance to make it to this store often but when I do I'm always annoyed that I spend my hard earned coins anywhere else. I'm not even a sewer. I just like fabric to make lots of super easy projects like infinity scarves and headwraps. I was able to purchase a lovely assortment of 6 yards of knits in 6 various shades for under $24. This store has the most amazing assortment of fabrics at more that reasonable prices. You will need to give yourself time to browse and shop so don't come in at the last minute especially during these quarantine times. The customer service was very pleasant and I appreciate them being staffed during this time. I'll take the time to come here more often as it's worth it. read more

Love these guys. I've shopped here in the past for plastic to put on top of table cloths to keep them clean...and for bits and pieces to make costumes. Now with the lockdown and re-teaching myself to sew masks, I have a whole new appreciation for the broad selection and wonderful staff. read more

Always cheap always has what you need and nice people and I need more characters apparently so they have fabric and furry stuff and poly-fil and thread and zippers read more

A pretty wide array of materials to choose from for simple projects, as long as you're not looking for anything too high-end. Is the fabric really discounted? Hard to tell. But the prices always seem fair to me...not crazy cheap, but not unreasonable either. I went to search for some Tiffany blue lyrca to line my wedding dress, and found exactly the right material for $9 a yard. For basic colors, designs and fabric, they should have you covered. But for more unique, luxury fabrics you're better off at Britex in SF or "A Verb for Keeping Warm" in Emeryville for organic materials and quirky patterns. Customer service is almost non-existent, but if you know what you want the store is easily laid out for browsing and helping yourself. read more

They have good fabric selection; prices are competitive, but they seriously need to work on their customer service. I was looking for a pattern so I walked up to the cutting counter/cash register and wasn't acknowledged. I was finally tired of being patient and just started talking, "Hi, where are the patterns?" She responded, without looking at me, "Over there." and pointed in a general direction of the corner of the store. Turns out they have almost NO patterns, only three books to look through, two of which were almost exactly the same. Disappointing. read more

Don't let the name fool you. The place really all that cheap. Yes, they have a large selection of fabrics, but only discounted ones in there are god-awful prints that no one should ever wear. It's fun to browse and feel everything, but I'm not a fan of making clothes out of chartreuse rayon or black cotton with bright orange flowers. Every "cheap" fabric looked like a bad Hawaiian shirt of golf pants on horribly wrong. Great place to get zippers, needles, buttons, and all your extras, but it's not really that cheap. read more

They do have a wide variety of home decor fabric, but that's not what I go for, so I should say my review is really based on the apparel fabric. The prices are great. I'd say the average price for apparel fabric is $7. The silk and wool costs are ridiculous. Shop elsewhere for that. Based on what I've purchased, 25% of the fabric has snags, stains, discolorations or dirty areas. When buying bulk yardage in their poorly lit store, it's impossible to see those flaws until you arrive home. Whatever, just return it? Nope. No returns. The staff overall are helpful. Though I have had an experience where a woman was cutting my fabric when her phone rang. She gave me the "one minute" finger and said it was "Jackie's Time" and walked away to take the call. Another lady finished my order. Honestly, other than that time, I've had only good experiences with the staff. If you're looking for a couple of yards and some notions, Discount Fabrics is a cheap option. My 2 star review doesn't change the fact that I still shop here, but that's mainly because it's so close to my place. I definitely wouldn't come if I had to drive. read more

I use this place a lot for theater-costuming sewing stuff, and it's a really great resource. I do think that Fabric Outlet in the Mission is a bit better in terms of price and selection, but Discount Fabrics is closer to where I live, and is open on Sundays!! I've always found the staff to be very nice, if somewhat distant, though personally, I'm happy to be left alone to browse where I want, since half the time I have to think about it for a long time anyway. The store is a bit of a jumble--there are clearly labeled sections, but the patterns are only very generally organized in a massive drawer, and the fabric rolls are sometimes in quite a pile. I'm not sure why people are complaining that the fabrics "aren't really discounted"--just compare their fleece, linen and fake-fur prices to Jo-Ann and Britex, and you'll see what I mean. There's an especially big selection of upholstery fabrics, and they all seem to be at least slightly marked down. This is not to say that everything there is a steal, but you can definitely find some bargains, and you'll save at least a little bit on most of what they carry. I've definitely benefited from the "whole roll" discount, but that's only happened when there wasn't much fabric left on it. Parking tip: go past the store on San Pablo Ave, and take the first right. I usually find parking down this bumpy little street. read more

I love you Discount Fabrics!!! I'm starting my own clothing business and this place has everything I need for my basic apparel at great prices. The sales ladies I have dealt with have also been really helpful and efficient which is what I want in a fabric store when I'm itching to go home and start sewing. I love their cotton prints and knits. Definitely check this place out if you are a newbie or oldie seamstress/fashion designer. read more

Discount Fabrics has one of the largest and unique selections of leathers, linens, furs, fluffy this, and frilly that I've ever bared witness to in the area, and to top it off, very fair priced. I highly suggest making this your first stop if your current project involves home decor, upholstery, costume making or....whatever! My girlfriend loves making costumes. A lot. If you or your significant other does as well, then you should already know places like JoAnnes and Michaels will only get you so far....(that means not that far). When you are ready to make costumes cut from a HIGHER quality and standard, then you should already know Discount Fabrics is your one stop shop. Even if you're not exactly sure what you are trying to achieve, simply walking around the store will assuredly spark inspiration to get you going. When you have everything you need, one of their staff is ALWAYS on standby, happy to help you cut the right lengths of your selections, unlike those other fabric stores that have multiple cutting stations un-manned and you have to hunt someone down who actually knows how to cut a piece of fabric...i know we've experienced that BS at some point or another. *grumbles* Long story short: GREAT selection, QUALITY materials, FAIR prices, FRIENDLY staff, and CONVENIENTLY located right near the freeway. What else do you want from a business? read more

So glad this place is open and had a great deal of fabric suitable for mask making! No need to make multiple trips in hopes of finding fabric anymore! They have SO much fabric and accessories, including elastic bands by the foot! Prices are reasonable, a lot cheaper than Piedmont Fabrics. NICK was super helpful even though it was super busy, as you can imagine. Great work ethic! Thank you! Glad you were there. I felt taken care of! Coming from I-80 onto Ashby, turn right onto San Pablo, and make another immediate right on Murray to find street parking. For some reason, there was a "one way" sign on San Pablo Ave as I was turning into that street, but just ignore it because it is a two way street. Whewww!!!! Tons of fabric as well as other helpful material and accessories I did not even know existed! read more

I came during a terrible time. I didn't think about it, but I totally asked for it. I ASKED FOR IT. It was an afternoon a few days before Halloween. hahahhaha. BWAHAHAHAHAHAA! Lots of people, lots of strange needs, (frenetic, hectic, OCD, ADHD, demanding) and a staff that required breaks, but couldn't really take any. I fell in deep-like with two fabrics. Leathers actually. Never saw either of these two before, and yes, honey, I HAVE been around. I saw this amazing hide that was soft like a chamois on one side. The other side had several textures, from raised to shaved, to polished fur that was chocolate, grey and white, and had what looked like burnished, plastic red spatters. I have no idea what it was, nor how it was done...but it was spectacular. (Much in the way that certain viruses and diseases are beautiful in a different context) The other one was a beautiful, rich leather that was extremely large. At first I thought it was large, but then I wasn't seeing the hide in its entirety. It was folded, and was BIGGER than the cows I've met, and close to a polished oxblood. Very excited. And it was the RIGHT price. It was below market. I could see that the staff had been dealing with Halloween madness all. day. long. Probably all week long. They could have been rude, they could have been mean, they could have feigned severe hearing loss. BUT THEY DIDN'T. They made things easy for me. I asked to have these two things held for me, and wanted to put aside a large, white faux-fur...but I didn't want to push my luck. lol. They, and by they, I mean HE totally multi-tasked between customers, explaining things, asking people what they needed, and he did this while cutting, procuring, and measuring. I am (pleasantly) surprised that there were no "accidents" whatsoever. I'll warn you now, don't come here for normal stuff. That's not truly what makes this store valuable. Come in the morning when they open and not as busy if you want to have a more pleasant, leisurely experience. read more

It's neither pretty not glamorous but what a joy. You can find all kinds of fabrics there at very good prices. Be prepared to dig and search. They recently (summer 2006) reorganized the store and added more inventory and it's much improved. Along with clothing/costume fabrics half the store is dedicated to home fabrics - drapery/upolstory/outdoor even vinyls. I always stop here first and if I can't find what I need I hit Stonemountain and Daughter. But you can find some real treasures here. The neighborhood is a touch iffy, but I've never had a problem. read more

I needed to purchase some canvas for a wedding project that I was working on. I didn't feel like going to JoAnns and found this place on Yelp. Just to be sure, I called in to see if they carried the material and they told me that they did. After finding the place, I took a look around myself to see if I could find the fabric that I needed. No luck, but the person at the desk was very helpful and pointed me in the right direction. When I went to get my material cut, the person assisting me recognized me as the person who called in earlier in the morning. They were very nice and even double checked to see if I was a student since they give student discounts. If she had not asked, I wouldn't have known! They were very helpful and I got just what I needed. My only complaint is parking! It's a little difficult to find a place to park your car in the area that they are located. But luckily there is a little side street next to their building that has a decent amount of street parking available. read more

I like the variety of fabrics. But have limited accessories. It's a huge warehouse-like. Has good choices in "ethnic" prints read more

I'm here for costuming adventures. I'm here for lingerie adventures. I'm here for product development adventures. I'm here for fashion show prep adventures. I'm her for almost all sewing adventures; as a student and as a professional. I docked a star because of the parking situation. BTW, you can make a rain coat with Burberry material for about $200. I have a friend who works at a Discount Fabrics on Howard St in SF, and she always finds the coolest, most unique materials. READ: Discounted does not mean cheap, it just means they get to charge you a bit less a yard. read more

Discount Fabrics is like a warehouse store in that everything is in bulk quantities & there's not really any employees milling around for assistance. This place is all about fabrics & lots of it. There's a colossal variety of fabrics available in mammoth quantities. The girlfriend & I had come to find something to use as supplemental shade for our upcoming trip to the playa. We were also looking for bits & pieces to add to the costumes we were taking with us to the playa. There's so much stuff, it takes some time to sort through all of it. With the enormous selection available here, we eventually found what we were looking for & more for cheap. To get a lot of fabric for not a lot of money, this is the place. read more

It's burning man costume making time. I've got no pattern & no talent. Just an idea & a prayer! No problem. Discount fabrics is gonna help you out with 25% off fur! I nabbed a yard for $25 bucks and managed to make all sorts of cool stuff! Took me all of 5 minutes at the store & then five hours of fun later. Cute checkout girl! read more

I've been here a number of times both to browse and with specific fabrics in mind. Overall, I think the silk selection is pretty good at this location (and reasonably priced), which is generally what I'm poking around for. The 2 big down sides to the store, though, are the lighting and the people at the cutting counter. Although they have large windows along three of the sides, the interior lights make it really difficult to see just what color dupioni I'm holding and often I'll have to carry over multiple rolls to the nearest window, which gets old pretty quick. The cutting table is often a little disorganized since it's so long. Customers just mill about since there's no line structure and you have to hope to catch someone's eye for them to notice you're waiting with fabric in your arms. For the most part, the people working there have been helpful when I needed it, so this isn't too much of a turn off once you're finally up there. read more

Great place for cheap fabric! The ladies here are always so incredibly sweet and will offer to help you with your various sewing projects. Anyone who knows about fabric pricing sees that it is in fact discounted I have been to other fabric stores in the area and found the EXACT same fabric but it was twice as much as it was here. It's sort of like the thrift town of fabric stores. Sometimes it's hard to find incredibly specific things because they are all hand-me-downs of other fabric stores. But there are a lot of hidden treasures if you're patient and keep searching ;) read more

Staff is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Big/diverse selection of fabric. read more

This place is good I found a really good quality upholstery fabric and upholstered my entire couch for 46$. Well worth the trip. Joanns cannot beat the quantity or price of this place. I do have to say that the lady working there was hard to understand, maybe it was a language barrier idk but I felt awkward around her and didn't feel like I could ask questions. But I do think I'd come back read more

Huge selection. Great prices. Lots of groovy tools, notions etc. I recently needed to make a windowshade for the 8' windows in my old Edwardian. Some great fabric cost me about $25. If I had gone anywhere else, I'd still be paying it off. read more

Meh. It didn't seem all that discounted. I walked around in here for about half an hour and had no idea who the employees even were. No one said hi or asked if I needed help, so I bolted. Looks decent for upholstery fabric, though. read more

It is a very real pleasure that in this time of "big box," "Internet," and other "points of purchase" we have a store, and its staff, that provides those of us who still craft clothing with very affordable, and useful materials, and that store is, at least in the East Bay, Discount Fabrics. We've found what we sought, with thanks to staff support. Recommend parking on Murry St. read more

I discovered this place and absolutely fell in love with this place. So many different fabrics with endless options for whatever your ideas may take you to. Great prices also! Their employees are very sweet and answers all of your questions. If you are looking for something specific or unique this place will most likely have it :) read more

Whenever I visit this location, they never speak (well, I've only witnessed them cheeringly greet people of a certain race--if you know what I mean). They aren't friendly or welcoming, every single time I'm there, I have to ask for assistance because it is never offered. After asking for help, they either take their time or they don't have what I need! One lady didn't even know what a needle threader was and she shrugged her shoulders as if to imply 'I should continue to look and maybe I might have success this time around'! Never going back there! read more

It's very disappointing to come here and not find what it is you're looking for time and time again. It's a discounted place, so I guess it's hard to get your standard fabrics you would like to get. They do have a bunch of upholstery fabrics and unconventional buttons that are 2"x2" big. Anyway, if you are a designer, I would recommend going to Stone Mountain and Daughter at 2518 Shattuck Ave. It's my new favorite place to go to get fabric. read more

Lots of fabric to choose from. I would have been happier with a larger selection of upholstery fabric, but we can't always get what we want. Parking is a bitch. That little side street around the corner is downright treacherous. If I missed a parking lot somewhere, I hope someone will enlighten me. That being said, it's in a good location for the project-oriented mind. Urban Ore is right nearby, as well as a plumbing/restoration type store (I can't recall the exact name). Again, lots of fabric to choose from. But I thought they would be cheaper for something named "Discount Fabrics." I found a lot of great upholstery fabric from Piedmont Fabric that seemed less expensive - I'm not sure what that's about. And the staff is nicer there. Granted, this is a huge store and their supply chain methods are totally different. There was a sale going on last time I'll definitely go back there - they have great sheer fabrics and a huge variety. Some of the leathers and furry fabrics caught my eye for the next visit. My last (and first) visit was a bit hectic since they were having a sale, so I'm not judging too harshly from one visit. read more

Their new space and their selection are both at least as big as the old place, but their new 'give us the money and go away' attitude is a deal-breaker. It's understandable with fabrics and trims and anything that needs to be cut, but be warned, if you buy so much as a package of Notions or an unopened bottle of fabric dye, you're on your own. No returns, no exchanges, no way, go away. Okay, I've been going to that place since they first opened, but I'll take their word for it. There are other stores, especially for sewing and craft accessories. read more

Friendly staff and great prices--I've never walked out disappointed. For the beginner, stingy shopper or expert seamstress, this place has something for everyone. PROS: -prices: a mix of high-quality, high-cost fabrics; decent fabrics at a decent price; and crazy-cheap discounted fabrics. since I just began sewing as a hobby a few months ago, I like picking up a few yards of the $.99 stuff to play around with. -sewing accessories: zippers, yarn, threads, elastic, paper, patterns, etc. Everything I never needed, I came here. CONS: -location: on the corner of a busy intersection--ashby and san pablo. the only parking I'm aware of is in a dingy alleyway with chainlink fences, a sad guard dog, and more than a few homeless individuals asking for money. chances are, you'll have to park pretty far down. -prices can be a little confusing/hard to find If you come in with an open mind, you won't be disappointed. If you're looking for something very particular, don't go to a discount fabric store. read more

Decent selection of fabric. Some reasonably priced, and some not. I did find customer service to be "discounted," too. Perhaps it depends on who is helping you - seems like there was one person who is more knowledgeable than the rest of the store staff when I was there. I'd go back, with lowered expectation for their customer service. If you need to consult store staff, this may not be the best place. read more

I used to frequent the sister store in the city before it moved out of SOMA. I actually prefer the shop on Mission Street over Discount any day. My area of preference is home decor and I'm not impressed with what I saw on a recent visit. The selection looks old and like some hadn't been super well cared for. Pricing doesn't offer any significant value. Trims for pillows and furnishings aren't as popular in home decor, but they do have a nice selection. Also I've been able to find some interesting piece in the $3.98 barrels. Would probably venture back if I had done time to kill in area, but it definitely won't be a go to. read more

This is the first place I go when I need anything sewing related. Everything is well organized and there's so many options! I also love to dig around in the scrap bin - I usually find just the thing for a small project. Finally, this store carries my favorite thread: Guterman - why would I go anywhere else?! read more

Look here first. Discount Fabrics is hit or miss because the value has to be there for them so you can get a good deal too. The buyers have a good eye so you find really great stuff. If you go with an open mind you will get materials for your project and save a lot of money. If need something specific you might get lucky, it's worth a shot. Their trim and notions selection is excellent. I like the people that work there too. Helpful and friendly without being "too much". read more