About Lingards

Lingard Fabrics is a family run business that was initially established as a fabric merchant trading as Richardsons in South East Essex in the early 1930’s.  Our Braintree Shop ‘Lingards’ was opened in the 1957 by Sandie Lingard (nẻe Richardson) and traded in the High Street opposite Townrose for many years and later moving to its current location in Rayne Road. Later our second shop was opened in its current location in Sudbury in the 1970’s. The business was further expanded in the 1980’s with the addition of a Commercial Curtain Making workroom in Suffolk.

During this time, we have expanded our range to include, Blinds, Curtains, Curtain Poles, Fabrics, Haberdashery, Knitting, Wool, Crochet, Sewing and many other specialist Bridal and Dress fabrics.

Our small team are all experienced in the Fabric Trade and sewing and work really hard to provide a personal service. We aim to educate and inspire our customers about our products and soft furnishing services. Our products and services include, but are not limited to:  fabrics for curtains, blinds, dresses, haberdashery, upholstery, classes, sewing machines, sewing machine service and other soft furnishing applications.

We are keen to encourage everybody to learn to sew. Every year we support the Braintree Textile Fair in association with Warners Textile Archive and more recently the Sudbury Silk Festival supported by Vanners, Gainsborough Silks, Stephen Walters and Humphries Weavers.

We have our own professional workroom and curtain fitters who are able to offer quality custom made soft furnishings including handmade curtains at competitive prices. We can guide you through the design, making and installation process. Our curtains and soft furnishing making and alteration services are now becoming recognised as one of the most forward thinking, innovative professional workrooms in the UK for quality. Our Curtain Design Centre is a registered national member of The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers. They are approved for bespoke Upholstery, Curtains, Blinds, Curtain Poles, Rails, Tracks supply, Rail Fitters and Soft Furnishings. We are also a regional Specialist for Silent Gliss covering London, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and beyond.

We offer the latest designs in fabrics from Sanderson, Jane Churchill, Linwood, GP & J Baker, Niche, Romo, Blendworth, Villa Nova, Casadeco, James Brindley, Swaffer, James Hare, Designers Guild, Colefax and Fowler, Harlequin, Scion, Lorca, Jim Dickens, Osborne and Little, Nina Campbell, Scutt and Coles, James Brindley, Casamance, Camengo, James Hare to other well-known High Street names such as Clarke and Clarke, Prestigious and Voyage.

With a highly experienced team of assistants, Lingard Fabrics carry a comprehensive range of dress fabrics, dance fabrics, keystone blue screen fabrics, craft fabrics and quilting fabrics. We stock haberdashery and accessories including lace, trims, ribbon, zips, buttons, felt, velcro, fabric dye, thread, bunting tapes, leather, foam, cushion pads to table protector, PVC coated fabrics, dylon and dressmaking accessories and has a vast choice of curtain poles, rails and tracks for your curtain requirements.

We offer regular sewing classes and craft courses of every kind, so you can work with the professionals and become expert in transforming your project into reality. We offer sewing classes and tutorials for all abilities and ages.

We stock regular lines such as poly-cotton, dress net and curtain lining as well as fashion and dance fabrics.  Dress, Knitting and Crochet patterns include, Simplicity, King Cole and DMC.

New product sourcing is given a priority, to make our shop interesting, fashionable and full of products you need, plus some of those you just have to have! Time is dedicated to keep our product range fresh and exciting, so there is always a reason to keep coming back.