How We Test Hundreds of Fabrics to Find a Few Great Ones

Most brands ask whether a fabric can be sold. We ask whether someone can forget they’re wearing it.

When people hear “sensory-friendly clothing”, they often imagine that we simply choose soft fabrics and call it a day.

We wish it were that easy.

At AYAMI, fabric selection is one of the most important parts of what we do. Before a fabric ever becomes part of a garment, it goes through months of testing, comparison, washing, wearing, and often rejection.

In fact, most fabrics never make it.

It Starts With Hundreds of Fabrics

We are constantly searching for new fabrics.

We visit textile fairs, contact manufacturers, order samples, and collect fabric swatches from all over the world. At this point, we have accumulated boxes full of fabric samples.

And then we do something surprisingly simple: we touch them. For hours.

We compare texture, stretch, weight, breathability, drape, recovery, temperature, and overall comfort. If a fabric immediately feels unpleasant, it is rejected.

Most fabrics never make it beyond this stage.

From Swatch to T-Shirt

When a fabric seems promising, we order a larger piece. Not enough for a collection. Just enough to make a basic T-shirt. Always the same T-shirt.

A fabric can feel wonderful for thirty seconds. That doesn’t mean it feels wonderful after eight hours.

Every test shirt is worn in real-life conditions for at least a full day. We work in it, walk in it, sit in it, sweat in it, and simply live in it.

Ironically, I started AYAMI because I wanted to wear comfortable clothes every day.

These days, however, I often look like a complete hot mess, wearing shapeless experimental T-shirts in fabrics that, 9 out of 10 times, end up being an “absolutely not”. But every time a fabric is a “no”, that’s one fabric neither I nor an AYAMI customer will ever have to wear again.

From T-Shirt to Real Garment

If a fabric survives all previous tests, we create a more complex garment chosen to represent how the fabric would realistically be used.

A fabric intended for elegant, flowing garments will be tested differently from a fabric intended for structured everyday wear.

We then live with that garment over several weeks. We wear it as intended. We wash it. We care for it. We wear it in different situations, temperatures, and moods.

The goal is not to find fabrics that make a good first impression. The goal is to find fabrics that still feel good after the honeymoon phase is over.

Even at this stage, roughly two thirds of fabrics still fail.

Note: Now you are starting to understand why we begin with hundreds of fabrics. We have to.

Why We Keep Testing

Different people need different things.

Some people need maximum softness. Others need breathability for summer. Others need warmth, stretch, durability, easy maintenance, elegant drape. Often, many of the above at the same time.

No single fabric can do everything.

That is why we continuously test new materials and continue searching for great options to join our catalogue.

The fabrics currently offered by AYAMI have survived this process.

Many others haven’t.

And many more are still waiting their turn.

Want to Help?

AYAMI is built together with the people who wear our clothes.

Many of our best improvements have come directly from people telling us what works, what doesn’t, and what we should test next.

If you are interested in helping us test fabrics, sharing feedback, or trying samples yourself, we would love to hear from you.

Sensory-friendly clothing shouldn’t be based on marketing claims. It should be based on evidence, testing, and real experiences.