Liberty expands fabrics department to cater to growing crafting demand

British department store Liberty has said that it has doubled the size of its fabrics department in order to cater to a widening interest in crafting. The company’s retail managing director, Lydia King, told the Guardian that the new department is now 140 percent larger and stocks more than 2,500 fabrics.

King added that the retailer will also be expanding its haberdashery area, where it will also provide workshops for crafters. She told the media outlet: “More and more department stores have moved away from [haberdashery and fabric] but we want to celebrate and elevate the customer experience.”

Consumers are moving towards crafting as they look to disconnect from the increasingly digital world, King stated. “From a bespoke dress to handcrafted quality, making has become a modern expression of luxury because it offers something increasingly rare: originality.”

Fabric sales at the department store rose 11 percent last, and are expected to continue growing at a similar pace in the current year. The department appeals to a broad range of consumers, from young starters to a group of wealthy international shoppers stocking up on luxury fabric to take back to their home country.

“Fabric is one of the highest sales density areas in the store,” King said. “We are seeing more and more demand not just for our classics but more elevated and new designs.”