Jim Thompson silk stores
 

Could anyone tell me if there is a big enough price difference/ savings to make the trip to the outlet store or is it just easier to purchase at the regular store and pay a few dollars more and save time? Would also like to hear what you found in the stores that you thought was special.

The outlet is significantly cheaper, but the benefit depends on how much you think you're going to spend. If you're only going to buy a few items, perhaps the trip is not worth the trouble. Plus, the main store is very nice.

The outlet store sells "last years'" merchandise. If you are looking for specific items in new prints/patterns, then you will need to shop at a regular store. There are lots of stores! Enjoy looking! Jim Thompson silk items are beautiful and extremely well made.

You will save 30-70% at the outlet. Most of the items are discontinued patterns, but some are not. I've purchased purses at the outlets, gift items and yard goods.

If you want the latest patterns go to the main store. There are many, many JT branches around, but the main store on Suriwong has the best selection.

Hello to the champions of BKK shopping. (still looking for Guenmai and Karen's input!)

A question for the group - re yard goods. What is the usual width of their fabric???

I know Karen said they bought upholstery fabric there and in order to know how much to buy, I need to know what their usual or averaage width is.

I expect this panel of experts to find this an easy question.

Thanks.

Polly

The outlet had a great selection of pillow covers and small cosmetic bags(great gifts) when I was there about two weeks ago.

aloha polly, are you going to wear your hawaiian shirt to cheer on the bulldogs in nola.:-)

Sawadee ka, Ken.

Today I put out my Santa Claus on the end table - the one carrying a beach chair and an umbrella, wearing flip flops, beermuda shorts, sunglasses and -yes - a Hawaiian Shirt! I guess I do have a thing about Hawaiian, oops Florida, shirts!

Alas, I'll miss the dogs in NOLA. I'm going to Seoul.

yobo seoh polly, going to miss the dogs in nola because you are going to seoul? well, keep warm, and eat kim chee for me. :-)

Like Wintersp, I would like to know the standard width of the fabric if anyone knows. I need 40 yards of at least 50" wide,so will definately try to make it to the outlet. Is all of the fabric silk or do they offer blends? Will they ship for you?

JT carries silks, cottons, linens, some in blends. They will ship. Sorry, I can't remember the width. I'll check what I have here.

Could someone please post the proper location for JT "outlet". I found two listed on the Nancy Chandler map. Upon arriving at the one nearest our hotel, it wasn't an outlet at all, just one of their larger stores.

Soi 93 off Sukhumvit.

There is a much smaller outlet near the Suriwong main store. Craig has given the correct address for the large outlet. Take the BTS to On Nut and a cab from there or walk. It's about 1/2-3/4 of a mile. 800 meters.

I've purchased alot of fabric at the JT Outlet store. Unfortunately, they have fabrics of several different widths, so the one you like may be narrower or wider than what you find at home.

Hi
At the outlet you can get silks and other fabrics. They make for Colefax and Fowler and the like too, so a huge range to choose from, with also chintz, heavier upholstery fabric etc. In terms of width they have 48", 54" and wider. So normal curtain width that you can buy in most places I think.
I bought and carried back fabric last year with no problem (silk not too heavy).

If you're in Phuket, the JT outlet is in the Laguna complex. Best buys are silk boxer shorts.

Just curious..what do you all buy the bolts for: curtains, upholstery, pillows and bedspreads? Do you buy the bolts and have clothes made from the fabric?

Also, their website lists a new outlet at Central World..

Ok, this is where people get confused. There must be a hundred BRANCHES of the JT stores. However there are only two OUTLET stores in Bangkok - soi 93 and the very close to the main store on Suriwong - (there is also now one in Phuket). The outlet stores sell JT merchandise at a discount. The branches sell JT merchandise at regular prices. There is one Main JT store, located on Suriwong in Bangkok.

Unless there is a new (since mid-Nov) outlet store in Central World, I would expect that the store there is a branch.

Great information. My decorator picked out $32.00 a yard fabric for my drapes and it was just a tone on tone fabric (not 100% silk). I think if I'm going to pay that much for the fabric I can do much better in quality and price by buying it in Thailand. I still have to have them made but will do that here because of time. Glad to hear they mail and also that folks have carried it back. Thanks!

Kathie, I see where this might be ambiguous. On the home page of their site, they say, "new outlet." But that may well mean "new retail store." Thanks.

Janey and others, thanks for the answers re width of fabic. In US upholstery fabric is between 54 and 60 inches usually. I would really hate to have to convert that to unusual widths(as well as metrics!.

The JT outlet store (and I'm sure the other stores as well) have charts to figure the amount of fabric needed for upholstering various pieces of furniture. The books show a drawing of the furniture style, measurements and fabric required depending on the width and fabric repeat.

I think the curtain widths were all pretty standard - there are online fabric calculators if you need. if you are having curtains made up there also check their requirements, because they often hand make the curtain top (where hooks go) rather than use a ready made tape they like to have more material than you might normally buy for the width.