Today, as many of you have requested, we have some useful information regarding the purchasing of your Aerial Silks. We will be covering everything from the fabric itself, where to buy, what length, width etc. There are of course differing opinions on this subject and we can only speak from our own Aerial Silks purchasing experience. We encourage you to do your own research and gain an educated, informed opinion on the subject.
Womack and Bowman’s Guide to Purchasing Aerial Silks (your questions answered)
1. “What kind of material are your Aerial Silks made from?”
The fabric we use for our Aerial Silks is a 2-way stretch Tricot Nylon. There are other fabrics that aerialists may use such as Polyester Lycra, but this is what we personally prefer.
2. “Stretch or non-stretch fabric?”
When buying aerial silks from a vendor that specializes in selling fabric to aerialists, you want to think about the stretch, width and length of the fabric you need. Low stretch/non stretch fabrics are easier to climb than medium stretch fabrics, but they are not as soft for big drops. Medium stretch fabrics are nice for drops, but are definitely harder to climb. We prefer low stretch fabric.
3. “What about width?”
Aerial Fabrics come in a variety of widths. A 60″ width is generally recommended for children, where as a larger width (75″, or 90″) are generally recommended for teens and adults.
4. “How long should my fabric be?”
Aerial fabrics are generally cut to length depending on the height available at your studio or performance venue. We purchase anywhere from 50-60 feet of aerial fabric as when it is doubled over for rigging this provides 25-30 feet of useable fabric. With our studio and most performance venues being 20-25 feet high, this leaves us with long tales (the fabric that touches the floor), which we prefer.
5. “Where do I buy?”
There are currently many reputable vendors that you can purchase aerial fabric from online and we recommend that you do your research and find one that works for your budget and needs. We buy all of our fabrics from Sal Tex Fabrics, a vendor in downtown LA’s fashion district as we prefer to ‘touch and feel’ the fabrics before purchasing. However, this is not always possible if you live in more remote parts of the world which is why we suggest that you research as much as possible before purchasing.
Please feel free comment below with any additional questions you may have about purchasing your Aerial Silks and we will do our best to respond and/or refer you to a reputable vendor.
Aerial Art, Aerial Dance, Aerial Performance, Aerial Silks, Purchasing Aerial Silks, Womack and Bowman
