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| Decision field | Free downloadAAFA Restricted Substance ListGlobalRemove | Free + paidThreadloop Sewing Pattern DatabaseGlobalRemove | Open accessYarnSubGlobalRemove | Free accountSwatchOnGlobalRemove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | ||||
| Primary job | Check standards | Find patterns & fit | Choose materials | Choose materials |
| Also useful for | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded | No additional job recorded |
| Area | Standards | Patterns & fit | Yarn | Materials |
| Best for | Surveying finished-product chemical regulations | Searching current and out-of-print sewing patterns | Building a substitution shortlist for a discontinued or unavailable yarn before checking quantity, availability, and a representative swatch | Sourcing swatches and low-MOQ fabric options |
| Know before using | AAFA provides the list for information only and says it is voluntary, may contain omissions or inaccuracies, and is not legal advice. A global most-restrictive value is not a complete market or product determination. Verify the current controlling law, jurisdiction, product and component scope, exemptions, effective dates, test method, sampling plan, brand requirements, manufacturing-input controls, and other safety rules. | Community members add and quality-control the records, so confirm sizing, measurements, fabric suggestions, format, availability, errata, license, and purchase terms with the designer or publisher. Adding an entry to a stash does not provide the pattern files. Saved searches and private PDF storage are paid Plus features, and a listing or review does not establish pattern accuracy or fit. | A suggested match is a data-based shortlist, not proof that the yarn suits the pattern or maker. Records can be incomplete or wrong, price bands are approximate, availability varies by country and seller, and shade-level matching is unavailable. YarnSub says affiliate status does not change suggestions, but equally rated matches are ordered by brand popularity. Confirm required gauge, total length, fibre behavior, construction, care, colour, dye lot, accessibility, price, availability, and seller terms, then make and assess a representative swatch before committing. | SwatchOn's supplier status, counts, and trust language describe its own marketplace and can change. They do not independently establish fibre identity, performance, certification validity, mill ownership, production capacity, colour continuity, delivery, duty, or commercial fit. Review samples, test data, current certificates, the contracting entity, order terms, and landed logistics before purchase. |
| Practical access | ||||
| For | Apparel brands | Makers | Makers | Apparel brands |
| Location or jurisdiction | Global | Global | Global | Global |
| Access | Free download | Free + paid | Open access | Free account |
| Format | Reference | Community | Reference | Marketplace |
| Source type | Industry organization | Community database | First-party platform | Commercial marketplace |
| Account, payment, and exit | ||||
| Access scope | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Sewer searching pattern records or organizing patterns, projects, fabric, notions, and private files. | Maker comparing a replacement for a named yarn before buying. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Before an account | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Browse the pattern database, guide, designers, publications, and public community areas without creating an account. | Search a named yarn, inspect suggested substitutes, and filter by fibre and approximate price band without creating an account. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Free-account boundary | Not yet reviewed at this level. | A free account needs no card and supports a stash, wishlist, projects, reviews, and personal organization. | The checked core substitution route does not require an account, and the FAQ does not offer user-entered yarn records. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Payment boundary | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Plus adds PDF pattern storage, collections, saved searches, bulk editing, and other workflow features on monthly or annual billing. | No subscription is presented for the core route. Affiliate retailer links and optional donations help fund the site; equal-rated matches are ordered by brand popularity. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Cancellation or exit | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Cancel through an in-account link. Paid features remain through the current billing cycle, then the account returns to free features. | There is no account or recurring plan to cancel for the core route. The newsletter has a separate unsubscribe link. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Saved work and data | Not yet reviewed at this level. | The terms say submitted materials remain yours, but the checked public pages do not explain a full export or how stored PDFs behave after downgrade. Keep originals outside the platform. | YarnSub does not expose an API and does not accept user-entered yarn details. Use the data-issue link on a yarn page for corrections. | Not yet reviewed at this level. |
| Source and review | ||||
| What the source establishes | AAFA published RSL Version 26 on January 28, 2026 in searchable spreadsheet and PDF formats. The association describes it as a regularly updated reference to laws and regulations restricting chemicals in finished apparel, footwear, accessories, and home textiles. Its methodology records final-product or component limits, jurisdiction, test method, and comments, and excludes factory-process restrictions and non-chemical product-safety rules. | Threadloop's official guide describes an independent, fully crowdsourced database covering available and out-of-print sewing patterns. Its search supports pattern type, fabric type, age group, body type, cup size, level, format, file features, language, measurements, availability, and other filters; members can also track a stash, wishlist, projects, reviews, and discussions. Current terms state that the free plan requires no card, paid upgrades start billing immediately, cancellation retains paid features through the current cycle, and the account then returns to free features. | YarnSub's official FAQ says its matching software compares gauge, texture, yarn weight and density, fibre content, and fibre qualities such as drape and softness. Discontinued yarns remain searchable as starting points but are excluded from suggestions. Result filters can exclude animal, animal-derived, synthetic, or plant fibre groups and use a subjective $ to $$$$$ price indicator. The site does not accept user-entered yarn details, individual shade cards, or expose an API. Each yarn page provides a data-issue route. | SwatchOn's current marketplace page exposes fabrics, trims, and prints, with swatch samples, in-stock catalogue colours, low-order-quantity options, and global logistics support. The page publishes operator-supplied marketplace and supplier counts and labels participating suppliers as verified partners. |
| Linked page reviewed | Jul 21, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 |
| Next review due | Oct 19, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 |
| Inspect | ||||
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