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| Decision field | Open accessYarnSubGlobalRemove | Free + paidPattern TestersGlobalRemove | Open accessUnknown Textile Identification & Evidence RecordGlobalRemove | Free accountSwatchOnGlobalRemove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | ||||
| Primary job | Choose materials | 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 | Yarn | Patterns & fit | Materials | Materials |
| Best for | Building a substitution shortlist for a discontinued or unavailable yarn before checking quantity, availability, and a representative swatch | Coordinating an independent sewing-pattern test | Investigating an unknown textile without using flame, smoke, odor, or residue as composition, flammability, care, safety, or compliance proof | Sourcing swatches and low-MOQ fabric options |
| Know before using | 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. | The interface and plan description do not prove tester reach, completion, feedback quality, fit validity, export quality, uptime, support, or suitability for an established release process. Measurements and photos can be sensitive personal data. Run a non-critical pilot, review the current privacy and service terms, define consent and photo rights, test exports and deletion, and keep pattern approval and release responsibility with the designer. | The record does not identify a submitted textile, provide a home burn procedure, turn an observation into a fibre or blend result, choose a laboratory method, establish flammability or market compliance, validate a care instruction, or replace qualified laboratory, textile, conservation, safety, compliance, and legal review. | SwatchOn's supplier status, counts, trust language, specifications, prices, availability, and account benefits are provider or supplier statements that can change. They do not independently establish fibre identity, performance, certification validity, mill ownership, production capacity, colour continuity, delivery, duty, or commercial fit. Review representative samples, test data, current certificates, the contracting entity, order terms, return limits, and landed logistics before purchase. |
| Practical access | ||||
| For | Makers | Apparel brands | Both | Apparel brands |
| Location or jurisdiction | Global | Global | Global | Global |
| Access | Open access | Free + paid | Open access | Free account |
| Format | Reference | Software | Stitch Authority | Marketplace |
| Source type | First-party platform | First-party platform | Stitch Authority | Commercial marketplace |
| Account, payment, and exit | ||||
| Access scope | Maker comparing a replacement for a named yarn before buying. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Business or individual buyer sourcing fabric, trims, swatches, or custom printing through SwatchOn's marketplace and order workflow. |
| Before 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | Read the marketplace scope, material-category pages, service explanations, help articles, calculators, and legal policies. The checked signed-out pages do not expose the full product library, wholesale ordering, or sample-purchase workflow. |
| Free-account boundary | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | After email verification, business and individual accounts receive product-library, wholesale-order, and sample-purchase access. A completed business profile and business proof add a sourcing manager and conditional swatch credits; the terms allow identity, business, or payment verification and account rejection. |
| Payment boundary | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | The checked first-party pages disclose no recurring platform subscription. Buyers pay per sample or product order plus the checkout currency, shipping, duties, taxes, adjustments, and any agreed service fees; complimentary swatches or credits are conditional rather than universal free access. |
| Cancellation or exit | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | There is no subscription plan to cancel on the checked pages. The terms say a user may stop using the platform, while the privacy policy routes access, correction, portability, and deletion requests through support and permits retention for legal, accounting, dispute, and agreement-enforcement needs. |
| Saved work and data | 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. | Not yet reviewed at this level. | The platform can hold account and verification data, carts and orders, payment and shipping records, customs documents, artwork, supplier messages, reviews, and support tickets. The privacy policy offers copy, portability, correction, and deletion requests, but does not state a self-service full export, exact format, completion time, or complete deletion of retained transaction records. |
| Source and review | ||||
| What the source establishes | 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. | Pattern Testers currently offers application intake, tester selection, feedback, photos, approvals, issue tracking, revisions, a reusable tester directory, and release deadlines. The public pricing page shows a limited free plan and paid Pro and Business tiers. Its June 2026 privacy policy lists names, email addresses, measurements, photos, feedback, application history, and assignments among the data processed. | The guide cites current AATCC qualitative and quantitative fibre-analysis methods, the published ISO 1833-1 quantitative-analysis principles, ASTM's withdrawn D276 status and reinstatement work item, current FTC U.S. textile-label guidance, and current CPSC clothing-textile flammability guidance. | 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. Current account guidance places the full product library, wholesale ordering, and sample purchasing behind email verification, while the terms describe supplier-provided listings, per-order payment, cross-border charges, sample limits, and marketplace responsibility. |
| Linked page reviewed | Jul 28, 2026 | Jul 21, 2026 | Jul 16, 2026 | Jul 28, 2026 |
| Next review due | Jan 24, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Jul 16, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 |
| Inspect | ||||
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