Qing Fang Fabric Market

Having checked out IKEA a few times for household items, I thought it would be nice to branch out a little, see something a bit more local. Qing Fang Fabric Market (轻纺市场) in Putuo district made a perfect adventure. It's public transportation friendly - my particular route was Metro Line 3/4 to Cao Yang Lu, then transfer to bus 717 or 860. A taxi is obviously less tedious.

The market follows the standard "cram lots of stalls into a huge building" format. There are three floors: ground floor has rugs/carpets, bed linens, towels and curtains; second floor is clothing; and the third floor has a mishmash of home decor stuff such as paintings and fake flowers. I spent most of the time on the ground floor, looking at decorative cushions and rugs. Most things can be made to order (pick the fabric, tell them the measurements) and I assume turnaround time is fast because there are sewing machines on site.

While there is a lot to choose from, nothing really struck my fancy. Don't expect anything too high end or trendy. I did end up buying a RMB 30 mat for the kitchen, but probably over-paid because I couldn't be bothered to negotiate! It's worth the trip to Qing Fang Fabric Market if you're looking for a one-stop shop for all your home textiles (and don't want to buy from IKEA). Since I'm still looking for the right cushions, next step is to check out the small fabric stores closer to home...there's one across the street...