Upload the photo
A style photo, close-up of the fabric surface, sketch or tech pack (JPG, PNG or WEBP, up to 5MB) — or describe the fabric in words.
Free AI identification
What fabric is this? Identify it from a photo
Stuck with a swatch, a moodboard image or a reference garment and no idea what it is? Upload the photo to SwatchFree's free AI identifier. It reads what a photo can actually show — knit or woven construction, stretch, weight, luster and best-guess composition — matches it against our mill catalog, and lets you confirm by touch with real mill color cards.
AI matching is free. You only pay when you order physical swatches — pricing is below.
Three steps
From photo to identified fabric
AI reads the fabric
AI identifies the main fabric (>51% of the piece): knit or woven, stretch, weight, luster, best-guess composition and end use.
Confirm by touch
Get a ranked shortlist, then order free mill color cards or 1–10 m cut samples to confirm the real hand before bulk.
What a photo can identify
- Construction: knit vs woven, plus the likely weave or stitch type.
- Stretch: none, slight or high — judged from what is visible.
- Weight and luster: light / mid / heavy, matte / natural / lustrous.
- Best-guess composition and end use, with a confidence score for each attribute.
What a photo cannot confirm
- Exact fiber percentages — a photo supports a best guess, not lab-grade composition.
- Mill finishes and treatments, which change hand and drape.
- The real hand feel. That is why every match is confirmed by touch with free mill color cards.
Examples: 100% pure linen plain weave · organic cotton single jersey knit
Mill-direct pricing, after you identify
- AI identification and matching: free.
- Mill color cards: free — the Swatch Box fee ($69 for up to 5, $119 for up to 10) covers coordination plus worldwide express shipping.
- Cut samples: $4 service fee per fabric + shipping at cost (1–10 meters).
- Expert fallback: $6 per matched fabric or trim + shipping at cost, when AI cannot identify your fabric.
FAQ
"What fabric is this" questions
How do I find out what fabric this is?
Upload a photo of the garment or fabric to the free AI search at /search. The AI identifies the main fabric (the material covering more than 51% of the piece) and describes it — knit or woven, stretch, weight, luster, best-guess composition and likely end use — then returns a ranked shortlist from the SwatchFree mill catalog.
Can AI identify fabric composition from a photo?
A photo reliably shows construction (knit vs woven), stretch, weight and luster, and supports a best-guess fiber composition. Exact fiber percentages and mill finishes cannot be verified from a photo alone, so confirm by touch with real mill color cards or 1–10 m cut samples before bulk production.
Is the fabric identifier free?
Yes. AI fabric identification and matching are free, and so is connecting your own AI agent via MCP. You only pay when you order physical mill color cards (Swatch Box $69 for up to 5 / $119 for up to 10, worldwide express shipping included; the cards themselves are free) or cut samples ($4 service fee per fabric + shipping at cost, 1–10 meters).
What if the AI cannot identify my fabric?
Submit an expert sourcing request. Buyers in Keqiao and Guangzhou search the physical markets and bring back physical candidates within 24 hours for $6 per matched fabric or trim, plus shipping at cost. See /expert-sourcing and /china-fabric-sourcing-agent.
What photo should I upload to identify a fabric?
A clear close-up of the fabric surface plus, if possible, a full garment shot (JPG, PNG or WEBP, up to 5MB). Optional notes help: target GSM, hand feel, stretch, fiber and end use. You can also skip the image and type a text description instead.
Have a mystery fabric? Identify it now
Upload the photo — AI identification is free, mill color cards confirm it by touch.