10 Best Fabric Markers 2020

Sometimes, drawing on clothing can be a good thing.

Usually, a spot of ink that finds its way onto our clothing gets there by accident, but when you have certain artwork in mind, markers that are specifically designed for use on fabrics are welcome all over your canvas!

In our guide, we will show you which kinds of markers are safe for use on fabric and highlight the top ten sets/single markers in our table.

After reading a few useful shopping tips and the detailed reviews of our three favorite products, you’ll have no problem choosing the right ones for your next project.

Wait a Minute! What Kind of Project Are You Working On?

There are two kinds of fabric markers: those that you use for sewing projects and those that you use to make permanent designs on fabric.

  • For Sewing & Quilting. Anything you use for a sewing project is designed to fade away after you apply it.

The purpose of these markers is to help you temporarily draw on the fabric you are sewing, but after a while, the ink will vanish (they will come off once exposed to water, and many will fade away after a few hours due to air exposure).

  • For Laundry & Crafts. When you actually want the design to remain on the fabric, then you need markers that are suitable for frequent washings and crafting!

We specify the use of all of the markers that we included in our table, which should make finding the best fabric markers for your needs much easier!

Top 10 Fabric Markers Table

PictureNameUseDual Tip?PriceRating (1-5)
Picture
Name
Use
Dual Tip?
Price
Rating (1-5)
1. Creative Joy Fabric Markers with Permanent Brilliant Colors in Dual-Tipped MarkersDesign, CraftingYes$$$4.8
2. Crafts 4 All Permanent fabric marker Laundry Marker Non bleed Dual tip - 2 pack , BLACK LaundryYes$$4.6
3. Clover Hera MarkerQuiltingYes$4.5
4. Sharpie Rub-a Dub Laundry Markers Black, 2pkLaundryNo$4.5
5. Crafts 4 All Fabric Markers Permanent MINIMAL BLEED 12 Pack premium quality bright dual tipDesign, CraftingYes$$$4.4
6. Dritz Disappearing Ink Marking Pen, Purple Sewing, QuiltingNo$4.3
7. Best Non-Toxic Fabric Markers (Pack of 24 Pens) Design, CraftingNo$$$4.3
8. Tulip Fabric Markers Fine Writers 20 Pack – Premium Quality, Nontoxic & Fast Drying Design, CraftingNo$$$$4.2
9. Blackcat Sales Permanent Fabric Markers – 10 fine-tip pens. Water-based & non-toxic ink Design, CraftingNo$$4.2
10. Crayola 10-Pack Fabric MarkersDesign, CraftingNo$$4.0

The Little Details You Should Pay Attention to as You Shop

Here are a few useful tips to help you narrow down the options. There was more to choosing a fabric marker than you originally thought!

  • Single Tip or Dual Tip. The best fabric markers, in our opinion, have a dual tip: they allow you to use the fine tip for detail work and the thicker tip for covering larger areas without having to stop and change pens.

Single tip pens are fine, too, but you will be limited to one type of line thickness as you draw.

  • Bleed. Some markers bleed worse than others do, meaning that they will soak through the fibers and may even into the second layer of fabric if the material is thin enough.

Make sure that the surface you’re working on is protected so that you don’t end up marking it by accident.

  • Number of Colors. Are you interested in a large rainbow of colors or just a few?

When you’re designing artwork on a piece of fabric – whether a sewing project or a white t-shirt that you’d like to add a little pizzazz to – having more color options is ideal.

Single colors can be quite useful for touch-ups on solid colors (mostly black), so don’t exclude them from your kit.

When You Wash Frequently

One way to keep clothing organized is by marking it with the owner’s initials.

We know that in nursing homes this is common practice, but it could very well be useful in dorm rooms or even at home when you want to make sure that each sock finds the right drawer on laundry day!

If you’re in need of something that can withstand frequent washings, go with the Sharpie Rub-a Dub Laundry Markers or the Crafts 4 All Permanent Laundry Markers.

Top 3 Best Fabric Markers Reviews

1. Creative Joy Dual-Tipped Markers

When you want to let loose your artistic skills on a t-shirt, a pair of pants or a baby bib, the Creative Joy Fabric Markers are there to help you.

We just love the mixture of colors that they included (the mint green and sky blue are handy) and having the dual tips makes it feel more like a set of 24 markers rather than just 12.

Their ink is non-toxic, so if you were looking for something kid-friendly, you’re good to go.

Those who have tried other brands all agree that these are some of the best fabric markers for crafting and artwork, and we would definitely agree with them.

They’re inexpensive, and they colors they produce are vibrant: just what you expect when you set out in search of fabric-friendly markers!

2. Crafts 4 All Laundry Marker Non bleed Dual tip

We mentioned laundry markers earlier, and while we have two options on our list (these and the Sharpies), we just liked the fact that these were the least expensive out of the two and the fact that they have dual tips.

The Sharpie pens seem to hold up better after numerous washings (the ink stays pretty bright), but you only have one tip thickness to work with on the Sharpie and these Crafts 4 All markers give you two options.

Use these to sign a quilt with the fine tip or to doodle away on some fabric with the thick tip.

You won’t regret buying them.

3. Clover Hera Marker

Our final suggestion is one that caters to the needs of quilters.

The Hera Marker from Clover is ergonomically designed for hands of all ages, and since we know that quilting and sewing tools can be harder to handle for some mature hands, we liked that this was just so easy to use.

The interesting thing about this marker is that there is no ink whatsoever involved. 

It is basically a tool used for leaving clear markings on your fabric as you sew and quilt. It also doubles up as a seam presser or for achieving sharp corners.

While this may not be the traditional marker you set out for, it still counts as a fabric marker.

If you want one that leaves ink when you mark your sewing project, then check out the Dritz Disappearing Ink Marking Pen!