Corporate profiles identify Shanghai as the headquarters and list the organisation as privately held, with a company size of approximately 11–50 employees.[1]

Kearing’s history dates to 1995, when the business began developing professional tools for art, fashion design and handicrafts. According to distributor information, its original corporate identity was also associated with Shanghai Pudong Adger Sewing Accessories Co., Ltd.[3] From the outset, the company focused specifically on tools used by individuals who design, construct and modify garments and textile products, rather than operating as a general stationery manufacturer.

Early product families included air-erasable and water-erasable fabric markers, garment rulers, flexible rulers, fashion-design curves, and various sewing and pattern-making accessories. The company describes its philosophy as “Producing Top Quality Products, Setting-up Ever-lasting Brand.”[4]

Over time, Kearing expanded from a primarily domestic Chinese presence into an export-oriented business. Company information lists markets including Japan, India, the United States, South Africa, France and other Asian and European nations.[4] More recently, Kearing has developed a direct-to-consumer presence alongside its traditional wholesale and manufacturing operations. Its products are now available through international marketplaces and specialist retailers; for example, Michaels currently stocks numerous Kearing sewing rulers and related items.[5]

Kearing’s product portfolio is divided into several distinct categories catering to technical garment construction and textile arts.

Pattern-making rulers

Pattern-making rulers are arguably Kearing’s most recognisable product category. Unlike standard office or school rulers, these are designed specifically for drafting and modifying garment patterns. Examples include pattern master rulers, grading rulers, seam-allowance rulers, hip curves, French curves, vary-form curves, straight rulers, combination rulers and transparent acrylic rulers. These tools enable designers to draw and modify curves for armholes, necklines, waistlines, hips, sleeves and collars.[2]

Many Kearing styling-design rulers combine multiple functions into a single tool. For instance, certain 4-in-1 rulers integrate a French curve, hip curve, straight ruler and cut-out features into one instrument.[2]

Fabric-marking pens

Fabric marking constitutes another significant portion of the Kearing range. The company produces various markers for temporary or permanent application, including air-erasable pens, water-erasable pens, fabric markers, permanent textile markers and design markers. Air-erasable and water-erasable variants are particularly valued in pattern cutting and garment construction, as they allow designers to mark fabric temporarily before removing the lines without residue.[4]

French curves and fashion curves

Kearing offers a substantial selection of French curves and garment-design curves used to create smooth geometric and anatomical lines during pattern drafting. The catalogue includes multi-piece French-curve sets as well as larger transparent curves.[4] This category serves fashion students, pattern makers, tailors, costume designers, apparel manufacturers and sewing hobbyists.

Quilting and patchwork rulers

The brand also manufactures rulers aimed at the quilting and patchwork community. These include transparent and flexible rulers featuring grids and measurement markings designed to assist users in cutting and measuring fabric accurately.[4]

Sewing and craft tools

Beyond rulers and markers, the Kearing catalogue includes various small tools for sewing and handicrafts, such as pattern notchers, awls, hole-making tools, sewing accessories, measuring tools and pattern-drafting accessories. This breadth indicates the company’s evolution from a simple ruler manufacturer into a broader professional sewing-tool supplier.[4]

Kearing serves two overlapping market segments.

Professional market

The professional segment includes fashion designers, pattern makers, tailors, garment factories, apparel product developers, costume designers, fashion schools and textile professionals. For these users, accuracy and repeatability are critical, as rulers and marking tools form part of the actual garment-development process rather than serving merely as craft accessories.

Consumer and hobby market

Kearing also targets home sewists, quilters, DIY crafters, embroidery enthusiasts, sewing students, clothing makers, cosplayers and hobbyist fashion designers. This broader audience has facilitated the brand’s accessibility through online marketplaces and retail channels.

Kearing operates as a combination of brand owner, product developer, manufacturer and supplier. Historical company descriptions explicitly mention the development and production of professional tools, alongside OEM production based on customer samples or drawings.[4] This distinguishes Kearing from retail labels that simply rebrand generic products; company materials describe proprietary R&D and manufacturing capabilities.

The company has also emphasised cooperation with university laboratories and the ability to develop specialised markers and rulers.[4] This technical focus places Kearing in a different position from purely consumer-oriented craft brands.

Although originating in China, Kearing has developed a significant international customer base. Historical data lists exports to markets including India, Japan, the United States, South Africa and France.[4] More recent materials claim distribution in over 100 countries and regions, indicating a substantially global market presence beyond China’s domestic sewing industry.[2]

Products are accessible through international retail and marketplace channels. For example, Michaels carries Kearing-branded rulers, including transparent French curves for sewing, pattern making and fashion design.[5]

Kearing is positioned as a provider of professional fashion and sewing tools at accessible price points. Rather than competing as a luxury label, its value proposition centres on functionality, precision, variety and affordability. Products are designed to solve specific technical problems, such as drawing precise armholes, adding consistent seam allowances, grading patterns, creating smooth hip curves, marking fabric temporarily, measuring curved garment sections and drafting patterns accurately.

The design philosophy emphasises visual measurement and practical usability. Transparent acrylic or plastic construction is common, allowing designers to see the pattern or fabric beneath the ruler. Many products incorporate metric and imperial scales, grid systems, multiple curves, seam-allowance guides, cut-out slots and durable printed markings. This reflects a core principle: one physical tool should replace several individual drafting instruments where possible.[2]

Kearing products occupy the intersection of stationery, industrial tooling and fashion equipment. While an ordinary ruler measures straight lines, a Kearing ruler is often designed specifically for the workflow of pattern creation, curve definition, seam allowance addition and garment construction. For example, a Kearing French curve corresponds to practical pattern-making requirements such as necklines, armholes, sleeve caps, hips and waistlines, rather than serving as a generic drawing aid.[2]

Kearing has established a strong niche in technical sewing and pattern-making tools. Its products are visible across specialist sewing retailers, marketplaces and wholesale channels. Marketplace listings indicate substantial customer feedback; for instance, individual Kearing pattern rulers on Etsy have accumulated numerous reviews with high ratings.[2] The brand is best understood not as a mass-market fashion label, but as a specialist tooling brand serving the apparel and textile-making ecosystem.

A fashion student or pattern maker could assemble a comprehensive drafting toolkit from Kearing products, covering measuring (straight, grading and flexible rulers), pattern drafting (French curves, hip curves, vary-form curves), fabric marking (air-erasable and permanent pens), pattern construction (notchers, awls, seam-allowance guides) and quilting (grid and patchwork rulers). This breadth remains one of the brand’s defining characteristics.

The company associated with the brand is Shanghai Kearing Stationery Co., Ltd., based in Shanghai. LinkedIn identifies the entity as a privately held wholesale apparel and sewing-supplies company founded in 1995, with stated specialisations in fashion-design tools, handicraft tools and quilting rulers.[1] Distributor descriptions further characterise it as a developer and producer of professional tools for art, fashion design and handwork.[4]

1. Kearing Inc. | LinkedIn
2. Must-Have for Fashion Lovers | KEARING Tailoring Tools Review: Perfect – Kearing US
3. Chinese Kearing Products Series (With supplier | Shanghai Kearing Stationery Co.Ltd
4. Chinese Fabric Marker & Patchwork & Quilting Rulers supplier | Shanghai Kearing Stationery Co., Ltd.
5. Tape Measures & Rulers for Sewing | Michaels