I am having shrugs made. The fabric I chose has glitter swirls on it, and while I did see a swatch before ordering, I didnt even think about the glitter issue. When I pulled the fabric out of the box, there was instantly glitter everywhere. The mess isnt something i care to deal with since my team performs on basketball courts, nursing homes, etc where glitter wont be terribly welcome. I can return the fabric for a small restock fee OR I can try to wash it and see if i can knock some of the loose glitter out.

I know from past experience just regular washing i my HE machine got a lot of glitter off of some pieces I had this issue with in the past, but it didnt control the mess - the glitter just kept on falling. I'm wondering if warmer water would loosen it, or heavier agitation, or maybe some kind of something to add to the wash to loosen it up? If i wash it i cant return it, so I'm hoping maybe one of you has some experience with this?
THANKS!

I used to make Irish dance dresses and had to use lots of this sort of stuff, what you need to do is shake out the fabric to get rid of the loosest of the glitter and then use hair spray as a fixative. There are specific spray fixatives for fabric but they're expensive and in my experience they don't work any better. You won't be able wash glittered fabric as the glitter will come out in the water and all you'll be left with is decorative swirls of glue.

Even when you've done this there will still be a little bit of shedding, but not nearly as much as you have now.

Run them through the dryer on cool with a fabric softener sheet. Try it on one, first, but I have done it. Just do for about 5 minutes.

You can run a light vaaccum over it, too, not one with high suction.

If you use hairspray, use the strongest hold that you can get.

Thank you. I'm actually ok with the washer removing all the glitter if thats possible..since the foil dots on the fabric too. The glue swirls just look like a darker shade of the same color, so that is ok. I think I'll go ahead and and have my mom (also my seamstress!) wash it in her top loader on some heavy agitation to get as much as possible off.. if there is anything left we'll use the hairspray and the other ideas you both mentioned.

thanks again!