Italian Cotton Fabrics

Italian cotton fabrics are high profile cotton textiles of utmost quality, produced with legendary Italian expertise in fabric design. It is a splendid option for those who want to take the most even from such popular fabric as cotton.

Coming in a number of weaves, it can be used all year round for various clothing: from delicate voile to warm velvet, from fine batiste to sturdy denim and corduroy — Italian cotton fabric can be your surefire option whenever and wherever you are planning to go.

italian cotton fabric

Weave Types

Deeply sophisticated in cotton fabric production, Italian brands produce all sorts of fashion textiles imaginable. The most popular types of cotton fabrics include:

Table 1. Italian cotton fabric types

weave type

weight

properties

clothing

batiste

50-100 g/m 2

fine, semi-transparent, durable, hygroscopic, hypoallergic

summer blouses, dresses, skirts, nightgowns and underlining for wedding gowns

jacquard

110-260 g/m 2

soft, durable, skin-friendly, moisture-absorbing

dresses, skirts, shirts, trousers, blouses, jackets or tops

jersey knit

150-220 g/m 2

soft, stretchy, flowy

travelling suit

matelasse

180-200 g/m 2

elegant, comfortable, durable, heavy, soft, upholstery-weight. Surface appears puffy or cushioned.

waistcoats, dresses, jackets, skirts

muslin

70-75 g/m 2

thin, durable, breathable, moisture-absorbing

blouses, shirts, casual summer dresses, lingerie, light and warm sweaters, shawls, trousers and shorts

organdy

50-120 g/m 2

airy, sheer, matte surface and wrinkled effect

blouses, dresses/bridal dresses, skirts and finishing with collars, ruches and frills

poplin

100-120 g/m 2

soft, smooth, durable, moisture-absorbing, hypoallergenic, warm, easy to cut

summer dresses, blouses and morning gowns

sateen

100-220 g/m 2

lightweight, soft, smooth, wear-resistant, hypoallergenic, moisture-absorbing and moisture-wicking

dresses, blouses and skirts

tulle

40-55 g/m 2

soft, cool to wear, slightly coarse to feel

tutu skirts, evening dresses, finishing

tweed & boucle

190-550 g/m 2

soft, textured, subtly glimmering

dresses, jackets, skirts

velvet

215-320 g/m 2

soft, hypoallergenic, antistatic, moisture absorbent, breathable, durable and shape-retaining

evening gowns, jackets, blazers, skirts and trousers

voile

60-65 g/m 2

lightweight, gauze, crisp, voluminous, breathable, prone to wrinkling

summer dresses, blouses, shirts and skirts

Cotton Sorts

Ad-hoc production techniques, advanced machinery, glorious traditions of impeccable quality — it all accounts for the great popularity of Italian cotton fabrics. At the same time, these success factors are secondary and tertiary, because the primary one is the quality of raw material.

Given the high level of Italian textiles recognition in the world, there’s no surprise the leading brands from Milan use only premium cotton sorts.

See the table 2 to learn some of the key physical properties of the most precious cotton sorts:

Table 2. The main properties of long and extra-long staple cotton sorts

Cotton sort

Yarn count, Ne

Fibre length, mm

Stretching resistance, tex (g/km)

Uniformity index, %

General properties

Giza 45

350

36

44.3-46.6

88.5

very fine, smooth hand feel

Giza 87

20-130

40/1, 25/1

36

44.60-47.0

87.3

silky, durable, extraordinary soft

Giza 88

20-130

40/1, 25/1

35

45

87.3

silky, durable, extraordinary soft

Sea Island

16-140

36-37

40

86

extra long staple length, fine uniform texture, great tensile strength, silky lustre and an extraordinarily soft feel

Supima

100/2-120/2

36.5

43.4

81-82.3

durable, soft, colour retentive

These impressive figures clearly explain why such iconic brands as Cotonificio Albini (Supima, West Indian Sea Island cotton), Carnet, Leggiuno (Giza 45, Giza 87), Tessitura Monti (Giza 45, Giza 87), Fabric Lab, and Etro use exclusive long staple cotton sorts.

What Are the Classic Print Motifs?

One of the reasons Italian cotton fabrics enjoy such success is their prints and patterns. Italy is traditionally renowned for its ingenious fashion design schools. For more than a century, from one fashion season to another, these fabrics have been chosen by prominent couturiers. The most favoured prints include:

  • floral
  • botanical
  • animal
  • solid
  • Paisley
  • ornamental
  • conversational
  • geometric

italian cotton fabric

No less impressive is Italian embroidery and appliqués with tone-on-tone or contrast stitching. The first option works great for understated looks, while the second one is the choice of those who want to attract more attention. Quite often, Italian cotton fabrics feature eyelet cut-outs which bring a mischievous flair to any look.

italian cotton fabric

Unlike their competitors from Switzerland, Italian fabric manufacturers are generally not that renowned for bold experiments with design. Still, you can stumble upon such show-stopping options as 3D prints creating a perfect illusion of voluminous appliqués.

Tissura Collection

Tissura offers exclusive fabric selections that provide you with the ultimate choice in terms of weave types, colours and prints. We keep track of new collections launched by our suppliers to help you buy online cotton fabrics that meet fashion trends.

Tissura carrues a wide range of:

  • batiste
  • jacquard
  • jersey & knits
  • matelasse
  • muslin
  • poplin
  • sateen
  • tulle
  • tweed & boucle
  • velvet
  • voile

The number of outfits you can create with Italian cotton fabrics is limited by your fantasy only. As they say in Asia, 'Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times'. Have a look at some of the most impressive designs at Tissura:

Stretch cotton sateen fabric, 57 € (74 US$)

Stretch cotton satten, 57 € (74 US$) per one running metre

Stretch cotton sateen, 57 € (74 US$)

Stretch cotton sateen fabric, 57 € (74 US$) per one running metre

Stretch cotton fabric

Stretch cotton fabric, 39 € (51 US$) per one running metre

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