Silk Fabrics

Silk is a timelessly trendy natural fabric woven from the cocoons of silkworms. The world’s most famous fashion brands regularly apply it for various men’s and women’s outfits earning the admiration of the audience.

The visual splendour of different silk fabrics inspires millions of creative sewing lovers. Given that, the question arises here: what are silk fabrics so valued for?

"Silk does for the body what diamonds do for the hand."
Oscar de la Renta


They are represented by many weave types, and each one influences fabric performance: its hand, lustre and a range of physical properties. When selecting the fabric for an outfit, it is important to know some certain details. How each of them feels and looks? How to select between the very similar types? What are the typical outfits made of this or that silk fabric? Finally, what can be the obstacles during the sewing process? The answers can be found below.

Silk cocoons

Why Is Silk Popular for Dresses?

Silk is a unique natural fibre with lots of amazing properties. Some of them may vary from one weave type to another, however, the most common ones to all silk fabrics are represented in table 1:

Table 1. The most common reasons to go for a silk dress

Pros

Cons

  • it is lustrous,
  • strong fibres difficult to tear unless the fabric is put in water (20% of its strength loss),
  • cool in summer and warm on colder days,
  • good for skincare,
  • good at shape-retaining,
  • good at moisture absorbing,
  • has antistatic properties,
  • resistant to acids, organic solvents and alkaline
  • vulnerable to sunlight exposure,
  • dry cleaning is most preferable,
  • wrinkles easily,
  • challenging to cut

golden silk satin fabric

The Types of Silk for Dresses, Skirts, Blouses, etc

Chiffon, crepe, georgette, taffeta, satin, jacquard, organza — all of them are made out of precious mulberry silk. However, each one has its own peculiarities that affect the way the fabric feels and looks. To make the right choice, see the table below and learn more about each silk type.

Table 2. General information about various silk fabric types

Type & Weight

Feel & look

Suitable for

Chiffon

17-50 g/m 2

  • diaphanous,
  • airy,
  • soft,
  • quite rough,
  • slippery,
  • soft sheen
  • dresses (for a wedding, ball and proms),
  • blouses,
  • skirts,
  • tunics,
  • scarves

Crepe

90-200 g/m 2

  • thin,
  • pebbly surface,
  • dramatic drape,
  • requires much accuracy in cutting and sewing,
  • opaque
  • dresses (for a wedding, ball and proms),
  • blouses,
  • skirts,
  • trousers

Crepe De Chine

70-100 g/m 2

  • soft,
  • air permeability,
  • practicality,
  • easily wrinkles
  • dresses (for a wedding, ball and proms),
  • blouses,
  • skirts,
  • tunics

Georgette

40-70 g/m 2

  • sheer,
  • lightweight,
  • woven of highly twisted yarns,
  • a slightly grainy texture,
  • not as lustrous as chiffon
  • dresses (for a wedding, ball and proms),
  • blouses,
  • skirts

Taffeta

100-200 g/m 2

  • decent sheen,
  • stiffness,
  • smooth surface,
  • bad creasing,
  • water repellency,
  • durability,
  • a typical ‘swish’ sound
  • dresses (for a wedding, ball and proms),
  • skirts,
  • jackets,
  • raincoats,
  • corsets,
  • summer coats,
  • blouses

Jacquard

100-200 g/m 2

  • outstanding durability,
  • stretch resistance,
  • abrasion resistance,
  • сolour retention,
  • miserable affection by temperature changes,
  • smooth finish
  • dresses,
  • blouses,
  • skirts,
  • jackets,
  • waistcoats,
  • corsets,
  • shirts,
  • trousers (made of heavier fabrics)

Satin

55-200 g/m 2

  • durability,
  • long-lasting shine,
  • perfect moisture absorption,
  • good anti staticity,
  • excellent drapability
  • dresses (for a wedding, ball and proms),
  • blouses,
  • skirts,
  • trousers (if weight is about 200 g/m 2)

Organza

22-50 g/m 2

  • thin and sheer,
  • stiff,
  • gives shimmer,
  • lightweight,
  • easily wrinkles,
  • requires dry cleaning
  • dresses (for a wedding, ball and proms),
  • blouses,
  • skirts

Why Should Everyone Try a Chiffon Dress?

silk chiffon fabric

Chiffon is known as the most lightweight natural fabric ever. The secret is in the way this fabric is woven. It is produced with tightly twisted crepe yarns in plain weave. Such a structure results in larger space between the fibres, which is what makes it so sheer. However, silk chiffon fabrics are not all about light weight and a flowy drape. Its other important features are listed in table 3.

Table 3. The important features of silk chiffon

Pros

Cons

  • Light weight. According to the table 2, the range of grams per square metre makes chiffon one of the lightest natural fabrics. Due to its airiness, this silk is a go-to option for summer dresses, blouses and evening gowns.
  • Drapable. The weave type opens up a variety of drapes for a chiffon dress. Chiffon is often used for adorning a sumptuous evening gown with frills, flounces and ruches.
  • Diaphanous. This feminine feature makes сhiffon a first choice fabric for various evening or cocktail dresses with a romantic fleur.
  • Subtle sheen. Even though chiffon cannot boast its sheen as much as silk or satin can, many fashionistas still love this fabric for its slight sheen effect.
  • Quite rough. The production technology involves yarn twisting which means that this fabric is not as soft as expected.
  • Slippery and difficult to sew. That’s why a tissue paper backing usually helps to achieve straight lines.
  • Stretches easily. Taking into account its weave specialities, it’s important to wear it carefully.
  • Requires gentle wash. Not surprisingly, such a thin, featherweight and gentle fabric needs a special treatment or will lose its chic look very soon.

Chiffon is also quite durable, yet delicate fabric. If washed, it can shrink considerably, that’s why a gentle steaming with a press cloth will be the best solution to take a proper care of it. Shrinkage, however, doesn’t affect chiffon with a satin texture — it can be washed without a doubt.

Organza for a Wedding Dress

silk organza fabric

This thin and gauzy fabric is mostly known as an essential choice for a bridal gown.

The silk organza fabric draped wedding gown has become a signature classic, often designed with vintage references and a modern twist.

Organza airiness, transparency, volume and lustre are exactly what is appropriate for a wedding. This fabric has always been highly valued for silk in its composition. What makes silk organza the right choice for a bridal or evening dress? The answer is in table 4.

Table 4. The important features of organza

Pros

Cons

  • light weight,
  • soft on the skin,
  • can be used as an underlining,
  • breathable,
  • voluminous drape,
  • may come with a satin finish for a smoother feel,
  • a gentle crisp texture,
  • resistance to organic solvents,
  • durable,
  • slight crumpling,
  • easy to care
  • quite rough,
  • stiff texture,
  • low air permeability

The Wedding Trends of 2019: Organza or Chiffon

It’s not a secret that chiffon and organza are traditionally used for a wedding dress. In 2019, these fabrics are on the forefront of fashion again. Both of them may seem quite similar, but in fact, they are different.

The main difference between chiffon and organza bridal gowns is the sway factor - chiffon is very flowy, while organza is stiff and structured.

The most important characteristics of these popular bridal fabrics are given in table 5:

Table 5. The comparative characteristics of chiffon and organza for a wedding dress

Chiffon

Organza

Application

Breathable, good choice for a summer wedding

Often used as a top layer over a wedding dress. It is also used to shape a bodice and support softer fabrics.

Visual effect

Slight sheen

Matte

Flowing and drapability

Flows and drapes better than organza

Thin organza can be quite flowy, but not if it is a thick variety. In general, organza is stiffer than chiffon, which doesn’t let it flow well, yet creates a volumetric effect. It is intended for the dresses with a structured shape.

Feel

Soft and a bit coarse

Stiff and rougher than chiffon

silk chiffon dress fabric

10 Hottest Trend Patterns in Spring/Summer 2019

Here are the most common patterns applied on silk this summer:

  1. floral,
  2. animal,
  3. checks (Gingham, plaid, Prince of Wales),
  4. geometric,
  5. polka dots,
  6. stripes (rainbow, pinstripes, the combinations of black, red, blue with white);
  7. conversational (pop culture patterns),
  8. retro prints,
  9. artistic watercolour prints,
  10. optical illusion prints.

However, no matter what pattern is in fashion today, it is important to take into account several factors. First, the length of a planned outfit. Second, the body shape. Third, the colour combinations. Otherwise, some patterns can be completely inappropriate for each particular case. As an alternative to printed silk fabrics, a solid fabric can be an excellent choice. Its magnificent flowy drapes and soft glimmer make many silk types look perfect even with no patterns.

silk dress fabric

Why Tissura? The 5 Reasons

Silk is the fabric that is usually sought for a special occasion, that’s why it has to meet the highest requirements for a stylish look, current fashion trends and quality. Tissura pays utmost attention to the whole range of these key factors and focuses on the needs of the target customer in 5 following ways:

  1. Cooperation with the world-renowned European manufacturers, such as Ruffo Coli or Jakob Schlaepfer. We work with time-proven brands offering only supreme quality.
  2. We have high quality selection of silk available at all times.
  3. We offer unique access to the fabrics of coming fashion seasons.
  4. Tissura can provide custom designs, which makes the silks of this shop an absolutely unique offer on the market.
  5. You can enjoy international delivery. Tissura operates globally and accepts orders from any part of the world. Fast door-to-door delivery is what the company has always been proud of.

Top 8 Tips to Ease Sewing

As was stated above, silk can be quite challenging to sew with. However, by following the certain rules, it is possible to make the sewing process easy and safe for this fabric.

  1. Certain silk types may shrink after a while, that’s why it is recommended to steam silk to save its size.
  2. Silk is quite slippery, but by using weights and a rotary cutter the fabric can be kept stable on a cutting board.
  3. To avoid pinhole marks, it’s worth using extra- or ultra-fine pins and needles.
  4. Sharp scissors will considerably ease the cutting of delicate silk types. Use special scissors for working with silk.
  5. When pressing, it is important to mind the type of silk fabric as not all of them can handle this process well. Using a piece of a pressing cloth is a good technique to prevent colour fading or other unwanted consequences.
  6. As various silk types have different weaves, each of them requires a certain kind of stitch. The loosely woven silks need a longer stitch length with weak pressure on a presser foot. A special plastic presser foot for such fabrics can be very helpful too. For crepe and satin, the middle stitch length is most appropriate, as well as a thin and sharp needle.
  7. When sewing with silk, seams matter too. To make a collar, overlay, belt or cuffs look neat, a French seam is the most preferable.
  8. Strengthen the decorative part of your silk garment with fusible interfacing.

Sewing requires patience. Despite the durability of silk fibres, lots of silk fabrics can be spoilt easily in many ways. Even a skilled dressmaker can make some mistakes if she or he is desperate to get a classy outfit, especially when dealing with exquisite fabrics. So, thorough preparation and thoughtful sewing are the keys.

Silk Fabrics at Tissura

The collection of silks at Tissura shop includes thousands of various fabrics, in a great number of colours and patterns. Try out the filters to find exactly what is needed and start shopping now!

Silk fabric

Stretch silk satin fabric, 97 € (117 US$) per one running metre;

silk fabric

Silk mikado fabric, 145 € (174 US$) per one running metre;

silk fabric

Silk georgette fabric, 182 € (219 US$) per one running metre;

silk fabric

Silk crepe de chine fabric, 168 € (202 US$) per one running metre

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