13 Types Of Silk Fabrics With Their Pictures And Uses – (Complete Guide)

Looking to know the Different Types Of Silk Fabrics?

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This article will explain or discuss:

  • What are the different types of silk fabrics?
  • Types of silk fabrics with their pictures
  • And much more !

Ready? Let’s get started!

Types of Silk Fabrics

Charmeuse

Charmeuse silk, named for the charmeuse weave of the fibers, is one of the most popular and well-known types of silk fabrics.

Charmeuse silk is smooth and shiny on one side and matte on the other. This is due to the way the fibers are woven together when making the fabric.

Because charmeuse has a glossy side and a matte side, it is an ideal fabric to use for projects where you can hide one side, such as curtains or pillowcases.

It is also widely used for blouses, dresses and other flowing garments. Charmeuse has a light, flattering drape that makes clothes beautiful. It is also a popular choice for lingerie.

Charmeuse can be difficult to sew due to its smooth, shiny surface. Be careful and work closely with the fabric. Smooth and pin as much as possible to ensure smooth seams.

To make your charmeuse look beautiful in the long run, you can only wash it by hand or carefully dry it. Delicate charmeuse silk fabric should never be put in the washing machine or tumble dryer.

Satin Silk

Satin silk is a type of silk fabric that is often confused with charmeuse. Both fabrics have a glossy side and a matte side.

However, the weaving process is slightly different for each fabric, resulting in slight differences.

The first is that charmeuse is slightly brighter than satin. Charmeuse is also slightly lighter and softer than satin. These differences are so small that people often mistake charmeuse for satin and vice versa.

Because satin is just lovely, it also makes a beautiful fabric for pillowcases, curtains, and clothing. It is also especially nice for bed sheets and evening dresses.

Satin is widely used in the wedding industry. It gives the bride a gorgeous, sparkly look with a smooth, figure-hugging fall.

Some artificial satins made of polyester instead of silk can adhere to the body due to static electricity. If it is real satin silk, you will not have this problem.

Organza

You’ve certainly seen organza your whole life. This fabric is popular for a variety of projects, from tutus for little girls in ballet to bridal veils for women about to get married.

Organza is easily identifiable by its stiff, drapey texture. This fabric is made by twisting two fibers in opposite directions to create tension in the yarn and then treating the yarn with acid.

Although naturally stiff, organza has a beautiful flow when draped over long evening dresses or wedding veils. Works well as a fabric fill, layered under shiny fabric to add volume to the overall silhouette and shape of the garment.

Organza can also be difficult to sew. It has a mesh structure and whatever seams you run, they look on both the good and bad sides of the fabric.

To hem, we recommend rolling the end and hand sewing with a clean stitch. Try to use a thread that matches the color of the organza fabric to hide it better.

Taffeta

Taffeta became really famous and popular in the 1980s. In that decade, taffeta was used in almost all formal women’s clothing, as well as other clothing items.

Taffeta is known for its shiny appearance and the loud crunch it makes when moved. It is a stiff fabric, but also very pleasant to work with.

Some taffeta fabrics are made with two different colored threads, giving some pieces the appearance of a rainbow. Most silk fabrics are highly breathable, but not taffeta. This fabric is denser and therefore less breathable.

Another problem with taffeta is its tendency to wrinkle. To try to soften the fabric, you can use a warm iron and steam the wrong side of the fabric. Do not place the iron on the right side of the fabric.

When sewing, it is important to remember that once you have sewn taffeta, you will not be able to undo it. Removing the taffeta seams will reveal the holes in the fabric.

Before letting the needle touch this fabric, make sure you know exactly what you are sewing and where you are sewing it.

Chiffon

Chiffon can be seen as the softer and more fluid sister of organza. Like organza, chiffon has a net-like structure, made by weaving the fibers so that you can see through the fabric.

Unlike organza, chiffon has a soft touch. It has a very soft and smooth texture and a soft, flowing drape. Chiffon is also used as a layering fabric to create volume. It can be layered or layered over another fabric as it looks nice on its own.

It is often used for evening wear, bridal wear, and even formal blouses or shirts. Because it is so thin, chiffon usually needs an extra layer of fabric to give it some stability.

Scarves are an exception. They can be made with gauze without adding any other fabric.

As with organza, you need to be careful when sewing. The fabric is soft and difficult to work with, and every seam you sew will show on the right side.

Crêpe-De-Chine

Crêpe-de-chine, which literally translates to China weave, is a type of lightweight silk with a distinctive feel that is commonly described as “pebble-like.”

This feeling comes from the weave of the fabric. Crepe-de-chine silk is made by twisting some fibers clockwise and the other fibers counterclockwise, in opposite directions.

There are different types of crepe-de-chine, such as the Moroccan crepe and the georgette crepe. However, they all have the same base fabric, so you always get that pebble look.

This type of silk is very soft and light. It was originally only used for Chinese royalty because it is such a beautiful fabric. Over time, it started to become more common to everyone and not just royalty.

Unlike taffeta, crepe-de-chine is very resistant to wrinkles. This property alone makes this fabric a popular choice for silk garments.

It is also breathable, making it perfect for evening wear or formal wear when people tend to sweat under layers of clothing.

Georgette

Georgette silk is named after Georgette de la Plante, a French seamstress. Also called crepe georgette, this fabric is a type of crepe-de-chine, but with its own distinctive characteristics.

Georgette silk is lightweight and made from highly twisted threads. It feels coarse, like chiffon, but is a thicker, heavier fabric that can support its own weight better than chiffon.

Like chiffon, it still has that lovely soft drape that makes it great for evening dresses, dresses, and scarves. It is also used for blouses.

It contains no folds or wrinkles, one of the defining characteristics of crepe-de-chine silk. Due to its high durability, soft touch, beautiful drape, and lightweight quality, georgette silk is one of the most widely used silk fabrics.

Georgette silk snags on easily, so be careful when sewing and watch where your garment flows as you walk through a room. Try to avoid hitting doors or walls in case your fabric is caught by a loose nail or chipped wood.

Velvet

Another commonly known type of silk fabric is velvet. Velvet has long been a popular fabric for luxurious curtains, party wear, and even pillowcases or blankets.

Velvet is best known for its soft and fluffy feel. This fuzzy feel is achieved by making short loops of wire that are bundled closely together and then trimmed to expose their ends. All the ends poke out the same way, creating that smooth texture.

The back of velvet is usually matte, which is the side you want to work with if you choose to wear velvet. You want to sew with a very fine needle and only in the direction of the natural grain of the fabric.

Ironing should be avoided entirely. To fix wrinkles or creases, simply hang it in a bath with a hot shower or use a steamer. Running an iron over or even under the velvet can burn or break the soft, fuzzy texture.

Raw Silk

In the silk production process, there is a substance that is naturally found in the silk cocoon that is removed. This substance is called sericin or silk gum. Helps the silk stay together in a cocoon around the silkworm.

Sericin is melted or washed off during silk production, so the silk is clean and free of this substance.

However, raw silk does not remove sericin. Because the silk gum remains in the fibers, the threads made from the silk strands are generally uneven.

However, the raw silk fabric has a beautiful sheen with a very shiny look. It is incredibly soft and smooth to the touch.

Because raw silk still contains that rubbery substance, it is easier to sew and less slippery on a machine. It is ideal for making clothing, from dresses and shirts to skirts and pants.

Spider Silk

Although silk is produced primarily by silkworms, there are also silk fabrics made from the silk that spiders produce to weave their webs.

Cobwebs are so durable that they can withstand wind, rain, and snow. This high durability translates into an incredibly strong fabric, which is finished off with the strength of high-quality alloy steel.

Spider silk is difficult to find as it is much more difficult to extract and process in large quantities. But if you can get some spider silk, you have a very durable and smooth fabric that is great for any use.

Sea Silk

There is another animal that produces silk, and it is a mollusk or mussel. There is a specific type of mussel in the Mediterranean that secretes a filament to attach its shell to the bottom of the seabed.

If you thought spider silk was hard to find, marine silk is even harder to find. If you can find it, the price will go through the roof!

Still, this type of silk fabric is incredibly soft and worth it, if you can find it.

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