Add Finishing Touches With Lining Fabrics

A lining fabric is a great way to add a bit of luxury or extra warmth to your garment. Lining fabrics are lightweight, breathable, and can even add texture to your piece.

Lining fabrics can come in a wide variety of textures and price ranges. The most popular options include cotton, silk, polyester, and rayon/rayon blends.


Cotton lining fabric is ideal for summer clothing and can be easily machine-washed. It’s breathable and feels good against the skin. It’s also available in a wide variety of colors and prints. Quilting cotton, poplin and stretch cotton are all good choices. Other options include cotton sateen, which resists wrinkles, and polyester satin, which has a shiny surface on one side and a matt surface on the other.

Some people choose to line their garments with silk, which is ideal for dressy clothing and can be dry cleaned. Other fabrics like polyester taffeta and polyester organza are tightly woven and crease-resistant.

Silk lining fabric is a luxurious option that adds a touch of elegance to garments. It is breathable, soft and smooth against the skin and is ideal for high-fashion dresses and lingerie. It also repels insects that might pierce the outer fabric, like mosquitoes and horseflies.

Lightweight silk habotai lining fabrics (8-12 momme) are popular for summer blouses, pareo and light lingerie, while medium-weight habotai is used for wedding gowns. Silk crepe de chine and silk charmeuse are other common soft, lightweight options that are perfect for lining. China silk is a lighter version of these, and a favourite thin lining fabric for suits and jackets.

Cupro is another man-made fabric that is becoming more and more popular as a lining material. It is similar to cotton and silk but more affordable, while still being breathable and anti-static. You might recognise this as the lining of men’s wool suits, or in a silky soft bolero by Chanel.

Lining fabrics add a nice finishing touch to any garment or accessory by concealing interfacing, padding and raw edges. Whether you are a professional tailor or a home sewer, the right lining fabric can make your clothing comfortable to wear and look stylish.

Polyester lining fabrics are inexpensive and durable and easy to care for. They are also resistant to wrinkles and shrinkage. They can be woven to match or contrast with the main fabric of your project, depending on your design preferences.

There are stretch linings such as taffeta and poplin made specifically for use with stretch fabrics. They are designed to move and stretch with the outer fabric as you bend or stretch, making them ideal for lining dresses and skirts. Other thin lining fabrics are acetate and cupro, both of which are soft anti-static and lightweight. Silk linings such as habotai and silk satin are great for lining dresses, while silk crepe de chine and silk charmeuse are good for lining suits.
Rayon

The lining of garments is often an afterthought, but a good one can make or break your finished product. Linings hide seams, interfacing and padding while also adding softness and drape to the garment. They can even protect the outer fabric from moisture and dirt.

Rayon lining fabric feels smooth and silky against the skin, making it comfortable to wear. It can also breathe better than polyester or acetate lining fabrics and is free of static cling. However, rayon is prone to shrinking and wrinkles when washed.

There are many different variations of rayon lining fabric, each with their own unique properties and uses. Some, like anti-static twill and crepe back offer specific qualities that can enhance the functionality of your clothing or home décor project.