10 Types of Lining Fabrics and What to Sew With Them
Lining fabrics play a crucial role in garment construction, providing a polished finish while enhancing the comfort and durability of clothing. These fabrics are typically lightweight and designed to be smooth against the skin.
When selecting a lining fabric, try to match the main fabric of your garment and the desired aesthetic. A heavier outer fabric may require a more substantial lining, while lightweight fabrics can benefit from a delicate lining to maintain the overall drape and flow. Additionally, lining fabrics can be used creatively to add a pop of color or pattern, making them not just functional but also a design element in their own right.
By understanding the various types of lining fabrics and their applications, you can enhance the quality and comfort of your projects, ensuring that each piece not only looks great on the outside but is also polished and durable on the inside as well.
1. Charmeuse
Charmeuse is a type of silky, satin fabric. It is known for having a sheen or shine on the front face of the fabric while being matte on the back. Charmeuse is known for having a classy look to it that doesn’t cling to the body, but still maintains a lovely, flowy drape.
- Charmeuse can be used for linings in high-end clothing due to it’s lovely drape and more delicate nature.
2. Crepe
The main characteristic that crepe is known for is the grainy, pebbled surface. The texture is created using twisted yarns, which also helps make the fabric more flexible and wrinkle resistant. Its unique texture make it ideal for creating elegant and flowing garments.
- Crepe is a popular type of lining for many types of high end garments.
3. Cupro
Cupro fabric is plant-based synthetic fiber that is often regarded as a sustainable alternative to silk due to its similar drape, smooth feel, and subtle sheen. Cupro also tends to have excellent drape and breathability, which makes it a great choice for linings and lightweight clothing.
- Cupro is a great lining for elegant clothing since it is soft and has more flexibility than many other types.
4. Fleece
Fleece is what you think of when you imagine a nice warm blanket or a cozy, fuzzy jacket. It’s a great insulating fabric, making it so great for winter garments and accessories. There are many types of fleece fabric from plush polar fleece that’s great for winter clothing, to thinner microfleece, that’s better for comfy pajamas.
- Fleece can be used for the linings of coats and jackets. You may also find fabrics that have a fleece backing already incorporated into the structure of the fabric.
5. Lawn
Lawn fabric is a lightweight and fine cotton fabric, known for having a softer and less structured drape than other types of cotton fabric (but still more structured than many of the other materials on this list). It will also often feature fun prints or embroidery.
- Lawn can be used as a lining for more structured garments, such as lined jackets.
6. Organza
Organza is a sheer fabric with a very stiff drape. It is great for creating sheer, full-bodied ruffles on dresses and gowns to add volume and style. It is a rather delicate fabric, easily ripping or running. Organza is not a type of fabric that’s typically used in everyday clothing.
- Organza is often used as a lining or interfacing for other sheer fabrics.
7. Poplin
Poplin is a very common fabric used for everyday clothing because it is a fairly durable type of material. It is a very popular and easy-to-sew fabric. Poplin typically has more drape and flow to it than broadcloth, but is stiffer than lawn. This makes poplin an excellent choice of material for a wide range of sewing projects
- Poplin can be used as a lining for a lot of casual clothing, especially for coats and jackets
8. Satin
Satin is a type of weave that is used to give fabric a glossy or shiny surface. Satin is not a specific type of material but is instead an overall category of fabric that has similar characteristics. The types of fabric in this category will all include a shiny surface, but the drape and weight of the material can vary.
- Satin is the standard lining fabric. If you purchase something labeled ‘lining’ it’s a type of satin.
9. Taffeta
Taffeta is a stiff, lightweight fabric that was historically used for large gowns because of how well it can hold its shape, especially when gathered. It has a lovely, subtle shine and smooth surface, while having just enough texture to not feel slick or grossly slippery.
- Taffeta is one of the most common fabrics used for lining, especially for structured bodices and high-end gowns.
10. Tricot
Tricot is a highly stretchy knit fabric that is typically used for swimwear and athletic clothing. It is almost always made of entirely synthetic fibers (such as spandex and polyester), which helps the fabric to retain its elasticity even after heavy use. Tricot is a warp knit fabric, making it unique from most other types of knits. The warp knit gives the tricot fabric its soft and smooth texture, while also allowing the fabric to remain quite dense and durable.
- Tricot is often used as a lining in sportswear because it is highly stretchy and it’s smooth and comfortable against the skin.
