List of Wedding Gown Fabrics

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This blog post is inspired and based on the following webpage and link:
Beau-Coup - Fine Favours, Stylish Giving.

We were clueless on what type of wedding gowns and the fabrics used to make them. As we were deciding to customize our gowns, we thought reading up would at least give us a better idea.

For the text below, we obtained the content from the above website and added search links to the different materials for a better idea.

Fabrics

• Batiste: A lightweight, soft, transparent fabric.
• Charmeuse: A lightweight, semi-lustrous soft fabric, that is satin-like to the touch.
• Chiffon: Delicate, sheer, and transparent—made from silk or rayon, with a soft finish; often layered because of its transparency, making it popular for overskirts, sheer sleeves, and wraps.
• Crepe: A light, soft, and thin fabric with a crinkled surface.
• Damask: Similar to brocade with raised designs, but woven in a much lighter weight.
• Duchesse Satin: A lightweight hybrid of silk and rayon (or polyester) woven into a satin finish.
• Dupioni: A finish similar to shantung, but with thicker, coarser fibers, and a slight sheen.
• Faille: A structured, ribbed finish like grosgrain ribbon; usually quite substantial.
• Gabardine: A tightly-woven, firm and durable finish, with single diagonal lines on the face.
• Georgette: A sheer, lightweight fabric often made of polyester or silk with a crepe surface.
• Illusion: A fine, sheer net fabric, generally used on sleeves or necklines.
• Jersey: A very elastic knit fabric; the face has lengthwise ribs and the underside has crosswise ribs.
• Moire: A heavy silk taffeta with a subtle, wavy design.
• Organdy: A stiff transparent fabric.
• Organza: Crisp and sheer like chiffon, with a stiffer texture similar in effect to tulle, but more flowing; popular for skirts, sleeves, backs, and overlays.
• Peau de Soie: A soft satin-faced, high-quality cloth with a dull luster, fine ribs, and a grainy appearance.
• Pique: A lengthwise rib weave in medium to heavy weights; wrinkles badly unless given a wrinkle-free finish.
• Satin: A heavy, smooth fabric with a high sheen on one side; very common in bridal gowns.
• Silk Gazar: A four-ply silk organza.
• Silk Mikado: A brand of blended silk, usually heavier than 100-percent silk.
• Silk-faced Satin: A smooth silk satin, with a glossy front and matte back.
• Shantung: Similar to a raw silk, shantung is characterized by its slubbed texture.
• Taffeta: Crisp and smooth, with a slight rib; not frequently used.
• Tulle: Netting made of silk, nylon, or rayon; used primarily for skirts and veils (think ballerina tutus).
• Velvet: A soft, thick fabric with a felted face and plain underside.

Fibers

• Polyester: An inexpensive man-made fabric that can be woven into just about anything, including duchesse satin
• Rayon: Similar to silk, but more elastic and affordable.
• Silk: The most sought-after, cherished fiber for wedding dresses (and also the most expensive); there are several types with different textures: raw silk and silk mikado are just two examples.

Lace

• Alencon: Probably the most popular type of lace for weddings, with a background of flowers and swags.
• Chantilly: Features flowers and ribbons on a plain net background.
• Duchesse: An irregularly spaced lace of floral design with a lot of raised work.
• Guipure: A large series of motifs connected by a few threads.
• Ribbon: A random pattern of ribbon sewn over a net background.
• Schiffli: Lightweight, with an all-over delicate embroidered design.
• Spanish: Designed with flat roses on a net background.
• Venise: A heavy needlepoint-type design with floral sprays, foliage, or geometric patterns

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