What is Lining Fabric?
Lining fabric is a smooth, lightweight material used as an inner layer in clothing, handbags, luggage and furnishings. It creates a neat inside finish, conceals interiors, facilitates slipping garments on and off, protects items from stretching and wearing, plus adds shape retention. Common lining fabrics include silk, satin, taffeta, cotton blends, nylon, and polyester with durable, fluid textures against skin or internal contents.
History of Lining Fabric
- The use of linings dates back to 13th-century medieval European tailored garments for nobility.
- The inception of the silk trade enabled access to smooth, luxe fabrics.
- Victorian womenswear greatly popularised linings for ease when donning elaborate layers of underpinnings and dresses.
- Industrial era advancements increased global textile trade and the efficiency of fabric production, making linings affordable to the masses.
- Later, the elasticity of lycra blends revolutionised form-fitting, and washable synthetics enabled easy-care laundry.
Applications of Lining Fabric
- The lining has applications anywhere smooth coverage on inner surfaces is needed for functional or visual purposes.
- Clothing across most genres uses linings from suits, prom dresses, winter outerwear, handbags and hats.
- Home decor linings provide light blocking inside curtains and drapes or neat backings for upholstered furniture.
- Quilts often have linings for warmth and to camouflage messy reverse sides.
- Some craft uses include box or basket liners for tidiness. Most lined items will feature coordinated tonal colour linings by design.
Types of Lining Fabric
Common types of lining fabrics include:
- Satin: Has a lustrous surface and fluid drape with a woven construction.
- Silk: Luxurious natural fibre prized for unparalleled soft fluidity against the skin.
- Taffeta: Rustic-looking woven fabric with a light sheen, crisp texture and excellent shape retention.
- Rayon: Cool against the skin, absorbs moisture yet retains shape. Budget silk alternative.
- Polyester: Colorfast and wrinkle-resistant synthetic available in line weights. Machine washable.
- Cotton: Breathable natural fibre lining option, often blended with spandex for stretch. Requires dry cleaning.
- Nylon: Strong yet lightweight and smooth synthetic, possessing high durability.
- Flannel: Soft brushed lining offers insulation and warmth for jackets and winter gear.
Uses and Characteristics of Lining Fabric
- Lining fabrics share attributes like thin weights to reduce bulk, smooth textures that won't catch on skin or garments, durability to withstand friction and movement, plus breathability for comfort.
- Unobtrusive solid colours typically do not compete visually with outer fabric patterns and textures.
- The essential characteristic is fluidity, facilitating easy donning on and off without resistance.
- Sheerness is also expected to enable light to pass through to examine clothing fit.
- Low maintenance machine washability, shape retention and wrinkle resistance maintain a garment's structure over laundering and wear.
Why Should You Buy Lining Fabric Online?
Purchasing lining fabrics online provides access to speciality retailers with greater fibre, texture and colour varieties. Check out TradeUNO, where extensive materials are available at discounted wholesale prices, reducing costs and saving money.
Convenience factors abound with custom design printing options not offered locally and the ability to order small cuts of metres suited to project needs. Also, TradeUNO provides you with swatch samples depending on order types to feel texture before committing to orders.
Lining Fabric Latest Trends 2023 for Festivals & Occasions
- Reflective metallics and lustrous satins in vivid jewel tones inject glamour into formal occasion wear and evening linings for 2023 festivals and events.
- Contrast linings make a bold splash by peeking through sheer outer mesh or embroidered fabrics.
- Athleisure wear embraces fun, novelty prints ranging from graphic pixelated digital prints to painterly watercolour washes.
- Sustainability ushers in linings made from recycled plastics like mineral water bottles transformed into polyester.
- Warming infrared technology gets integrated into linings for cold weather holidays to retain body heat outdoors.
- Anti-microbial, moisture-wicking linings also gain traction for travel-friendly, easy-care lifestyle needs.
FAQs
Why are some garments lined while others are unlined?
Lining usage correlates to function needs like adding opaqueness, structure retention and ease of wear for body contouring silhouettes. Garments worn close to bare skin tend to require smoother linings for comfort.
What's the best way to sew in a lining?
Sew the outer shell and lining fabrics separately to check fit alignment, reinforce shoulder seams, and stitch them together at side seams, leaving an opening for turning the right side out. Edge stitch around neckline, armholes and hems neatly.
Should linings match the outer fabric texture or colours?
That's not necessarily true - linings are hidden, so texture priorities function over matching. But subtle tonal colour coordination creates a polished effect for occasions when linings peek through outer fabric layers.
Can all linings be machine-washed and dried?
Sturdy synthetic linings like polyester and nylon typically can handle machine cycles well. More delicate silks and satins will require professional dry cleaning. Check fabric details to identify appropriate care methods.
Where are the best places to buy lining fabric?
Online fabric retailers like TradeUNO offer the largest lining inventories with global imported options in various fibre content at discounted prices.
