Chiffon (; , , from the French word ' which means "cloth or rag"; Arabic ' transparent, diaphanous, translucent fabric, or gauze; ( ' s.th.) to shimmer through, reveal) is a lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer

fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not th ...

, or gauze, like gossamer, woven of alternate S- and Z-twist crepe (high-twist) yarns.Kadolph, Sara J., ed.: ''Textiles'', 10 th edition, Pearson/Prentice-Hall, 2007, , p. 230. The twist in the crepe

yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manu ...

s puckers the fabric slightly in both directions after weaving, giving it some stretch and a slightly rough feel.

Characteristics

Chiffon is a lightweight fabric which is associated with elegance and luxury; it drapes well and has a shimmery and sheer appearance. Under a magnifying glass, chiffon resembles a fine net or mesh, which gives it some transparency. Chiffon can be produced out of natural and synthetic fibres. Silk chiffon was very expensive, and it is with the development of synthetic chiffon, such as nylon chiffon, polyester chiffon, and rayon chiffon, that chiffon became more accessible and more popular for common usage. Since chiffon is a light-weight fabric which frays easily, bound or French seams must be used to stop the fabric from fraying. These seams are characterized by s-twist and z-twist crepe yarns, that are spun in counter-clockwise and clockwise motions respectively.

Natural fibres

Early chiffon was made purely from

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...

and was very expensive; when used in fashion, it was associated with high status. Silk chiffon displays colours beautifully since silk fibres absorb dyes well. Chiffon also drapes well, adding structure to the clothing item it is formed into. Silk chiffon needs to be dry cleaned. In China, silk chiffon made of

raw silk Raw Silk was an American dance band, which originated in New York. History Raw Silk first signed to West End Records, which was once a popular garage label, where they recorded moderate hits. Their songs were remixed by post-disco/ R&B produ ...

was known as (), which was also the name of raw silk. Chiffon could also be made out of

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

Synthetic fibres

In 1938, a

nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic. Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from pe ...

chiffon was invented; this was followed by the creation of polyester chiffon in 1958, which became immensely popular due to its resilience and low cost. Chiffon can also be produced out of rayon.

Usage

Chiffon is most commonly used in evening wear, especially as an overlay, for giving an elegant and floating appearance to the

gown A gown, from the Saxon word, ''gunna'', is a usually loose outer garment from knee-to-full-length worn by men and women in Europe from the Early Middle Ages to the 17th century, and continuing today in certain professions; later, the term ''gown ...

. It is also a popular fabric used in blouses, ribbons, scarves and

lingerie Lingerie (, , ) is a category of primarily women's clothing including undergarments (mainly brassieres), sleepwear, and lightweight robes. The choice of the word is often motivated by an intention to imply that the garments are alluring, fash ...

. In

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, Chiffon is primarily used to make Sarees and dupattas.

Similar items

Chiffon is smoother and more lustrous than the similar fabric georgette.

References

External links

* {{Fabric Spinning Woven fabrics