sewing Sewing is the craft of fastening pieces of textiles together using a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabric, archaeo ...

, piping is a type of trim or embellishment consisting of a strip of folded fabric so as to form a "pipe" inserted into a seam to define the edges or style lines of a garment or other textile object. Usually the fabric strip is cut on the

bias Bias is a disproportionate weight ''in favor of'' or ''against'' an idea or thing, usually in a way that is inaccurate, closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair. Biases can be innate or learned. People may develop biases for or against an individ ...

. It may be made from either self-fabric (the same fabric as the object to be ornamented) or contrasting fabric, or of leather. Today, piping is common on

upholstery Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word also refers to the materials used to upholster something. ''Upholstery'' comes from the Middle English wor ...

, bags, and decorative pillows, but it is also used on clothing. Piped pocket openings, garment edges, and seams are characteristic of Western wear.

Ecclesiastical use

Piping is used extensively on the

cassock The cassock, or soutane, is a Christian clerical clothing, clerical coat used by the clergy and Consecrated life, male religious of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, in addition to some clergy in ...

s of clergy in western rite Christianity, particularly in the

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

and

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

churches. Colored piping is often used on black cassocks to indicate rank. In the Roman Catholic church, cassock piping is: black for priests; purple for chaplains of His Holiness; amaranth red for

bishops A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

, protonotaries apostolic, and

Honorary Prelate A Prelate of Honour of His Holiness is a Catholic prelate to whom the Pope has granted this title of honour. They are addressed as Monsignor (typically abbreviated 'Mgr') and have certain privileges as regards clerical clothing.

s; and scarlet red for cardinals. In the Anglican church, piping is not used universally, many clerics preferring a plain cassock of solid colour. The most common cassock piping in the Anglican church is scarlet red piping for cathedral deans and canons, and for archdeacons; additionally, bishops may wear black cassocks with amaranth red (usually called purple) piping.

References

{{sewing Sewing Notions (sewing)