Choosing which Dimout Fabric lining to use when making curtains and blinds can be confusing when you are new to curtain making. Here is our guide to help you simplify your decision and explain the terminology.
We line curtains and blinds for the the following reasons:
Neaten the back of the curtain or blind
Protect the fabric from fading
Protect the fabric from dust
Sometimes protect the fabric from dirt, moisture & mould
Give greater thermal properties
Give blackout properties
Add body to the curtain
Provide structure to hold rods for a blind
Cotton or Poly Cotton?
The first real differentiator in linings is whether the lining is 100% cotton or a poly cotton (mixture of polyester & cotton). Here are the pros and cons to each type.
100% cotton
The traditional choice
Natural product
Goes well with natural fabrics (linen and cotton) keeping it an all natural product
Shrinkage
The more finishes applied to it the thinner it becomes
poly cotton
Can be cheaper
Less shrinkage than cotton
Can be denser and heavier than cotton, giving a good drape
Good dimensional stability
Better crease resistance
Can be shinier than cotton
100% cotton sateen has traditionally been the lining used by professional curtain makers. However in more recent times there have been great improvements in poly cotton linings. The development of these fabrics with improved weight, drape and technical properties, means they are now becoming the number one choice for many curtain makers including ourselves, switching from 100% cotton sateen to these high end poly cotton mixes.
The Weave
The weave is basically the pattern of how the warp and weft of the woven fabric are interlaced. Plain, twill and satin weave are the 3 main types of weave used making lining fabric.
Plain:
Our Guide to Linings
Choosing which lining to use when making curtains and blinds can be confusing when you are new to curtain making. Here is our guide to help you simplify your decision and explain the terminology.
We line curtains and blinds for the the following reasons:
Neaten the back of the curtain or blind
Protect the fabric from fading
Protect the fabric from dust
Sometimes protect the fabric from dirt, moisture & mould
Give greater thermal properties
Give blackout properties
Add body to the curtain
Provide structure to hold rods for a blind
Cotton or Poly Cotton?
The first real differentiator in linings is whether the lining is 100% cotton or a poly cotton (mixture of polyester & cotton). Here are the pros and cons to each type.
100% cotton
The traditional choice
Natural product
Goes well with natural fabrics (linen and cotton) keeping it an all natural product
Shrinkage
The more finishes applied to it the thinner it becomes
poly cotton
Can be cheaper
Less shrinkage than cotton
Can be denser and heavier than cotton, giving a good drape
Good dimensional stability
Better crease resistance
Can be shinier than cotton
100% cotton sateen has traditionally been the lining used by professional curtain makers. However in more recent times there have been great improvements in poly cotton linings. The development of these fabrics with improved weight, drape and technical properties, means they are now becoming the number one choice for many curtain makers including ourselves, switching from 100% cotton sateen to these high end poly cotton mixes.
The Weave
The weave is basically the pattern of how the warp and weft of the woven fabric are interlaced. Plain, twill and satin weave are the 3 main types of weave used making lining fabric.
Plain:
Plain weave is the most basic type of textile weaves where the warp and weft are aligned so they form a simple criss-cross pattern. It is strong, hard-wearing and used in furnishing fabrics.
Twill:
Twill weave forms a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs. Because of this structure, twill generally drapes well.
Satin:
Satin weave is characterized by four or more weft yarns floating over a warp yarn or vice versa. (basically a lot more fibres in one direction than the other on the face) This produces a lustrous appearance to the face side. Sateen: is a satin weave applied to a cotton fabric. The high number of threads and the density of the weave help reduce sunlight penetration and degradation of the curtain fabric. It also has a good drape and fluid movement.
Lining Weights?
Lining weights are generally described in terms of thread count (number of threads per square inch of fabric) or grams per square metre. The higher the thread count or "gsm" the denser and heavier the lining is, generally with a better drape and less translucence .
Lining Finishes
Lining may be described with the following finishes
Calendered - passing the fabric between rollers at high temperature and pressure to create a smoother and shinier finish.
The threads are pressed flat with little lines in them, which causes the fabric to reflect the light better than a flat surface would.
Soil resistant
Teflon finish - To resist dirt, mould and moisture. A fabric protector is applied to form a molecular barrier around the fibres so they don't attract dirt or soak up wet stains, whether oil or water based.
Brushed, Raised or Napped - A process of brushing the fabric usually on one side with lining to create a flannel effect
Flocked or microfibre finish - Adding small fibres (flock) to the surface to improve the fabrics tactile sensation and aesthetics, this is usually applied to blackout and thermal linings to make them feel less rubbery.
As a professional Cheap Sheer Curtain Fabric, we also offer tons of different fabric material,welcome to consult us.