Chiffon (fabric)

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Chiffon, which is a French word for rag, is a lightweight sheer material with a slightly rough feel to it. It can be made from cotton, silk or synthetic fibers, but is usually associated with silk or nylon and can be dyed to almost any shade desired. If made from Polyester, it is difficult to dye. Under a magnifying glass it resembles a fine net or mesh which allows chiffon to have this see-through property.

Chiffon is most commonly used in evening wear, especially as an overlay, giving an elegant and floating appearance to the gown. It is also a popular fabric used in blouses, ribbons, scarves and lingerie. It is not, however, an easy fabric to work with because of its lightweight and slippery nature. Due to its delicate nature, chiffon must be hand washed very gently. It is very easy to tear inside a washing machine. A garment made of chiffon can rip apart while the wearer is sleeping in it. Most chiffon nowadays is made from polyester (for stain resistance) which is woven as a Stretch-knit fabric. Stretch-knit is a way of making non-stretchable fabrics stretch. However silk Chiffon is still regarded as the premiere type of Chiffon. It is dry cleanable does not suffer from the same level as degradation and tearing as Polyester Chiffon. It is stocked as piece-dyed (all one colour) or cross-dyed (in iridescent colours) by a series of major textiles companies such as Henry Bertrand, Saris and Sfate et Combier.

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