What is a crepe type of fabric, what are its features, pros and cons?

What type of fabric is this?

Crepe is a group of fabrics that are similar in the technology of weaving and twisting of threads. A distinctive feature is the rough surface and embossed front side.

Crepe colors

Crepes are produced all over the world. The fibers are twisted, alternating directions: left and right. In this case, the tension is 3000 revolutions per 1 meter of material. The resulting threads are woven using plain weave technology. The material is “cooked” in hot water, due to which some of the threads unwind. The surface is rough and embossed.

When making crepe, two types of weaving are used:

• Crepe twist. With this technology, the threads are twisted diagonally, alternating directions from left to right. In this case, small intervals are allowed. The resulting fabric is processed in hot water. Some of the threads unwind and a relief surface with roughness is obtained.
• Finely patterned weaving. With this technology, the threads are not twisted, but intertwined. In this case, the tension of the threads is not constant, but different. The interweaving of the threads is done chaotically, so the pattern has no pattern.

Crepe production technologies

Crepe satin has a double-sided texture.
As such, crepe is a weaving method characteristic of fabrics with the same name. Depending on what threads were used, there are several crepe materials, and their twisting technology makes it incredibly durable.

It’s interesting to know: clothes made, for example, from crepe de Chine 30 years ago are more relevant today than ever, since the fashion for this fabric has returned.

Thanks to the properties of this material, the item retains its original appearance for decades if properly cared for.

Crepe is made by diagonally twisting the threads to the right and left at certain intervals. This not only gives the canvas strength, but also gives it a characteristic feature in the form of roughness, which is clearly felt when you touch it.

When creating crepe, two methods of twisting threads are used:

1. With increased fiber twisting, the number of twists to the right and left is 3000/m. It is the crossing of the threads at certain intervals that gives them strength. Further work with the canvas involves immersing it in hot water, which unwinds the fibers, forming a relief on it and giving it roughness.
2. For the second technology, yarn is used, several threads of which are intertwined in such a way that a finely patterned pattern is obtained that does not have any sequences.

To create crepe fabric, completely different fibers are used: cotton, synthetic, silk, wool, viscose and others. Based on what threads are woven into the fabric, it is given a name.

Fabric composition and properties

Since crepe combines several types of fabrics, it may contain natural fibers: silk, wool, cotton and viscose, as well as synthetic fibers: acrylic, polyester. A large number of different variations of natural and synthetic threads are acceptable.

Catalog of fabrics made from natural fibers

Crepe properties:

Quite durable and wear-resistant. A product made from it will last a long time.

Dyed crepe does not fade or fade over time.

The material practically does not wrinkle and holds its shape well.

The fabric is very dense, but at the same time quite light.

Crepe can be used to make beautiful folds for drapery without using much effort.

Reviews

Anna, 21 years old:

“I study at the institute, so I have several formal suits in my wardrobe. Not long ago I decided to purchase clothes made from suit crepe. Just a year ago, my friend bought herself a dress from this material and was very pleased. After I started wearing the product I purchased, I fully support my friend in her choice. It’s comfortable to wear this suit all day, it doesn’t restrict movement, and at the same time it looks stylish and impressive.”

Elena, 24 years old:

“I work in an office, so a business suit is part of my image. For the cold season I decided to buy a suit made of crepe. I really liked this material for a long time, but I just couldn’t buy a product based on it. And here is the reason. The suit fits perfectly on the figure, is highly durable, dense and attractive in appearance. It’s not difficult for me to take care of it, although there are minor problems in terms of washing and ironing.”

Irina, 36 years old:

“I bought a crepe suit for my daughter for school. This is an amazing material, because it is durable, dense, and has a wide selection of colors and types. You can look stylish, fashionable and discreet at the same time. In addition, my child is not cold in such a suit, even if the weather outside is frosty. And although the material is synthetic, the skin does not suffer from this, but, on the contrary, breathes.”

Suit crepe is a popular material used in tailoring. It can have different compositions, as a result of which it is possible to obtain canvases with different characteristics. The color range of costume crepe today is also extensive, so both adults and children can choose the product.

Types of fabric

The group of fabrics united under one name “crepe” includes:

Wool crepe

Made from wool with the addition of synthetics. Popular in the manufacture of outerwear.

Crepe satin

Made from natural silk. Sometimes viscose is added to the material. It has a beautiful shine and good air exchange. Sewing from this type of crepe is quite complex. The material is translucent.

Crepe stretch

Made from viscose with the addition of synthetics. The material is quite dense, stretches well and is inexpensive.

Crepe chiffon

Made from natural silk. The material is translucent and difficult to care for. It costs expensive.

Crepe jacquard

Thick fabric with a pronounced pattern. Made from natural materials with the addition of synthetics.

Crepe diving

Sufficiently elastic fabric, environmentally friendly, without the addition of synthetics.

Crepe reaper

Made from natural fibers. A distinctive feature is a bright pattern, quite thin. Popular in the manufacture of home textiles.

Scope of application of crepe

Previously, only clothing was made from crepe. New types of fabric are suitable for the production of home textiles.

What products can be made from crepe:

1. Sportswear. Diving crepe makes comfortable leggings, tank tops, shorts and tops for the gym. The material is quite elastic, breathable, and quickly evaporates moisture.
2. Bed sheets. A header is best suited for these purposes.
3. Curtains and drapes. For translucent tulles, crepe organza is suitable. Thick curtains are made from crepe georgette and crepe jacquard.
4. Suits and coats. Items made from wool crepe and marroquin crepe will last a long time and will fit well.
5. Blouses, skirts, wide light pants, sundress dresses, dance costumes. Airy, satin and silk varieties of crepe are suitable for this.
6. Upholstery for furniture. For these purposes, crepe jacquard is used.

Airy types of crepe are quite difficult to work with, as they slip. To avoid problems, they are fixed with special clamps when stitching.

Pros and cons of fabric

Pros:

• It is quite durable and wear-resistant, so a product made from it will last a long time.
• Lightweight, fits nicely to the body.
• A very wide variety of colors, and the color does not fade or wash out over time.
• It practically does not wrinkle and holds its shape well.
• Looks beautiful due to the bright and varied colors.
• Large selection of fabric according to its composition.

Minuses:

• Crepe made from natural material is quite expensive.
• Difficult to care for.
• There is practically no stretch, with the exception of stretch crepe.
• Absorbs unpleasant odors well.
• May shrink when washed.

What are the varieties?

During the production of stretch crepe, two main methods of adding artificial fibers are used: mono- and bi-technology . In the first case, the fibers responsible for stretching the finished material are added either to the warp or to the transverse threads.

The second method (bi-stretch) involves adding them in both directions. As a result, the fabric stretches over the entire area, and not just along the length and width.

There are the following types of crepe with a stretching effect:

• cotton;
• atlas;
• velvet;
• satin;
• jacquard;
• wool.

How much does the fabric sell for?

The cost of crepe depends on the manufacturer and composition. The more synthetics added to the fabric, the cheaper it will cost. The price per meter starts from 300 rubles and can reach 5,000 rubles.

Crepe is a group of fabrics that are similar in the technology of weaving and twisting of threads. A distinctive feature is the rough surface and embossed front side. Crepes are produced all over the world. It has many advantages and virtually no disadvantages. Depending on the composition, the cost of crepe varies from 300 to 5000 rubles per meter.

How to care for crepe

In order for the fabric not to lose its qualities, it requires good care, especially since crepe made from natural fibers is very delicate. Items should be washed in a machine with extreme caution, and it is better to give preference to hand washing or dry cleaning.

If it is necessary to iron the material, then this can only be done from the wrong side, placing a thin fabric between the crepe and the iron. Do not leave products in a place exposed to direct sunlight.

With careful selection and proper care, crepe is an irreplaceable fabric that will last for many years, delighting its owner with its beauty and durability.

12.07.2018

Modern production offers us a variety of fabrics with different compositions and densities, the names of which contain the prefix “crepe”, meaning “rough”. Crepe fabrics are distinguished by their slight roughness and fine-grained (nodular) structure. At the same time, they are quite thin, durable and drape well. Essentially, crepe is a special type of twisting of thread.

Suit and dress crepe

Is there a separate type - dress crepe, and what kind of fabric is it, crepe suit? These materials, due to their consumer properties, are most suitable for sewing, respectively, dresses or skirts and suits, including trouser suits. Such fabric, if possible, should not collect wool, dust and snags; it is characterized by high density, elasticity, and wrinkle resistance. For a trouser suit, the ability to maintain shape is important - to keep the crease after ironing. For dress crepe, elasticity is desirable if the model involves a medium or tight fit.

Suit crepe yellow and pink

Crepe georgette: forgotten elegance

This is a translucent, thin, but quite durable material, which in recent years has somewhat lost its popularity among clothing creators. It is made from silk fibers and is similar to crepe de Chine, which is more popular in fashion circles, differing only in its pronounced shine. Today it is becoming increasingly difficult to find this type of crepe, but some women remain true to their preferences. After all, only crepe georgette has an interesting shadow effect, elegant shine and flowing texture, which are so valued when creating blouses and dresses. It is worth noting that the material is quite difficult to process: it slides, stretches and crumbles. Only true professionals agree to work with him.

Description

Crepe is a material that can be produced in several ways, resulting in different variations of the material. A distinctive feature of costume crepe is its high strength.

You can verify this if you have items at home that are 20-30 years old and made from this material. They have perfectly preserved their appearance and have not lost their strength.

Costume crepe has a rough surface. It can be easily felt when palpating the crepe.

Such high strength properties of the fabric are due to the fact that during its production high-quality raw materials and special technologies are used. When receiving matter, the threads are repeatedly twisted together. In this case, the main direction of crossings is diagonally to the right and left. In addition, there is a distance between crossings, due to which the material acquires additional strength.

To get the crepe effect, 2 main technologies are used:

Advantages and disadvantages

Since crepe comes in a wide variety, each type of material has its own pros and cons. Here you need to start from the raw materials. But, despite this, we can highlight the general positive qualities of costume crepe:

• high strength and density;
• wear resistance;
• slight creasing;
• the possibility of obtaining different draperies based on crepe products.

As for the disadvantages, they include:

• difficult care;
• picky about washing using a washing machine;
• exposure to direct sunlight;
• even with proper care, the original shades of the canvas will lose their brightness.

Composition and types

The composition of the canvas is directly dependent on its type. Today on the modern market there are several types of costume crepe, among which the most common are:

1. Crepe satin
   . Natural silk and synthetic fibers are used in its production. The manufacturing process uses a satin weave, so that the material has two different sides - smooth and rough. Read about the composition and properties of satin.

   Crepe satin is matte on one side and glossy on the other.

2. .
   This is a translucent airy material with minimal thickness. It is characterized by a pronounced relief texture. Silk and synthetics are used in production. Crepe chiffon is used for sewing light summer dresses, blouses, and sundresses.
3. Stretch crepe.
   The most common type of material. In its production it is used. The material has high density, but is very soft. Characterized by excellent performance characteristics. To increase wear resistance, they can add to the composition.

   Stretch crepe is a dense, beautiful fabric from which dresses, skirts, and trousers are sewn. see the link.

What is sewn from thick crepe?

Pairs well with other materials to create a beautiful combination. The material is universal and multifunctional ; many high-quality products are sewn from it, such as:

• light and thick casual clothing for any age;
• outerwear - coats and jackets;
• dresses, suits for special occasions;
• shawls, scarves, stoles;
• interior textiles - curtains, bedspreads, tablecloths;
• bed sheets;
• school uniform.

Method of production and features

To understand what kind of fabric crepe is, you need to know how it is produced. Most often, highly twisted (up to 3 thousand twists per meter of length) fibers are used for this, which gives them increased strength and elasticity. Crepe material is most often woven using a regular plain weave, but with alternating threads twisted to the left and to the right . The next step is boiling the fabric, as a result of which the threads partially unwind, being held in places of weaving, and the surface acquires a characteristic granular appearance. A variation of this weave is the semi-crepe weave, in which twisting is done only for the weft. The grain of semi-crepe fabric is much less pronounced. The second way to create a “rough” effect is to change the way the warp and weft are weaved. Groups of threads intertwined in this way are selected in a random order, resulting in a granular texture without clearly defined patterns on the surface.

Initially, crepe material was made only from pure silk, later wool and cotton began to be used for it; nowadays viscose and various synthetic fibers, primarily polyester and acrylic, are also widely used.

Regardless of the weaving method and the type of raw material, this textile has the following general features:

• high density with relatively small thickness;
• strength;
• softness and drape;
• weak creasing.

At the same time, caring for crepe fabrics, in particular, machine washing them, requires certain rules; moreover, they, especially those woven from silk, are not resistant to UV radiation.

What type of crepe is called dense?

The dense type includes the following materials:

• diving - characterized by firmness and elasticity, fits the figure well;
• crepe-stretch – thanks to the elastane included in the composition, it keeps its shape perfectly;
• Barbie - mainly used for sewing suits, but is soft and gentle on the body;
• suit - the elasticity and increased density of this material are suitable for sewing dresses and suits that do not wrinkle for a long time;
• crepe cotton - contains cotton that allows the body to breathe, which is why it is so comfortable in everyday wear;
• double-crepe - made of strong twisted fibers, the material has increased density, strength, and elasticity.

Features of care

The attractive aspect of crepe weave fabrics is their durability. However, their durability and preservation of attractive properties in use largely depend on proper care for them, which is largely determined by the composition of the fabric. Natural fibers (wool and silk) can shrink significantly, so it is recommended to wash them at a temperature of no more than 30 degrees. In this case, you need to use specialized detergents for wool with lanolin or for silk. The same applies to viscose fabrics, which, moreover, lose their strength when wet, so they are washed only in a gentle mode and in no case are twisted.

You need to dry crepe items in a well-flatten state, and never in the sun or near heaters. After washing, the grainy texture becomes more pronounced, so the products are smoothed from the inside out in a slightly damp state or through a damp cloth. The temperature of the soleplate of the iron must correspond to the composition of the fibers; in no case should you use steam or spray water, especially for silk. It is better to dry clean expensive items made from natural crepe; they should be stored in breathable bags.

Suit fabrics are fabrics that are soft and practical. Their surface has a matte tint. Today they are very popular, as they are presented in a wide range. Suit crepe is a light, pliable and dense material that holds its shape perfectly and can be used for sewing both school uniforms and office suits.

Use of crepe in the textile industry

The numerous positive properties of the material we are considering allow it to be used in a number of areas of textile production:

• First of all, crepe is a fabric for sewing clothes. It is perfect for creating women's dresses, blouses, skirts, trousers and men's suits.
• Many textile factories use this material to produce bed linen. Wear resistance, softness, no need to iron the product - these are the main factors that make crepe fabric popular among consumers. The photos presented in the article demonstrate the attractiveness of products made from it.
• Certain types of crepe material are used in the production of furniture upholstery: the fabric is distinguished by a wide choice of colors, practicality, and ability to repel dust and moisture.
• Some types of crepe are used for finishing and decorating complex products (for example, when creating collections of clothing from fashion houses).