Polyester Faille
A smooth, matte polyester faille with an almost chalky feel. Soft, never stiff, but it holds volume for bridal skirts, puff sleeves, evening wear and costume.
- 150 cm wide
- 100% Polyester
- From $41.80 per metre
Guide
Polyester Faille: Uses and How to Sew It
What polyester faille is like, how it compares with our other polyesters, and tips for sewing it.
About polyester faille
- Smooth and matte. A smooth polyester faille with an almost chalky feel.
- Soft volume. It isn't stiff at all, but it holds volume, so it can be shaped into puffs, gathers and clouds of fabric.
- Silk white, 246 gsm and 150 cm wide.
Silk or polyester faille?
They share a name and a matte finish, but they behave very differently.
| Silk faille | Polyester faille | |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre | 100% silk | 100% polyester |
| Texture | Matte, with a tightly woven faille texture | Matte and smooth, with an almost chalky feel |
| Handle | Silky and soft | Soft, never stiff |
| Drape | Fluid and heavy, almost like a knit | Voluminous |
| Structure | Very little: it follows the body | Soft structure that holds volume, so it can be shaped into puffs and clouds of fabric |
| Great for | Draped dresses and gowns, tailored pants, skirts and tops, for day and evening | Bridal, evening wear and costume: full skirts, puff sleeves and bows |
| Width | 137 cm | 150 cm |
Which polyester?
Our polyester fabrics, side by side.
| Look and feel | Weight | Stretch | Great for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester dupion | Crisp, with subtle, regular slubs | Mid weight | None | Bridal, skirts and jackets |
| Polyester mikado | Heavy and stiff, with a twill weave and a soft sheen | 215 gsm (stretch: 310 gsm) | None, or one-way | Structured bridal gowns, skirts and jackets |
| Polyester faille | Smooth and matte, soft but voluminous | 246 gsm | None | Bridal, evening wear and costume |
| Faux acetate satin | Delustred satin on both sides, very fluid | 170 gsm | A little mechanical stretch | Draped gowns, bias-cut slips and bridesmaids |
| Liquid satin | Ultra smooth and glossy, with a soft fall | 140 gsm | None | Evening wear, dresses, skirts and tops |
| Stretch polyester satin | Heavy, with a satin face and a matte back | 228 gsm | One-way | Fitted dresses, pants, skirts and bridal |
| Stretch polyester crepe | Heavy, with a textured matte finish | 270 to 304 gsm | Two-way or four-way | Jackets, pants, dresses and bridal |
| Scuba | Heavy and smooth, low sheen on one side, matte on the other | 328 gsm | Two-way | Sculpted gowns, trains, jackets and skirts |
What to make with it
- Voluminous bridal skirts and gowns
- Puff sleeves, bows and sculpted details
- Evening wear
- Costume
Cutting
- Cut as a single layer, with all the pieces facing the same way.
- Use sharp scissors, and pins inside the seam allowance.
- Finish the cut edges with an overlocker or zigzag, as it can fray.
Sewing
- Use a fresh needle (size 80 or 90) and a good-quality polyester thread.
- Sew with a 2.5 mm stitch.
- Grade the seam allowances so seams sit flat.
Hems
- Bound hem. Leave a 4 to 5 cm hem allowance. Bind its raw edge with a bias strip (like a Hong Kong seam finish), turn it up and hand stitch it with a blind catch stitch. The binding adds a little weight, so it hangs beautifully.
- On pants, the same bound hem gives a clean inside finish that won't catch your heels.
Pressing
Polyester can melt or go shiny under a hot iron, so press on the synthetic (low) setting, through a pressing cloth. Test on a scrap first.
Questions
What is polyester faille?
A smooth, matte polyester that's soft but holds volume, for bridal, evening wear and costume.
How is it different from silk faille?
Silk faille is fluid and drapes almost like a knit, with very little structure. Polyester faille is smooth and soft but voluminous, so it holds puffs and gathers.
How wide is it?
150 cm.
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