The main difference between chiffon and georgette fabric is that chiffon is sheer, lighter, and has a shimmery finish, whereas georgette is semi-sheer, thicker, and has a matte finish.
Chiffon and georgette are both lightweight fabrics that are popular in women’s clothing. The common uses of both fabrics are for dresses, sarees, blouses, and evening gowns.
Key Areas Covered
Chiffon, Georgette, Fabric
What is Chiffon
Chiffon is a decorative, lightweight fabric often associated with luxury and elegance. It has a shimmery and sheer appearance and drapes well. Chiffon is made with a balanced plain weave. It has a gauze-like quality similar to gossamer and is woven using crepe yarns with alternating S- and Z-twists, which are highly twisted. If you examine the fabric under a magnifying glass, you will notice that it looks like a fine mesh or net, giving the fabric some transparency.
Chiffon can be made with both natural and synthetic fibers. There are different types of chiffon fabrics, depending on their fibers. Some of these include silk chiffon, nylon chiffon, polyester chiffon, and rayon chiffon. In fact, silk chiffon, which was the original form of chiffon, was more expensive, and with the development of synthetic chiffon, chiffon became popular among the common people and more accessible.
Chiffon fabrics drape well and hold dyes well. In fact, it can absorb a lot of dyes, resulting in beautiful colors. However, chiffon has a slippery texture, which makes it difficult to work with. It also frays easily and loses shape over time.
What is Georgette
Georgette is a sheer, lightweight fabric with a dull finish. This fabric is named after Georgette de la Plante, an early 20th-century French dressmaker. Georgette is a type of fabric that was originally made using silk fibers. The production process involves using highly twisted yarns, which are then woven together in a specific pattern to create the fabric’s unique texture. To achieve the crinkly surface, weavers twist the yarns in both the lengthwise (warp) and crosswise (weft) directions of the fabric in opposite directions, alternating between an S-twist and a Z-twist. This results in the fabric having a distinctive and slightly bumpy surface. Nowadays, georgette can also be made using synthetic fibers like polyester and rayon.
Georgette usually comes in solid colors and prints, and dressmakers use them for dresses, evening gowns, saris, blouses, and trimmings. Some georgette fabrics also have floral prints. Moreover, georgette’s lightweight and fluid drape make it a popular choice for loose and flowing garments rather than structured pieces. Silk georgette is more delicate, but modern varieties with synthetic fibers are more resilient to damage. Moreover, there are different types of georgette fabrics, including double georgette, stretch georgette, satin georgette, and polyester georgette.
Difference Between Chiffon and Georgette Fabric
Chiffon is a decorative, lightweight fabric, while georgette is a sheer, lightweight fabric with a dull finish.
Chiffon is sheerer than georgette, which is semi-transparent.
Georgette has a matte and dull finish, while chiffon has a shimmery and sheer finish.
Moreover, georgette fabrics are thicker and heavier than chiffon fabrics.
Chiffon is smoother and silkier than georgette, which has a comparatively rough and grainy texture.
Georgette is more durable than chiffon because it’s thicker and stronger.
In brief, chiffon and georgette are both lightweight fabrics that are popular in women’s clothing. The main difference between chiffon and georgette is that chiffon is sheer, lighter, and has a shimmery finish, whereas georgette is semi-sheer, thicker, and has a matte finish.
1. “What Is Georgette Fabric? Learn About the Characteristics and Different Types of Georgette Fabric” Master Class.
2. “What Is Chiffon Fabric? Learn About the Characteristics of This Luxury Fabric.” Master Class.