Woven Interfacing

Definition and Overview

Woven interfacing is interfacing made with woven fabric as the base cloth. It is used on the reverse side of the outer fabric to add shape retention, firmness, and thickness needed for garments while suppressing stretching and distortion. There are fusible types with adhesive applied and sew-in types used by stitching them in place.

Because it has the warp and weft characteristics unique to woven fabric, the degree of stretch and the feel of stiffness vary depending on the cutting direction. For this reason, aligning the grainline of the part and the interfacing helps achieve a stable finish.

Areas Used and Role

It is mainly used for collars, cuffs, plackets, jacket facings and collar stands, and pant and skirt waistbands. It compensates for shape retention that may be lacking with the outer fabric alone, ease of handling during sewing, and prevention of stretching at the edges.

The required firmness differs by area. For collars and plackets, maintaining the outline is emphasized, while waistbands need resistance to creasing and distortion. On the other hand, using an interfacing that is too stiff on a large area may hinder movement when worn.

• Collars and collar stands: keep the collar shape and neaten the edges.
• Cuffs and plackets: stabilize the area around buttons and buttonholes.
• Facings and waistbands: suppress stretching and distortion and maintain the outline.

Materials and Types

Fibers such as cotton, polyester, and rayon are used for the base cloth of woven interfacing. Depending on the fiber type, thread thickness, weave density, and weave structure, firmness, thickness, drape, and durability change. It ranges from types for lightweight fabrics to types for heavyweight fabrics.

Fusible woven interfacing has adhesive resin arranged on one side in dot or net form, and it is bonded to the outer fabric with heat and pressure. Sew-in woven interfacing does not use adhesive; it is used by stitching down the seam allowances and key points, so it is also considered when you want to avoid changes in hand caused by adhesive.

How to Choose and Points to Note

Choose interfacing based on the standard that it should not be extremely stiffer, thicker, or heavier than the outer fabric. Use a thin, soft type for thin and delicate outer fabrics, and match collars and waistbands, where a clear shape is desired, with a type that has the necessary firmness. Also check the stretch and surface texture of the outer fabric.

For fusible woven interfacing, carry out test fusing for each combination of outer fabric and interfacing. If the temperature, pressure, time, and cooling conditions are not right, peeling, bubbling, strike-through, and fading can occur. Before mass production, check it including after washing and dry cleaning.

When cutting, specify the grainline of the interfacing and also align the direction of the left and right hardware. If you pull too hard during sewing, puckering may occur due to differences in stretch between the outer fabric and the interfacing, so it is important to set appropriate working conditions, including the pressing process.

Differences from Similar Terms

Fusible interfacing refers to the overall category of interfacing that can be heat-bonded, and the base cloth may be woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or knit fabric. Woven interfacing is a classification indicating that the base cloth is woven fabric, and it includes both fusible woven interfacing and sew-in woven interfacing.

Nonwoven interfacing is interfacing made into sheet form without weaving the fibers, and a characteristic is that differences in properties by direction are relatively small. Knit interfacing makes use of the stretch and recovery of knit fabric and is used for outer fabrics with stretch. Haircloth interlining is a tailoring interlining mainly made with animal hair and similar materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are woven interfacing and fusible interfacing the same?

No, they are not the same. Woven interfacing refers to interfacing with woven fabric as the base cloth, while fusible interfacing is a general term for interfacing bonded to the outer fabric with heat. Woven interfacing includes both fusible types and sew-in types. Since there is also fusible interfacing using nonwoven or knit base cloth, check both the base cloth and the fusing specification.

How should woven interfacing be chosen?

Choose based on the thickness, firmness, stretch, applications, and part of the outer fabric. First, check the balance of firmness and hand with the outer fabric, and select one with the required shape retention. For fusible types, it is important to test fuse under the same conditions as mass production and also check for peeling and surface changes after washing.

Why does woven interfacing cause waviness or lifting after fusing?

Possible causes include differences in shrinkage between the outer fabric and interfacing, unsuitable fusing conditions, and mismatched cutting directions. In addition to reviewing temperature, pressure, and time, make sure to cool sufficiently and check whether you have chosen interfacing that is too stiff for the outer fabric or interfacing with different stretch characteristics.