Crepe Fabric

Crepe is a light-weight and classic soft silk fabric with a good drapeability. It is smooth and highly shapeable. The fabric comes in different weights and degrees of sheerness. It has a good slimming effect. The surface texture of the fabric ranges from fine, flat to pebbled and mossy effects. It is durable and easy to cut and sew. It is ideally suited for dresses and blouses.

Crepe fabric is either a plain weave of satin but it is of different types. Canton crepe is heavier with ribs while the Chiffon crepe is having a soft finish. Crepe de China has sheer and limp where as Crepon crepe has fine ribs. Flat crepe comes with smooth surface and Plisse crepe have puckered or crinkled surface.

The crinkled of puckered surface of the fabric is produced by number of ways.

• The short and irregular floats in warp and weft of the woven fabric are arranged to create a full random pattern within the weave repeat.
  
  
• In woven or knitted fabric, the crinkled or puckered appearance is obtained by the use of highly twisted yarns.
  
  
• The characteristics are also created by treatment of the fabric with embossing rollers of heat and pressure engraved with a crepe pattern.

Characteristics of Crepe Fabric

• It is lightweight and thin.
• It is soft.
• It drapes well.
• It is smooth and shapeable.
• It has sheerness.
• It has a good slimming effect.
• It has crinkled or puckered surface.
• It shrinks.

Uses of Crepe Fabric

• Indian Choli
• Bridal and Fashion leenghas
• Sarees
• Salwar kameez
• Long dinner dresses
• Light-weight suits
• Coats
• Skirts, scarves and slacks
• Evening wear