Originally woven from silk, satin is now also made using synthetic fibers. The difference in cost has not diminished the quality of this luxurious fabric. In fact, there are many new applications and innovations being developed with this timeless textile. Depending on the type of weave and the fibers used, each kind of satin has different characteristics that make it better or worse for certain applications.
Satin fabrics are known for their smoothness and lustrous look. The smoothness is due to the weaving pattern that causes the weft threads to go over and under the warp threads in a specific ratio. The lustrous look comes from the way that light reflects off of the weft and warp threads. In addition to the sheen, some types of satin are incredibly soft. This makes the fabric feel amazing on the skin.
The name ‘satin’ comes from the city of Quanzhou in China where this particular weaving pattern originated. The fabric was then exported to the West and became popular during the Middle Ages when it was incorporated into garments for royalty. The name ’satin’ is not a specific fiber, but it was later adapted to describe the type of fabric that resembled the original weave and the sheen that it has.
Some examples of satin fabrics include antique satin, charmeuse satin (which is a very lightweight form of the fabric with an easy drape) and baronet satin which has rayon warp threads and cotton weft threads and is extremely lustrous. There is also crepe back satin which is a reversible fabric that has one side that is shiny and the other that has a crepe texture.