It’s that time of year – but I promise not to say it – when sparkly and shiny fabrics become the go-to choices for many who are thinking of making their ‘party wear’ outfits!
But what are the different types of shiny fabrics available to us, which ones should we steer clear of and how do we even sew with them?
I’m covering all of the above so that you can make yourself a gorgeous shiny or sparkly outfit to wear this Christmas season. Argh, I said the word. Sorry!
Types Of Shiny Fabric
What gives these shiny fabrics their signature sheen? Is it the fibers or the threads used? Shiny fabrics generally incorporate a particular type of weave structure, giving them an eye-catching shine. And different types of weave structures are used to create a wide variety of fabrics.
We will go through all the known shiny fabrics below and give you a quick overview of their characteristics to help you figure out which type will suit your project.
1. Brocade
There are different types of jacquard fabric, one of which is brocade. If we are to find the shiniest version, the ones you are looking for are made from silk. Regarding variety, brocade fabric can come in simple solid colored textiles or with complex and multi-colored woven designs.
Brocade fabric is generally quite thick and heavier than most textiles, often being quite structured rather than drapey. As it is a more tightly woven fabric type it also offers lower breathability and stretch than other fabrics on this list. Because of its higher price point and often stunning woven pattern, brocade fabrics are mainly used in making jackets, dresses and skirts.
Incidentally, brocade is one of my favorite woven fabrics. I’m always eyeing up this fabric on website and touching them in stores, it’s probably why I love weaving so much as well!
2. Charmeuse
Charmeuse is a French word that translates to ‘female charmer’ and earns that moniker to the letter. Silk charmeuse fabric is made from silk, but some versions of charmeuse use polyester or rayon.
This shiny fabric has a lightweight structure, with one side featuring a nice sheen while the other features a dull surface. This fabric has decent moisture-wicking capabilities and excellent breathability. Charmeuse fabric is often used for making lingerie as well as handkerchiefs and pillowcases.
3. Cire
Cire is also known as ‘wet look fabric’ and was originally a type of finish used on fabrics to give them higher resistance to moisture while keeping the fabric lightweight. Cire has evolved from that and is considered a shiny fabric mostly made from polyester.
Cire fabric is mainly used in creating outwear apparels that require a higher resistance against natural elements such as rain and snow. Cire is a durable fabric with some breathability. This fabric is quite popular in cosplay circles and designer clothing.
4. Crepe
Crepe is a unique fabric thanks to its three-dimensional texture, achieved from the method in which the yarns are woven. While it may be the least shiny fabric type on the list, some crepe fabric types do have a shiny luster, specifically the crepe fabrics that are made from silk.
This fabric is generally used to make dresses and evening wear and is a standard textile in the fashion industry. I myself dislike it, but only the polyester version I recently used to make a toile with. It felt cold and heavy on my skin and I’m not convinced that I would want a party dress made from it.
5. Duchesse Satin
Duchesse satin differs from ordinary satin fabric in that it is significantly heavier in weight. The added weight is due to using the satin weave with silk yarn. The upside of this combination is that you will get one of the most lustrous and elegant fabrics on the market, but it does have a price that reflects this.
As you can probably guess by its name, Duchesse satin is expensive due to its high-quality silk yarn and higher thread count. Polyester fiber is a cheaper alternative, but you can’t expect the polyester variation to match the beauty of the silk-made one.
Duchesse satin is used mainly in creating elegant evening wear, lingerie and wedding dresses too.
6. Faux Leather
Faux leather is made from petroleum-based synthetic fiber instead of animals. Faux leather has many similarities to genuine leather in appearance, but it typically has a shinier quality and can withstand multiple treatments without incurring much in the way of damage.
As for the properties of faux leather, it has significantly higher heat retention but low breathability, it’s low moisture-wicking, and usually has a low stretch factor too. Unless it is specifically created with a stretch base.
However, faux leather does balance out these factors as it significantly requires less maintenance than genuine leather. You can find faux leather in shoes, handbags, jackets, and upholstery.
I once made a full length faux leather bodysuit for a client who needed it for a fashion show. The fabric can be very unforgiving so you’ll want to make sure the pattern you use is spot on.
7. Glitter Fabric
The name is pretty much self-explanatory; it is a fabric that has a glittery look. Some glitter fabric gets its razzle and dazzle not from the weave or knit structure, but from the process that infuses the threads with a sparkling appearance, while other have the glitter applied to the surface only. Like the photo above.
Glitter fabric is typically made from synthetic fibers such as polyester and is often used for costumes, accessories, and cocktail dresses. Lurex is one such fiber that is added in to give a bit of sparkle.
8. Lame
Lame fabric usually has metallic colors, using synthetic metallic-colored threads. While it is not a high-end fabric, it can be used in conjunction with other textiles to create clothing for formal occasions.
This medium-weight fabric is low moisture-wicking, has low heat retention, and low breathability too. It is undoubtedly one of the shiniest fabrics around and is sometimes – perhaps often! – a bit too shiny for most people’s taste.
9. Organza
Organza fabric is loved for its lightweight, thin, and sheer fabric structure.It is created by weaving silk or synthetic fiber together using a plain weave structure. Due to the natural sheen of the fibers, it creates a structured lightweight fabric with a semi-shiny surface.
Due to its fragile nature, organza fabric is rarely used on its own to make clothing. It requires french seams as the fabric is transparent, and the more rigid structure of it makes it less flexible to wear and more crinkle friendly too.
10. Patent Leather
Patent leather can be made either from genuine or synthetic leather. It is generally made from the latter nowadays, as more people move away from using animal fibers in clothing. Patent leather is quite stiff, with low flexibility so if you plan to use it, be sure that you’re using it for the right garment type. For me thi would be skirts and jackets rather than pants and fitted dresses.
Patent leather also has low breathability and is prone to scratches. Other than clothing, shoes, belts, handbags, and wallets also frequently from patent leather.
12. Polished Cotton
Wait, you might be wondering how cotton comes to be on this list when it isn’t even the slightest bit shiny? Well, this is where the ‘polished’ word comes into play. The cotton used in this particular fabric has been treated with chemicals, mostly resin, which gives it its sheen. But, of course, the weave will also play a factor here, so it combines the chemical treatment and weaving method to get the desired luster.
Polished cotton fabric takes a subtler approach regarding its luster. The shine on this fabric isn’t loud and is more of a restrained and understated gloss. As this fabric is made using cotton, it also has several advantages synonymous with that fiber, such as more options in color and printed pattern designs.
13. Polished Leather
Polished leather, also known as corrected leather, is more durable than faux leather. It is mainly used for making shoes but not usually clothing, so we’ll move on to the next entry.
If you’d like to learn more about the various leathers, I have a great article on the types of leathers used in sewing!
14. Poly-cotton Blends
Quite possibly the least shiny on this list, the poly-cotton blend is a fabric that combines cotton and polyester fibers. The luster of these fabrics varies, but they generally don’t have any significant sheen as both fibers used are not known to be shiny.
If you find poly-cotton blend fabrics that have a significant luster, chances are chemicals were used to treat them. That said, poly-cotton blends are versatile as this type of fabric has some moisture-wicking capability while also being breathable and having a decent degree of stretchiness.
Poly-cotton blend fabrics are primarily used in making clothing, household textiles, and even upholstery. It also comes in a wide selection of colors and patterns and is generally more affordable.
I’ve got a great article covering polyester vs cotton for those wanting to read the fiber showdown!
15. Polyester Velvet
Polyester velvet is a synthetic fabric and one of the shiniest fabrics that doesn’t use the satin weave structure. Velvet is one of the most sought-after fabrics due to its perceived luxury and soft texture. Additionally, this fabric type has decent breathability while having decent heat retention capabilities. As such, velvet clothing is usually popular in winter and cold climates.
Fancy dresses, evening gowns, nightgowns, and accessories like handbags, hats, and shoes are often made from velvet, more so in recent times now that we can get beautiful stretch velvet knit fabric, which cling to all the curves – perfect for those holiday dresses right?
Learn more about the different types of velvet here.
16. Sateen
Sateen, despite the name, is a fabric made from cotton. As it uses cotton, expect it to have a duller shine than silk fabrics. Yet, what it does bring to the table is a more durable construction and it is machine washable.
Note that sateen fabric is relatively expensive compared to other shiny fabrics that utilize cotton fibers. But this gives this fabric the advantages of cotton while having that sought-after luster.
17. Satin
Another fabric well-known for its signature shiny look, satin is also a term that can refer to any fabric made using a satin weave structure. Because of this aspect, the satin fabric can be made using a wide variety of fibers such as cotton, rayon, polyester, and even silk. However, if we are talking about ‘true’ satin, it should be made using silk.
Satin has become synonymous with shiny fabrics and is the first one that will mostly appear during these discussions. Satin is a fabric that is both lightweight and breathable. It also comes in a broad selection of colors and patterns.
The elegant vibe of satin makes it a popular choice for making dresses and accessories such as scarves, but I’ve seen it being used more often to make more streetwear items more ‘luxury’. Silk satin joggers anybody?
18. Silk
Silk is one of the most popular shiny fabrics in the market, covering a broad category of textiles. It is one of the most robust natural fabrics in the industry. Polyester fibers (synthetic) or the durable strands produced by silkworms (natural) are used to make silk.
Silk fabric features a smooth and soft texture with a tantalizingly natural luster. This sheen comes from raw silk’s natural fiber construction, giving it light-reflecting properties. Silk is one of the few fibers that do not need any particular weaving method to give it luster.
As for the characteristics of silk fabric, it is lightweight and soft to the touch, has moisture-wicking capabilities, low heat retention, and low stretch capability. Silk fabrics normally come in solid colors and are used in making nightgowns, evening wear, lingerie and elegant dresses, but it’s also very common to find printed or woven silk fabrics that are not just solids.
In fact, some of my favorite silk fabrics are woven jacquards or printed chiffons. Many options for us all!
Benefits Of Using Shiny Fabric
Shiny fabrics are pretty standard in clothing for several reasons. Here are the benefits of using shiny fabric types in your project:
- They generally have a decent amount of moisture-wicking ability, which makes them ideal for clothing that is worn outdoors
- The shine or luster of them makes the fabric reflective, which we could argue lessens how hot you may feel wearing it as it could work to reflect sunlight?
- Shiny fabrics that are made from higher quality natural fibers can actually make for some show stopping garments
- Finally, shiny fabrics that are made with synthetic materials can also add some sizzle to an outfit, though you won’t have the same breathability on offer
Pitfalls Of Sewing With Shiny Fabric
Of course, it’s not all positive when working with shiny fabrics. Here are some of the downsides of using this type of fabric which you should be aware of:
- Due to the shiny and smooth nature of the fabric, sewing it can be challenging as it might slip when using the sewing machine
- Not all shiny fabrics are machine washable; some need special care and maintenance to get multiple wears from them
- For some shiny fabric types, only one side features a shiny luster, while the other is dull which may limit your design options
As stated earlier in the article, I do enjoy working with some types of shiny fabric – brocade is one of my all time favorites – but they can also be trickier than other non-shiny fabric types to work with. Whichever one you choose, make sure to use the correct needle type, and take your time and I’m sure you’ll have the most gorgeous garment to wear this holiday season!