Linings: Facts on Suit, Coat & Jacket Lining Fabric

Are you looking for a suit for a special event? Is it an outfit for a wedding retinue? Is it a jacket or coat to keep you cool or warm? Whatever the reason, ensure you take the fabric linings into account.

maake gives you the lowdown on everything you need to know about lining a garment, and the fabric you should use for lining it.

Which Lining Material to use?

The lining is the second layer of material in a finished item of clothing, whether it’s jacket lining fabric or lining for another item. One usually stitches this lining material to the outer layer. We use lining to line all sorts of garments: a coat, jackets, blazers, shirts, and dresses. maake creates linings using material either made from natural (cotton, canvas or satin) or synthetic fibres, or a blend of both.

Material used for lining can be lightweight or heavier, depending on the season. Colours for material used for lining an item of clothing vary, too – from bright and solid to grey and white.

The most commonly used materials for lining garments include Recycled Polyester (rPET), viscose and rayon. Natural materials, like cotton and silk, are also popular for jacket lining fabric.

Why Lining is Important

·       Blazers and other outerwear pieces for men and women are easier to slip on and off when they have a lining. 

·       Jackets with linings are more wearable and durable.

·       When it has a lining, the item of clothing lasts longer. This is why manufacturers often line a small area, even if the rest of the item has no lining. 

·       With a second layer or a lining, clothing is often more comfortable.

·       An article with linings can hide wadding or padding that give body to your item of clothing.

·       One can give an article more weight by adding a lining to give it a particular structure. 

·       Choose a heavyweight material to line an article and make it warm. Natural fabric like cotton and synthetic fabrics like rPET are warm.

·       An article with two layers can keep you cool, too. To keep an item of clothing cool to wear, we usually don’t fully line it when sewing – this allows both layers of material to breathe and keeps you cool.

·       The material used to line clothing can create a better fit.

·       If a material is transparent, using a second material underneath as lining will stop it from being transparent.

·       Usually, the fabric used to line clothing is smooth and feels luxurious.

·       When you line an item of clothing, you hide every seam, the construction and the raw edges.

·       When choosing a lining, take special care, as the textile you use can create a vast difference to the structure of the clothing, its comfort, and durability, not to mention its style.

Note:

It’s important to see whether your choice of material for lining stretches. If you use cotton or wool when sewing the material, the clothing won't stretch. In this case, ensure you line it with fabric that doesn't stretch, either. If you make the clothes with a stretchy lining material such as jersey, tulle, or stretch satin, you must ensure that the fabric you use to line it also stretches.

To Line a Coat or Not?

With Linings

· An item with full lining: The piece is lined on each sleeve as well as the back and side sections.

· The item has half lining: This means that most of the garment is lined with lining fabric, except for the bottom edges. Linings like these will protect the item but won’t create as much weight as when an item has a full lining. These often cost more than when manufacturers line the items completely, as the manufacturer has to ensure that no seams show.

· An article that you line partly: In such a case, we only line part of the item, such as the shoulder and each sleeve.

The Difference Between Lining a Garment & When You Don't

When you Line an Item

When you line a jacket, lining involves sewing an extra second layer. The lining protects the item and gives it more weight and structure.

·       As the fabric you use to line the item is a separate piece, you can replace it by sewing another, altering it, or fixing it.

·       Sewing an extra layer for lining makes the item stronger and more hard-wearing.

·       The second layer of lining will make the item warmer.

·       By sewing a second layer, you’re adding protection to the inside of the item.

·       Linings also create a better-fitting piece of clothing.

·       The style and structure of the item will change with the extra weight of a second material.

·       Above all, an article requiring sewing a lining fits better than one that doesn’t have a lining.

·       Clothing won’t crease as easily if it has lining.

When the Garment is Unlined 

• There is no second layer if you don’t line a garment. So, it will be cooler, which makes it a great choice for warm days. This is an excellent idea for cotton jackets, for example.
•  If you’re sewing an inside lining, the item won’t be as light.
• A linen piece without lining is a definite plus in summer, as it's so much cooler – and requires less sewing on a machine! The fit is more casual and comfortable with no lining.

The Best Material for Coat Lining & Lining Other Outerwear

The most popular materials used to line clothing include silk, acetate, rPET, and rayon. People choose this type of material for different reasons: some materials used as a second layer may cause the piece to drape better, whereas others are more breathable, etc. Also consider price when you select fabric, as each of the materials available will be priced differently.

Natural Material

1. Silk

This textile is considered the most luxurious because it is soft, smooth, breathable, durable, and lightweight. It can be sheer or semi-sheer, transparent, matte, or shiny. We usually use this sumptuous textile to line winter wear, especially formal garments such as suit jackets, where the entire garment must feel extra special. As they’re expensive, it’s important to take good care of these winter garments.

What sets silk lining apart is that it looks premium. It also regulates temperature, so it’s ideal for year-round use. Of course, you have to pay for these qualities, so it’s not cheap, and the garment requires special care, which is also pricey.

2. Cotton

Cotton is a breathable natural fibre that is washable and soft on the skin. Cotton isn’t a slippery or static material; it creases quickly and can shrink after washing when you hang it out in the sun. Cotton is relatively inexpensive, too.

3. Wool

Best for winter items when the weather is cold. Wool is warm, soft, breathable, and insulates the body. Choose a material that doesn’t scratch and be careful when washing it. People often dry clean this material.

Synthetic or Semi-Synthetic Material

1. Polyester

This is another great lining material choice for those looking for low-cost fabric. It’s also lightweight, hard-wearing and easy to care for. Also, people often use this textile to line jackets, as it doesn’t stain, wrinkle or crease easily. It’s soft, glossy and strong and doesn’t stretch or shrink. The material also has a lovely lustre. The downside? It’s not as breathable as silk or cotton, nor is it as sustainable. Read our handy guide to Recycled Polyester here.

2. Viscose & Rayon

Viscose and rayon are popular for lining. Viscose and rayon fabrics are breathable, soft on the skin, drape well, and are free of static. However, when you wet viscose and rayon, the fibres are weaker, and they tend to shrink after washing and crease more easily.

3. Acetate

This material is not as shiny as rPET, and is a synthetic, more unsustainable alternative. It doesn’t crease easily and draws moisture away from the body. Acetate is also a breathable material per metre and relatively inexpensive. However, the material isn’t as absorbent as other materials used to line garments and is not as hard-wearing. Click here for maake’s acetate choice.

4. Cupro

This quality man-made material has a silky look and feel. Manufacturers produce cupro from recycled plant-based cellulose fibres that they create out of cotton waste that has been specially treated with chemicals. 

Similar to rayon, it’s semi-synthetic, silky, lightweight, smooth, and drapes beautifully. This versatile material is breathable, hard-wearing, and resistant to static. Often used for lining woollen garments, it’s lightweight and suitable for year-round wear. Use it to line wool and linen jackets and skirts

Remember:

When choosing or replacing the lining, think about how stretchable the item is. You need to use a material that stretches with your shell material. So, if your article is made from stretch material, the lining must also be stretchy. And if you create an item of clothing using a non-stretch textile, you can use a non-stretch lining, too.

Natural & Synthetic Fabric Blends

Don’t disregard a material because it’s not completely synthetic, or natural. You can use certain lining fabrics that are a combination of both. Sometimes, a blend of materials, say a mix of cotton and polyester, can be a great choice, as it will be soft, versatile and affordable. It’s a good idea to check if the textile drapes well, and is also wearable, i.e., warm in winter, or cool in summer.

Choosing a Textile by Weight

· Lightweight: A light material is great for blouses, dresses, skirts, and pants created from delicate fabrics.

· Medium weight: Slightly heavier material that is extremely versatile. Fabrics in this category include rPET, taffeta and silk. These textiles are ideal for linings for pants, jackets, and skirts.

· Heavyweight: Fabrics with a denser weave are heavier, more durable, and warm, making them ideal for winter garments. These heavy materials include twill, acetate, rPET, silk, and satin. Fleece and quilt fabrics are excellent for lining garments, providing extra warmth in cold climates. 

maake’s Textile Directory

Below is a list of our recommended lining materials:

Lining: This 100% polyester material is perfect for lining clothes and accessories with any of our fabric selections. This material has a fantastic print, smoothness, and durability. We use this as lining to line a number of our Saville Row tailor customers.

Faux Silky Satin: 100% poly material that is the ideal alternative to natural silk. Offers a silkier choice of fabric for a garment.

Eco Taffeta:  An Eco Lining option, this material is 100% rPET. It’s a crisp, lightweight material. 

Summer Voile – A lightweight, semi-sheer textile with a soft handle. As its name tells you, it’s an ideal fabric to line summer clothes.

Eco Fleece: This semi-synthetic material – rPET (Recycled Polyester) – is a great choice for winter linings. It’s a warm, comfortable, versatile textile, ideal for lining winter jackets.

Printing on Synthetics Like Satin & Recycled Polyester

We use no water in our printing process for these materials. All the inks that we use at maake meet Oeko-tex requirements and pass EN71-3 certification.

Read all about Textile Certification right here.

Choosing Textile Colours

Important tips to consider when choosing colours for linings:

1.     Ensure that whatever colour linings you choose will complement the item of clothing and not overpower it. Your goal should be to create a cohesive garment.

2.     If you prefer an elegant, formal item, it’s important to match the colour of the lining material to the item itself.

3.     If the fabric is dark, say black or greyish black, match the material exactly for linings or choose a slightly lighter shade to line it with.

4.     A lightly coloured item of clothing can either have an exact colour match for lining material, or you could see that the fabric you use for linings complements the garment’s colour by using a darker shade.

5.     When you choose a colour for sewing your blazer or coat lining it’s best to look at the material in natural light to see the shade and brightness.

6.     Bespoke material is used to line garments and is usually chosen to consider the wearer’s skin colour.

For inspiration on colour choices, read our informative guide on How Colours Affect our Feelings.

Trends to Consider

· Inner linings are usually colour-coordinated with or without a sewing pattern to the clothing material. When you select your colour or pattern choices, remember: this can make the item more casual. However, black is a more formal colour to use.

· In the UK, a classic colour combination for blazers is a black item of clothing with purple lining.

· A light grey item of clothing looks good with blue lining, especially for spring. For winter, change to a darker shade.

· Any blazer that you see with red lining makes an extremely bold statement.

· A collection of colour and pattern combined into stripes for linings is particularly fashionable right now.

· Custom linings are a trend in winter, so shop for or create a bespoke lining to stand out from the crowd and show the world that it’s uniquely yours.

Sewing Lining Fabric

Sewing lining fabric correctly requires using one of several techniques that are specific to the garment. Most manufacturers use a separate pattern to create the lining, which gives the garment a better fit and a precise finish. Smooth fabrics, like satin, are also great, as they are simple to work with. Choose one that is breathable and sumptuous for a luxurious look.

Once you’ve chosen your lining, consider how the two fabrics (lining and outer garment) will work together. They must combine well. Silk is always a firm favourite, and for summer garments, consider cotton, polyester, or a combination of the two, to ensure the garment is breathable and lightweight.

Cut carefully to prevent fraying and have precise edges. This makes sewing easier, especially for slippery fabrics, and will look more professional.

Be Creative

Upload Your Unique Design and include your textile choice on your list.

Order a Sample Book to give you an idea of what every single textile we use looks like when they are printed on. Shop now!