Also known as crape, crepon, crespe or crisp. Crepe fabric is a combination of different types of weaving materials (like wool, silk or synthetic materials (polyester, etcetera)) that results in the unique three dimensional composition that is visual of the crepe fabric. Crepe fabric is a relatively old type of fabric and in the past it was used or worn by women in times of mourning in many Western countries. However with the rise in fashion trends and fashion needs, people now use this unique type of fabric to make just about any type of clothing from dresses, to wraps and hats. These types of clothing items are especially popular in the summer season, but is crepe fabric really suitable to make clothing for use in the summer? Well let’s find out.
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Is Crepe Fabric Good For Summer?
Summer is characterized as being one of the hottest of all four seasons. Finding suitable clothing that is easy to put on and doesn’t have a lot of weight to it can be tricky. However the summer season isn’t only hot but it is also quite long. People tend to visit beaches and other cool recreational places in order to cool down. They’re also very unlikely to wear any heavy or warm clothing during this season, so the short answer is yes, crepe fabric is good for summer. Due to the vast amounts of crepe fabric types that exist, it would be fairly simple to find a type that best suits you and your skin during the summer season.
- Crepe fabric is quite thin and so it doesn’t aid the body in generating heat, this is a good property to have during summer, in fact it is said to have a low heat resistance (that is if it is blended with silk.) This basically means it doesn’t help conduct or produce any heat.
- Crepe fabric is porous in nature, which means it lets air in because of tiny microscopic holes on the surface of the fabric. This is great for ventilation on hot summer days to effectively help your skin to breathe. It is thus a very considerable option to wear something made up of crepe fabric on a hot summer day.
- Crepe fabric is also fairly simple to clean. Summer is again a season associated with dirt and sweat, as such this is a very important quality for crepe fabric to have.
How Is Crepe Fabric Made?
The word ‘crepe’ is a French word defining a thin and small pancake. Now crepe fabric is and can be produced using a variety of processes, this variety also aids in the fabric’s versatility, in that many types or forms of crepe fabric can be produced (which we will be looking at later on.) What makes crepe fabric stand out with its unique three dimensional composition is how it is weaved. Crepe yarn (which is the yarn responsible for creating crepe fabric) is created with a process known as hard twisting. This is whereby the textile fibers (silk, wool or polyester) are twisted in a much tighter way than usual. The twists, or hard twists, are what is known as ‘S’ and ‘Z’ twists. This makes the crepe fabric more bouncy looking in texture and feel than most other types of fabrics.
The ‘S’ and ‘Z’ twists are what’s known as lefthand and righthand twists, this form of yarn production results in crepe yarn no matter what textile fibers are used. Again emphasing the unique weave of crepe fabric as compared to others.
Types Of Crepe Fabric That Are Good For The Summer
Because any or most textile fibers can be used in the production of crepe yarn. It makes crepe fabric as widespread and versatile as a fabric can be. Although there’s plenty more kinds of crepe fabric. The following crepe fabrics are some of the best to use during summer.
- French Crepe – Also called a flat crepe, this kind of crepe fabric is largely used in the production of under garments. Originally, as the name suggests, from France. And because under garments are generally light, this type of crepe fabric is good for summer.
- Crepe de Chine – This type of crepe fabric originates from China. It is a very lightweight kind of crepe fabric and is usually made of silk; which is one of the world’s most expensive fibers in the world. Silk is hard to extract, and very smooth and soft on the skin, some iterations of Crepe de Chine are made of polyester because it has a similar look and feel to silk but also very cheap to manufacture. Silk is also a very breathable material, which means this type of crepe fabric will keep your body cool even on the hottest summer days.
- Scuba Crepe – This is a crepe fabric made of polyester and a small amount of spandex. This makes this type of crepe fabric very breathable during hot summers. It is also very smooth and elastic, allowing for more flexibility in movement for the wearer.
- Crepe Charmeuse – This kind of crepe is woven with a satin weave (this is a style of weaving that produces a smooth faced fabric in which the warp interfaces with the filling at points that spread over the surface of the fabric.) But crepe yarn (hard twisted) is used instead of regular yarn. Although the surface of the fabric will be smooth and reflective like satin fabric, this fabric will be in fact a type of crepe fabric.
- Polyester Crepe – A form of crepe fabric made entirely of polyester fibers. Any such iteration of crepe fabric is polyester crepe. It is also good for summer because of its lightweight and thin composition. Usually used for making blouses and light pants.
Conclusion
Crepe fabric is one of the most unique types of fabric in the world, no specific date or point of origin can be given to it but it has in fact stood the test of time. Acquiring the love and admiration of many cultures all over the world and that is why there’s so many types of crepe fabric. Depending on what other fiber is blended with it, crepe yarn (and then to crepe fabric) can make some of the most inspired pieces of clothing and that says a lot about whether or not it is good for a widely loved season such as summer.
