Organdy Fabric

Organdy is a sheer, lightweight, cotton fabric made with an open, plain weave and very fine, tightly twisted single yarns. Cotton organdy has crisp to stiff drape that may be gathered, pleated or shirred into a bouffant fullness. This type of fabric is stiffened fabric. It is thin, has low yarn count and transparent. Similar to voile fabric, organdy is a durable finish cloth, which withstands multiple washing, retaining its crispness. It may be used alone or paired with another fabric to add fullness and loft. The fabric wrinkles and crushes easily, but it is quickly smoothed with a hot iron. It is often confused with organza fabric, which is a sheer crisp, plain weave fabric of man-made or silk fibers

Characteristics of Cotton Organdy Fabric

• It is made with tightly twisted yarns.
• The fabric is stiff and crisp and the crispness is due to a finish with starch and calendaring which washes out. A permanent crispness is obtained with chemicals (Heberlein process).
• Organdy fabric wrinkles badly unless given a wrinkle-free finish (bellmanizing).
• The fabric is transparent, fine and sheer.

Organdy Fabric Finishes

The organdy fabric is available in three types of finishes:

• Stiff This is the most popular finish and the commonly used one. It is used in the making of loose apparels and home textiles such as dresses and curtains.
• Semi Stiff
• Soft

The semi finish and the soft finish of organdy fabric are also available and they are popular for summer wear and drapery apparel.

Uses of Organdy Fabric

• The organy fabris can be bleached, dyed, printed, frosted, flocked, embroidered, or plisse so as to make a range of products, specially for home furnishings and garments.
• The fabric has a very legant look and mostly used as garment overlays in dresses, collars, blouses, puffed sleeves, full gathered skirts, petticoats and pinafores.
• It is used to make semi-fitted, puffed or bouffant evening wear, dresses, blouses, children's clothing, curtains, interfacings and facings.
• Organdy is also used to make fussy children's wear, trims, collars and cuffs, baby's wear.
• It is also used to make bonnets, dolls clothes, millinery, summer formals, blouses, curtains, bedspreads, aprons.
• Organdy fabric is used to create beautiful settings for special occasions as in arches, topiary pots and cake tables.
• Organdy is great for crafting from artificial flowers to smocking to scrapbooking, the sheer material enriches any project.