Satin and sateen fabrics may appear similar and many erroneously use the names interchangeably, but they do differ and are not one and the same fabric.
They are both lovely fabrics but while satin is produced with the satin weave and comes with a glossy surface and a dull back, sateen is an imitation of satin and is produced with floating weft threads that give it a characteristic feature of being smooth on both sides.
The Difference Between Satin and Sateen Fabrics
Satin Fabric
Pure satin is constructed with silk yarn and is a warp-dominated weaving process that creates a minimum number of interlacing in a textile. Fabrics produced with a satin weave using filament fibres like silk, polyester or nylon is referred to as satin.
Satin has a high lustre because of the number of floats in the weaving process. Floats are missed interlacing where a warp yarn lies on top of a weft yarn or vice versa. The floats are what give the textile its glossy look as well as its smooth silky surface. Different types of satin include:
Antique – a rich heavy fabric with a dull uneven texture.
Charmeuse – a satin weave fabric with a matte backing.
Habutae – a lightweight plain weave, known to be the smoothest of satins.
Baronette – which has a silk or rayon front with a cotton fibre back. Baronette is similar to georgette material.
Ribbed satin – woven with satin-faced ribs. It has a lustrous ‘broken’ surface like moire fabric.
Hammered – a unique satin that is treated to give a visual effect of a hammered metal sheet.
Duchess – luxurious, heavyweight satin fabric with a more solid drape.
Sateen Fabrics
Sateen (also called satine) is an attractive fabric that became popular in the early 20th century. made from cotton yarn, it comes with a lustrous face that must not be confused with silk or rayon. Sateen is formed with short-staple yarns like cotton. The top-of-the-range sateen fabric is mercerized, a process applied to plant-based fibres like cotton, linen, and hemp, to give the fabric a silky and lustrous look.
It is a lightweight and breathable fabric and is the closest fabric to satin in terms of look and texture but unlike fragile satin, sateen is affordable, durable, and sturdy.
What Can They Be Used For?
Satin is commonly used for apparel wear like baseball jackets, athletic shorts, formal clothing, bridal wear, women’s nightwear and lingerie. Pointe shoes for ballet are also made with satin, including fashion accessories like shoes, handbags, and stoles. satin is also used to produce men’s clothing including boxers, ties, shirts, and dinner jackets.
Satin fabrics are also used both for home décor and furnishings like window treatments, slipcovers, throw pillows and luxurious bed linen.
Sateen is the perfect fabric for sleepwear and it is used to make vintage clothing like dress shirts, gowns, and wedding dresses. It is also commonly used for bed linen and textile-based home décor items.