Silk

Silk is one of the most sought-after fabrics in the world, and buying it well comes down to knowing the type, the weight and where it is from. At Super Cheap Fabrics we carry a focused, quality-checked range of 100% pure silk fabric, sold by the metre with no minimum order and shipped Australia-wide in 3 to 8 business days. You get real silk with a natural lustre and beautiful drape, at everyday low prices, from a Melbourne fabric store you can also visit in person.

Right now our live silk range is silk chiffon and silk georgette in a wide choice of colours, ideal for blouses, dresses, scarves, overlays and eveningwear. Below we explain every main type of silk, how silk weight works, how to choose the right silk for your project, and how to sew and care for it, so you can buy with confidence whether you are new to silk or have sewn it for years.

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The Main Types of Silk, Explained

Silk is not one fabric but a family of weaves, each with its own weight, surface and best use. Here is what each type is and what it is made for, so you can match the fabric to your project.

Silk Georgette

Silk georgette is woven from tightly twisted yarns, which gives it a subtly crinkled, matte surface with a little more body and grip than chiffon. That grip makes it one of the easier sheers to cut and sew, so it is a good starting point for a first sheer project. It is lightweight, semi-sheer and has a soft fluid drape, at home in blouses, dresses, skirts, scarves, sarees and layering pieces.

Silk Chiffon

Silk chiffon is the featherweight of the silk family, sheer and translucent with a smooth surface and a soft, floating drape. It is the classic choice for overlays, floaty sleeves, evening gowns and bridal veils. Chiffon rewards French seams and narrow rolled hems, and it is best cut in a single layer on a non-slip surface.

Silk Satin and Charmeuse

Silk satin has the glossy face and matte reverse most people picture when they think of silk. It has a fluid, liquid drape that is beautiful for slip dresses, camisoles, bridalwear and luxury linings. Charmeuse is a lightweight satin weave with the same high shine and an even softer fall.

Silk Crepe

Silk crepe has a fine pebbled texture and a matte finish, with a heavier and more forgiving drape that skims the body rather than clinging. It is one of the easiest silks to sew and wear, which makes it a favourite for dresses, tailored tops and trousers.

Silk Voile and Habotai

Silk voile is a fine, semi-sheer plain weave with a soft matte finish, lovely for airy warm-weather garments and delicate layering. Habotai, sometimes called China silk, is a smooth lightweight plain weave often used for linings, scarves and lightweight blouses.

Printed Silk, Dupion and Organza

Printed silk carries colour and detail more vividly than any other fibre, so florals, geometrics and painterly prints stay crisp and saturated. Dupion is a crisp, structured silk with a subtle slub and a lovely sheen, ideal for structured bodices, jackets and home decor. Silk organza is sheer, wiry and crisp, used for structure, interlining and statement sleeves. These types rotate through our range during the year, so check current stock or contact us if you are after a specific one.

Silk Weight Guide: Momme and GSM

Silk is measured in momme (mm), the traditional weight unit for silk, while most other fabrics use GSM (grams per square metre). One momme is about 4.34 GSM. As a rule, lower momme means lighter and sheerer, and higher momme means heavier and more opaque. This table shows where the common silk types sit.

How to Choose Silk for Your Project

Match the silk to what you are making. For bridal and eveningwear, silk satin and charmeuse give the fluid, glossy fall of a slip dress, while chiffon and georgette make soft overlays and veils. For everyday blouses and dresses, silk crepe and georgette are forgiving and comfortable to wear. For scarves and light layering, chiffon, georgette and voile move beautifully. For structured pieces like jackets or fitted bodices, look to dupion or a heavier weight. If you are new to silk, start with a slightly heavier fabric such as crepe or georgette before moving to the finest sheers.

Where Our Silk Comes From

We source our silk from India and China, the two largest silk-producing countries in the world, together accounting for over 90% of global silk output. Indian silk from Karnataka, the home of Mysore silk, and from West Bengal is known for its rich natural lustre and beautiful drape. Chinese silk from Zhejiang province is prized for its fine, even weave and smooth finish. We also source from Thailand depending on the fabric type. Every fabric is quality-checked before it reaches our store and website.

Why Buy Silk from Super Cheap Fabrics

Premium silk usually comes with a premium price. We keep real 100% pure silk affordable and accessible. You buy by the metre with no minimum order, so you can order half a metre to test a colour or several metres for a full garment. Every silk is quality-checked before it is listed, prices are kept low every day rather than only on sale, and orders ship Australia-wide in 3 to 8 business days. You can also see and feel the fabric in person at our Melbourne store at 153 Sackville Street, Collingwood VIC 3066, five minutes from the CBD. It is silk for real projects, without the couture markup.

Sewing and Caring for Silk

Silk has a reputation for being difficult, but most of it comes down to preparation. Use a fine, fresh needle, a 70/10 microtex is ideal, reduce your presser foot pressure, and cut slippery silks in a single layer on a non-slip surface, with a cotton sheet under the fabric. Pattern weights and a rotary cutter beat pins and scissors on chiffon and georgette. Stay-stitch curved edges early, because silk loves to grow on the bias.

For care, hand wash in cool water with a gentle detergent or dry clean, and never wring the fabric. Roll it in a towel to remove excess water and dry flat away from direct sunlight, which fades silk over time. Press on a low silk setting from the reverse side while the fabric is slightly damp. Always test wash a small offcut first, especially with printed and deeply dyed silks. Treated well, silk garments outlast almost anything else in your wardrobe.