APPAREL MANUFACTURING - I 3(1+2)

Lesson 13 : Supporting Materials

Trimmings

Trimmings refer to those additions made to a garment during stitching and finishing that add to its beauty. They have a decorative value and enhance the look of the garment. The materials used as trimmings help to make a garment decorative. A plain fabric can be made to look better by using trimmings. These trimmings help emphasize or draw attention to or away from certain aspects of a garment. Trimmings can be readymade or self made.

Self made trimmings are those decorative aspects of a garment which are planned and introduced by the person constructing the garment. These refer to frills, tucks, pleats, gathers, smocking, embroidery, painting etc. readymade trimmings are those decorative additions of the garment which are readily available in the market, e.g., laces, braids, motifs, beads, ribbons, cords etc.

Some of the readymade trimmings available in the market are:

1. Nylon lace: it is a synthetic lace made of nylon thread. This lace can be heat proof or non heat proof. The size of this lace can vary from 1 cm to 12 cm. the lace can be embroidered over netor plain weave of nylon fibre.

2. Cotton hacoba lace: it is a cotton embroidered lace with a straight or a cut work edge. This lace is usually white in colour or it can have pastel colour embroidery on a white base. The width of the lace varies. The thread used for embroidery can be cotton, terrene or silken.

3. Ribbon pass lace: it can be cotton or nylon lace with holes at uniform distance. A ribbon can be passed through these holes. Both the edges of this lace are usually the same.

4. Insertion lace: this can be cotton or a nylon lace with both edges similar. The upper and the lower edges of this lace cannot be distinguished. It is usually stitched in between two tiers of a dress.

5. Edging lace: this can be cotton or a nylon lace with one finished edge. This lace is usually stitched on the edge of the garment. In case of a nylon lace, the upper edge is straight and the lower edge has a cut design. And, in case of a cotton lace, the upper edge has fraying cloth and, the lower edge has a cut design.

6. Beading lace: this is a cotton lace, 1 cm or a little broader. Along one edge of the lace, beading has been done. This lace can be stitched in between the panels.

7. Rice rac lace: this is a zig zag lace, with uniform forms above and below. This lace can be cotton, silken or metallic. It can be stitched on the garments or in between the panels of the garments, showing only one side of the lace.

8. Tussle lace: this is a fringe lace with tussles. It is a broader than a fringe lace. It is usually made of silken, untwisted threads or nylon threads.

9. Fringe: this is a nylon fibre lace, usually stitched on curtains and other furnishing items. It has hanging threads of equal length, placed at equal distance.

10. Embroidered tape: it is 1 cm or broader tape with weaving embroidery. This embroidered tape can be cotton.

11. Ribbons: there is variety of ribbons available in nylon and satin. Nylon ribbons are broader while those of satin are narrower. Satin ribbons can be dotted, printed etc. these ribbons are stitched on children garments, for decorative purposes.

12. Braids: this is an interwoven plait of silken or metallic threads, stitched on formal wear garments of ladies and men. These braids can be of one colour or two coloured.

13. Beaded lace: this is usually a metallic lace with beads stitched on it. These beads can be of glass or plastic. This lace is stitched on ladies formal wear dresses.

14. Rope: it is a stout line made by twisting together strands of silken or metallic threads. These are stitched by couching. This lace is stitched on ladies formal wear dresses.

15. Pipings: it is a pipe like ornament along seams of clothes. It can be plain or printed. It is cut on the bias grain.

16. Shuttle lace: shuttle is a boat shaped weaving device on which weft thread is shot across between warp threads. It weaves a lace with terrene threads. This lace is made with knots of warp and weft threads.

17. Elastic lace: this is a lace with thin stretchable elastic bands which makes the elastic lace stretchable. It is woven with nylon with nylon thread. This lace is stitched along the undergarments.

18. Pon pom: these are woollen balls of various diameters. These soft balls are stitched on strings attached to infant clothes.

19. Smocked lace: this lace has rows of smocking on the upper edge. The lower edge can be plain or cut design. This is seen on casual and formal wer garments of ladies and children.

20. Gathered lace: one edge of this lace is gathered, hence giving the lace a frill like look.