Crepe: everything you need to know about the fabric with a fluid drape

With its fluid drape and slightly grainy surface, crepe drapes beautifully without clinging to the body. Matte and elegant, it works wonders for dresses, fluid trousers and jumpsuits. It comes in silk, viscose, wool or polyester, from the lightest to the most structured.

Crepe is a family of fabrics you can recognise at a glance: a finely pebbled surface, a fluid drape and almost no shine. It's a haute couture classic, found in evening dresses, fluid blouses, modern wedding dresses and dress trousers.

But behind the name "crepe" there are actually about ten different varieties. Let's decode them.

What is crepe?

Crepe is not a fibre, it's a weave structure. Crepe is made using highly twisted yarns (overtwist) which, once woven and washed, shrink slightly and create that characteristic grainy texture.

Depending on the fibre (silk, polyester, viscose, wool, linen) and the type of twist, you get very different crepes — from the most fluid to the most structured, from the most matte to slightly lustrous.

The main types of crepe

Crêpe de Chine (silk or viscose)

The best known. Very fine, fluid, matte. A soft drape and a silky feel. Perfect for blouses, fluid shirts, light evening dresses and premium linings.

Georgette crepe (silk or viscose)

Airier than crêpe de Chine, slightly sheer. Ideal for long dresses, pleated skirts, layering and ceremonial veils.

Crepe-back satin

A matte crepe side and a lustrous satin side. It's the signature fabric of modern evening dresses — you can play with both sides in the same garment. Available in silk or premium polyester.

Wool crepe

More structured, slightly warm, ideal for dress trousers, straight skirts and in-between-season dresses.

Stretch crepe (viscose or polyester + elastane blend)

With a little body and stretch. Widely used for office dresses, jumpsuits and draped dresses that need to follow the body.

Crêpe de Chine, georgette or wool crepe?

From the airiest to the most structured, crepe has many faces.

Which projects?

• Dresses: long, short, draped, fluid — crepe is king.
• Fluid blouses and shirts: crêpe de Chine or georgette crepe.
• Dress trousers: wool crepe or stretch crepe.
• Formal and wedding dresses: crepe-back satin or silk crêpe de Chine.
• Jumpsuits: stretch crepe.
• Pleated skirts, sheer curtains, premium linings.

Avoid: very structured pieces (boxy jackets, coats), sportswear, anything that needs rigid body. Crepe is made to drape, not to stand up straight.

How to sew it

Crepe is a fluid, slippery fabric. A few rules to keep you from tearing your hair out:

Before cutting

• Pre-wash if necessary: viscose and polyester crepes can shrink. Silk crepes should be dry cleaned only.
• Cut on a layer of tissue paper: it stops the fabric from slipping under the scissors.
• Use pattern weights rather than pins to hold the pattern — pins can leave marks.

At the machine

• Fine needle: Microtex 70 or 80, or silk needle 70.
• Fine, high-quality polyester thread.
• Short straight stitch: 2 mm.
• Turn the handwheel by hand for the first stitches so the machine doesn't "eat" the fabric.

Finishes

• Crepe frays. Overcasting is a must, or better still: French seams on fine pieces.
• Rolled hems on the overlocker for fluid pieces, or narrow 1 cm hems.
• Iron at a low temperature (silk: 110 °C max; polyester: 130 °C max). Test on a scrap first.

How to care for it

• Silk crepe: dry cleaning, or hand wash in cold water with a gentle detergent. No wringing: blot in a towel, then dry flat.
• Viscose crepe: wash at 30 °C on a delicate cycle, no strong spin.
• Polyester crepe: 30 or 40 °C, can go in the tumble dryer on low.
• Wool crepe: dry cleaning or a wool wash in lukewarm water.
• For ironing: always on the wrong side, at a low temperature, with a press cloth for silks.

In summary

• Crepe is a family of fabrics woven with overtwisted yarns, creating a fine grain and a fluid drape.
• Ideal for: fluid dresses, blouses, dress trousers, formal pieces.
• Slippery to cut, demanding to sew, but an incomparable drape.
• Gentle care depending on the fibre — silk needs the most care.

To get started with crepe, choose a viscose or polyester crepe — more forgiving than silk, and much more affordable. A simple blouse or a straight skirt will let you get used to it before tackling a draped dress or a crepe-back satin.

Frequently asked questions about crepe

Does crepe slip when sewing?

Light crepes slip: pattern weights, a fine 70/10 needle and cutting in a single layer. Wool crepe, more stable, is easier.

Does crepe crease?

Not much: its grainy texture hides creases, one of its strengths for clothes worn all day.

How do you wash crepe?

It depends on the fibre: delicate wash at 30 °C for viscose and polyester, by hand or dry cleaning for silk and wool. Gentle ironing on the wrong side.

Which needle should you use to sew crepe?

Microtex 70/10 for fine crepes, universal 80/12 for heavier crepes.

Discover our selection of crepe fabrics in our crepe collection.