Organza fabric is a made with a plain weave that results in it being light in weight. This type of plain weave makes the fabric sheer, breathable, transparent, low in density, and relatively flimsy. Because of this, organza is used as an overlay over thicker types of apparel.
Historically, organza was only made from silk, but when other synthetic fabrics came along, such as polyester and nylon, it became possible to make organza from other materials other than silk. In essence organza in not the material used but the kind of weave that is used to make it.
Organza, being a plain weave fabric, means both the warp and the weft threads in the fabric are the same size and have the same number of picks per inch as ends per inch. Because organza is so lightweight its quality is measured not by thread count like other fabrics, but holes per inch (HPI). The higher the HPI, the higher the quality of the organza fabric.
Organza Uses
A common use for organza are in wedding dresses, evening, wear, flower girl dresses, and stage costumes. Beyond apparel, organza fabric is also used in household items like curtains and lampshades.
Organza Fabric Variations
With the varied materials that can be used to make organza there are a number of different kinds of organza. These variations are:
- Pearl Organza - This variation has a particular color and shine that is similar to a pearl.
- Spark Organza - This variation has bright sparkles in its weave.
- Crystal Organza - This variation does not have a sparkle, like spark organza, but does have a shimmer.
How to Care for Organza
Because of the nature of the weave of organza it is very delicate in nature, and should not be machined washe. Instead the fabric should be washed by hand and line dried. Preferably, organza is best cared for by a professional dry cleaner who understands the delicate nature of the fabric.