Crepe vs georgette: how to tell them apart

Why they look alike

Both get their texture from yarn that has been twisted very tightly before weaving. Once the cloth is finished, the twisted yarns try to unwind and kink a little, and the surface puckers into a fine grain you can feel with a fingertip. That grain scatters light, so neither fabric shines the way satin does.

The fibre is a separate question. Either can be silk, viscose or polyester, and most of what is sold for suits and dupattas is polyester. Fibre decides how the fabric copes with heat and washing; the name only tells you about texture and weight. Our article on what crepe is goes through the fibre side in more detail.

Four checks you can do in a shop or at home

• Light: hold one layer up to daylight with your hand behind it. Georgette shows the outline of your fingers. Crepe shows a shadow at most.
• Weight: drape a length over your arm. Georgette lifts and floats when you move; crepe drops straight down and swings back.
• Touch: georgette feels thin, dry and slightly sandy. Crepe feels fuller between the fingers, with a rounder, pebbly grain.
• Scrunch: squeeze a corner in your fist. Polyester versions of both recover well, but georgette springs open while crepe falls open under its own weight.

Lining: where the two part company

Georgette needs something under it wherever it covers the body. A georgette kameez is lined or worn over a slip, and georgette trousers always need a lining. Sleeves and dupattas are normally left as a single sheer layer.

Crepe in a mid or deep colour is usually worn unlined, which keeps an outfit lighter and cooler. Pale and thin crepes are the exception: white, ivory and pastel shades can still show seams and the lines of what is worn beneath, so check them against the light too. Our guide to when a kameez needs lining explains the options, including a half lining.

Which pieces each one suits

Think of georgette as the fabric for movement and layers, and crepe as the fabric for clean lines.

• Georgette: dupattas, sheer sleeves, overlays, and flared or panelled kameez where the hem should swing. Our georgette and chiffon comparison covers how it differs from its lighter cousin.
• Crepe: straight kameez, shirts, dresses, abayas and trousers. It is a common choice for palazzos and straight trousers because it hangs without clinging.
• Either, for a dress: choose georgette over a lining for a soft, layered dress with gathers or tiers, and crepe for a single-layer dress with a neater outline.

Asking for one or the other

Because sellers use both names loosely, describe what you want the fabric to do: sheer or opaque, floaty or weighty, lined or unlined. With Fabric + Stitching we propose a fabric from your description, with photos, and agree it with you before anything is cut. If you already have the fabric, send daylight photos and the label, and we confirm it suits the design before you post it. You can start a quote here.