Styles and design · 8 October 2026 · 4 min read
Lining, interlining, interfacing, facing: which is which?
Lining vs interfacing, interlining and facing: what each inner layer does, where it sits in a kameez or dress, and the regional meanings that confuse the words.
InspirationFour layers, four jobs
All four live on the inside of a garment, which is why they are so easily confused, but each does a different job. In short: a lining covers the inside, an interlining or underlining backs the outer fabric, interfacing stiffens small areas, and a facing finishes an edge.
- Lining (astar): a separate inner layer that covers the inside of a garment, hides the seams, stops show-through and helps it slide on.
- Interlining or underlining: a layer joined to the outer fabric pieces so the two are handled as one, adding body, opacity or warmth.
- Interfacing: a stiffening material, often iron-on, applied to small areas such as collars, plackets, cuffs and neck edges so they hold their shape.
- Facing: a shaped piece of fabric, often the same cloth as the garment, sewn to an edge and turned inside to give it a clean finish.
Lining, or astar
Astar is the everyday Urdu word for lining. In a kameez it may cover the whole body, only the front, or stop above the hem, and sleeves may be lined or left sheer. Cotton, lawn, soft silk and viscose are common lining fabrics. A lining is one of the details you can choose when ordering, and our articles on whether a kameez needs lining and choosing lining for an unstitched suit help you decide.
Interlining and underlining: words that change meaning
This is where regional usage really differs. In British dressmaking and coat-making, interlining usually means an extra layer between the outer fabric and the lining, added for warmth, as in a winter coat. Underlining means a backing cut to the same shape as each outer piece and stitched to it, so a sheer or soft fabric gains body and opacity and the seams disappear inside.
In the garment trade, and in many tailoring shops in Pakistan and India, “interlining” is the usual word for what home sewers call interfacing: the stiffening in collars and cuffs. Buckram is a firm version often used in band collars and some necklines. So if a tailor mentions interlining, it is worth asking which of the two they mean.
Interfacing
Interfacing comes in fusible types, which are ironed on with a heat-activated glue, and sew-in types, which are stitched in place; both come in light to heavy weights. On a kameez it typically goes into a band collar, a button placket, cuffs and sometimes the neckline facing, anywhere an edge needs to stay crisp or hold buttons. Our guides to collar styles for kurtas and kurta plackets and buttons show where it matters most.
Facing
A facing is usually only a few centimetres deep. A neckline facing follows the shape of the neck and turns inside; a sleeveless top may have armhole facings; a curved hem can be finished with a hem facing. A facing is often lightly interfaced so the edge does not stretch. Alternatives include piping, binding or letting the lining finish the edge. The stitching glossary has short definitions of these and other trim words.
When you order through our custom stitching service, lining is chosen on the form, and anything more specific, such as a fully underlined sheer kameez, can go in your notes; we confirm what suits the fabric in the written quote. Request a quote when you are ready.
Common questions
Does every kameez need interfacing?
No. Many simple kameez have none, or only a light strip at the neckline or placket. It is used where an edge must hold its shape, such as a band collar or a button stand.
Is a facing the same as a lining?
No. A facing finishes one edge, such as a neckline, and is only a few centimetres wide. A lining covers the inside of the whole garment or a large part of it. A lined kameez may still have a neckline facing, or the lining may finish the edge instead.
Can a sheer fabric be underlined instead of lined?
Yes. Underlining joins a backing to each piece so the fabric looks opaque and the seams are hidden, while a lining hangs separately. Which suits depends on the fabric and the look, so ask for it in your quote.
