What is cambric used for? Kurtas, trousers, linings

Kurtas, kameez and shirt-style dresses

A kurta is cambric’s natural home. The cloth is firm enough for the details that go limp in thinner cotton: a stand collar, a buttoned placket, pintucks down the front, a turned-back cuff. Straight and gently A-line shapes hang cleanly, and side slits stay flat instead of curling. For collar options, see our guide to collar styles for kurtas.

The same qualities suit long shirts, tunics and shirt-style dresses with a button front, where the fabric has to keep a line from shoulder to hem without a lining. Plain colours look especially neat, because cambric’s smooth surface shows a seam or a row of topstitching clearly. That cuts both ways: careless stitching shows too.

Trousers and co-ord sets

Cambric is one of the most used cottons for trousers under a kameez. It is opaque in most colours, strong enough for the strain at the seat and knee, and crisp enough for straight trousers or cigarette pants to keep a clean leg. It also works for a shalwar, though the folds sit fuller and stiffer than they do in a softer cloth.

For a co-ord set, where top and trousers are cut from one fabric, cambric is a safe choice precisely because it can do both jobs. A thin fabric that makes a lovely top often makes a poor trouser; cambric avoids the problem. Our co-ord sets guide has ideas for shapes.

Linings and inner layers

Lighter cambric is used as a lining when the aim is coverage with a little structure: under pale lawn in cooler months, behind an embroidered front panel so that the back of the work does not rub, or as the base layer beneath net or organza. It gives a firm, matt ground that sheer fabric sits well on. In peak heat it is on the heavy side for a full lining, and a finer cotton is cooler. Our guide to whether a kameez needs lining compares the options.

Where cambric does not work

• Dupattas: too stiff and heavy to drape or to stay on the shoulder; lawn, voile and chiffon do this job.
• Heavy gathers and deep flares: every gather adds thickness at the seam, so a many-panelled frock or a tiered skirt becomes bulky and stands out from the body.
• Draped and cowl shapes: cambric folds into angles, not soft curves.
• Very close cuts: it has no stretch, so a tight sleeve or a narrow hip pulls and creases. Leave ordinary ease.
• The hottest days: it is comfortable, but lawn is cooler.

Asking for cambric in an order

If you already have cambric, Stitching Only starts with photos of the fabric and its label; we check that it suits the design and that there is enough of it before you send it to Pakistan. If you would like us to supply the cloth, describe the garment, the season and the feel you want in a Fabric + Stitching quote. We do not promise a particular fabric in advance: what we propose is set out in the written quote and agreed with you before cutting.