Pongee
Pongee is the name for a thin, smooth plain-woven fabric that is often used for garment linings and pocketing.
Contents6 sections
Definition and Overview
Pongee is a term for a lightweight woven fabric based on plain weave. It originally referred to silk fabric, but in today’s apparel materials it often includes polyester and other fibers, and its hand and applications vary depending on composition, density, and finish.
It is used both as a fabric name and as a general term for thin materials used for linings and pocketing. For that reason, it is important not to judge quality by the name alone, but to check the composition, fabric weight, thickness, slipperiness, and sheerness.
Where It Is Used and Its Role
Pongee is used for jacket and coat linings, pocket bags, and the back side of facings. It reduces friction between the outer fabric and the inside of the garment, making it easier to put on and take off, and it also covers seam allowances and internal construction to improve appearance.
When used for pocket bags, it is subject to friction from the pocket opening and from hands being inserted and removed. In addition to thinness, check tear resistance, seam strength, and how well it works with the outer fabric in terms of color transfer and sheerness.
- For full linings and sleeve linings, check the slipperiness against the outer fabric and how little it clings when worn.
- For trouser pocket bags, check resistance to wear and ease of handling during sewing.
- With light-colored outer fabrics, confirm in advance whether the lining fabric shows through.
Materials and Types
Pongee may be made from silk, or from fibers such as polyester, rayon, and cupro. Depending on the material, moisture absorption, static buildup, slipperiness, luster, drape, and changes after washing differ.
In addition to solid colors, there are printed versions, yarn-dyed patterns, and finishes that suppress a brushed look. For lining applications, smoothness is often emphasized, while for pocketing applications, fabrics with relatively higher density are selected for durability.
How to Choose, Handling, and Sewing Precautions
Depending on the application, check slipperiness against the outer fabric, required strength, static electricity, sheerness, and suitability for washing or dry cleaning. If the outer fabric is stretchy, make sure in a sample that the non-stretch pongee will not cause puckering when worn.
Thin pongee can have grain distortion during cutting, or seam shrinkage and puckering during sewing. Straighten the grain before cutting, then do test stitching with fine needles and thread suited to the material, and set the proper thread tension.
If the fabric contains fibers that are sensitive to heat, check the iron temperature and whether a pressing cloth is needed. Also, with dark-and-light color combinations, testing or confirmation is needed according to product conditions for color transfer from friction, bleed during washing, and clinging due to static electricity.
Differences from Similar Terms
Sleki is a term for a relatively durable woven fabric mainly used for trouser pocket bags, or for that application. Pongee is also used for pocketing, but it is often treated as a fabric name characterized by thinness and slipperiness, so the two are not completely synonymous.
Taffeta is generally a thin woven fabric that is high-density and tends to have body and luster. Pongee covers a wider range of materials and finishes, and does not necessarily have the same body as taffeta. In actual selection, compare the hand and suitability for the application using fabric swatches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pongee the same as sleki?
No, they do not have the same meaning. Sleki often refers to a durable fabric or application mainly for pocket bags, while pongee is used as the name for a lightweight plain-weave fabric. However, since pongee may also be used for pocketing, distinguish them by checking the composition, strength, and application.
What should be noted when using pongee for pocket bags?
Because pocket bags are subject to friction and pulling, check not only thinness and slipperiness, but also tear strength, seam strength, and resistance to wear. With light-colored outer fabrics, also check for show-through, and for demanding applications such as trousers, it is important to evaluate durability through sample production.
How can puckering be prevented in pongee sewing?
With thin fabrics, if thread tension is too strong, seam shrinkage can occur easily, so choose fine needles and thread suited to the fabric, and adjust thread tension and feed amount through test stitching. Straightening the grain before cutting to correct distortion, and avoiding forcing the fabric during sewing, are also effective.
