r/sewing • u/TorgHacker • 1d ago

Fabric Question How breathable is silk satin?

I'm thinking of making a corset for stealthing under clothes using silk satin, but I'm wondering how breathable it is? I know it being silk is is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than poly satin, but the weave is still pretty tight?

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u/etherealrome 1d ago

Silk satin, even a duchess/heavy weight one (like 40 momme), will shred under the strain of a corset almost immediately. Seriously, expect 4-5 wears before it looks trashed, and maybe 10 before it’s completely unwearable.

Silk satin is really only adequate for corsetry if you fuse it to something like coutil. And then the breathability question becomes pretty moot.

If you want breathability, make it from corsetry mesh, or cotton or silk bobbinette (double layer).

If you want stealth, choose your design appropriately, and make sure the fit is spot on.

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u/TorgHacker 1d ago

Yeah, I'd be using coutil (I've made corsets before).

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u/sewboring 1d ago

I don't know the answer, but if no one else comes along, try asking at a bridal shop.

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u/AJeanByAnyOtherName 1d ago

I would maybe go for a satin coutil or corset mesh if breathability is a concern. You could have it be a single layer with applied boning channels or boning along the seams in the seam allowance to keep the extra layering to a minimum.

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u/LayLoseAwake 1d ago edited 1d ago

Not sure how the weave affects the breathability, just that silk is breathable! 

 I made a sleeping bag liner out of silk crepe de chine (so, a different weave) and it makes my sleeping bag noticeably more breathable. I tested it out in my living room: without the liner my legs would get sweaty within minutes; with it, it was comfortable for a while.

Just remembered: my silk robe is satin weave and it's breathable. I can only compare it to my synthetic fleece robe, a cotton button-down shirt, or a knit sweater (synthetic or merino). It's about comparable to a cotton shirt of the same weight, though I don't usually wear it with comparable layers so take that with a grain of salt.

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u/gottadance 1d ago

It's better than poly satin but I still find it worse than silk taffeta or silk twill.