Sateen Fabric

The sheen on a sateen comes from the structure of the cloth rather than anything added to it. In a plain weave every weft thread passes over one warp thread and under the next; in a sateen weave it floats over several before it dips. Those long floats reflect light along their length, which is what produces the soft lustre, and they also sit smoothly against the skin. It's the same principle as satin, worked in spun yarn instead of filament, so the result is quieter and more wearable than a true satin.

Cotton is what most of this range is built on. There are stretch cotton sateens with a few percent elastane, the cloth that fitted trousers and pencil skirts are usually cut from, and printed cotton sateens where the smooth ground shows a design off cleanly. Alongside those sit a small number of polyester and viscose cloths finished to a sateen handle, and a sateen lining. The grid above is the definitive list of what's in stock today.

Choosing the right sateen

Stretch cotton sateen is the workhorse. Mid-weight, comfortable, and it recovers its shape, so it's the right choice for trousers, tailored shorts, skirts, dungarees and fitted dresses. Expect a small amount of give across the width rather than in both directions.

Printed cotton sateen is lighter and softer. The smooth face holds a print without the texture breaking it up, which suits dresses, blouses, nightwear and children's clothes.

Polyester and viscose sateens drape more fluidly than cotton and have more shine. They suit blouses, occasion dresses and anything where you want movement rather than structure.

Sewing and pressing

Sateen behaves well under the machine, which is one of the reasons it's a good step up for anyone who has found satin frustrating. Use a sharp needle in a fine size, pin inside the seam allowance where you can, and check the tension on a scrap first: the floats can show a needle mark if you've had to unpick.

Cut every piece in the same direction. The floats catch the light one way and not the other, so a panel cut upside down reads as a different shade in daylight even when the fabric is plain.

Press on the wrong side, at the temperature the fibre wants, not the highest the iron offers. Steam and a pressing cloth will get a crisp seam without glazing the surface. If the fabric contains elastane, keep the iron moving and don't rest it on the fabric.