Sateen

Sateen is a fabric made using a satin weave structure but with spun yarn instead of filament yarn.^[1] It is a cotton or other non-silk fabric that has the characteristics of silk satin but is less expensive.^[2]

Sateen in a 6-harness satin weave, lyocell

The dense weave, sheen, and softer feel of sateen are produced through the satin weave structure.^[3] Standard plain weaves use a one-over, one-under structure. For a satin weave, warp yarns are floated over weft yarns, for example four over and one under (for a five-harness satin weave).^[4] In a weft-faced satin or sateen, the weft yarns are floated over the warp yarns. This weave structure is prone to fraying and is less durable than plain weave fabrics.^[2]

Some sateen is mercerized, a chemical process that makes fibers softer, smoother, water resistant, and more resilient.^[5][6]

Care

Unlike its silk counterpart, cotton sateen is easy to maintain since it is machine washable. It can also be air dried or tumble dried with minimal to moderate shrinkage.^[2] Sateen can wrinkle, but wrinkles can be ironed out easily using the cotton setting of an iron.^[7] For garments made of sateen, follow the recommended laundering instructions.

Uses

Sateen comes in a variety of colors and weights. It has a variety of uses, from bedsheets^[2] to drapery lining^[3] and other home decor, to clothing such as dresses, skirts, jackets, and more.^[7] In the use of jackets, if tightly woven, it has proven more rain and wind resistant than plain weave.^[8]

Some manufacturers claim that sateen, due to its tight weave, is stronger than plain woven cotton.^[6]

See also

• Percale – A plain weave
• Satinet – Another satin-like weave
• Twill – A different weave