Gabardine
What is Gabardine?
Gabardine is a sturdy and durable fabric with fine oblique ribs and a recognizable twill weave visible in the diagonals on the face. Originally made of wool, gabardine is now available in various compositions of natural fibers (cotton and wool), synthetics, or blends.
This fabric is dense and rather heavy, with a beautiful drape and firm and stiff hold depending on its weight. It wrinkles little and offers a slightly water-repellent effect, making it a popular choice for outerwear such as overcoats, trousers, and jackets. Indeed, cotton gabardine has been used since the 19th century for making waterproof coats.
Where does Gabardine come from?
Gabardine originated in Great Britain and was created by Thomas Burberry in 1880. Thomas met a shepherd from his hometown of Brockham in Surrey (UK) and discovered that the latter had made his jacket waterproof, using the product he used for sheep bathing. Thomas Burberry patented it in 1888 and had exclusive production until 1917.
Today, gabardine is used in the creation of many garments and accessories such as skirts, dresses, shorts, jackets, and bags.
Due to its moisture resistance, gabardine is often used for military and police uniforms, as well as sportswear.
What are the advantages of Gabardine?
Gabardines are water-repellent, sometimes waterproof Gabardine fabric has many advantages, notably its dense weave which ensures a natural water-repellent effect. The tighter the weave, the better it withstands water, and if the threads are pre-treated, it can even be waterproof.
An elegant and practical fabric
Moreover, gabardine is tonic and wrinkle-resistant, naturally regaining its smooth appearance. Its density gives it an elegant drape, hold, and volume. In addition to its resistance, gabardine is also comfortable, even when it comes to waterproof gabardine. Indeed, it is breathable and allows the evacuation of sweat.
It is also easy to sew and handle, not compressible, which allows for beautiful topstitching, ideal for the flat seams of jackets and coats.
What garments can be made with Gabardine? Gabardine fabric is a versatile fabric that can be used to make a wide variety of garments and accessories. For protective clothing such as trench coats, jackets, coats, and capes, structured cuts adapted to the fabric's density are recommended.
Dresses, trousers, skirts, and suits can also be made in gabardine, offering beautiful drapes due to its tight weave. Cotton gabardine, often cheaper than wool gabardine, is ideal for modern men's shirts, while wool gabardine offers a supple drape for women's dressed blazers.
Gabardine can also be transformed into leather goods accessories such as bags, pouches, and cases.
Gabardines offered by My Little Coupon My Little Coupon offers you a wide choice of gabardine fabrics, with options for flexibility, patterns, and various finishes. You can opt for a soft and plain stretch gabardine in cotton or for patterned models such as stripes, flowers, graphics, hearts, or original prints.
You will also discover gabardines with different finishes such as satin, thick, lycra, cotton, and Bengaline. Whether you want to renew your wardrobe or undertake small sewing projects, you can buy your gabardine fabric by the meter, starting from 10 cm, or if you prefer, in 3-meter coupons.
If you can't find the specific gabardine you are looking for on our site, don't hesitate to contact us, and we will do our best to source it for you.
How to care for Gabardine?
At My Little Coupon, we bring back end-of-series fabrics from couture houses and unlike production fabrics, we do not retrieve washing instructions, however, we can advise you based on compositions.
Cotton, synthetic, or blended gabardines can generally be machine washed up to 40°C with a delicate program. Some cotton gabardines may even tolerate washing up to 60°C. However, for wool gabardines or coats and suits in gabardine, it is better to entrust them to a dry cleaner to avoid any risk of deformation.
