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Farthingales Canada.
Coutil is a fabric that has been designed specifically for building corsets.
It is high in cotton content, tightly woven to inhibit penetration
of bones/stays and is not inclined to stretch. It has a smooth finish
and is comfortable when worn close to the skin though the wearing
chemise is
always recommended.
Farthingales LA has the widest selection of true
coutil in North America. Coutil comes in plain, satin or
brocade, and we stock
primarily black and white. White tends to dye beautifully.
Fiber content of our coutil is either 100% cotton or a cotton viscose
blend for
the brocades
and satins. Why use bulky twill when you can use the real
thing?
Coutil can be soft, stiff or medium, and this characteristic is determined
by “finishing process”. This is a starching process that the
fabric goes through to change the feel of the fabric. Unfinished coutil
is soft and easily dyed, the more starch the stiffer the coutil and the
more likely it is a change after washing and to dye unevenly. Finishing
processors in the USA and in the UK are dwindling in numbers and the quality
of finishes available is also deteriorating. The fabric is still the same
quality, it's just the starched finish is no longer what it was. This situation
leads to inconsistent finishes from bolt to bolt of fabric that we bring
in. If the finish is inadequate we send goods back, however we can only do this
so often and we have had to try and be more flexible in our expectations
in order to have stock available. It is important to understand that the
stiffness of the coutil you order today may not be the same the piece you
get 6 months from now.
Washing coutil removes the starched finish and it is the starched finish that keeps the fabric from stretching and helps retain its new appearance.
All coutil is 54” wide (approx.)
Semi Stiff coutil is a very, very fine herringbone weave with the
fine threads creating a thin, yet very durable fabric. The weave is so
fine it is only visible at close inspection. Almost identical to the fabrics
I have seen in vintage corsets. 100% cotton
74-1141-01 white
74-1141-20 flesh
74-1141-90 black
Satin coutil is a cotton viscose blend, tightly woven much like slipper
satin and very strong. Always has a starched finish, very crisp,
not drapey.
74-1150-01 white
74-1150-90 black
Brocade coutil is a cotton viscose blend and patterns vary.
Spot coutil is the strongest and most expensive of our coutil but it makes
corsets that will last for years even with heavy theatrical wear…and
it both beautiful and great to work with.
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74-1155-30
cream background with pale pink spots;
nice and neutral under white. |
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