Fabric

Silks

Silk is a natural fiber that is created from silk worms. It can also come blended with other fibers for a unique mix; our personal favorite is linen and silk blended together for a mix of softness, shine and cooling.

Look and Feel

Silk has a natural shine and comes in many forms, from the lightest sheer gauze to a thick felt. Silk is a strong fiber that is woven in many different ways offering a wonderful variety of fabrics.

Uses

Silk is good in many weathers as it breaths and insulates well. Silk is good for many different projects because it always looks good due to its shine and drape.

Availability

We here at Aetas Designs adore silk and can work with you to find the best fit for your garments. We have assorted in-house options.

Linen

Linen comes from the flax plant and is best worn near the skin. It is one of the oldest fibers, dating back to 8000 BC.

Advantages

Linen has a natural wicking property that allows it to absorb 20% of its weight and still feel dry to the touch and it also evaporates water as quickly as a pond surface. Linen does not tend to pill and can withstand heat and boiling so it is easy to clean and hypoallergenic. It is also for the most part historically accurate; linens were a closet-staple fabric.

Uses

The variety in weights of linen make it ideal for any number of garments. Because of its breath-ability, it is the best choice for summer wear and undergarments.

Availability

Good linin is a must-have here at Aetas Designs. We have assorted in-house options as well as regular suppliers with a rainbow of options both in color and weight for you to choose from.

Wool

Wool comes from sheep; there are many fancy blends that combine sheep wool with the fur of other animal e.g. Wool/Alpaca blend.

Advantages

Wool can be woven in many ways for different weights and uses. Thick wool provides a wonderful warmth

Uses

Suits are made from very fine light weight wools, where cloaks and coats are often made from thick heavy wools. There are even summer weight wools that are still comfortable in the summer because wool breaths well because it is a natural fiber.  Wool is a forgiving fabric so it works well for tailored garments.

Availability

Quality wool with a reasonable pricetag can be difficult to find. Good thing Aetas Designs loves to shop for the perfect fabric! Please inquire about what wools we may have in stock. We can also get wool-like fabrics for those who have allergy considerations.

Cotton

Cotton is a natural fiber that is made from, you guessed it, the cotton plant.

In 1350, John Mandeville wrote about the cotton plant stating: “There grew there [India] a wonderful tree which bore tiny lambs on the endes of its branches. These branches were so pliable that they bent down to allow the lambs to feed when they are hungrie”. We now know that this is not the case, but the image is an amusing one!

Advantages

Cotton is warm and breaths well making it good for all seasons. It is a durable fabric that is hypoallergenic. Cotton can be woven in many different styles of fabric and is washable and dry-cleanable.

Uses

Cotton is good for all types of clothing as well as for furnishings and canvas for tents and hammocks.

Availability

Please inquire.

Rayon

Rayon is a fiber that is man made from natural materials.

Advantages

Rayon is a soft fiber that does not pill or have too many issues with static cling. Rayon imitates most natural fibers fairly well.

Disadvantages

The down side to Rayon is that it does not insulate body heat well and it loses a lot of strength when wet.

Uses

Rayon can be woven into many different fabrics and hence is used to make many types of clothing.

Availability

Please inquire.

Polyester/Nylon

Both polyester and nylon are man made fibers.

Advantages

Both are washable and wrinkle resistant which make them easy to care for.

Disadvantages

Polyester does not breathe well where Nylon does breathe well.

Availability

Here at Aetas we try to avoid man made fibers because they are simply not as comfortable but there are a few designs that we have that work better in these fibers. Please inquire.

Specialty Fabrics

At times we will have other types of fabric on hand, including but not limited to velvets, leathers, and other fabrics. 

Aetas Designs is willing to work in almost any fiber as long as it is appropriate for the garment.