Fabric Friday: Flocked fabric

[denisebrain]

Flock is a word you know as a number of birds together, or congregants at a church, or sheep, or tourists. I don’t blame you if you don’t know the fabric definition—it is often missing from regular dictionaries.

Flocked fabric
Flock is the name given to very short fibers, either from fabric-making waste or created from rags. A flocked fabric is one on which flocking has been applied with an adhesive, either all over or in a pattern. A common flocked print is dotted swiss. Any fabric weight can be used. Flocked fabrics have improved, but the all-over flocked (velvet-like) fabrics can be fairly stiff. Flocking also has the tendency to wear off.

Uses: Dresses, household decoration, aprons

Flocked cotton organdy

Flocked cotton voile

This is a flocked point d'esprit veil. Point d'esprit is a fine net with small dots spaced evenly all over. While the best quality dots are embroidered, they can also be flocked or woven with the net itself.

You may have run across one of these point d'esprit veil hats

This is a flocked version of dotted swiss, made of polyester. (I have had this fabric since the late 1970s! I made a sort of smock dress out of it back then.) Note in the comments that flocking isn't the only way of making dotted swiss.

In the 1950s flocking could be quite elegant, to my eyes especially black flocking on black taffeta, like this skirt.

This is a flocked acetate taffeta from the 1950s

But you can see the way it wears when you look at this skirt. I couldn't sideline it because of those dancers, but it was definitely worn.

 

[Vintagiality]

I love that black taffeta skirt!
Thank you for all the info and photos. I knew about dotted Swiss but didn’t know it was considered flocked

 

[retro ruth]

yes same here, I didn't realise dotted Swiss was flocking.

 

[vintagedevotion]

thanks for the wonderful explanations and photo examples! great info!

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

Me too...dotted swiss did not know.
that skirt too!

 

[denisebrain]

Thank you Terri.

MJ, Ruth and Victoria, I didn't make that clear. Dotted swiss isn't always flocked. Dotted swiss fabric is always covered in small dots placed at regular intervals. These can be woven in, flocked or printed. Colors may be introduced, although the most common is all white. The original and finest was first made in Switzerland on a swivel loom. Other woven varieties are clip-spot (spot-dot, clip-dot or American dotted swiss) and lappet woven.

Flocked dots are made by applying tiny fibers with glue. Neither the flocked nor the printed versions of dotted swiss are as durable as the woven varieties, although they are less expensive to produce. Thus the preponderance of flocked dotted swiss in the 1970s.

This is clip-spot (also called spot-dot, clip-dot or American dotted swiss) cotton voile dotted swiss—detail of a 1930s blouse. Clip spot is a weaving technique that involves extra weft yarns, usually of a contrasting fiber and/or color from the plain ground. The extra yarns are woven into the ground in a generally small pattern. Later the floats, carried on the back of the fabric, are clipped. The surface will appear to be embroidered, and the back will show these cut ends. Clip spot may also be made with extra yarns in the warp instead of the weft.

This is the reverse

 

[denisebrain]

Oh, and I'm glad you like that black skirt—I photographed it to sell, then kept it.

 

[denisebrain]

Another thing I should say is that fabric with flocking can be described by two additional names. Flocked acetate taffeta, flocked cotton voile, etc. Flocking is a surface treatment, and the other two names are the fiber and the fabric type.

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

Thank you, Maggie, for clearing the dotted swiss for us. Glad to know you kept that amazing skirt!

 

[Vintagiality]

Oh, and I'm glad you like that black skirt—I photographed it to sell, then kept it.

Nice!

 

[Vintagiality]

So what kind would this be on a dress I have in my shop now

and then what is this one from one of my old listings?

 

[denisebrain]

I believe they are both flocked. The reverse will be smooth, with no clipped threads on the backs of the dots.

 

[Midge]

I will try and get this out for a proper photo... I schlepped this 1950s printed and flocked taffeta dress (home or seamstress made) to Australia in 2010... and I still have it, because the fabric is just so awesome! It's a dark blue, with lighter color print flowers accented with black flocking.

 

[denisebrain]

That's flocking fabulous Karin!

 

[bluevelvetvintage]

I love flocked taffeta and it is so hard to find it in great condition. That flocking sure does wear off!

 

[Midge]

So, here are some quickie photos of my flocked fabric dress:

Printed and flocked! The dress is fully lined, with the upper fabric and lining all sewn together and fabric edges finished in zig zag stitching, so it's well near impossible to get a few fibres from this fabric only for a burn test. The lining, which is certainly synthetic, gives it a bit of stiffness and volume. Bodice has buttons in the back and there's a zipper below the waist. The buttons are all covered in the flocked fabric, and there's nice touches like a waist stay, so all in all probably a notch above "normal" home sewing. A find from my early vintage hunting days, back when you could find treasures at the Salvation Army thrift store!