Paris tape

I have a student in England who teaches. One of her students asked her about it. She that her mother used it, but she didn't know what it was.

My guess is that it was twill or plain weave tape used in tailoring.
 
I think its bias tape - that term rings a faint bell with me and for some reason my mind goes to bias tape, not hem tape, but that bias cut tape that is folded over.

Bias-Tape-Main.jpg
 
In millinery, on certain hats (usually fabric hats) it was tradition to use what is called a French binding. This is a bias cut, narrow length of fabric folded under so it is double sided, which covered the raw edge of the stitched seam at the join, or covered the wire which was used along the outer brim's edge. I have seen the term French tape used in the old books, but not "Paris tape". So my first thought was this might be a type of that same stuff. Most milliners in the old days made their own "French tape" but it could be bought pre-made as well.
 
It is an old fashioned term for straight woven tape - I have to say it's only the 1950's and earlier generations that know it by this term in England.
I occasionally get the older customer asking for it on the haberdashery stall and it always throws me because I can never remember if it is bias or straight tape.
backing that up, this article taken from a 1948 british newspaper lists bias and Paris binding for sale seperately:

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another that lists both paris binding and twill stay tape, so it's not twill:
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and this one describes it as a braid, which to me mean a finished edge on both sides, which bias binding wouldn't qualify as:
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I found articles going back to the 1870s generally using the term paris binding, I think paris tape was used more in the 20thC.

a few more examples of early 20thC use:
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( I wouldn't call bias binding 'strong tape' as it distorts when pulled...)


The more I look into it the more I wonder if Plaster of Paris Binding did not originate from Paris Plaster, but from Paris Binding being coated in plaster...
 
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I might wonder.... if it was used on a dress's seam selvage, as has been mentioned above, wouldn't it add too much bulk? Seems much too thick for that purpose. I am not familiar with using it for that, but I am not a dressmaker, so who knows. I can't recall seeing it on the selvages or seams of any dresses I have seen. Of course, on thick woolens and such, it makes sense.
 
an old thread I know ..but having some here on the roll would like to send a photo..it says on the reverse ...rayon cotton , wear well made in england ...my father used to use a similar for trouser hems ..being a specialist tailoring tape it was a little heavier .....this is more a home dressmakers weight , ive seen it on skirt hems and as a tweed seam binding ..it has a littlr give but not as much as bias ...only found your thread as searching for a wider cadis bindinding for some restoration work
claireshaeffer said:
Anyone familiar with term--Paris tape? Thanks, Claire
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I've reread the comments and think it might be seam binding which is about 1/2" wide and plain weave.
It could be used to bind straight seams and finish hems (not bound). It is also strong.

It's hard to tell from Rosamund's photo how heavy or thick it is. Is it ribbed like petersham? Can you fold it in half to bind a straight seam? How wide is it? Thx.
 
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