Sibonne

[claireshaeffer]

Do you remember Sibonne? it was an underlining material manufactured by Armo.
A colleague is doing some research on a skirt lined with Sibonne and is looking for the fiber content.
She also collects vintage patterns; I told her she needs to join.
Thx for your help.

 

[Vintagiality]

It appears to be rayon

 

[retro ruth]

I think bemberg rayon is one they don't make anymore, because the process was so toxic. Have I got that right?

 

[Vintagiality]

I think you are right. Some interesting history here https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/e...corporation-and-american-bemberg-corporation/

But what is strange is that I see it for sale even now. Maybe it's produced using a different process

 

[Midge]

I remember that my mother always insisted on Bemberg when buying lining fabric - that would have been in the 80s and early 90s. Pretty much every trip to Zurich that she'd take me with her we'd go to the fabric store, and that's one thing that stuck with me.

 

[retro ruth]

I think Victoria is right that there is a new process, but I seem to remember, the fabric isn't so wonderful as from the old process. But, it seemed a very good thing they dropped that!

 

[Stitchmoser]

Si Bonne was available since at least the 1960s, when I began lining my clothes. Today’s Bemberg rayon is not the same, but it is the closest fabric available. Now that I see the image of tag showing it was only 51% rayon, that explains part of it. The other part would be that, just as not all 100% cotton fabrics are the same, other fabrics with the same/similar content are not the same. I wonder if Tencel or bamboo could be milled to replicate the qualities of Si Bonne. It was light, but had the perfect body for lining or underlining many styles and fabrics. It came in myriad colors and was a dream to sew.

 

[Judy R]

I just found 4 yards of a pretty light blue. Having no idea what it was, my research brought me to you! I can see why it makes excellent underlining. It feels.so silky but with more body. Thank you all for the information.

 

[Stitchmoser]

I just found 4 yards of a pretty light blue. Having no idea what it was, my research brought me to you! I can see why it makes excellent underlining. It feels.so silky but with more body. Thank you all for the information.

Lucky you! Save it for something special that “deserves” it. If my memory is working correctly, it does shrink a bit. Back in the “olden days,” I used to preshrunk everything by washing and drying everything three times!

 

[Judy R]

Lucky you! Save it for something special that “deserves” it. If my memory is working correctly, it does shrink a bit. Back in the “olden days,” I used to preshrunk everything by washing and drying everything three times!

Three times! Wow! I washed it once and hung it to dry. That yielded LOTS of wrinkles. I questioned if perhaps I made a mistake by machine washing instead of using it in a dry clean only situation.

 

[claireshaeffer]

Karin,
Bemberg is still around it's rayon and still popular for linings. The process for making is different from other rayons.