Did you know that for many garment applications, fabric can be used in place of manufactured interfacing? Natural fibre, woven fabrics made from cotton, linen, silk, or wool have been used as interfacing for centuries, long before modern manufactured interfacing existed. It's still the preferred method for many couture designers and traditional tailors.
For those who prefer to work with natural fibres wherever possible, using fabric is an appealing alternative. Even if natural fibres aren't a priority for you, there are many other advantages, including better drape, a more natural hand, and more flexibility when it comes to colour and weight matching. Plus, you may already have what you need in your scrap bin!
Here, we discuss how to use fabric as interfacing, what to look for when choosing the right fabric, and which natural fibres work best for different applications.
A (very) short history of sewing interfacing
For most of sewing history, fabric was interfacing. Long before modern manufactured interfacing existed, tailors and dressmakers used woven fabric, such as cotton or linen, to add structure and stability to their work. The choice of those supporting fabrics that give a garment its structure was a skilled part of the craft.
Structured materials like buckram and horsehair canvas have been in use for centuries, and are still used in high-end tailoring today. The practice of interlining garments with a second layer of fabric, such as calico (called muslin in North America), was standard practice.
Manufactured interfacing as we know it is a relatively recent development. Sew-in interfacings became widely available in the mid-twentieth century, and fusible interfacing arrived in the 1960s and became mainstream through the 1970s and 80s. It was convenient, economical, and widely available to the home sewing market. But in some respects, that convenience came with trade-offs: a synthetic layer that can introduce stiffness, change how a garment moves and breathes, and break down over time with washing.
For many experienced sewists and couture-trained makers, natural fibre fabric never stopped being the preferred choice. While this makes it sound like a specialist technique, it's really not. The materials are inexpensive, widely available, and perhaps already in your scrap basket. If you're curious, we'd encourage you to give it a go!
Why use fabric as interfacing?
Using fabric as interfacing offers several advantages over manufactured interfacing. Natural fabrics like cotton lawn, calico/muslin, poplin, and silk organza are breathable, washable, and compatible with the woven fabrics they're most likely to be paired with. There's no synthetic layer introducing stiffness or changing how the garment feels against the skin.
Fabric tends to have better drape and a more fluid hand than interfacing - even a good quality interfacing can look slightly artificial in a finished garment, especially if there is fusible adhesive. Used correctly, something like cotton lawn can add the light support and body you want, without adding stiffness.
If you've been sewing for a while, it's entirely possible that you have fabric that would work well as interfacing in your scrap basket - a remnant of lawn or a crisp poplin. It's an approach that can be both resourceful and economical.
What to look for when choosing fabric as interfacing
When looking for fabric to use as interfacing, consider the following attributes:
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A fine, tight weave - the tighter the weave, the more stable and consistent the support it provides. This is why lawn and poplin work so well, and why a loosely woven cotton like cheesecloth would not work.
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Stability - look for fabric that feels stable on the grain and cross-grain. Give it a tug in both directions - it should resist stretching and return to its original dimensions without distorting.
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Weight - the interfacing fabric should be equal to or lighter than the fabric it's supporting - never heavier.
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Fibre compatibility - combine fabrics that have similar care requirements.
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Colour and opacity - choose an interfacing fabric that won't shine through your main fabric. This is one of the advantages of using fabric, since manufactured interfacing generally only comes in black and white.
Things to consider when using fabric as interfacing
The main challenge with using fabric as interfacing is that it can take some trial and error to figure out what works best. There's no standardisation, so it's necessary to make judgment calls based on feel and experience.
Fabric alternatives are treated as a sew-in interfacing, which can add some time to the process. However, as anyone who works this way regularly will tell you, it's less a drawback than simply a different way of working.
If you're new to interfacing, it's worth reading our guide to sewing interfacing first, which covers the different types of manufactured interfacing and how to choose between them.
Which fabrics work best as interfacing?
For sewists curious about trying this approach for garment sewing, cotton lawn is an excellent first step. It's fine enough to work with lightweight fabrics without adding bulk, stable enough to provide real support, and widely available. For example, this is a fabric that would be suitable for stabilising the facings for a Fable Dress or the neckline of a Harbour Top. Calico/muslin works beautifully as a slightly more substantial option.
Poplin has more of a crisp hand and works well for structured areas like waistbands and button bands - think the flat-front waistband of a Meadow Skirt or Hedgerow Dungarees, or the button band of a Pixie Coat.
There are other specialty natural fibre options that have specific applications, like silk organza for use with very lightweight or sheer fabrics, or specialty products like horsehair canvas, however these tend to have very specific applications that may not be as relevant for general home sewing.
Ultimately, the best interfacing is the one that works for your project and the result you're looking for. Using fabric in place of manufactured interfacing does require a little more judgement and experimentation, but that also opens up so many possibilities. You're not limited to whatever happens to be on the shelf at the fabric shop. Instead, you have access to a range of fabric types, weights, and fibres, each with a different result. With some experimentation, those choices will become more instinctive. We'd love to hear what you discover.
There are a surprising number of considerations when using fabric as interfacing, and we hope that this guide helps you to feel more confident about trying this approach in your next project. If you have any questions about choosing interfacing, please feel free to join us in the Twig + Tale Treehouse Community or the Twig + Tale Chat Facebook group, where we're always happy to offer support.
