Just as much design goes into the inside of a garment as the outside. Perhaps the biggest design decision about the inside of a garment is about lining. Does your garment need a lining? Maybe, maybe not. Let’s take a look at the inside surface of your garment and talk about the reasons to consider adding a lining and reasons why leaving it unlined might be a better choice.
Advantages of adding a lining
Premium look
Quality lies in the details that are often hidden from plain sight – like the inside of clothing. High-end garments are more often lined on the inside to give them a clean and carefully constructed look.
Part of what gives lined garments a premium look is the design that goes into the lining itself. Linings can match the shell fabric, be a contrast pop of color, or have fun stitching or trims in its seams. These lining details become part of the overall garment design and showcase the attention to detail.
Internal construction stays hidden
One of the most well-known reasons for lining a garment is to hide the seams. In a lined garment, the seam allowances stay sandwiched between the shell and lining giving the garment a clean look on both the inside and outside.
Not only seams, but structural elements like interfacing, canvas, or pocket bags are hidden in a lined garment. If the main fabric has an unappealing back side, lining will hide that as well.
Smoothness against the body
The look of the garment may attract customers initially, but how the garment feels will make or break the sale. No one likes to wear clothes that are itchy or unpleasant against the skin. A lining gives the garment a soft feel regardless of whether the main fabric is scratchy or the seams are rough.
Smoothness of lining isn’t just a sensory benefit. It is also a functional one. Jackets have slick linings in the sleeves so that they can be easily layered over other garments. The silky lining doesn’t static or bunch up the sleeves underneath when the jacket is being put on. The garment’s interior surface plays a part in the wearing experience.
Functionality/durability
Linings also have functional advantages. Depending on the type of lining fabric used, the lining can add support to the outer garment. Sometimes an interlining is used just to stabilize a delicate outer fabric. This is referred to as flat lining when the shell and lining fabric are sewn together as one layer.
A bubble hem is another great example of functional linings. With a bubble hem, the shell fabric is gathered into a shorter lining hem to create a blousy effect. Areas of the main garment that have a puff or gathered detail might have a straight lining underneath to support its shape.
Warmth is another functional purpose for linings and interlinings. You’ll see athleticwear and outerwear with fluffy, thermal, or wicking linings on the inside that aid the performance of the garment.
Linings can help the garment last longer too. They do this by providing a barrier between the wearer and the garment that protects the fabric. This type of protective lining can be found in places like jacket underarms to absorb sweat or gussets of panties and leggings.
Modesty
Another benefit of garment linings is increased coverage. Lightweight or light colored main fabrics can be pretty sheer and lining makes the garment more opaque where needed. A lining on the front of swimwear or tight-fitting clothing adds both chest coverage and support.
Reasons to leave your garment unlined
Despite all these benefits of adding a lining, they are not always the best choice for your garment. There are reasons why you might not want a lining at all.
Added price
Lining your garment does require more fabric. Not only do you need to purchase the shell fabric, but the lining as well. For a fully-lined garment, you could be increasing your material usage by 50%-100% by adding a lining.
There is the cost of the additional cutting and sewing as well. You’ll need a second marker for the lining fabric and it will need to be spread and cut separately. Your sewing cost will probably go up too, but not as much as you might think. When your garment is fully lined, you don’t have to finish the internal seams to the same level as an unlined garment.
Extra material to source and inventory
Along with the extra cost of purchasing and cutting and sewing a lining, there is also the added complexity of procuring a second material. You’ll want to test your lining fabrics in the same way as your shell fabrics to make sure they are compatible. Sourcing the right lining fabric and finding the right colors for your shell fabric is another decision to make.
Material bulk
Some garments really benefit from being simpler. Not every garment needs a second layer of lining. Even with a thin lining fabric, there is extra bulk with more layers of material in the garment.
Physical weight is another factor. Too many fabric layers can weigh the garment down and stretch it out.
Just like how some garments benefit from lining warmth, other garments can suffer from it. Some designs are meant to have a breezy, light feel.
If none of the above lining advantages are a requirement for your design and garment purpose, keep it simple and forget the lining.
Designing the inside is an important step in designing any garment. The decision whether or not to line a garment is one of the biggest choices to make about the inside. There are plenty of reasons why you should consider lining your garment and many reasons to leave it unlined. Consider the overall garment style, season, and purpose to see if a lining will add or detract from the piece.