Polyester georgette is a lightweight, semi-sheer crepe fabric woven from highly twisted polyester filament yarns, which give it a matte, slightly grainy surface and a fluid, bouncy drape.
For fabric wholesalers, dress manufacturers, importers, and designers evaluating georgette polyester fabric for production, it is a practical silk-look option with lower cost, easier care, strong color retention, and consistent mill availability. Most commercial qualities use 75D to 100D yarn and weigh roughly 70-150 GSM, with double georgette running heavier.
It looks close to silk georgette but costs far less, washes more easily and holds color well, which is why it's the working fabric behind most ready-to-wear dresses, blouses, scarves, modest wear and occasionwear.
Key Takeaways
Georgette gets its crepe texture from high-twist yarn (alternating S and Z twist) in both warp and weft, not from a print or emboss.
Typical polyester georgette specs: 75D-100D filament, about 70-150 GSM, usable width around 145-150 cm; stretch versions add 3-5% spandex.
Compared with chiffon it’s heavier, more opaque, more matte and less slippery; compared with silk georgette it’s cheaper, machine washable and more colorfast.
Single georgette suits blouses, dresses and scarves; double georgette gives enough body for skirts, unlined dresses and draped curtains.
What Is Georgette Fabric Made Of?
Georgette is defined by its yarn, not its fiber. Both the warp and the weft are crepe yarns, twisted far harder than normal weaving yarn, and the mill alternates S-twist and Z-twist ends. When the woven fabric is relaxed and finished, those opposing twists pull against each other and crinkle the surface into the fine, pebbly texture georgette is known for.
Silk was the original fiber, and silk georgette still exists at the premium end. Today, though, most georgette on the market is polyester, with smaller volumes in viscose and blends. Polyester filament takes the high twist well, sets permanently in heat and keeps the crepe effect through washing.
The weave itself is a plain, fairly open weave. That openness, plus the twist, is why georgette is semi-sheer, breathable and springy rather than flat and slippery.
What Are the Typical Specs of Polyester Georgette?
Polyester georgette usually falls between 70 and 150 GSM, and yarn denier sets most of that range. Finer yarn (lower D) makes a lighter, more transparent fabric; heavier yarn and double-ply constructions give more opacity and body. The table maps common qualities to their usual end uses.
Quality | Typical yarn | Approx. weight | Look & hand | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Light georgette | 50D-75D | ~70-90 GSM | Sheer, airy, fine crepe | Scarves, hijabs, overlays, sleeves |
Standard georgette | 75D-100D | ~90-120 GSM | Semi-sheer, matte, fluid drape | Blouses, dresses, kurtas, sarees |
Double georgette | 2-ply or heavier yarn | ~120-180 GSM | Near-opaque, more body, soft drape | Skirts, unlined dresses, abayas, curtains |
Stretch georgette | Polyester + 3-5% spandex | ~110-160 GSM | Crepe face with give and recovery | Fitted dresses, tops, modest wear |
Weights and deniers are typical commercial ranges; twist level, density and finishing change the result on any specific fabric.
What Types of Georgette Are There?
Georgette types split two ways: by fiber, and by construction or finish. Fiber decides cost, care and feel; construction decides weight and opacity.
By fiber
Silk georgette: the original. Soft, luminous matte, breathable, expensive and usually dry-clean only.
Polyester georgette: the volume choice. Durable, colorfast, wrinkle-resistant and machine washable.
Viscose (rayon) georgette: softer and more breathable than polyester, but weaker when wet and more prone to shrinkage.
By construction or finish
Double georgette: heavier, two-ply construction with less sheerness, so it can often be cut without lining.
Stretch georgette: spandex added for comfort in fitted styles, similar in behavior to other polyester spandex stretch woven fabrics.
Printed georgette: a common base for florals and digital prints because the matte face shows color without glare.
Crinkle (crushed) georgette: heat-set creases on top of the crepe texture for a casual, wrinkle-friendly look.
Embroidered and sequin georgette: used for bridal, eveningwear and festive collections.
Polyester Georgette vs Silk Georgette: Which Fits Your Range?
Polyester georgette wins on price, care and color consistency; silk georgette wins on breathability and natural luster. For most ready-to-wear and wholesale programs, polyester is the default, and silk is kept for premium or bridal lines.
Property | Polyester georgette | Silk georgette |
|---|---|---|
Fiber | Polyester filament | Mulberry silk filament |
Hand feel | Crisp to soft, slightly grainy | Very soft, smooth crepe |
Breathability | Moderate | High |
Strength & abrasion | High | Moderate |
Wrinkle resistance | Good | Wrinkles more easily |
Care | Machine wash gentle, cool iron | Hand wash or dry clean |
Colorfastness | Very good (disperse dyes) | Good, more prone to fading |
Cost | Low to moderate | High |
Typical positioning | Fast fashion to mid-market dresses, blouses, modest wear | Premium, bridal and couture |
What Is Polyester Georgette Used For?
Its main market is womenswear where drape and movement sell the garment. Common applications include:
Womenswear: blouses, shirts, tunics, maxi and midi dresses, wide-leg trousers
Evening and occasionwear: gowns, bridesmaid dresses and party dresses in georgette or polyester satin for evening and bridal wear, often embellished or layered (see wedding accessories)
Traditional and modest wear: sarees, kurtas, dupattas, abayas and hijabs, where opacity and a matte face matter, while performance lines may use polyester Dri-Fit fabrics for underlayers in hot climates
Scarves and shawls: light georgette prints and dyes cleanly with good drape
Home textiles: double georgette for sheer curtains and drapes, table runners and decorative cushion covers, often coordinated with more durable polyester Oxford fabrics for home use
Georgette isn't a seating upholstery fabric. Its open, high-twist weave doesn't have the abrasion resistance needed for sofas or car seats, so its home use is decorative.
Georgette from MH, Supplier Overview
Georgette ranges tend to run wide on color. An eveningwear, modest-wear or blouse collection can carry dozens of shades, and each one needs high-quality wholesale sewing thread, an invisible zipper and often lace that match a sheer fabric where any mismatch shows through. MH (Ningbo MH), founded in 1999, supplies fabrics and garment materials to buyers in more than 150 countries, and its range can offer georgette, chiffon, satin and matching trims from stock for coordinated sourcing, with threads, laces, zippers and trims placed alongside them.
That breadth comes from a catalog of roughly 10,000 tailoring materials and fabrics, 9 factories covering about 350,000 m², 3,000+ employees and 2,000+ partner manufacturers. For fabric wholesalers, dress manufacturers and importers, it means a georgette base and its trims can be sourced and shade-matched in one place, with polyester sewing threads for bulk production keeping denier, GSM and color held consistent across repeat orders. Known as the "Kingdom of Sewing," MH holds "Top 500 China Service Industry" and "AAA Trustworthy Company" recognition and trades under the MH and TWO BIRDS brands.
Browse MH's chiffon and georgette fabrics along with embroidery threads in a wide color range and 150D/2 rayon embroidery thread options, or contact MH for a quote so you can select fiber, denier, weight, width, finish, MOQ and lead time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is georgette always polyester? No. Georgette describes a crepe fabric woven from high-twist yarns, and it can be made from silk, polyester, viscose or blends. Silk was the original fiber, but polyester georgette now makes up most of the commercial market because it's cheaper, more durable and machine washable.
Is polyester georgette see-through? It's semi-sheer. Light georgette around 70-90 GSM is noticeably transparent, especially in pale colors, so it's usually lined or layered. Standard 90-120 GSM georgette is less sheer, and double georgette at about 120-180 GSM is close to opaque.
Which is better, georgette or chiffon? Neither is better overall; they suit different jobs. Georgette is heavier, more matte, more durable and easier to sew, so it works for full dresses, blouses and sarees. Chiffon is lighter, more transparent, and has a softer, flowing drape, so it's chosen for overlays, sleeves, veils and floaty layers.
Does polyester georgette wrinkle or shrink? It resists wrinkles well, since the crepe texture hides minor creases and polyester recovers its shape. Heat-set polyester georgette has low shrinkage in normal washing, but it is susceptible to heat, and high ironing temperatures can damage it by distorting the crepe texture or glazing the surface, just as with other polyester spandex 4-way stretch fabrics.
Is polyester georgette breathable for summer clothing? It's reasonably breathable for a synthetic because the weave is open and lightweight, which makes it common in summer dresses and blouses. It doesn't absorb moisture like silk or viscose georgette, so for very hot climates buyers often choose viscose georgette or a looser cut.