Corduroy

The soft, ribbed texture of corduroy is why we love it so much for sewing! Whether you’re itching to make beautiful corduroy trousers or dresses for the cooler months, or just want to create a fashionable corduroy handbag. You can find a great range of corduroy with a variety of different wales (rib widths) right here at Selfmade®, formerly known as STOFF & STIL.

What type of fabric is Corduroy?

Corduroy is quite soft to the touch and feels pleasant on your skin, yet it’s a tough type of fabric that’s durable and warm. It’s great for creating winter clothes or upholstering furniture.

Corduroy is a woven fabric, rather than a knitted one. Although it is ribbed with lines we call “wales”, it is not stretchy and needs to be hemmed properly to prevent fraying. The wales can be close together or far apart. The corduroy fabrics at Selfmade® all clearly have a wale number. 

The width of the cord is commonly referred to as the size of the "wale", where a low number, e.g. 4 wales, means wide ribs, and a high number, e.g. 21 wales, means narrow, fine ribs.

Is corduroy made of cotton?

Yes, most corduroy is made from cotton although you can use many types of fibres to make this fabric, including polyester and other synthetic fibres. Due to the soft touch of the corduroy ribbed texture, you might have thought that corduroy was made out of velvet, but that’s not the case.

How is corduroy fabric made?

Corduroy starts as a usual woven fabric with a plain base, but extra cotton (or whatever material the corduroy is made of) is added to form vertical ridges that go from the top to the bottom. This makes the material thicker, warmer and heavier. It can also be quite stiff and tricky to work with, so make sure you have strong needles for your sewing machine!

Is corduroy a natural or a synthetic fabric? 

Corduroy can be a natural or synthetic fabric. Most corduroy fabrics are made from cotton, making them a natural and plant-based fabric, however, some can be made from synthetic fibres, like polyester. Always check carefully what your corduroy is made of before buying!

Here at Selfmade®, we have a range of different corduroy materials that are good for upholstery and clothes, made from materials including nylon and polyester. Browse the selection now to find your perfect corduroy material for your next sewing project!