What is Georgette?

Georgette (jorjet in Turkish) is a thin, lightweight fabric with a matte, slightly crinkled surface, woven from highly twisted yarn. Dictionaries class it as a crepe. It is not a fiber name: the Turkish dictionary (TDK) describes it as generally cotton yarn, while English dictionaries also name silk and rayon.

What is georgette?

TDK gives two senses. The first is a fabric that looks like bürümcük (a fine fabric woven of raw silk), is woven of highly twisted yarns and is generally cotton. The second, as an adjective, is made of this fabric (jorjet etek, a georgette skirt). English dictionaries put georgette in the crepe family. Random House calls it dull and sheer, with silk or rayon as the fiber; Collins calls it thin and matte, with silk or cotton (Dictionary.com). The word comes from French, and Dictionary.com dates its first record to 1910–15 and notes that it was once a trademark. Sources agree on the surface and the structure but differ on the fiber.

Georgette structure and properties

Sources describe georgette at two levels. On the surface it is a matte, thin, transparent crepe look (Dictionary.com; Brentano). For structure, one reference site (the Vintage Fashion Guild) describes a balanced plain weave with highly twisted yarns in warp and weft, the twist turning from S to Z every one or two yarns. An Ankara University open courseware note also lists georgette among the light, thin fabrics woven in plain weave. According to the same reference site, the crinkled surface comes from the highly twisted yarn, not from the weave.

What fiber is georgette made from?

Georgette is not a fiber name. In TDK the fiber is generally cotton. Random House pairs silk with rayon and Collins pairs it with cotton, while the Vintage Fashion Guild writes that the original fiber was silk and that man-made fibers (and wool) came later. The name describes surface and structure, not fiber, which is why the sources differ. As of the date of this entry (October 22, 2026), the label states the fiber by its name in Annex 1 of Turkey's regulation on textile fiber names (article 6/1; in Turkish); consult an expert about the label of your own product. In a quotation, ask separately for the fiber and its percentage.

Where is georgette used?

TDK gives “jorjet etek” (georgette skirt) as its example and Collins “georgette blouse”. The Vintage Fashion Guild lists blouses, evening wear, underwear, hats, curtains and scarves. To find suppliers, see the chiffon and georgette fabric category; georgette is one of that category's alternative names.

Fabrics confused with georgette

Dictionaries define these names close to each other, so when ordering, write the fiber and the weight next to the fabric name.

Choosing and ordering georgette

1. Ask for the fiber and its percentage: TDK and the English dictionaries name different fibers.
2. Try the sheerness on a sample: Random House calls georgette a sheer crepe, and whether a lining is needed is a design question from the start.
3. Ask for the weight in g/m², measured to EN 12127.
4. Test the washing behavior: have a sample washed to ISO 6330 and measure the dimensional change to ISO 5077; for dyed and printed georgette, put ISO 105-C06 wash fastness in the specification.

Frequently asked questions

What is georgette fabric made of?

The name does not fix the fiber. TDK says generally cotton; the English dictionaries name silk, with rayon (Random House) or cotton (Collins); one reference site says silk first and man-made fibers later. State the fiber and percentage in the order.

Is georgette a crepe?

In dictionaries, yes: they place georgette in the crepe family. “Crepe” describes the surface, not the fiber. In georgette the crinkled surface comes from highly twisted yarn, and the weave is plain, according to one reference site and one lecture note.

What is the difference between georgette and chiffon?

They are neighbors, not twins. Getty defines chiffon as a thin, transparent plain weave, while the Vintage Fashion Guild finds georgette slightly heavier with a more crepe-like texture, and dictionaries file georgette under crepe. Both are described as plain weave in some sources, so the line between them shifts with the source. State the fiber and weight alongside the fabric name and approve a sample first.

Can georgette fabric be washed?

The label decides. Georgette is not a fiber, so there is no single care rule; the fiber content and the finish determine it. Before buying, have a sample washed under the label's conditions and check the dimensional change and, for dyed fabric, the wash fastness.