Satin

The Italian word for satin, “raso”, comes from the word “radere” (“to shave”). Its story is linked to that of silk

If the noun “raso” suggests an origin of the verb “to shave” (raso= shaved, made smooth), the noun “satin” is linked to a Chinese toponym instead.

Its history is closely connected to that of silk, a monopoly of China for millennia.

In the Middle Ages satin was produced with silk, it was very expensive and used by the wealthy classes. It became famous in Europe in the 12th century, and the term derives from the main Chinese port city of Quanzhou, a foothold for foreign traders, visited by Marco Polo and Ibn Baṭṭūṭa.

Satin is the name of the third fundamental weave, next to canvas and twill (with its derivative batavia). This word defines all the fabrics that use this weaving and that are smooth and flat, precisely shaved, and with a silky sheen. All other things being equal, satin is shinier than twill and canvas, because having longer bridles, it reflects light better.

This weave has minimal binding points, which therefore do not produce the characteristic grain effects of the other two weaves. Satin weave fabrics are therefore more delicate and less resistant. They can be made from any textile fibre.

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