page_title: Satin
section_title: Origins
hierarchical_section_title: Satin / Origins
caption_attribution_description: English: Woman’s robe à la française, England, circa 1765. Silk satin with weft-float patterning and silk passementerie.
context_page_description: Satin refers to the weave of a fabric rather than the material. It typically has a glossy surface and a dull back, one of three fundamental types of textile weaves along with plain weave and twill. The satin weave is characterized by four or more fill or weft yarns floating over a warp yarn, four warp yarns floating over a single weft yarn. Floats are missed interfacings, for example where the warp yarn lies on top of the weft in a warp-faced satin. These floats explain the high luster and even sheen, as unlike in other weaves, the light reflecting is not scattered as much by the fibres. Satin is usually a warp-faced weaving technique in which warp yarns are "floated" over weft yarns, although there are also weft-faced satins. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, polyester or nylon, the corresponding fabric is termed a satin, although some definitions insist that the fabric be made from silk. If the yarns used are short-staple yarns such as cotton, the fabric formed is considered a sateen.
  Many variations can be made of the basic satin weave, including a granite weave and a check weave.
context_section_description: Originally, during the Middle Ages, satin was made of silk; consequently it was very expensive, used only by the upper classes. Satin became famous in Europe during the twelfth century. The name derives its origin from the Chinese port city of Quanzhou, which was visited by Arab merchants, who called it by the Arabic word Zayton. During the latter part of the Middle Ages, it was a major shipping port of silk, using the Maritime Silk Road to reach Europe. It was mostly used in the Arab world.
caption: Satin robe. English, circa 1765
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