Buckram

Buckram

Buckram is a stiff cotton cloth with a loose weave, often muslin. The fabric is soaked in a sizing agent such as wheat starch paste, glue or pyroxylin, then dried. When rewetted or warmed, it can be shaped to create durable firm fabric for hats. It is also used for book covers elements of clothing.

Millinery Buckram is impregnated with a starch which allows it to be softened in water, pulled over a hat block, and left to dry into a hard shape.

Buckram used in millinery weights

Millinery Buckram is impregnated with a starch allowing it to be softened in water and pulled over a hat block. It forms a hard shape once dried. White Buckram is most commonly used in hat-making, though black is available as well.

Milinery Buckram comes in many weights, including lightweight or baby buckram (often used for children’s and dolls’ hats), single-ply buckram, and double buckram (also known as theatrical buckram or crown buckram).

Theatrical Buckram, Crown Buckram or Double Buckram is used to make theatrical hat frames for theatres that are heavier to withstand repeat use in plays or films. Two-ply buckram (crown buckram) was a heavily-sized cotton fabric in which a plain weave cotton fabric is attached to a finer plain weave cotton fabric. It is used for making very stiff foundation hat frames and costumes for the theatre.

Heavy Buckram is a one-ply, coarse woven cotton fabric that is heavily stiffened, and so the preferred choice for making sturdy hat frames.
Thread Count: 17-20 per inch.

Medium Buckram is a one-ply fabric, used for blocking or flat pattern hat-making. It is a fine weave sized cotton.
Thread count: 26-30 per inch.

Light Buckram is a one-ply finer weave fabric used as a foundation for ribbon and trim work
Thread count: 48-50 per inch.

Drapery Buckram is a one-ply crinoline fabric used as a foundation for ribbon and trim work or crown construction for very light weight hats.
Thread count: 40 per inch.