Satin Ribbon

About Satin Ribbon

Available as both single and double faced, satin ribbon is made with a soft glossy weave producing a smooth, silky finish. All our stocks are located here in the UK ready for immediate dispatch, where there is a limited quantity in stock this will be noted on the product listing page. Attractive and available in numerous colours, widths and lengths it is no wonder satin ribbon is a clear favourite for many a crafter.

What is it? Satin Ribbon is distinguishable from other types of ribbon by its shiny and smooth texture and presentation. Originally satin ribbon was produced using silk and as such it still has associations with luxury and expense. However, in spite of its name Satin ribbon is not always made from satin, it can also be made from rayon or polyester or cotton.

Satin ribbon is made using a satin weave and this is predominately what differentiates it from other types of ribbon. Satin weave contains a differing proportion of warp and weft than other fabrics; either more warp or more weft.

There are two different basic types of satin ribbon; single faced or double faced. The difference being single faced only has the satin finish on one side. The advantages of this are mostly monetary as it is usually cheaper than double sided.

Satin ribbon is a commonly chosen and highly versatile crafting product with numerous uses. Originally satin ribbon was produced using natural fibres and this was the case until the advent of polyester and other synthetic fibres. With its relatively low cost polyester ribbon was firstly adopted by the clothing and lingerie companies and is still widely use in these area today. More recently however satin ribbons like those found on this page have become more popular in the haberdashery and crafts industry due to the growth in areas like card making, custom clothing and simply as a decorative addition.

These days satin ribbon is generally manufactured from quality polyester or nylon filaments woven into a tight, uniform weave resulting in a smooth and silky finish. All satin ribbon listed in this section will be woven/sewn edge unless otherwise stated, this is important as it will give the ribbon additional strength and reduce fraying when cut.

Polyester is the most common and generally the cheapest material from which satin ribbon is made. While the polyester filaments produce a superior finish they also gives the ribbon strength and flexibility which not only make it great for craft projects but also for tying and gift wrapping. If you are unsure what material a ribbon is made from this information will be provided in the product description or specification section on most product pages.

We stock a number of different widths as standard which range from 3mm (approx. 1/8 inch if you prefer imperial) all the way up to 100mm (roughly 4 inches). The satin ribbon width most commonly request here is the 10mm, perfect for card making, gift wrapping and clothing trim. If you're looking for sash or banner ribbon we suggest the 75mm or 100mm range as these are likely the sizes you need.

Our standard range ribbons are available in over 30 different colours which are almost always in stock. If you require a colour which we do not stock as standard on the site, let us know because we can source virtually any colour. Every care has been taken to show ribbon colours accurately in all the product images however there may be some very minor deviations. This is due primarily to the difference in monitor settings and quality rather than the image itself.

Virtually all ribbons we stock are available for purchase by the metre if required, with this service ribbon is cut to length and supplied loose, this way you only pay for what you need. We suggest you use the "by the metre" service if you are not sure which colour would suit your needs or require samples of the colours prior to purchase. Similarly if you require the colour to match a very specific theme or range and are worried about possible monitor variations we would suggest using this service to check ribbon is suitable.

In addition to by the metre lengths most sizes and colours are available as full rolls. These rolls vary in length, most come in standard 25 metre roll and larger wholesale rolls of 100 metres or 100 yards depending on brand and size. We always recommend rolls when lengths of 10 metres of ribbon or more are needed, not only will storage be simpler but rolls tend to carry great discounts compared to by the metre lengths. This discount on a metre for metre basis tends to be greater the longer the rolls are.

Satin ribbon is also great for printed designs and printed text such as birthday wishes and advertisements. A number of standard off the shelf designs are available but the greatest strength of satin is the ease with which it can be custom printed. Although not available directly from us right now the process of custom printing is relatively cheap and easy to achieve. To check the designs currently in stock please see the printed satin ribbon section.