Where does Satin come from?

Satin comes from Quanzhou, China, where it dates to the Middle Ages.

Plate No. 019weave

First documented: Middle Ages
Origin: Quanzhou, Fujian, China
Fiber: silk, polyester
Weave: 5-end satin
Family: weaves

Plate No. 019 · weave

Satin

Satin is a weave of long floats: each warp end passes over four or more weft picks before binding, and the interlacing points are scattered so they never line up into a visible diagonal. The unbroken runs of thread are what give satin its sheen and slipperiness. The weave traveled from China along the silk routes and took its European name from the port it shipped from. Woven in silk the cloth is satin; the same structure flipped weft-side up in cotton is sateen.

Illustration: a Chinese silk workshop, reels of glossy filament silk, a tall drawloom, paper lanterns, evening light — A Chinese silk workshop, reels of glossy filament silk, a tall drawloom, paper lanterns, evening light.

Named for

From Zaiton, the medieval Arabic name for the Chinese port of Quanzhou, from which the lustrous silk cloth was shipped west.

Common questions

What is Satin made of?: Satin is a weave of long floats: each warp end passes over four or more weft picks before binding, and the interlacing points are scattered so they never line up into a visible diagonal. It is traditionally made of silk or polyester.
Where does Satin come from?: Satin comes from Quanzhou, China, where it dates to the Middle Ages.
What is Satin named after?: From Zaiton, the medieval Arabic name for the Chinese port of Quanzhou, from which the lustrous silk cloth was shipped west.