Unlined Construction

Definition and Overview

Unlined construction is a construction specification in which garments are made primarily from a single outer fabric layer, without lining for the body, sleeves, or other parts. Functions such as smoothness, reinforcement, and suppression of sheerness that would normally be provided by lining must be compensated for by the properties of the outer fabric and the sewing specification.

In apparel, it is also called an unlined specification and is used for shirts, blouses, lightweight garments, lightweight outerwear, and similar items. The equivalent term in traditional Japanese clothing, hitoe construction, refers to making a kimono without a lining, and the scope of the term is somewhat different.

Applicable Areas and Roles

In unlined construction, the inside of the body, sleeves, collar area, and similar parts may be visible when worn, so seam allowances and edges are finished neatly. The main roles are reducing weight, ensuring breathability, and making use of the outer fabric’s natural drape.

Even when the whole garment is made with unlined construction, separate fabric, interfacing, or partial lining may be used in areas such as pocket openings, facings, collar stand, and shoulder area for shape retention and reinforcement.

• In shirts and blouses, seam allowances may be enclosed with flat-felled seams or French seams.
• In jackets, facings and a back yoke lining may be added to reinforce the collar area and shoulders.
• When ease of putting on the sleeves is needed, a partial specification with lining only in the sleeves may be used.

Choosing the Outer Fabric

Select the outer fabric by checking the hand feel against the skin, sheerness, smoothness, stretch, and how easily the seam allowances fray. Thin or light-colored fabrics tend to be sheer, so it is necessary to consider whether unlined construction alone can achieve the desired appearance and comfort when worn.

For woven fabrics, fabrics with moderate density and firmness are easier to handle, while for knits, stitch methods that follow stretch and tape reinforcement are important. When using outer fabric together with interfacing or separate fabric, also check thickness, shrinkage differences, and the appearance after washing.

• When skin separation is important, consider a fabric with a surface that is less likely to feel sticky.
• For outer fabrics that are not slippery, check ease of putting on and taking off sleeves or pants during fitting.
• For stretch fabric, check seam stretch and recovery.
• For sheer fabric, check the appearance together with the clothing worn underneath.

Sewing Considerations

Because the inside is exposed, choose not only overlock finishing but also piping finishes, French seams, and flat-felled seams according to the design and fabric. Finishing the seam allowances affects thickness, seam strength, hand feel against the skin, and fraying after washing.

For areas where interfacing is applied, consider conditions that do not harm the texture of the outer fabric and are less likely to cause seam impressions or interfacing bubbling on the surface. With thin fabrics and stretch materials, it is important to check the sewing conditions and reinforcement method in advance to prevent seam shifting, puckering, and waviness.

Differences from Similar Terms

Fully lined refers to construction with lining in the body and sleeves, which contrasts with unlined construction. Backless lining is a specification in jackets and similar garments in which part of the back is left without lining, and it differs from unlined construction, which uses no lining at all.

Hitoe construction is sometimes used as another name for unlined construction, but in traditional Japanese clothing it generally refers to making a kimono without lining. Also, double weave and double-face refer to the structure of the fabric itself and are a different concept from construction without lining.

Frequently Asked Questions