You can quickly translate fabrics in Japanese to English, with this handy chart. I’ll also show you some examples of the most commonly used fabrics in Japanese sewing patterns!
Fabric Terms in Japanese to English: Quick Reference Chart
The three columns of this chart is used as follows:
“Japanese” column – Fabric terms in Japanese e.g. シャンブレー
“Pronunciation” column – How to read the Japanese fabric term e.g. シャンブレー is pronounced, “shabure”.
“English” column – Japanese fabric term translated into English.
| Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| シャンブレー | Shanbure | Chambray |
| コーデュロイ | Kojuroi | Corduroy |
| コットン / 木綿 | Kotton | Cotton |
| デニム | Denimu | Denim |
| ガーゼ | Gāzē | Gauze |
| ジョーゼッ卜 | Jozetto | Georgette |
| ジャージー | Jaajii | Jersey |
| ニット | Nitto | Knit |
| ローン | Rōn | Lawn |
| 革 | Kawa | Leather |
| リバティ プリント | Ribatii Purinto | Liberty Print |
| リネン | Rinen | Linen |
| ナイロン | Nairon | Nylon |
| レイヨン | Reiyon | Rayon |
| サテン | Saten | Satin |
| 絹 | Kinu | Silk |
| チュール | Chūru | Tulle |
| ツイル | Tsuiru | Twill |
| ボイル | Boiru | Voile |
| ウール | Uuru | Wool |
Top 5 Fabrics in Japanese Sewing Patterns
Here are the most popular fabrics used in Japanese sewing books, with pictures! Or a video if you prefer.
- Double Gauze
A soft and lightweight fabric, that’s extremely popular in Japan. It’s made up of two, thin layers of cotton which are basted together.
- Cotton
The most versatile and beginner friendly fabric, cotton is a great choice for your first Japanese sewing pattern.
Do you want to take a look at how I bought these whilst fabric shopping in Japan? Take a look at my fabric shopping in Japan video. - Linen
Linen is easy to work with, and is very fashionable right now. This is my favourite type of Japanese fabric to sew garments with.
Check out this linen dress I made from one of my all time fave Japanese sewing books.
Are you curious about Japanese sewing patterns? Make sure you grab my free download, “Beginners Guide to Japanese Sewing Patterns”. - Liberty Print
Liberty Print is of course, the iconic printed fabrics from Liberty of London. Japanese sewing lovers adore this fabric, and it’s used in many Japanese sewing patterns.
- Lawn
Lawn is also a type of cotton, but it is made with a thinner thread, resulting in a more silky, buttery feel. You can get a nice drape without having to use difficult fabrics like satin or silk.
Japanese lawn fabric was the perfect choice for this McCall’s wrap dress I made.
