What is the difference between Organdy and Organza

Organdy

A sheer, lightweight, cotton fabric made with an open, plain weave and very fine, tightly twisted single yarns. Organdy has crisp to stiff drape that may be gathered, pleated or shirred into a bouffant fullness. It may be used alone or paired with another fabric to add fullness and loft. The fabric wrinkles and crushes easily, but it is quickly smoothed with a hot iron. It is often confused with organza, which is a sheer crisp, plain weave fabric of man-made or silk fibers.

Characteristics of Organdy Fabric
It is made with tightly twisted yarns. Crispness is due to a finish with starch and calendaring which washes out, or a permanent crispness obtained with chemicals (Heberlein process). It wrinkles badly unless given a wrinkle-free finish (bellmanizing). It may be bleached, dyed, printed, frosted, flocked, embroidered, or plisse.

Organza

Organza is a sheer, thin open weave fabric that is heavier and crisper than silk gauze. It has a smooth, flat finish, is strong anddurable, and gets its stiffness from tightly twisted yarns. It is often used as the base fabrics for embellished fabrics. It can be dyed any color but it has some minor distortion from dyeing because of sheerness and irregularity of twisted yarns. It is washable and retains crispness only if washed in cold water and needs to be pressed while still wet.

General Uses

Silk organza is very light-weight and sheer, but a bit stiff, and can be gathered for bouffant uses, used alone or over other fabrics for fitted to loosely fitted blouses, dresses and evening wear. It is also useful for facings, interfacings or lining. Silk organza can be used as an underlining to add crispness to parts of a garment. It sews easily, doesn’t show pin holes. It is usually reserved for underlining another silk, flower girl dresses, christening dresses, some bedding accessories and interfacings for sheers or semi-sheers or where an extremely light stiffening is required.

Fabric Care
Organza is washable, but wash it before cutting out.