Guides
What to do with a trim once you have chosen one: how much to buy, how to attach it, how to wash and press it, and how to settle on a width. General trade practice — test on an offcut before you commit the garment.
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How much trim do I need?
Measure every edge the trim will cover, add roughly 10% for turnings, mitres and a test length, then divide by the put-up — the fixed length on one piece. Round up to a whole piece. Trims here are sold by the piece and are not cut to length, so the answer is always a number of pieces.
How do I attach a trim so the stitching does not show?
Press the trim before it goes anywhere near the garment, pin and then tack it in place, and machine both long edges in the same direction so the trim cannot twist. Sink the stitches in the trim's own edge or slip-stitch by hand, and fold both raw ends under rather than cutting them flush.
How do I wash and press a garment with trim on it?
Wash by hand in cool water with a mild detergent, never chlorine bleach, and dry flat away from direct sun. Press from the reverse through a pressing cloth at the lowest setting that works: metallic thread is usually metallised polyester and will melt long before a cotton iron reaches its own setting.
What width of trim should I choose?
Measure the edge the trim has to sit on, then match the width to what that edge can carry: a narrow trim for a neckline, cuff or seam, a wide one for a hem, border or dupatta edge. Cut a paper strip to the width and pin it in place before ordering — the eye judges width in position, not on a screen.
Looking for the word rather than the method? The glossary defines the trade terms, and the ranges set two techniques side by side.