Fabric nerd alert: Not all fabric with puckered stripes is called seersucker. If you learn how plissé and seersucker are made, you probably will be able to spot the difference.
Plissé
Cotton fabric with a puckered stripe texture caused by a chemical treatment (with sodium hydroxide) is called plissé. The chemical is applied in stripes which causes the fabric in those areas to shrink, leaving the remaining area puckered. The puckered stripes usually follow the warp of the fabric. The appearance is much like seersucker.
The term plissé (French for “pleated”) is often applied to chemically-puckered manufactured fabrics as well.
Uses: Summery shirts, sportswear, children’s clothing, nightgowns
See also: Seersucker, Cotton crepe
Cotton plissé
Nylon plissé ©Vintage Fashion Guild - This photo by Hoyt Carter, Text and additional photos by Margaret Wilds/denisebrain
