What Is Acetate Fabric? Why Satin Dresses Use It

Acetate is a semi-synthetic fiber made from cellulose, usually wood pulp, treated to form cellulose acetate and spun into a smooth, shiny thread. It gives satin dresses and linings a silk-like look and drape at a lower cost, but it's weaker than polyester and sensitive to heat.

If you've found "acetate" on the label of a party dress or inside a jacket, this is what you're dealing with, what it's good at, and the two everyday things that can ruin it.

What acetate fabric is made from

Acetate fabric starts as purified cellulose, the plant material in wood pulp. The cellulose is reacted with acetic acid to make cellulose acetate, which is dissolved in a solvent and pushed through tiny holes to form long filaments. That's why it's called semi-synthetic: the raw material is natural, but the fiber is made in a factory.

The result is a smooth, lustrous fiber with lovely drape and softness, closer to silk than to most synthetics. You'll find it in:

• Linings of dresses, skirts, suits and coats, where its slippery surface helps a garment slide on.
• Satin and taffeta for party dresses, wedding and bridal wear.
• Blouses and some lingerie.

Acetate is not the same as viscose, though both start from wood cellulose. They are made by different processes and behave differently in wear and in the wash. Our guide to viscose covers the other one.

Acetate satin: why dresses use it

Satin is a weave, not a fiber, so acetate satin is simply acetate woven in a satin weave. Our guide to satin vs silk explains the difference between the weave and the fiber.

Designers use acetate satin because it gets close to the look of silk satin for less. It has a soft, deep shine rather than the bright, sometimes glassy shine of cheaper polyester satin, and it drapes well. That's why it shows up in evening dresses, bias-cut slips and lined cocktail dresses.

Here's how the three main satins compare:

• Silk satin: the softest drape and a warm glow. It usually costs the most and needs the gentlest care.
• Acetate satin: a silk-like shine and good drape, usually for less than silk. Delicate, and dry cleaning is often recommended.
• Polyester satin: tough, easy to wash and usually the least expensive. The shine can look harder and it breathes less.

To know which one you're holding, read the fiber line on the label, not the word "satin" in the product name. Online, look in the product details for the fabric content; a listing that only says "satin" hasn't told you the fiber yet. Many labels list the lining separately too (US rules don't require it for every lining), so check whether a polyester dress has an acetate lining: that lining needs the same gentle care as an acetate dress.

For a satin slip dress at a rehearsal dinner, acetate satin is a good middle ground if you love the silk look but not the silk price.

When acetate is a good material

Acetate is a good material for dresses you wear for occasions and for linings. For everyday clothes that go through the wash every week, it's a weaker choice. Here's the balance.

The good:

• Drapes and moves well, and has a rich, silk-like luster.
• Absorbs more moisture than polyester, so it can feel more comfortable in a warm room. Our guide to the best fabrics for women's underwear covers why that matters next to the skin.
• Usually doesn't pill.
• Usually costs less than silk.

The not so good:

• Weaker than polyester, especially when wet, so it can tear if it's wrung out or handled roughly.
• Wrinkles easily and needs gentle pressing.
• Very sensitive to heat. It melts at low temperatures, so a hot iron can leave a permanent mark.
• Damaged by acetone, which is in many nail polish removers.
• Often dry clean only.

Acetate vs polyester

Acetate vs polyester is the comparison you'll make most often, because both are used for satin dresses and linings.

• Origin: acetate is semi-synthetic, from wood cellulose. Polyester is fully synthetic.
• Feel and drape: acetate is softer and drapes more like silk. Polyester can feel slicker and stiffer.
• Moisture: acetate absorbs some moisture. Polyester absorbs almost none and can trap heat.
• Strength: polyester is strong, wet or dry. Acetate is weaker.
• Wrinkles: acetate wrinkles a lot. Polyester resists wrinkles.
• Heat: both are heat sensitive, acetate much more so. Polyester can be pressed into lasting pleats; acetate can't take that much heat.
• Pilling: acetate usually doesn't pill. Polyester may.
• Care: acetate is often dry clean only or hand wash. Polyester usually goes in the machine.

If you want a dress that looks like silk for a few special nights, acetate does that well. If you want a dress you can throw in the wash, choose polyester.

Things that damage acetate

Three everyday things can ruin an acetate dress fast:

• Acetone. Nail polish remover that contains acetone dissolves acetate on contact, leaving a hole or a hard, melted patch. Some perfumes can harm it too. Do your nails and put on perfume before you dress, and let both dry.
• Heat. A hot iron, a hot dryer or a curling iron set down on the fabric can melt or glaze it. Press on the lowest setting, inside out.
• Rough washing. Wringing, twisting or a hard machine cycle can stretch, crease or tear acetate. If the label says dry clean, follow it.

Caring for an acetate dress

Start with the care label. Many acetate dresses say dry clean, and that's the safest route for a lined or structured piece. If the label allows hand washing, this is the routine:

1. Fill a basin with lukewarm water and a little mild detergent.
2. Squeeze the suds through the dress gently. Don't rub, twist or wring.
3. Rinse, then blot out the water with a towel.
4. Hang it on a padded hanger to dry, away from heat.
5. Press while it's still slightly damp, inside out, with the iron on its lowest setting, or use a steamer from a distance.

The routine looks a lot like the one for how to wash a silk dress, and the instinct is the same: cool, gentle and no heat on the face of the fabric. Store acetate on a hanger with some space around it, since it creases easily when crushed in a packed closet.