# interfacing > inner material used to stiffen or strengthen part of a garment **Wikidata**: [Q1020499](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1020499) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfacing) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/interfacing ## Summary Interfacing is an inner material used to stiffen or strengthen parts of a garment, serving as a crucial component in tailoring, dressmaking, and textile manufacturing. It is classified as a textile subclass and is commonly known by aliases such as interlining and Vlieseline. This material provides structure and durability to clothing items, enabling garments to maintain their shape while preserving comfort. ## Key Facts - **Definition**: Inner material used to stiffen or strengthen part of a garment - **Classification**: Term (with qualifiers: tailoring, dressmaking, textile manufacturing) - **Subclass of**: Textile - **Aliases**: Interlining, Vlieseline - **Wikipedia Title**: Interfacing - **Wikipedia Sitelink Count**: 14 languages (be, cs, de, en, id, it, ja, lt, nl, pl, pt, ru, sv, tr) - **Google Knowledge Graph ID**: /g/11c2j8t6xt - **Google Product Taxonomy**: 7076 - Arts & Entertainment > Hobbies & Creative Arts > Arts & Crafts > Art & Crafting Materials > Textiles > Interfacing - **Image Source**: Canapina e crine di giacca doppiopetto.jpg (Wikimedia Commons) - **BabelNet ID**: 03656635n (references: Q4837690) - **Freebase ID**: /m/03bv2q (references: Q15241312, publication_date: 2013-10-28) - **Art & Architecture Thesaurus ID**: 300227843 - **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: topic/interlining - **Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID**: entretela - **Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID (former scheme)**: 0103299 - **Microsoft Academic ID (discontinued)**: 2776303644 ## FAQs **What is interfacing in sewing and garment construction?** Interfacing is an inner textile layer used to stiffen or reinforce specific areas of a garment, such as collars, cuffs, waistbands, and button plackets. It provides structural support while remaining hidden within the garment's construction, making it essential for achieving professional-looking results in tailoring and dressmaking projects. **What are the common names and variations for interfacing?** The term "interfacing" is used interchangeably with "interlining" in many contexts. The brand name "Vlieseline" has become so widely recognized that it often serves as a generic term for fusible interfacing products in European sewing communities. These aliases reflect the material's widespread use across different textile traditions and manufacturing regions. **How is interfacing categorized in product classification systems?** In the Google Product Taxonomy, interfacing is classified under category 7076, specifically within Arts & Entertainment > Hobbies & Creative Arts > Arts & Crafts > Art & Crafting Materials > Textiles > Interfacing. This classification places it among essential crafting materials used by hobbyists and professional tailors alike. **Which knowledge bases and encyclopedias document interfacing?** Interfacing is documented across multiple academic and encyclopedic sources, including the Encyclopædia Britannica (topic/interlining), the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana (entretela), BabelNet (03656635n), Freebase (/m/03bv2q), and the Art & Architecture Thesaurus (300227843). It also appears in 14 different language editions of Wikipedia, demonstrating its international relevance in textile and fashion contexts. **What is the relationship between interfacing and other textile terms?** Interfacing is classified as a subclass of "textile" in structured data systems, specifically falling under the broader category of materials used in tailoring, dressmaking, and textile manufacturing. It is distinct from similar terms like lining (which covers the entire inner surface of a garment) and interlining (which may refer to additional layers for warmth). ## Why It Matters Interfacing plays a fundamental role in garment construction and textile manufacturing, serving as the invisible backbone that gives clothing its professional structure and longevity. Without interfacing, garments would lack the crispness of a well-formed collar, the durability of reinforced buttonholes, and the shape retention that distinguishes quality tailoring from amateur work. This material bridges the gap between functional necessity and aesthetic appeal, allowing designers and seamstresses to create garments that maintain their intended silhouette through repeated wear and washing. The significance of interfacing extends beyond individual garment construction to impact the broader textile industry and consumer fashion experience. By providing structural support in key areas, interfacing extends the wearable life of garments, contributing to sustainability by reducing the need for frequent replacements. Additionally, the development of fusible interfacing (adhesive-backed varieties that bond to fabric with heat) revolutionized home sewing and professional tailoring alike, making structured garments more accessible to hobbyists and reducing production time in manufacturing settings. From a commercial perspective, interfacing represents a specialized niche within the larger textile and notions market. Its classification in Google Product Taxonomy as category 7076 reflects its position as a distinct craft and manufacturing material, while its presence in academic knowledge bases like the Art & Architecture Thesaurus and Microsoft Academic (historically) demonstrates its recognition as a legitimate subject of scholarly and practical study. ## Notable For - Being documented in 14 different language editions of Wikipedia, indicating its universal importance in textile arts - Having the brand name "Vlieseline" become synonymous with fusible interfacing in European markets - Serving as a critical component in professional tailoring and dressmaking since the early development of structured garment construction - Being classified as a textile subclass with specific qualifiers for tailoring, dressmaking, and textile manufacturing applications - Appearing in major encyclopedic sources including Encyclopædia Britannica and Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana - Having dedicated identifiers across multiple knowledge graphs including BabelNet, Freebase, and Google Knowledge Graph ## Body ### Definition and Classification Interfacing is defined as an inner material used to stiffen or strengthen part of a garment. In the context of knowledge organization, it is classified as a "term" with specific qualifiers relating to its practical applications in tailoring, dressmaking, and textile manufacturing. The classification as a subclass of "textile" places it within the broader hierarchy of fabric materials, distinguishing it from finished garment products and focusing on its role as a component material. The entity carries the Wikidata description "inner material used to stiffen or strengthen part of a garment," which directly captures its functional purpose. This definition has been consistently maintained across multiple knowledge bases and encyclopedic sources, reflecting the stable and universally understood nature of this textile component. ### Aliases and Terminology The primary aliases for interfacing include "interlining" and "Vlieseline." The term "interlining" is particularly common in British English and historical textile contexts, sometimes referring to additional layers inserted between a garment's outer fabric and lining for purposes of warmth or structure. "Vlieseline" has become a proprietary eponym in European sewing communities, originating from a major manufacturer of fusible interfacings and now often used generically to describe heat-bonded interfacing products. The Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana documents the Catalan term "entretela" as the equivalent designation, demonstrating the multilingual nature of textile terminology. This variation across languages reflects the global nature of garment construction and the need for consistent translation of technical textile terms. ### Database Identifiers and Cross-References Interfacing is indexed across numerous external databases and knowledge graphs, reflecting its significance in both academic and commercial contexts: - **BabelNet ID**: 03656635n (with references to Q4837690) - **Freebase ID**: /m/03bv2q (with references to Q15241312, published 2013-10-28) - **Google Knowledge Graph ID**: /g/11c2j8t6xt - **Google Product Taxonomy**: 7076 (Arts & Entertainment > Hobbies & Creative Arts > Arts & Crafts > Art & Crafting Materials > Textiles > Interfacing) - **Art & Architecture Thesaurus ID**: 300227843 - **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: topic/interlining - **Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID**: entretela - **Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID (former scheme)**: 0103299 - **Microsoft Academic ID (discontinued)**: 2776303644 These identifiers demonstrate the concept's integration into major knowledge organization systems, from general-purpose knowledge graphs to specialized art and architecture thesauruses. ### Wikipedia and Multilingual Presence Interfacing maintains a presence across 14 different language editions of Wikipedia, with sitelinks in Belarusian (be), Czech (cs), German (de), English (en), Indonesian (id), Italian (it), Japanese (ja), Lithuanian (lt), Dutch (nl), Polish (pl), Portuguese (pt), Russian (ru), Swedish (sv), and Turkish (tr). The Wikipedia title is consistently "Interfacing" across these language editions, facilitating cross-language research and reference. The multilingual coverage reflects the universal nature of garment construction techniques and the global relevance of interfacing as a textile component. The 14-language coverage, while modest compared to broader concepts like "brand" (71 languages), indicates specialized but meaningful recognition across major textile-manufacturing and fashion-conscious regions. ### Visual Documentation A Wikimedia Commons image titled "Canapina e crine di giacca doppiopetto.jpg" (Canapina and horsehair in a double-breasted jacket) provides visual documentation of interfacing materials in historical garment construction. This image illustrates traditional interfacing materials including canvas (canapina) and horsehair (crine), demonstrating the historical evolution of interfacing from natural, rigid materials to modern fusible synthetics. ### Relationship to Other Textile Concepts Interfacing maintains specific relationships within the textile knowledge hierarchy. As a subclass of "textile," it connects to broader categories of fabric and material science. Its classification as a "term" with qualifiers in tailoring, dressmaking, and textile manufacturing situates it within practical craft and industrial applications. The distinction between interfacing and related concepts is important: while "lining" refers to the complete inner layer of a garment visible at certain points, interfacing is strategically placed in specific areas requiring reinforcement. "Interlining" may sometimes overlap with interfacing but traditionally includes layers added for thermal insulation in addition to structural support. ### Commercial and Product Context Within the Google Product Taxonomy system, interfacing occupies category 7076 within the path "Arts & Entertainment > Hobbies & Creative Arts > Arts & Crafts > Art & Crafting Materials > Textiles > Interfacing." This classification reflects its dual nature as both an industrial manufacturing material and a hobbyist craft supply, serving professional tailors, home sewers, and textile manufacturers alike. The product classification acknowledges the market for interfacing as a distinct category of notions and haberdashery, separate from threads, buttons, zippers, and other garment construction supplies. This commercial recognition reinforces the material's economic significance within the broader textile supply chain. ## References 1. Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles 2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 3. BabelNet 4. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)