Different 7 Types of Seams And Their Uses

Choosing the wrong ​​types of seams​​ is a costly mistake you don’t want to unravel. Poor seams can cause early failures, like unwanted “ventilation.” This can lead to rejected batches and hurt your brand’s reputation. These hidden flaws silently sabotage key metrics. Like cutting product lifespan, compromising appearance, and tripping up manufacturing efficiency.

Selecting the optimal seam transforms outcomes. It directly enhances performance and durability, ensuring the foundation holds – boosting end-user satisfaction. Fewer returns and stronger loyalty? That’s seam-ly the goal! This guide delivers a clear framework to match 7 essential seams to specific application demands.

Understanding these options empowers you to specify requirements clearly to your ​​custom underwear supplier​​ (because they’re not mind-readers… yet), boosting reliability and streamlining production.

Main 7 Types of Seams

1. Plain Seam

A plain seam is the most fundamental and widely used seam in garment and fabric construction. It joins two pieces of fabric by placing them right sides together and stitching along the seam line. 

Why Plain Seams Matter to You

• Simplicity: It’s the easiest seam to sew, saving you time and reducing errors.
• Strength: Strong enough for most everyday fabrics, ensuring your products hold up well.
• VERSATILITY: Suitable for a wide range of applications—from casual shirts to formal dresses and home textiles.
• Cost-effective: Only one line of stitching is needed. This cuts production costs but keeps quality high.

Common Applications

• Garments like shirts, skirts, pants, and dresses.
• Home textiles such as pillowcases, curtains, and linens.
• Craft projects including quilting and bag assembly.

How a Plain Seam is Made

1. Align fabric pieces with right sides facing each other.
2. Pin along the stitching line.
3. Sew a straight line, reinforcing the start and end with a backstitch.
4. Press the seam allowances open flat.
5. Optionally, add topstitching for extra strength or a cleaner look.

Pro Tip:​​ Consistently calibrate your thread tension before high-volume plain seam production. Just 2 to 4 grams excess tension causes puckering while under-tension leads to seam slippage. Test scraps first.

2. French Seam

When working with delicate or lightweight fabrics, a French seam offers you a perfect blend of neatness and durability.

Why Choose French Seams

• Invisible and Enclosed Edges: The seam hides all raw edges inside, preventing fraying and ensuring a refined look.
• Great for Sheer and Delicate Fabrics: French seams are ideal for silk, chiffon, organza, and voile. They help keep the fabric strong.
• Extra Strength and Comfort: The seam is sewn twice, doubling its durability and keeping rough edges away from the skin. Great for lingerie or blouse production.

Benefits You Will Appreciate

• PREMIUM AESTHETIC: Your final product looks polished inside and out. Exactly what premium garment customers expect.
• LONG-LASTING WEAR: The double stitching increases seam strength, reducing repairs.
• SKIN-FRIENDLY FINISH: Enclosed edges avoid irritation, perfect for items worn close to the body like lingerie.

Keep in Mind

• The French seam takes more time to sew, roughly twice the effort of a regular seam.
• It’s NOT suitable for thick or heavyweight fabrics, where the double seam can create unwanted bulk.

3. Flat-Felled Seam

The flat-felled seam is one of the most durable and neat types of seams you can use for garments that need to last. This seam completely encloses raw fabric edges by folding them inwards and stitching them flat. 

Why Choose Flat-Felled Seams?

• Maximum Strength: Flat-felled seams have two rows of visible stitching. They are reinforced to withstand heavy wear and repeated washing.
• Clean Finish: Both inside and outside of the garment look smooth and tidy because the fabric edges are hidden. This attention to detail is similar to what you’d find in premium China baby clothes. The comfortable seams are essential to prevent irritation on delicate skin.
• Comfort: Since the seam is flat and folded, it feels smooth against the skin with no rough edges.
• Proven History: Levi’s used this seam in their denim jeans since the late 1800s to boost durability and worker comfort. Today, it’s standard in denim production worldwide.

How Flat-Felled Seams Are Made

1. Stitch the two fabric pieces together with a 5/8 inch seam allowance.
2. Trim one seam edge down to about 1/4 inch.
3. Fold the wider seam allowance over the trimmed edge.
4. Press the folded seam flat for a neat finish.
5. Sew down securely with two rows of stitches.

Variations to Consider

• Classic Flat-Felled Seam: Offers full double-fold strength with two rows of topstitching.
• Faux Flat-Felled Seam: Has one row of stitching and is lighter but less strong, ideal for thicker fabrics or quicker production.

4. Bound Seam

A bound seam is a smart choice when you want to enclose raw edges of fabric using a strip of material called bias tape. These types of seams are common in garments and products where the inside is visible or needs extra durability.

Key Benefits of Bound Seams

• Durability and Neatness: The binding covers raw edges completely. This prevents fraying and wear. As a result, your garments or items last longer.
• Versatility: Bias tape used in bound seams stretches and curves smoothly. Making it perfect for both straight and rounded edges.
• Clean Appearance: Bound seams look tidy on both sides. They are perfect for unlined jackets, bags, and items with visible inside seams.
• Great for Delicate Fabrics: This seam suits loosely woven materials that could tear with other finishes, like serging.
• Decoration Potential: You can choose contrasting bias tape colors to add a decorative touch inside your products.

Practical Uses and Examples

• Common on jackets, luggage, tents, and bags where sturdy edge finishes matter.
• The Hong Kong finish, a type of bound seam, uses a single-layer bias tape for a lighter look, ideal in tailored clothing.
• Though bound seams add some bulk, this is acceptable in many applications that need a professional quality finish.

Suggested Reading: 7 Types of Sportswear You Should Know

5. Lapped Seam

A lapped seam is a smart choice when working with fabrics that don’t fray easily, such as leather, suede, wool, felt, and vinyl. These types of seams join fabric edges by overlapping and stitching them flat, which creates a clean and flat finish. 

When to Use a Lapped Seam

• Flat and free of bulk, which improves comfort and appearance.
• Suitable for straight or slightly curved edges rather than very curved or elastic areas.
• Strong enough for high-stress areas like jeans or tailored coats.
• Visibly neat and sometimes decorative, especially with contrasting thread colors.

Popular Lapped Seams

• Flat and Felled Seam: A classic choice in denim jeans for strength and durability.
• Mock Flat and Felled Seam: Similar but with a simpler finish, saving time.
• Welt Seam: Offers both strength and a neat appearance useful in outerwear.
• Slot Seam: Decorative, uses an underlay for a color contrast, great for creative designs.
• Cord Seam: Creates a raised, decorative edge for detailing necklines or accessories.

6. Welt Seam

The welt seams are strong and durable types of seams that offer both function and style. 

Typical Uses of Welt Seams

You’ll find welt seams commonly in:

• Jackets, jeans, and workwear, especially where durability is key.
• Outdoor gear, bags, and cushions that need to handle wear and washing.
• Heavy curtains and upholstery where you want both strength and neat edges.

How to Sew a Welt Seam

1. Stitch a simple seam with right sides of fabric together.
2. Press both seam allowances to one side.
3. Finish the raw edges with serging, zigzag stitching, or pinking shears to avoid fraying.
4. Topstitch through all layers on the fabric’s right side.

7. Double-Stitched Seam

A double-stitched seam is a strong and reliable option that features two parallel rows of stitches running close together.

Why Choose Double-Stitched Seams?

• Stronger seam strength: Double stitching can increase the seam’s strength by 20–30% compared to plain seams. This means your product will last longer, especially in parts like pockets, collars, or heavy-duty clothing.
• Even finish: The two rows of stitching spread out the seam allowance, giving a smooth, flat look with less bulk.
• Versatile use: It works great on both light fabrics (like shirts and blouses) and heavy materials.

Technical Highlights

• Stitches are usually spaced about 1/8” (3-4 mm) apart.
• Common in industrial production where high durability matters, like in jeans’ side seams or sports uniforms.
• Can be done as a double top-stitched seam, which is visible from the outside and offers both decoration and extra reinforcement.

Expert Tip: Adjust your double-needle machine timing. This helps remove differential feed between stitch lines. Mismatched tension leads to gathers in lightweight fabrics. It can also cause thread breaks in heavyweight textiles during long runs.

Stephanie Wyatt, Stitches & Seams Expert

Conclusion

Mastering seam selection and its integration with other garment construction details is crucial for product excellence. Ill-fitting ​​types of seams​​ compromise durability, aesthetics, and efficiency.

This is where ​​LeelineApparel​​ brings decades of specialized expertise to the table. We excel in smoothly executing seam types and customizing all key construction details. From stitch density to reinforcement, to meet your precise performance, aesthetic, and cost targets.

Connect with us or send to [email protected] for expert guidance on tailoring types of seams and optimizing the full garment engineering spectrum. 

FAQs About Types of Seams