Simply Ribbons - Our Frequently Asked Questions...

In the following section we have tried to give a basic description of the main types of ribbon and there suggested uses. We hope that this information is of help as a rough guide. However if you are still unsure as to the type of ribbon that you require then please as always feel free to contact us at simply ribbons on 01691 780416 and we will be only to pleased to assist you in any way that we can.

Satin Ribbons

This ribbon is probably one of the biggest selling ribbon styles. As the name suggest the Satin Ribbon has a smooth high luster finish to it. The ribbon does still come in two types of finish. The first and these days the most popular with our customers is the Double Faced Satin Ribbon, as the name suggest this ribbon has a satin finish on both side meaning that they both appear glossy and smooth.

The second less common type is the Single Satin Ribbon. Whilst one face of the ribbon is smooth and glossy the reverse side of the ribbon is textured and has more of a matt appearance to it. This Single faced Satin Ribbon use to be the more popular of the two as it was a lot cheaper however with improved manufacturing the price of the Double Faced Ribbon has come down to the point where by it is the Satin Ribbon of choice for many people.

Satin Ribbon is very versatile, it can be printed on, it bows well and the better quality Satins can be washed, tumble dried and ironed as a result they are widely used in garment manufacture.
We supply three different grades of Satin Ribbon.

1) Premium Double Satin

- Our premium satin ribbon is a UK manufactured ribbon, this is made to a high standard and as a result offers a consistence of colour, it can be washed and dry cleaned and has a high luster appearance. This product meets the highest levels of testing and as a result is very popular for a very wide range of uses including cake decorating, clothes making, promotional work, store window design. 

2) Mid Range Double Satin

- This Double Satin is slightly lighter in terms of the weight of the ribbon when compared with the premium range, however it offers a good basic colour range with a great clarity to the colour. it is widely used for promotional work, Wedding invitations and general arts and crafts.

3) Budget Double Satin

- A Cheap double satin ribbon from the far east, this comes in a good range of colours but does not have the range of widths that the other two type offer, also as a result of being imported we cant guarantee consistence of colour supply on this product. However if you need a cheap satin for packaging work then this ribbon is ideal .

it you have any questions with regards to Double Satin Ribbons or need any further information with regards the Satin Ribbon ranges that we stock then please feel free to contact us at anytime.

Grosgrain Ribbon

This is a very distinctive style of ribbon and as a result can be very easily identified. The Grosgrain Ribbon to all intent and purpose looks like it has been ribbed. This effect runs along the whole length of the ribbon, this is made as a result of the weft being heavy then the warp when the ribbon is woven the net result is the formation of the cords along the ribbon. This style of ribbon is quite old, it use to be made from natural fibers and was only available in Black or White however todays Grosgrain Ribbon is manufactured using Polyester and comes in a rainbow of shades.

Using polyester means that the ribbon is extremely strong, not only is it durable but it can be washed, folded, stitched and heat sealed. As a result of this , the Grosgrain ribbon has become very popular. Today you will see this ribbon used on the hems of Polo shirts, sports clothing, furniture, quilts and many other garments as well as used for bow making, packaging, gift ware and promotional use.

The polyester fiber means that this ribbon can be offered in a wide range of colours, these all have a slightly matt finish to them rather then the high shine finish of a Satin ribbon. This colour appearance in its self is just one of the many reason that many people choose this style of ribbon over other available.

Grosgrain ribbon can be seen on the market place in many variants, there are quite a few companies making this product to different standards, the main difference is in the thickness of the grosgrain. At simply ribbons we only stock Berisfords Grosgrain as we feel that this is a good high quality grosgrain ribbon it handles well and offers a consistence of colour.

We along with many of other companies today also hold this product with a print effect on it. Grosgrain Ribbon looks very attractive when coupled with a polka dot print or a logo theme running along the length of the ribbon. As a direct result of this pleasing effect this style of printed ribbons have become very fashionable. To meet this demand Berisfords Ribbons have launched a completely new collection based on this look. They have called this Natural Charms. We have been impressed with this range and as a result have added it to our product offering you can find this range listed at the top of the page in the orange tabs.

Grosgrain is an extremely durable and flexible ribbon as a result it forms part of our core offering and is something that we always keep in stock ,If you need any further advise or help with regards to Grosgrain ribbons then please feel free to contact us at anytime. 

Shear Ribbons

Another major ribbon group is Sheer ribbon, after Satin Ribbon and Grosgrain Ribbon this has to be the next most popular ribbon style. The ribbon appearance is that of a translucent fabric ( it is slightly see through rather then being completely solid) and is normally woven out of Nylon rather then polyester which gives the ribbon a high luster look as the light catches it.

Again like satin ribbon the sheer ribbon is available in the general market place in a number of different qualities ranging from budget fabrics up to some high end Swiss woven products. As a general rule of thumb we will only stock Woven edged sheer ribbons in our ranges rather then the cheaper cut edged sheers. We favor this Ribbon finish as it makes the ribbon more stable and helps to prevent edge fray in our personal view.

Again like the Satin Ribbons the Sheer ribbons come a huge range of both patterned and plain styles.
Among the Patterned sheers some are printed and others are woven, where woven the ribbon is normally woven to feature other styles of ribbon running as feature lines along or across the ribbon which can give some great texture effects.

On the printed sheer front one of our most popular products over recent months has been sheer ribbon with printed hearts and sheer ribbon with polka dots. Both designs are proving popular for wedding favors and card makers alike. The range of options on the printed Sheer ribbon is growing quickly and there are bound to be yet more exciting designs to emerge this year.

Within our 2012 ranges we are offering a high end sheer ribbon from Berisfords Ribbons which is very versatile and can be used for a wide variety of uses including clothing, cake decorating and crafting. As well as a budget offering from Offray and Striko Ribbons which is aimed more at the craft and Floral markets. Bother ranges are nice quality products that we feel have attractive price points and offer value for money.

If you have any questions with regards to shear ribbons, or if you cant find the type of sheer that you are looking for on our site then please feel free to contact us at anytime. As always we will be only to pleased to help you with your ribbon enquiry. Our customer care time can be reached on  01691 780416 or at sales@simplyribbons.com