Sequin fabric is fully covered material with plastic or metal-shaped pieces popularly known as sequin, they can vary in size shape, or color. The fabric which consists of sequins is mostly tulle or chiffon on which they are present. Sequins are also used in curtains, upholstery, home furnishings, cushions, pillowcases, bedspreads, table covers etc. Commonly they are used for printing and embroidery mix and match to give a more expensive look. They may also be referred to as spangles, palettes, or diamonds. Sequins are typically made from petroleum-based plastics and PVC — a synthetic plastic polymer that produces persistent toxic and bioaccumulative chemicals known to be carcinogenic and disrupt hormone balance.

Sequins are often applied to the garment with a chain stitch which would unravel if the stitch is broken. If they are glued to the garment, they may fall off due to friction from normal wear, or the glue may dissolve in the cleaning process resulting in a total loss of the sequins.

Another way to categorize sequin fabrics is by the shape of the sequin. Originally, all sequins were round and looked like coins (in fact, the term comes from the Arabic word ‘sikka’ which stands for ‘coin’). Women attached them to their skirts, dresses and blouses as a symbol of wealth. Nowadays, you’ll be amazed by the variety of shapes available on the market. Modern sequins are usually made of plastic, and there are literally dozens of geometrical shapes to choose from:

1. circle, or round
2. square
3. rectangular
4. flowers
5. stars
6. snowflakes
7. polygon
8. oval, etc.