Buckram
Fabric — one of 56 in the glossary
A coarse cotton or linen cloth stiffened with sizing or glue, used to give structure to something that would otherwise collapse. In apparel it is the panel behind the front of a structured cap, holding the crown upright; in embroidery it is the backing that stops a design distorting as it is stitched.
Stiffening cloth
Buckram is an ordinary open-weave cloth impregnated with a stiffening agent. It is not strong in the way a canvas is; it is rigid, which is a different property.
That rigidity is the whole point: it holds a shape rather than resisting a load.
It softens with moisture, which is why a structured cap that gets soaked can lose its shape permanently.
Structured and unstructured caps
A structured cap has buckram behind its front panels, so the crown stands up whether or not there is a head in it.
An unstructured cap has none, so the crown collapses when the cap is off. Neither is better; they are different looks.
This is independent of profile, which describes crown height. A cap can be low-profile and structured, or high-profile and soft.
In embroidery
Buckram also serves as a backing placed behind the fabric while a design is stitched, stopping the material distorting under the needle.
On caps it does both jobs at once, which is why cap embroidery is comparatively forgiving.
On soft or stretchy garments a cut-away stabiliser does the same job with more flexibility.
Common questions
- What is buckram?
- A coarse cloth stiffened with sizing or glue, used to hold a shape — behind the front panel of a structured cap, or as backing that stops embroidery distorting.
- What is the difference between a structured and unstructured cap?
- Buckram. A structured cap has it behind the front panels so the crown stands up on its own; an unstructured cap has none and collapses when not worn.
- Is structured the same as high profile?
- No. Structure is whether the crown holds its shape without a head in it; profile is how tall the crown is. A cap can be low-profile and structured.
See also
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