Taping
Construction — one of 70 in the glossary
Covering a seam or a stress line with a narrow strip of material. The word covers three different jobs in apparel: reinforcing a knit so it does not stretch out of shape, closing the needle holes in a waterproof shell, and finishing a raw edge so it cannot fray. They share a name and a technique and almost nothing else, which is why a spec sheet saying only "taped" is worth a second question.
Reinforcement, on knits
A knit has no lengthwise stability, so the shoulder seams stretch under the garment's own weight and the neckline droops. A strip of tape stitched across the back neck carries that load instead.
This is the most common meaning in a blanks catalogue, usually written as shoulder-to-shoulder taping or taped neck and shoulders.
It costs very little and its absence says more than its presence — see shoulder-to-shoulder taping for what to look for.
Sealing, on waterproof shells
Here the tape is heat-bonded rather than stitched, and it goes over the stitch line on the inside to close the needle holes so water cannot get through them.
This is a completely different operation with a different purpose, and it is what makes a waterproof garment actually waterproof — see seam sealed.
A shell described as having taped seams almost certainly means this; a tee described the same way means the first thing.
Finishing, as binding
The third use is simply covering a raw edge so it cannot fray, and tidying the inside of a garment. Twill tape is the usual material.
It is cosmetic and durability-related rather than structural, though a well-bound seam does last longer.
When a spec sheet says taped without qualification, ask which of the three it means. On a knit it is reinforcement; on a shell it is sealing; on a placket it is probably binding.
Common questions
- What does taped mean on a garment?
- That a narrow strip of material covers a seam or stress line. It means three different things: reinforcing a knit neckline, heat-sealing a waterproof seam, or binding a raw edge.
- Is taped seam the same as seam sealed?
- Not always. On outerwear, taped usually means heat-sealed against water. On a t-shirt it means a stitched strip reinforcing the shoulders and neck. Same word, different job.
- Does taping make a shirt better?
- On a knit, meaningfully — it is what keeps a neckline round after a year of washing. It costs very little, so its absence tells you the blank was built to a price.
See also
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