What are Garment Trims?

Garment trims, also known as trimmings, are components or details added to a garment in addition to the main fabric. Trims can be functional, decorative or both and include items such as buttons, zips, elastic, piping, binding, braid, lace, cords and other finishing details.

In other words, the fabric might make up most of the garment, but the trims are often the smaller details that help make it work or make it look finished.

What is considered a garment trim?

The term garment trim covers a surprisingly broad range of components used in clothing.

Some trims have a practical job. A zip allows a jacket to open and close, elastic helps a waistband stretch and recover and buttons can fasten a shirt.

Others are primarily decorative. Contrast piping, lace, braid or ribbon might be added simply to introduce colour, texture or detail.

And plenty of trims do both. A contrast zip, for example, can be an essential functional part of a garment while also becoming an important part of its design.

What are some examples of garment trims?

Common garment trims include:

• Buttons and press studs – used as fastenings or decorative features.
• Zips – used on jackets, trousers, skirts, dresses, pockets and many other garments.
• Elastic – commonly found in waistbands, cuffs and other areas requiring stretch.
• Piping – a narrow covered cord or strip inserted into a seam, often in a contrasting colour.
• Binding and bias tape – used to finish or reinforce fabric edges and sometimes provide a contrasting design detail.
• Lace, ribbon and braid – generally used to add decorative detail, colour or texture.
• Drawcords – functional cords used to adjust areas such as waistbands, hoods and hems.
• Hooks and eyes – small fasteners commonly used where a discreet closure is required.
• Labels and badges – can provide branding, identification, sizing or decorative detail.

Exactly what is classified as a trim can vary somewhat between manufacturers and different areas of the textile industry.

Are garment trims always decorative?

No. While trimming can certainly mean adding decoration to clothing, garment trims in manufacturing aren't limited to embellishment.

A trim may be :

Functional – it helps the garment work, fit or fasten.

Decorative – it adds colour, texture, contrast or visual interest.

Both – it performs a practical function while also contributing to the garment's appearance.

A button is a perfect example. It might be necessary to fasten a shirt, but changing its colour, material or shape can also noticeably change the look of the garment.

Why are trims important in clothing?

Trims may be relatively small compared with the main fabric, but they can have a surprisingly large effect on the finished garment.

They can influence its appearance, comfort, durability and functionality.

For example, a poor quality zip can shorten the useful life of an otherwise excellent jacket. The wrong elastic can affect fit and comfort. Contrast piping can turn an otherwise plain polo or jacket into something much more distinctive.

For manufacturers and designers, choosing trims is therefore an important part of garment development rather than simply something added at the end.

Garment trims in uniforms and workwear

Trims are particularly interesting when you're looking at uniforms because they're often used to create a distinctive look without changing the entire garment.

You might see contrast piping on a polo shirt, contrast zips on a jacket, coloured buttons on a shirt or drawcords on casual workwear.

These details can help coordinate a garment with a company's colours or give a uniform range a more distinctive appearance.

Trims can also be entirely practical. Heavy-duty zips, adjustable drawcords, press studs, elasticated sections and reinforced bindings can all contribute to how well workwear performs in everyday use.

What a quick and easy way to add your own touch to items with zip's, like bags and jackets - check out our collection of zip pulls which can easily be added to most zips.

Can garment trims affect branding?

Absolutely.

Colour is one of the simplest examples. A navy polo with cyan piping can feel quite different from the same navy polo with red piping, even though the main fabric and garment shape haven't changed.

For businesses developing a uniform, existing trim colours can therefore be useful when coordinating garments with brand colours, embroidered logos or printed decoration.

It's worth remembering, though, that trims are generally part of the garment as manufactured. If you're choosing from ready made uniform and apparel ranges, you normally select from the trim combinations offered by the manufacturer rather than customising every component.

Garment trims vs garment decoration

These terms can overlap, but they don't necessarily mean the same thing.

Garment trims are components or finishing details incorporated into the garment itself, such as buttons, zips, piping and binding.

Garment decoration generally refers to techniques used to add a design, logo, name or other artwork to a finished garment, such as embroidery or printing.

That distinction is particularly useful in the uniform industry. A polo might already feature contrast piping as part of its design and then have a company logo embroidered onto it afterwards.