Today I’m going to be comparing different types of mesh corsets. Mesh corsets have very different qualities, different weaves and different materials that they were made out of.
So I’m going to go through the different types of mesh corsets and the pros and cons for each type.
Table of Contents
1. Fishnet Style
The first mesh style we’ll look at is the fishnet style netting.
This is a very open type netting made from cotton or polyester. It’s like a string and it’s very flexible. It can be quite stretchy.
It often has a hexagonal shape to the holes. As we know from nature, hexagons maximize the space inside each hole, while minimizing the materials used for each wall.
The pros for this type of netting is that is probably the coolest and breeziest type and it comes in many different colors.
As far as mesh corsets go, especially in off-the-rack corsets, this type of mesh is the most ubiquitous.
Some of the cons is that it does stretch out over time and because there’s technically only a few threads holding in each little bit of this netting in the seams, it can rip overtime. each little hole can get bigger.
I don’t know if you could call this a pro or con, but if you wear this type of mesh corset without a liner underneath, the net leaves temporary impressions in your skin. So when you take off the corset it kind of looks like you have lizard scales.
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2. Finer, Brazilian Style Net
A more tight knit version of this netting is used in many corsets from Brazil. I noticed that their mesh corsets tend to have a smaller hole and are square rather than hexagonal. This style is holding up very well, even after years of use.
This type of mesh still can show some damage over time just because of the nature of the mesh, but this particular type seems to be holding up better than the hexagonal type of fish netting.
3. Corsetry Mesh
This synthetic, more tightly woven corsetry mesh is becoming probably the standard in many custom mesh corsets. This is a heavier synthetic, fine woven net and it’s pretty stiff and almost reminiscent of flyscreen, except this is made from polyester and not aluminum or fiberglass or the other materials that real window screens are made from.
The pros are that this is stronger, smoother, less likely to warp on the body. You can somewhat achieve a more conical rib with this type of fabric but it still has relatively more give.
The cons for this is that it is not as breathable as the mesh we talked before as the holes are smaller. It’s a synthetic fabric so it can feel plasticy. It can occasionally rip, especially if the seam allowances are not wide enough and it pulls from the stitching.
Also this type of mesh can be quite pokey. If any seam allowances do end up poking into the body, these can be snipped off with nail clippers and then the rest can be pushed back under the fabric.
Some corset makers might melt the seams with a small flame or a hot knife but this can also risk warping the mesh from the heat.
Another way of getting around this is by sewing this corset with the seam allowances to the outside and then putting thick boning channels over top so that they don’t poke through.
4. Bobbinet
Bobbinet corsets are almost exclusively custom corsets made by specialist corseters and very lightweight kind of lingerie style corsets.
It’s made from cotton, it’s very flexible, it has a lot of give to it and many corset makers tend to use this in a double-layer, not usually a single layer.
It flows beautifully over curves, it’s super lightweight but I would not use this type of corset for training.
I’ve heard that this type of fabric is used very commonly as structured foundation wear under couture gowns. You are definitely not likely to see this type of material used in off-the-rack corsets.
5. Aida Cloth
Sometimes called Java mesh, this is less well known, not really used in off-the-rack corsets. Some corset makers have experimented with this type of fabric for custom corsets.
If you look at the mesh corsets from the Edwardian and Victorian periods, or the corsets used by the British women during the colonization of India and other places in warmer climates, the mesh that they used for their antique corsets looked quite similar to this.
Aida cloth is actually a cloth intended for cross stitching so it comes in various weights and counts, so the holes are different sizes. You can have some of them that are more tightly woven and some that are less tightly woven.
The pros to this are obviously that is cotton, it’s a natural fiber that’s cool and breathable. But the cons is that it can fray and shred.
Again, it’s not very commonly found. You might not be able to find it easily.
6. Tulle
It’s a really beautiful lightweight fabric. The outer layer is a little bit heavier and then the inner layer is just a tiny bit finer. It’s more than one layer.
This is a beautiful lightweight fabric but better suited for a semi mesh corset with lots of reinforcement.
The mesh here is limited to relatively straight panels. It is reinforced all the way around. It has bones on either side and another boning channel in the middle.
The tulle makes a really lovely delicate look. But, if it were not flanked on all sides by some sort of reinforcement, I think it may risk ripping. I would not use this for everyday super intense training.
7. Sports Mesh
Sports or athletic mesh, especially in the U.S., can be referred to as football fabric.
This is a type of fabric used in shoes and sports jerseys. I would not call it a jersey fabric. This is also made from polyester but it is a bit more breathable than the corsetry mesh because the holes are bigger.
I find that this is also stronger than the fishnet style netting.
You might have to be a bit careful when buying this sort of thing and maybe it would be better to buy it in person. Because sometimes this fabric can be more loosely woven and have more give. The less give it has, the more likely it’s going to be more appropriate for use in corsets.
For cons to this style of fabric, while it is stronger than the fishnet because it does have holes in it, if any one of these links rip, it would still weaken the corset. It’s still not invincible, it may risk ripping overtime.
I actually do like this style of mesh better than the fishnet style netting, but I suppose due to the sports connotation some people might think that it’s less sexy than the fishnet.
But if you look at the cost versus the strength and the availability of this tile of mesh, this costs maybe two dollars more per yard and that is retail, not even wholesale. So it would be maybe $1 more per underbust corset to make it out of this style of fabric. And it might be quite a bit stronger than the fishnet and come in more fun colors.
8. Outdoor Upholstery Mesh
This is like a heavy-duty, outdoor mesh. The only thing I can describe this to is the fabric that you might find to upholster outdoor furniture, like deck chairs or boat seats or something like that.
Pros to this kind of mash is that it is extremely strong and it comes in a rainbow of colors.
Cons to this style of mesh is that it is difficult to wear against the skin because it’s synthetic and it is rather rough. It absolutely requires that you were a liner between your body and the style of corset.
This type of mesh also takes an extremely long time to form over curves.
9. Power Mesh
This type of mesh is designed to have stretch and give to it. It has some spandex in it.
The pros is that it makes a very flexible corset. It is very comfy, it gives you a lot of movement, it gives you a lot of mobility.
The cons are that it definitely will not give you a conical rib cage if you don’t naturally have one already, because it stretches around anywhere that is not reinforced with the non stretch fabric.
The other con might be that although this is a thinner fabric, it can get a little warm compared to some of the other types of mesh we discussed here. It is more finely woven so it’s not quite as breathable and breezy as the fishnet style netting.
Also if you don’t put bones relatively close together, there is a risk of the power mesh shrinking or wanting to roll up in places.
These are the most common types of mesh and net fabrics that you will find in most mesh corsets today.
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