Lace Trim by the Metre

European deadstock lace trim, cut from one metre. Cotton broderie anglaise, guipure, embroidered tulle and organdy trims – all of it surplus mill stock from Austria and Switzerland, all of it stocked in Austria and ready to ship. There is a 35 € minimum order (excluding VAT) and orders over 300 € ship free. Because deadstock is what the fashion houses left behind, quantities are finite and we cannot predict what will be re-stocked.

Shop lace trim by base cloth

Every trim below is sold by the metre from our Austrian stock.

Broderie anglaise

Cotton eyelet lace: the ground cloth is punched, then the holes are embroidered around. Crisp, washable and the classic choice for childrenswear and summer cottons.

Broderie anglaise trim & cotton lace edging
Eyelet lace trim
Insertion lace & cotton galloons
Cotton fagotting

Guipure

Embroidery worked on a base that is dissolved away afterwards, leaving only thread. Dense, sculptural and self-supporting, with no net to show at the edge.

Cotton lace trim, galloons & insertion
Guipure lace trim in polyester
Cotton lace applique motifs

Embroidered tulle

Embroidery stitched onto a fine net so the pattern appears to float. The bridal and lingerie trim: the net edge can be trimmed back to almost nothing.

Embroidered tulle lace trim
Tulle lace edging
Tulle insertion lace & galloons
Nylon tulle lace trim

Organdy & by shape

Embroidery on sheer, crisp organdy, plus the pieces that are cut to a shape rather than run by the metre.

Organdy embroidery trims
Lace applique motifs
Embroidered collars

Types of lace trim, and what each one is for

“Lace trim” covers several quite different constructions. Which one you want depends far more on how the trim is finished at its edges than on what it is made of.

Edgings

One straight edge to sew down, one decorative edge left free. Edgings are what most people mean by lace ribbon: they finish a hem, a cuff, a neckline or a pillowcase, and they only ever face one way. Scalloped lace trim is an edging whose free edge is cut in curves rather than run straight, which is why it needs no further hemming.

Galloons

Decorative on both edges, so a galloon can sit anywhere on a garment without either side needing to be hidden. This makes them the trim of choice for a band across a bodice, a sleeve or a skirt panel, and for bridal work where the trim is seen from both sides.

Insertion lace

Straight on both edges, designed to be set into the fabric rather than applied on top of it. The cloth is cut, the insertion is stitched between the two cut edges, and the fabric behind is trimmed away so light passes through the lace. Traditional heirloom sewing and christening gowns are built this way.

Fagotting

An openwork ladder that joins two pieces of cloth with a visible gap between them. Narrow, structural and used where two panels meet, rather than as decoration in its own right.

Appliques

Not a running trim at all, but individual motifs cut to shape and sold as pieces. An applique is placed where you want it – a shoulder, a bodice point, a veil – and stitched down around its outline. Because there is no repeat to match, appliques suit one-off and made-to-measure work.

Widths and repeats

Each trim in the catalogue lists its own width and the length available, so check the individual product page before you plan a cut. Deadstock runs in whatever quantity the mill had left, which is why the amount on offer varies from design to design and does not come back once it is gone.

Where our lace trim comes from

Production sits in Austria and Switzerland, the region around St. Gall where the Schiffli machine industry began, and where more than 60 years of our own industry experience comes from. Deadstock means re-purposing unused fabric left over from fashion houses instead of sending it to landfill – the embroidery was made to a luxury standard, it simply was not used. Stock is held in Austria and ships to all EU countries as well as to the US, Canada and selected others. If you need larger quantities of a single design, use our wholesale enquiry; if you want to read how the embroidery itself is made, start with Schiffli embroidery.