Habotai Silk for Linings & Light Shirts
Core supply
Habotai (also known as pongee or China silk) is a plain-weave mulberry silk with a crisp, firm hand and a subtle texture, supplied greige or dyed to order for linings, scarves and light shirts.
Habotai — also spelled habutai and often called pongee or China silk — is a plain-weave mulberry silk with a crisp, slightly firm hand and a fine, even surface. Unlike the liquid drape of satin, habotai holds its shape, which makes it the workhorse silk for linings, scarves and light shirts where structure and durability matter more than lustre.
The name pongee is used interchangeably with habotai in much of the trade. Strictly, pongee once referred to the slightly heavier, ribbed silks from China's Shandong and Honan provinces, while habotai is the classic lightweight Japanese plain-weave. In today's B2B market the two names cover the same family of crisp, plain-weave silk linings, so we list the fabric under its most searched name — habotai — and keep pongee as a synonym.
We supply habotai (pongee) silk from 6 to 16 momme, in a 114 cm width. The 6–8 momme range is the classic scarf and lining weight, 10–12 momme suits shirts, and 14–16 momme gives a firmer, more durable cloth for heavier shirts and light outerwear.
Habotai is supplied greige for your own color development, or dyed to order from a standard shade card or your custom color.
Specifications
| Type | Mulberry silk habotai (pongee, plain weave) |
|---|---|
| Momme | 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 15 / 16 mm |
| Weight | ≈26–69 g/m² (1 mm ≈ 4.3 g/m²) |
| Width | 114 cm |
| Finish | Greige (undyed) or dyed to order (standard shade card / custom color) |
| Character | Crisp, firm hand, even surface |
| MOQ | Reference MOQ — no fixed minimum; confirmed in the written quotation |
Specifications are industry-standard values and are confirmed against current mill availability before quotation.
Applications
- Linings
- Scarves
- Light shirts & blouses
Frequently asked questions
What is habotai silk used for?
Habotai's crisp, firm hand makes it ideal for linings, scarves and light shirts — anywhere a silk that holds its shape is preferred over a liquid drape.
Are habotai and pongee the same thing?
In today's trade the two names are used interchangeably for the same family of crisp, plain-weave mulberry silk linings. Habotai is the classic lightweight Japanese plain weave (also spelled habutai); pongee once referred to the heavier, ribbed Chinese silks. We list the fabric under habotai and keep pongee as a synonym.
What weights does your habotai come in?
Habotai is supplied in 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15 and 16 momme, in a 114 cm width. The 6–8 momme range is the classic scarf and lining weight, 10–12 momme suits shirts, and 14–16 momme is firmer for heavier shirts and light outerwear.
Is your habotai silk available in color?
Yes. Habotai is supplied greige (undyed) or dyed to order — we offer both a standard shade card and custom color matching.
Request a quotation
Tell us your denier or momme, target volume, deadline and destination. Our B2B team will respond with a tailored quotation and available certification.