What Is Corset Boning?

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Sam Lewis, from madebysam.com and I'm here to discuss corset boning. Corset boning in a word is what keeps a corset rigid and makes a corset a corset instead of a fancy vest. In a corset you'll notice that there are what are called boning channels. Every now and again along the line of it and they will flex a little bit, but they won't let the fabric bunch up. Which means you can put the corset under a great deal of tension without having it buckle. That's what makes it a corset. The corset boning goes in boning channels, which can be either part of the corset seaming as they are on this particular instance, or separate channels sewn into it. There are several materials that corset boning can be made out of. Originally they were made out of whale bone, so why they're boning, which was a very plastic like material. You could make them out of plastic itself. In this case this is part of a laminated set. You could make them out of one of the commercial products, ridgeline or something similar, which is very, much softer, not really designed for corsets. Or you can make them out of steel. Now there are advocates of, of, of every different solution, and they're very vociferous about their opinions. But realistically, if it keeps the corset from scrinching it's done its job. And that is a little bit about corset boning."