What is the difference between different boning materials?
Plastic boning is very flexible and designed for use when light-weight structure is needed. It does an excellent job of keeping fabric from wrinkling or scrunching when used for suitable applications. It does not hold shape under pressure, instead buckling and bending. When warmed to body temperature, it becomes softer, exacerbating the problem. It does not provide enough support to prevent buckling and distortion in a corset with any waist reduction. It is machine washable. Spring steel flat boning bends in and out, but not side to side. This flex allows it to follow the contours of a corset without warping side to side under pressure. Very little boning is needed to hold the corset’s shape when there is very little body shaping, but if there is not enough the corset will buckle in places. It is normally coated to prevent rust, but should never be washed in a machine because the agitation can cause the coating to chip and the boning will then rust. Spiral steel boning bends in and out
