Underwater Fabrics

[Secret]

Hi all you merfolk!

I plan on starting the construction of my first tail very very soon! I'm still working on my sketch but I know one thing for certain: I want some flowy fabric off the sides to give my tail that ethereal look when im swimming. I'm looking for suggestions on a light but pretty fabric that I could look into that would kind of fit my description. I would like it to be white or clear because I think that would look best, plus I doubt colors would show up that well. I plan on making this part detachable so that I can wash it seperately in order to prevent wear and tear as much as possible!

Again, open to suggestions! Any help would be awesome. Thank you!!!

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I use swimwear fabric for all my fins. They have yet to fall off or degrade.

[Mermaid Aria]

I don't know about the detachable part but I have seen a lot of mers use chiffon for fins.

Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

[KateyMermaid]

I have made a few fabric tails, and my no means consider myself an expert. However, I AM a swim instructor when I'm not mermaiding--and I've found that what fabric you use can depend on where you plan on using it, and how often. I go through swimsuits really quickly. Chlorine can be nasty stuff. If you are planning on using the tail (or accessory, or whatever) in chlorinated water, be sure you buy a spandex/synthetic "performance" fabric (I think thats how JoAnn Fabrics labels them). These tend to be more resistant to fading. and depending on how often the fabric is exposed to chlorine, you can see fading in as quickly as a month. (again though, I'm talking about my swimsuits, and I teach almost everyday).

That being said, my first tail was a spandex blend swimsuit material. I rinsed it after every swim, and never put it in the washing machine (hand wash only!) and aside from some tears and general wear on it, the color and elasticity is still pretty good. and this tail is probably 7 or 8 years old now.