Dress Sequins Quantity by Area

Calculating Sequins (Paetês) for a Dress

To work out how many sequins (paetês) a dress needs, take the surface area and multiply it by the density you want: sequins = area_cm2 × density. For decoration, density tends to land somewhere around 100 to 300 sequins per 100 cm². Fully cover a cabaret or carnival dress and you're looking at 5,000 to 20,000 sequins, give or take, depending on the size and the pattern.

Plastic sequins usually run 4 to 8 mm across, and finishes vary a lot — flat, cup, iridescent, holographic, matte. You can sew them by hand, one at a time with thread and needle, or run them through an industrial machine using pre-strung sequin tape stitched over the fabric.

Applications

You'll see them all over Brazilian Carnival costumes for samba schools, on cabaret dresses, dance outfits, theater wardrobes, gala gowns, even Christmas decor. The traditional supplier strip in São Paulo, rua dos Paetês over in Brás, is home to shops like Madeira, Sapot and Carmona, which are known for their iridescent colors.

FAQ

How long does it take to sequin a dress by hand? Count on 80–120 hours for a heavily sequined dress with 15,000 pieces or more. Switch to sequin tape and that drops to roughly 15–25 hours.

What is the difference between flat and cup sequins? Flat sequins lie smooth against the fabric. Cup sequins curve in a little, so they catch and bounce more light, which makes them a good pick under stage and TV lighting.

Can I machine-wash a sequined dress? Don't. Stick to dry cleaning, or wash it by hand in cold water with a neutral soap, turned inside out, so the sequins don't crack or peel.