Edge vs. Hem — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 5, 2024
An edge refers to the outermost boundary or sharp side of an object, while a hem is a specific type of edge created by folding and sewing the fabric on clothing to prevent fraying.
Difference Between Edge and Hem
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
The edge is a general term that applies to the boundary or outline of any object or material, not just fabric. It can refer to the sharp side of a knife, the boundary of a piece of paper, or the outer limits of a shape. Edges define the shape and extent of objects, and their characteristics can vary widely, from sharp and well-defined to blurred or irregular. In contrast, a hem is specific to textiles and is a finished edge of fabric that has been folded back on itself and sewn down. The primary purpose of a hem is to prevent the raw edge of the fabric from fraying and to give a clean, polished finish to the garment or piece of cloth.
Edges can be naturally occurring, as in the case of a cliff or coastline, or they can be created through human action, such as cutting or shaping materials. Hems, however, are always the result of human effort, specifically in the context of sewing or tailoring. They are a deliberate design choice in the making of textiles and garments, offering both functional and aesthetic benefits. While edges are a fundamental aspect of the geometry and physicality of objects, hems are a specific technique used in the craft of sewing to enhance durability and appearance.
The concept of an edge is applicable across a wide range of disciplines, including mathematics, where it might describe the boundary of a geometric figure, or geography, where it could refer to the edge of a natural feature. Hems are exclusive to the domain of textiles and are a concern of those involved in fashion design, tailoring, and fabric arts. This distinction highlights the specialized nature of hems compared to the more universally applicable idea of edges.
While every hem is an edge, not every edge is a hem. The distinction lies in the specificity and context of use: edges are a broad concept referring to the limits or boundaries of objects, while hems are specific to the field of textiles, representing a technique to finish fabric edges for both practical and decorative purposes.
Comparison Chart
Definition
The boundary or outermost part of an object or area.
A finished edge of fabric, created by folding and sewing.
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Applicability
Universal across various disciplines and materials.
Specific to textiles and clothing.
Purpose
Defines the shape, limit, or sharpness of objects.
Prevents fraying of fabric and provides a neat finish.
Creation
Can be natural or the result of human action.
Always the result of human sewing or tailoring.
Context
Wide-ranging, from geography to geometry.
Limited to sewing, fashion design, and fabric arts.
Compare with Definitions
Edge
The transition area between different states or conditions.
They explored the edge of the forest where it met the meadow.
Hem
The process of finishing the edge of fabric by sewing.
He was learning how to hem pants in his tailoring class.
Edge
The boundary or outermost part of an object.
She carefully painted the edge of the canvas.
Hem
A decorative edge on clothing, often with added embellishments.
The dress featured a lace hem that added to its elegance.
Edge
The brink or verge of something.
He stood on the edge of the cliff, looking out over the sea.
Hem
A term used in fashion to refer to the bottom edge of garments.
The hem of her coat brushed against the ground as she walked.
Edge
A line or border distinguishing the limits of an object.
The edge of the table was marked with nicks and scratches.
Hem
A folded and sewn border of cloth.
She hemmed the skirt to make it shorter.
Edge
A sharp side of a blade.
The knife's edge was sharp enough to cut through paper.
Hem
A technique in sewing used to prevent fabric from fraying.
Hemming the raw edges is essential for the garment's longevity.
Edge
The outside limit of an object, area, or surface
She perched on the edge of a desk
A willow tree at the water's edge
Hem
A hem in sewing is a garment finishing method, where the edge of a piece of cloth is folded and sewn to prevent unravelling of the fabric and to adjust the length of the piece in garments, such as at the end of the sleeve or the bottom of the garment.
Edge
The sharpened side of the blade of a cutting implement or weapon
A knife with a razor-sharp edge
Hem
An edge or border on a piece of cloth, especially a finished edge, as for a garment or curtain, made by folding an edge under and stitching it down.
Edge
A quality or factor which gives superiority over close rivals
His cars have the edge over his rivals'
Hem
The height or level of the bottom edge of a skirt, dress, or coat; a hemline.
Edge
Provide with a border or edge
The pool is edged with paving
Hem
A short cough or clearing of the throat made especially to gain attention, warn another, hide embarrassment, or fill a pause in speech.
Edge
Move or cause to move gradually or furtively in a particular direction
Hazel quietly edged him away from the others
She tried to edge away from him
Hem
To fold back and stitch down the edge of.
Edge
Give an intense or sharp quality to
The bitterness that edged her voice
Hem
To surround and shut in; enclose
A valley hemmed in by mountains.
Edge
Strike (the ball) with the edge of the bat; strike a ball delivered by (the bowler) with the edge of the bat
Haynes edged to slip
He edged a ball into his pad
Hem
To utter a hem.
Edge
Ski with one's weight on the edges of one's skis
You will be edging early, controlling a parallel turn
Hem
To hesitate in speech.
Edge
A thin, sharpened side, as of the blade of a cutting instrument.
Hem
Used to fill in the gap of a pause with a vocalized sound.
Edge
The degree of sharpness of a cutting blade.
Hem
An utterance or sound of the voice like "hem", often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.
Edge
A penetrating, incisive quality
"His simplicity sets off the satire, and gives it a finer edge" (William Hazlitt).
Hem
(sewing) The border of an article of clothing doubled back and stitched together to finish the edge and prevent it from fraying.
Edge
A slight but noticeable sharpness, harshness, or discomforting quality
His voice had an edge to it.
Hem
A rim or margin of something.
Edge
Keenness, as of desire or enjoyment; zest
The brisk walk gave an edge to my appetite.
Hem
In sheet metal design, a rim or edge folded back on itself to create a smooth edge and to increase strength or rigidity.
Edge
The line or area farthest away from the middle
Lifted the carpet's edge.
Hem
To make the sound expressed by the word hem; to hesitate in speaking.
Edge
The line of intersection of two surfaces
The edge of a brick.
Hem
To make a hem.
Edge
A rim or brink
The edge of a cliff.
Hem
(transitive) To put hem on an article of clothing, to edge or put a border on something.
Edge
The point at which something is likely to begin
On the edge of war.
Hem
(transitive) To shut in, enclose, confine; to surround something or someone in a confining way.
A small yard hemmed about by a tall hedge.
Edge
A margin of superiority; an advantage
A slight edge over the opposition.
Hem
Obsolete form of 'em
Edge
To give an edge to (a blade); sharpen.
Hem
Them
Edge
To tilt (a ski or both skis) in such a way that an edge or both edges bite into the snow.
Hem
An onomatopoetic word used as an expression of hesitation, doubt, etc. It is often a sort of voluntary half cough, loud or subdued, and would perhaps be better expressed by hm.
Cough or cry hem, if anybody come.
Edge
To put a border or edge on
Edged the quilt with embroidery.
Hem
An utterance or sound of the voice, hem or hm, often indicative of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention.
Edge
To act as or be an edge of
Bushes that edged the garden path.
Hem
The edge or border of a garment or cloth, doubled over and sewed, to strengthen it and prevent raveling.
Edge
To advance or push slightly or gradually
The dog edged the ball with its nose.
Hem
Border; edge; margin.
Edge
To trim or shape the edge of
Edge a lawn.
Hem
A border made on sheet-metal ware by doubling over the edge of the sheet, to stiffen it and remove the sharp edge.
Edge
To surpass or beat by a small margin. Often used with out
The runner edged her opponent out at the last moment.
Hem
To make the sound expressed by the word hem; hence, to hesitate in speaking.
Edge
To move gradually or hesitantly
The child edged toward the door.
Hem
To form a hem or border to; to fold and sew down the edge of.
Edge
The boundary line of a surface.
Hem
To border; to edge
All the skirt aboutWas hemmed with golden fringe.
Edge
(geometry) A one-dimensional face of a polytope. In particular, the joining line between two vertices of a polygon; the place where two faces of a polyhedron meet.
Hem
Lap that forms a cloth border doubled back and stitched down
Edge
An advantage.
I have the edge on him.
Hem
Fold over and sew together to provide with a hem;
Hem my skirt
Edge
The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument, such as an ax, knife, sword, or scythe; that which cuts as an edge does, or wounds deeply, etc.
Hem
Utter `hem' or `ahem'
Edge
A sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; an extreme verge.
The cup is right on the edge of the table.
He is standing on the edge of a precipice.
Edge
Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
Edge
The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part (of a period of time)
In the edge of evening
Edge
(cricket) A shot where the ball comes off the edge of the bat, often unintentionally.
Edge
(graph theory) A connected pair of vertices in a graph.
Edge
The point of data production in an organization (the focus of edge computing), as opposed to the cloud.
Edge
(transitive) To move an object slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
He edged the book across the table.
The muggers edged her into an alley and demanded money.
Edge
(intransitive) To move slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
He edged away from her.
Edge
(usually in the form 'just edge') To win by a small margin.
Edge
To hit the ball with an edge of the bat, causing a fine deflection.
Edge
(transitive) To trim the margin of a lawn where the grass meets the sidewalk, usually with an electric or gas-powered lawn edger.
Edge
(transitive) To furnish with an edge; to construct an edging.
Edge
To furnish with an edge, as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
Edge
(figurative) To make sharp or keen; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
Edge
To delay one's orgasm so as to remain almost at the point of orgasm.
Edge
The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument; as, the edge of an ax, knife, sword, or scythe.
He which hath the sharp sword with two edges.
Slander,Whose edge is sharper than the sword.
Edge
Any sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; extreme verge; as, the edge of a table, a precipice.
Upon the edge of yonder coppice.
In worst extremes, and on the perilous edgeOf battle.
Pursue even to the very edge of destruction.
Edge
Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
The full edge of our indignation.
Death and persecution lose all the ill that they can have, if we do not set an edge upon them by our fears and by our vices.
Edge
The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part; as, in the edge of evening.
Edge
To furnish with an edge as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
To edge her champion's sword.
Edge
To shape or dress the edge of, as with a tool.
Edge
To furnish with a fringe or border; as, to edge a dress; to edge a garden with box.
Hills whose tops were edged with groves.
Edge
To make sharp or keen, figuratively; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
By such reasonings, the simple were blinded, and the malicious edged.
Edge
To move by little and little or cautiously, as by pressing forward edgewise; as, edging their chairs forwards.
Edge
To move sideways; to move gradually; as, edge along this way.
Edge
To sail close to the wind.
I must edge up on a point of wind.
Edge
The boundary of a surface
Edge
A sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object;
He rounded the edges of the box
Edge
A line determining the limits of an area
Edge
The attribute of urgency;
His voice had an edge to it
Edge
A slight competitive advantage;
He had an edge on the competition
Edge
A strip near the boundary of an object;
He jotted a note on the margin of the page
Edge
Advance slowly, as if by inches;
He edged towards the car
Edge
Provide with a border or edge;
Edge the tablecloth with embroidery
Edge
Lie adjacent to another or share a boundary;
Canada adjoins the U.S.
England marches with Scotland
Edge
Provide with an edge;
Edge a blade
Common Curiosities
Why is a hem important in clothing?
A hem is crucial for preventing the fabric from fraying, extending the garment's life, and providing a clean, finished look.
Can edges be both natural and man-made?
Yes, edges can be both natural, like the edge of a lake, and man-made, like the edge of a cut piece of paper.
Is there a standard width for a hem?
The width of a hem can vary depending on the type of garment, the fabric used, and the desired aesthetic effect.
How does one choose between different types of hems?
The choice of hem type depends on the fabric, the garment's style, and the functional requirements, such as durability or aesthetics.
Are all hems sewn?
While sewing is the most common method for creating hems, some modern techniques may use adhesives or heat bonding to finish fabric edges.
How do edges contribute to the design of objects?
Edges can define the form, enhance functionality, or influence the aesthetic appeal of an object, playing a crucial role in design.
Can edges have different shapes?
Yes, edges can be straight, curved, jagged, or irregular, depending on the object's shape and the material from which it is made.
How do cultural differences influence hem styles?
Cultural preferences can influence hem lengths, styles, and decorative details, reflecting historical, functional, or aesthetic considerations.
Can the term 'hem' be used outside of textiles?
The term 'hem' is primarily associated with textiles, though metaphorically, it can refer to borders or limits in a broader sense.
What tools are used for hemming?
Common tools include sewing needles, thread, sewing machines, iron for pressing the fold, and sometimes hem tape or adhesive.
What skills are required to create a hem?
Creating a hem requires basic sewing skills, including measuring, cutting, folding, and stitching fabric accurately.
How do environmental conditions affect edges in nature?
Natural edges, such as coastlines or cliffs, can be shaped and altered by environmental factors like erosion, weathering, or human activity.
Can the finish of an edge affect the functionality of an object?
Yes, the finish of an edge, such as being sharp, smooth, or rough, can significantly affect an object's functionality and safety.
Do all garments need hems?
Most garments have hems to ensure durability and a finished look, though some designs may intentionally leave edges raw for stylistic reasons.
What is the difference between a hem and a seam?
A hem is a finished edge made by folding fabric back on itself, while a seam is a joint resulting from sewing two pieces of fabric together.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
