The (1 0 0)〈0 v w 〉 texture, ideal for magnetic steels, can be obtained in a plane perpendicular to the solidification direction of Fe–3.5%Si. The strip casting process provides favourable conditions for obtaining this ideal texture. This paper compares magnetization curves of a directionally solidified 3.5%Si steel, strip-cast 3.5%Si steel and a commercial 2.2%Si non-oriented fully processed steel. The directionally solidified samples reached the best values of B 50 and H 1.7 .