velvet fabric

Velvet fabric has long been considered as “ Luxury Fabric”. It is always linked with magnificence, extravagance and royalty. The term derives from the Latin word “vellus” meaning fleeced, the Middle French velu, meaning “shaggy.” velvet fabric is a highly treasured textile, which symbolize wealth, power and prestige. Velvet fabric is a woven tuffed fabric with a short dense pile.

Velvet fabric is rich in both colors and texture. The pile creates a shadow effect intensifying color. It drapes beautifully and falls gracefully conforming to all the curves.

Red Velvet fabric

How is velvet fabric manufactured?                                                       

Velvet manufacturing requires more threads than any other fabrics and is achieved in multiple stages. It is made up of one set of filing thread and two sets of wrap threads.

The warp threads go through two pieces of cloth, instead of just one, and when the fabric is finished; a blade cuts the two pieces of fabric apart along the warp. Each piece of fabric must be taken up on a separate roll as it is cut. The resulting material is known as a “pile” fabric because the thread sticks up, forming a soft pile.

 velvet weaving process- sourced from wikipedia

Types of fibers used to produce

Velvet fabric can be made from either synthetic or natural fibers.

• Traditionally the most expensive fiber was “silk fiber”. Pure silk velvet fabrics are now a rarity; usually silk velvet is a mixture of silk and rayon.
• Other fibers can be linen, cotton, mohair, wool
• Most recently synthetic velvets are developed from polyester, nylon, viscose, and acetate.
• Even a combination of synthetic and natural fibers can be made to produce velvet fabric for e.g.: viscose can be mixed with silk fibers.
• Sometimes spandex is added in small quantity to give a stretch to the fabric “stretch velvet ‘’