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What is Woven Fabric, and When Should Woven Fabrics Be Used?

Woven fabric is named after the way it’s constructed. It’s an extremely useful type of fabric that we use a great deal in our everyday lives. This is due to its durability and versatility, as there are many types of woven fabric that are manufactured for particular purposes.

In this guide, we’ll be taking a moment to consider what woven fabric is and how it is constructed. We’ll also discuss the types of woven fabric, as well as how to use woven fabric for curtains and upholstery. This will help you figure out the qualities of woven fabric, and how they can be best used within your interior surroundings.

How Are Woven Fabrics Made?

How are woven fabrics made

Woven fabrics are created by weaving yarns. They are often woven together on a loom that holds yarns in place as the weaving process happens.

Woven fabrics have a warp and a weft, which determine the direction of the weave. Understanding warp and weft means you can consider the strength of each directional thread when making up your mind about curtain, upholstery and textile options.

Warp threads are vertical yarns that create the length of the fabric. So, the warp yarns are held in place on the loom, while the weft threads are interwoven through them horizontally. The weft threads therefore make up the width of the fabric. The weft threads run from side to side to form what we call the selvedge – the edge of each woven textile. Weft threads can also be referred to as the ‘fill,’ as technically, they are used to weave the body of the fabric.

Other fabrics have very different qualities to woven fabrics. Knit fabrics, for example, are another popular fabric we find in everyday life. It’s useful as it stretches, so is primarily used for clothing. Knit fabric isn’t a suitable choice for most upholstery and curtain projects due to the way it stretches.

What are the Different Types of Woven Fabric?

Here, we’ll look into the different types of woven fabric and their qualities. It’s essential to consider these qualities when thinking about which woven fabric to choose for curtains or upholstery.

What are the Different Types of Woven Fabric?

Plain Weave Woven Fabric

Plain weave woven fabric is a common option for curtain and upholstery textiles, due to its simple and plain criss-cross weave. It’s manufactured to be durable and long-lasting, while various thread strengths can be used to enhance resilience. Striped patterns can also be created within plain weave woven fabric, by altering the colour of the warp textiles.

Herringbone Weave Woven Fabric

Herringbone weave fabric is easily recognisable by the chevron shapes created within the weave. This adds a noticeable aesthetic touch to the textile, which can have a great impact within any room. It often infuses wool yarns into the weave, making herringbone weave fabric the quintessential cosy upholstery choice.

This Aspen upholstery fabric is sophisticatedly woven with a herringbone structure. Subtle and carefully mixed with various coloured yarns, Aspen is an exemplary herringbone weave upholstery fabric.

Twill Woven Fabric

Twill woven fabric is a great choice for upholstery textiles. It’s woven differently, as the threads are re-organised to create a diagonal pattern within the fabric. The way twill woven fabric is created makes it a more durable option for upholstery projects.

This Manhattan drape fabric created with a twill weave is ideal for curtains. Its slub qualities add textural curiosity, while concentrated yarns produce a uniform, structured drape.

Pile Weave Woven Fabric

Pile weaves incorporate additional yarns into the weave during the process. They stand up to create a more tactile texture within fabrics, and they are then cut to form a ‘nap’. A nap on woven fabrics is the raised surface formed by these additional yarns and threads. One prevalent example of a pile weave woven fabric is velvet.

This Lustre upholstery fabric triumphantly embraces the pile weave, with luxe chenille yarns that evoke a crushed velour look.

Satin Woven Fabric

Satin woven fabric is one of the more complicated types of woven fabrics. It has a high lustre effect. The yarns are infused into the weave so that they reflect light, creating a luxurious, shiny appearance. Satin woven fabric is often less durable, so more suited to curtains than upholstery.

The satin woven Elixir fabric by Edmund Bell is exquisitely crafted. Available in 15 alluring colours, the intricate design captures an iridescent sparkle for an interesting interior design development.

Woven Fabric for Curtains

Woven fabrics are the key go-to choice when choosing curtain textiles. This is because woven fabrics have many preferable qualities over other types of fabrics. For example, curtain fabrics need to be durable enough in order to drape well over windows. Knit fabrics are therefore not an option for curtain textiles, as stretchy fabric would drape badly and lose shape over time.

Woven Fabric for Curtains

Woven curtain fabrics by Edmund Bell are the definitive choice when it comes to selecting curtain fabrics. With an exquisite range of on trend curtain textiles, their woven curtain fabrics are intriguing and enduring.

Woven Fabric for Upholstery

On a similar note, woven fabrics are the most appropriate option when selecting upholstery textiles. Knit fabrics are now used for some purposes, such as easy fit sofa covers. However, when selecting your base upholstery textile, woven fabric is the superior choice. Upholstery textiles need durability, in order to withstand the impact of daily use.

Woven Fabric for Upholstery

Edmund Bell: Weaving Quality Textiles since 1855

Woven fabrics for upholstery and curtains by Edmund Bell can provide you with all you need to elevate your living or commercial spaces. Weaving quality textiles since 1855, our woven techniques have developed over time. We curate stylish yet extremely durable upholstery and curtain textiles, with a number of safety enhancing qualities.


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