Velvet has a long history, most of it as a silk fabric. During
World War II, silk became scarce forcing mills to turn to other fibers like cotton,
rayon and acetate. Today silk velvet fabric is still available, but it is a blend
of silk and rayon, usually 14% to 18% silk with the balance being rayon. A 100%
silk velvet fabric, rarely seen, would be extraordinarily expensive.
Velvet is a pile fabric made by cutting the warp (lengthwise)
yarns. Velveteen, a close cousin to velvet and sometimes mistaken
for velvet, is also a pile fabric but the pile is formed from
the fill yarns (crosswise). Velvet is the more luxurious and generally
more expensive of the two fabrics and is produced in a greater
variety of types.
Velvet fabrics include traditional rigid velvet, both cotton and
synthetic blends, and stretch velvet. The stretch velvet fabrics contain Lycra
or other elastic fiber but have varying percentages ranging from 1.3% to 4%. This
is luxury, designer quality velvet fabric that looks rich and beautiful with the
added benefit of a soft, sensual hand.
Easy2source.com lists a wide variety
of Velvet Fabrics in different designs and shapes. To view the exhaustive list
with information on its suppliers click here.