- Velvet is a lush fabric that's associated with wealth and luxury, even though modern machines have made it more affordable, comparatively. Among fabrics, velvet is still more expensive than similar fabrics, such as velveteen and velour (which are not to be confused with velvet). Velvet takes more thread and more time to make. Even "knit velvet" is not a true velvet. Traditionally, velvet is made with silk threads, although that isn't necessarily true anymore. Cotton, rayon and acetate are often used in making velvet today.
- Velvet (a warp-pile fabric) is made with one set of filling threads and two sets of warp threads. Using a special loom, the warp threads for the velvet are woven on two pieces of cloth at once. Blades separate the two pieces of cloth, cutting along the warp. As the two pieces are cut apart, they are rolled onto separate rolls. This produces what is referred to as pile cloth, because the ends of thread that are sticking up create a soft pile. However, this is now velvet in its initial state. Another method of producing velvet involves using wires over the loom instead of a second piece of cloth. The pile is still cut and the wires removed.
- The velvet is sheared to even the pile. Afterward, it's dyed. Although velvet, in general, takes dye well, silk velvet has a more lustrous sheen. While still damp, velvet is usually brushed so it will dry with a grain. Or, while wet, velvet may be twisted in order to produce what is called "crushed velvet." Other processes may include weaving the velvet with different colored threads to produce designs.
