Where does velvet come from?

Velvet comes from silk, but there are many imitations made from cotton and other materials. Real velvet is a closely woven fabric made by wearing loops of silk on to two silk backcloths, one on top of the other. In between the two backcloths the woven silk will form what is called a pile. The pile is the soft, furry hairs characteristic of velvet and many carpets.

The two layer of silk, which have been woven face-to-face, will have long fury pile yarns connecting the two layers. After the cloth is woven, the two layers are sliced apart leaving two separate soft rows of velvet.

Velvet was originally developed in the 15^th Century in Italy from where the art spread throughout the world. Turkish velvet were especially successful, and beautiful designs from 16^th and 17^th Century Turkey survive today.