Brocade

Your Guide To Brocade Fabric And Its Applications

You may believe you are not familiar with brocade fabric, but you may have encountered it more than you think. If you are an experienced crafter who would like to work with brocade fabric, but would like to learn more about it, be sure to read the useful guide provided by Spotlight below.

What Is Brocade Fabric?

Brocade fabric is a shuttle-woven textile, which may or may not contain metallic-coloured threads. As this material is highly decorative in nature, it has applications in both home decor projects and fashion design.

Even if you are not that familiar with brocade fabric, it is not difficult to distinguish this textile from other fabrics. When you look at brocade fabric, it stands apart considerably from other fabrics because of its regal and royal appearance. Of course, this does not mean they cannot be mistaken for other similar fabrics such as jacquard.

When in doubt if your chosen fabric is a brocade fabric, simply check the back of the fabric. If it is a brocade fabric, it will contain some floating yarns, this means brocade fabric cannot be reversed. Jacquard fabric looks similar but can be reversed.

What Materials Are Used To Create Brocade Fabric?

Interestingly enough, brocade fabrics can be made from a variety of materials, this means you can find them in fabrics such as silk and cotton. The unique look of brocade is not created by the fabric fibre as such. Instead, it is created by how they are woven on the loom.

We must mention that most brocade materials are made with a natural fabric fibre such as cotton and silk, this provides the material with superior smoothness and a lustrous appearance. The texture is also remarkably soft, which makes this fabric popular for semi-formal wear, suits, and even blazers. That being said, some fashion designers like to implement this unique fabric in dress designs too.

Are There Different Categories Of Brocade Fabric?

Generally speaking, there are two types of brocade fabric you can encounter, this relates to the way they are woven. Of course, only more experienced crafters can usually tell the difference, this is why it is important to find a trustworthy seller such as Spotlight.

One of the types of brocade fabric you can come across is the so-called continuous brocade. The continuous brocade consists of weft threads that are visible on the back of the fabric. However, some manufacturers prefer to cut away these threads on the back, in which case you will only notice traces of them.

The second type of brocade fabric you may encounter is the discontinuous brocade. With the discontinuous brocade, the manufacturer will use some extra yarns on the loom, this provides the fabric with an intricate pattern.

How Can I Tell The Difference Between Brocade And Similar Fabrics Such As Damask And Brocatelle?

We briefly mentioned how to can tell the difference between brocade and jacquard fabric, but there are other materials that look remarkably like brocade. So, how can you tell these fabrics apart?

Fabrics that may appear similar to brocade include damask, tapestry, and brocatelle fabric. Naturally, each of these materials has its set range of applications and its characteristics, enabling you to tell the difference.

With damask fabric, you will always notice an extremely delicate pattern consisting of several weaves. Therefore, the pattern is never intertwined with the fabric itself. It is also a fabric that is reversable, which makes it a little easier to tell it apart from brocade. That being said, damask can be used for the same applications as brocade.

Tapestry, on the other hand, is also a non-reversible fabric, which means it can look at a lot like brocade at first sight. However, tapestry is considerably thicker than brocade, so you must feel the material to be able to tell it apart in most cases.

Finally, you can encounter brocatelle, which is a jacquard fabric. To tell the difference from brocade fabric, always look for the raised pattern and the heavier weight of the fabric. Brocatelle is usually more expensive too, so its applications are usually limited to high fashion. If you should encounter it though, always double-check you have the genuine article.