For the love of velvet

Velvet is a cut warp pile fabric, produced by weaving two cloths face-to-face on a special loom, joined by the warp pile thread. This combined fabric is then separated by a knife edge as it comes off the loom and the fibrous cut ends of the yarn form the textured surface of the fabric.

Characterised by this short dense pile, different effects can be achieved by either leaving the pile erect or laying it in one direction to create the delicate lustre. If you run your hand over the velvet the pile will move, press on it and it will leave a mark, brush in the right direction and it will return to its natural state. If the pile does flatten the angle alters which results in areas of the pile appearing lighter or darker in shade.

This can easily be mistaken for uneven dyeing but is in fact an inherent characteristic of pile fabrics, however, the beauty of fabrics such as Bespoke by Catherine Martin by Mokum is in this bruised appearance. Crushed velvets achieve perfection in their imperfection and inherent luminosity.

In upholstery applications the pile is commonly orientated downwards to give furniture a smooth and consistent appearance. A downward facing pile is easier to care for as it is more resilient and tends not to bruise as much; the deeper the pile, the more bruising and shading in the fabric.

In contrast, the pile often curves upwards in velvet draperies producing a deeper, more intense colour. Any pile disturbance will disappear quickly as the pile relaxes, although an upward facing pile will naturally collect more dust.

Lining velvet drapes will not only protect them from exposure to UV light, reducing the pile loss, fading and fibre degradation, but enhance the drape and general appearance. In addition, we recommend to always use a pull cord or rod to open and close velvet drapes as hand contact will likely bruise and crush the texture of the pile.

After hanging velvet drapes, it is recommended that they be drawn across, allowing the pile to breathe and relax; this will continue over time due to atmospheric conditions. For example, in humid environments the velvet will relax well on its own, but in a dry climate velvet often needs assistance to settle correctly. In this situation, velvet can be sprayed with a fine water mist to lightly dampen the fabric, then left to dry without being touched. After drying, most creases and marks will have dropped out and the pile will have lifted.

Dry cleaning is the preferred cleaning method for velvet, however, to maintain the lustrous quality and ensure your furnishings age gracefully we recommend regular vacuuming and gently brushing spills.

By vacuuming home furnishings, especially pile fabrics, once a month with the brush attachment we can counteract the flattening of the pile which occurs when we sit on our furniture, ensuring the longevity of the fabric and decreasing signs of wear and dust collection.

When spills occur the fibrous cut ends of the yarn clump together, creating a watermark on the surface of the velvet. Rubbing the area with a suede brush comprised of soft and metal bristles in addition to vacuuming will help to separate the clumped fibres and improve the appearance of the velvet.

Through regular wear and tear home furnishings will show natural signs of aging, but just like a beautiful timber or metal finish, the way these materials change over time is part of the life that you and your furnishings experience together. With gentle maintenance velvet will age gracefully and retain its charm.