What is Woven Fabric?

Woven fabric is made on a loom by interlacing lengthwise warp yarns with crosswise weft yarns at right angles. CottonWorks defines weaving as interlacing two sets of yarn to form a fabric structure. The yarns do not form loops; they pass over and under one another and are held by the interlacing. This makes woven fabric more stable than knit: its stretch is limited by yarn properties and weave structure (Dönmez, 2008). Oxford-type shirting fabrics, bottom-weight fabrics such as denim and gabardine, and sheeting are woven (CottonWorks, Basic Woven Fabric Designs).

Warp, weft and selvage

The warp (ends) is the set of yarn running along the length of the fabric, in the machine direction; the weft (picks, filling) runs across the width (CottonWorks). Warp yarn is generally twisted more tightly, stronger and more stable; weft yarn is generally a little less twisted and weaker (University of Kentucky Extension, 2006).

The selvage is the firm edge running lengthwise (Kentucky). All diagonal directions are bias directions; woven fabric stretches most on the true 45° bias. The loom sets warp and weft at right angles, and fabric can shift out of this alignment during finishing (Kentucky). These directions need to be told apart in cutting and sample evaluation.

How woven fabric is made

The warp yarns are held under tension; the loom raises and lowers some of them to form an opening (shed), and the weft is inserted through it (CottonWorks). Three kinds of shedding mechanism raise the warp: cam, dobby and jacquard. Cam and dobby control the warp with frames (typically 6–8 frames for cam and 12–32 for dobby); jacquard uses harness cords instead of frames and allows large pattern repeats and very detailed designs (CottonWorks).

The traditional weft insertion method is the shuttle; today it has largely been replaced by shuttleless methods (rapier, projectile, air-jet and water-jet). The shuttle is the only method that passes the weft from both sides of the fabric, so it gives a clean woven selvage on both sides. The water-jet method can only be used with hydrophobic fibers such as polyester, nylon and olefin (CottonWorks).

The three basic weaves

The three basic woven designs are plain weave, twill and satin (CottonWorks).

How it differs from knit and nonwoven

In specifications and testing

What to specify when sourcing woven fabric

1. State the weave, not just the name: weave, fiber, yarn, warp and weft density, weight and width should be written together. Names such as “poplin” and “gabardine” describe only a weave family and an appearance.
2. If you want stretch, state the elastic yarn share: plain-weave fabric does not stretch without elastic yarn (Pratt Institute).
3. Check the alignment (grain): fabric can shift out of alignment during finishing; a garment that is not cut and sewn on grain can stretch where it should not, and a skirt hem can sag (University of Kentucky Extension, 2006).
4. Set expectations by weave family: satin can show snagging and seam slippage, and plain weave can be stiff (CottonWorks).

The general framework of structure, fiber, yarn and finishing is explained in the fabric types guide. If you are looking for a fabric supplier, see the woven fabric category.

Frequently asked questions

Which is warp and which is weft?

The warp is the set of yarn running lengthwise and the weft the set running crosswise (CottonWorks). The selvage runs parallel to the warp (University of Kentucky Extension, 2006).

Does woven fabric stretch?

Very little by itself: stretch is limited by yarn properties and weave structure (Dönmez, 2008). It “gives” most on the bias (University of Kentucky Extension, 2006). For noticeable stretch, an elastic yarn is added to the structure.

Are poplin, gabardine and denim woven?

Yes, all three. The Collins dictionary defines poplin as a plain-weave fabric, and CottonWorks lists denim and gabardine among bottom-weight fabrics woven in 3×1 twill. See the poplin and gabardine entries for details.