Jacquard vs brocade
Well, there is a good reason for your confusion, because all brocade fabrics are classified as jacquard fabric. Here is a short video of weaving at our mill in Guilford, Maine. When you look at the overall description of brocade, you may wonder what the difference is with jacquard fabrics. Another spool on the back of the loom (not seen) takes up the finished fabric. The difference between brocade and other embroidered fabrics, such as damask, is that brocade is reversible and is equally pretty on either side of the fabric. Brocade fabric is made on a jacquard loom, and is considered a jacquard fabric-meaning it is woven into predetermined decorative patterns. The large spool in the photo above carries all the warp yarns, which are the length of the amount of fabric that is to be woven. Brocade is a fabric that originates from China. Each one of those warp yarns can be moved individually, allowing for much more intricate and complex patterns to be woven. Each of those green harnesses in the above photo are connected to one, two or sometimes 4 warp yarns.
Named after its inventor, a Jacquard loom is immediately identifiable by the green harnesses that extend up to where the control head is located. That, combined with the loom only being able to hold a certain number of harnesses limits how complex a pattern can be.ĭobby looms are best used for simple geometric patterns because of the limitations of the harnesses.
When a harness goes up or down, all the warp yarns attached to it move with it. In the case of a dobby loom, you can only control the warp yarns in groups, moved by harnesses (the silver and tan paddle looking things). Because of the embossing, brocades are not reversible while damask is.The main difference between a dobby and Jacquard loom is how the warp yarns are moved up and down. Damask is also usually flatter than brocade, as brocade's patterns are to appear embossed and raised. Dark Sapphire Blue/Obsidian 100 Polyester Abstract Design Brocade 65W. The Brocade on the other hand is a heavy fabric interwoven with a rich, raised design.īesides, what is the difference between brocade and damask?ĭamask and brocade are both patterned fabrics woven on Jacquard looms. Jacquard/Brocade Dark Sapphire Blue/Obsidian 100 Polyester Abstract Design Brocade 65W Created with Sketch. The term jacquard also means the weave or a fabric with an intricately woven pattern. Damasks are woven with one warp yarn and one weft yarn, usually with the pattern in warp-faced satin weave and the ground in weft-faced or sateen weave.įurthermore, what's the difference between jacquard and brocade? The Jacquard is a special loom, or a machine employed in the weaving of a figured fabric. The traditional brocade used gold and silver motifs on a silk fabric which is now replaced by various other fabrics such as cotton or polyester. Sk/ Arabic: ?) is a reversible figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibres, with a pattern formed by weaving. Brocade material is woven on a similar jacquard loom, but it is non-reversible and the threads chosen are metallic silver or gold. Damask – a reversible patterned material where the ground is one weave and the designs are another, resulting in patterned areas that possess a sheen and reflect light a damask can be 'tonal' or multicoloredįurthermore, what type of material is Damask? A Jacquard by Any Other Name Brocatelle – similar to brocade, but a heavier material with more raised patterns.