What is brocade fabric?
What is brocade fabric? Woven fabric with a pattern is called brocade. In contrast to embroidered fabrics, brocade has patterns that are woven right into the fabric. The use of brocade spans many cultures and dates back to ancient times. Brocade, which was formerly only used for decorative clothing, is now more widely used.
For the majority of brocade’s history, silk has been the fabric of choice for clothing, but today, wool, cotton, and even synthetic fibres can be used to create brocade. Brocade has a special aura of beauty and sophistication, even when it is manufactured from cheap materials and used to make casual clothing.
| Fabric name | Brocade |
| The fabric is also known as | Embossed cloth |
| Fabric composition | Patterned, woven textile yarn |
| Fabric possible thread count variations | 100-600 |
| Fabric breathability | Depends on the fabric used—usually low |
| Moisture-wicking abilities | Medium |
| Heat retention abilities | Medium |
| Stretchability (give) | Low |
| Prone to pilling/bubbling | Depends on the fabric used |
| Country, where fabric was first, produced | China |
| Biggest exporting/producing country today | China or Australia |
| Recommended washing temperatures | Depends on the fabric used |
| Commonly used in | Dresses, ecclesiastical vestments, costumes, trousers, jackets, suits, upholstery, drapes |
Brocade today
Brocade fabric production became significantly more effective with the development of the Jacquard loom in the early 19th century, and this textile material started to lose its link with aristocracy and the upper class. The Jacquard loom also made it possible to produce more intricate brocade designs than ever before, and this fabric is still much sought after for its exquisite ornamental beauty.
Although brocade is still only sometimes used in clothing, it is a common material for contemporary upholstery and draperies. Additionally, brocade is a fairly typical for ceremonial Indian apparel, and it is frequently used in priestly vestments.
How is brocade fabric made?
How is brocade fabric used?
Where is brocade fabric produced?
The world’s leading producer and exporter of textile goods are China. This East Asian country is the most prolific manufacturer of brocade fabric. Although Australia is the world’s leading producer of wool, many Australian wool producers send their yarn or raw materials to Chinese facilities for completion.
How much does brocade fabric cost?
The cost of brocade is typically much higher than that of other woven fabrics created from comparable materials. Brocade manufacture is considerably more difficult than producing virtually any other sort of cloth, despite the fact that computerised Jacquard looms have made it significantly more efficient. The complexity of the designs that must be created and executed by brocade producers, along with its aesthetic appeal, more than justifies the high price that this fetches on the global textile market.
What different types of brocade fabric are there?
How does brocade fabric impact the environment?
Depending on the kinds of textile materials it contains, brocade fabric’s environmental impact varies greatly. Silk is the most environmentally friendly fabric on the earth, and brocade traditionally contains silk strands.
Pesticides and fertilisers are not necessary for the production of silk; just the presence of mulberry plants is required. Silk workers pick these cocoons, boil them, and unreel them without using any agro toxins or chemicals. Silkworms naturally build cocoons on the branches of mulberry trees.
Cotton can be environmentally benign and sustainable depending on how it is grown, yet many cotton farmers use toxic pesticides and fertilisers to grow this crop. Wool is in a comparable circumstance: Although wool can be produced sustainably, Cotton can be environmentally benign and sustainable depending on how it is grown, yet many cotton farmers use toxic pesticides and fertilisers to grow this crop. Wool is in a comparable circumstance: While it is feasible to produce wool sustainably, some wool farmers utilise unsuitable land practices and hurt animals.
Polyester and other synthetic textiles are by far the worst for the environment of all the fibres used to manufacture brocade. While synthetic textile fibres do not naturally disintegrate when discharged into the environment, natural fibres like silk, cotton, and wool do. Even worse, the creation of synthetic textiles uses highly toxic chemicals that can hurt workers and the environment since they release small threads with each wash that add to global plastic pollution.
