What is Velour Fabric?
What is Velour Fabric? Velour, which derives from the French meaning velvet, is quite similar to velvet and velveteen. Velour is a pile knit fabric instead of a pile weave fabric like velvet, making it easier to make and a little less opulent. Velour is frequently used as a material for stage curtains since it is more resilient than velvet while preserving many of the desirable qualities of this opulent fabric.
| Fabric name | Velour |
| Fabric is also known as | Velours |
| Fabric composition | Cotton, synthetic fibers, or leather |
| Fabric possible thread count variations | 100-300 |
| Fabric breathability | Medium |
| Moisture-wicking abilities | Depends on the material used |
| Heat retention abilities | Medium |
| Stretchability (give) | Depends on the material used |
| Prone to pilling/bubbling | Usually low—higher with synthetic materials |
| Country, where fabric was first, produced | France |
| Biggest exporting/producing country today | China |
| Recommended washing temperatures | Depends on the material used—usually, machine wash cool or cold |
| Commonly used in | Stage curtains, bathrobes, hats, dance wear, upholstery, jewellery cases, sweaters, jackets, pants, shirts, tracksuits, dresses |
The origins of velour
Velour’s antecedents in history are disputed. It is obvious from the fabric’s etymology that it came from France, however, it is less certain which company invented velour as a substitute for velvet. Velour fabric was first mentioned in documents from the 1840s, and it remained a standard upholstery fabric for the entire next century.
There had been a long-standing demand for a less expensive velvet substitute. Despite the fact that velvet was universally coveted by people from all socioeconomic levels, the intricate production procedures required to make velvet resulted in excessively high prices.
Velour had established itself as a low-cost fabric with velvet-like qualities by the time effective velvet production techniques were developed in the early 20th century. Despite the best efforts of textile makers, velour never reached substantial appeal as a material for high-end clothing because it remained coarser than velvet. Instead, velour was frequently employed by furniture makers for upholstery, and at some point, it took the role of velvet as the standard fabric for stage curtains.
Up until the middle of the 1960s, velour’s application in clothing was surprisingly restricted. At this moment, fashion designers began utilising this velvet-like fabric to create jackets, jeans, shirts, and a variety of other apparel kinds, capitalising on the movement away from conservative clothing. Velour apparel, which was initially mocked for looking too much like upholstery, was mainstream during the 1970s before falling out of favour in the 1980s.
Velour experienced a resurgence in popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s as well-known fashion houses began dressing celebrities in velour tracksuits. These vividly coloured tracksuits were briefly in vogue before going out of style due to their form-fitting upper regions and flared legs.
Today’s velour fabric
Velour is no longer a very popular fabric for clothing. Velour tracksuits are still readily accessible, although they are typically only in style among those who share specific cultural affiliations and are mocked in general society. However, velour-made sweaters continue to be quite widely used, while velour shirts and jackets are also rather widespread.
The fabrication of theatre curtains is one use for velour that is improbable to go out of trend. Velour stage curtains, which are often composed of polyester, are so ingrained in the theatrical culture that alternatives are unlikely to ever acquire major support.
How is velour fabric made?
Velour fabric is created in a few simple processes. Velour is woven similarly to velvet, but it is less complicated and consequently less expensive.
1. Creation of yarn from fibre
Purchasing the proper textile material is the first stage in the creation of velour fabric. Cotton was traditionally used to create velour instead of silk, which was the material used to create velvet. However, polyester fibres now make up the majority of velour fabric.
Coal and petroleum are used to make the polymer polyester. Textile producers turn this polymer into a liquid and extrude it through spinnerets to create fibres using a variety of hazardous chemicals. Although polyester can be spun into yarn, it is also frequently made as thick strands that resemble yarn.
2. The technique of pile knit weaving
In the past, velvet could only be made on a certain kind of handloom that essentially wove two textiles simultaneously. The creation of velour was a direct reaction to how time-consuming this technique was and how expensive velvet became as a result. Although velour and velvet are both called pile weave textiles, velour is made using a special technique known as “pile knitting.”
3. after-weave care
Velour fabric may undergo a range of post-production processes after it has been woven. Although colouring cotton or polyester fibres before weaving is a possibility, fabric bolts can also be dyed after they have been completely woven. To avoid acting as a flame accelerant in the event of a theatre fire, polyester velour used for stage curtains is frequently treated with flame-retardants.
How is velour cloth employed?
Stage curtains are currently where velour is most prominently used. Velour is still in high demand by theatre organisations all around the world, despite a considerable fall in its use in clothing during the past few decades. Even movie theatres frequently utilise velour as a screen border material. Most live theatres keep extra velour stage curtains on hand as backups.
Velour is still a comparatively common upholstery material. However, as velour isn’t extremely fashionable right now, the majority of pieces of furniture with velour upholstery are vintage or antique. Velour tracksuits, sweaters, shirts, skirts, blouses, jackets, and pants are among the clothing options. Velour is used in contemporary culture as a lining material fastened to the interior.
What country produces velour fabric?
Cotton or polyester fibres make up the majority of the velour available on the market. China exports the most completed cotton products, even though India produces the rawest cotton overall. China is also the world’s biggest manufacturer and exporter of goods made of synthetic fabrics.
What is the price of velour fabric?
The cost of velour fabric is not very high. This fabric costs about the same as other natural or synthetic fabrics and significantly less than real velvet. Velour made of cotton is typically much more expensive than velour made of polyester.
What variations of velour fabric exist?
Velour comes in many various varieties, and there are a few other fabrics that are simple to mistake for this distinctive material. Here are a few illustrations:
1. Leather velour
The term “velour,” which is typically used to describe woven cotton or synthetic fabrics, can also refer to velour leather, an animal hide fabric with a feel akin to suede or chamois. This delicate kind of leather, which is chromium-tanned, has a surprisingly soft top surface and is frequently used to produce watch bands and shoes. Jackets and upholstery can be made from velour leather.
2. Cotton velour
Until the mid-19th century, all velour fabric was produced from cotton. As a cheaper alternative to silk velvet, cotton velour yet had many of the same qualities as the textile it was supposed to emulate. Cotton velour is no longer a common material for stage curtains due to the popularity of synthetic velour, which is now mostly used to produce clothing or upholstery.
3. artificial velour
Synthetic velour made of polyester or material comparable to it is less expensive to make than cotton velour and responds well to flame-retardant treatments, making it a great choice for stage curtains. Although polyester velour resembles cotton velour almost exactly, it is not as pleasant to the touch and is therefore not frequently used as a fabric for clothing. However, a lot of velour clothing varieties contain cotton and polyester mixtures.
4. Velvet
As the fabric that velour was made to resemble, velvet has several characteristics in common with its more affordable textile sibling. Velvet is far softer than velour, which was typically manufactured with cotton. Velour was typically produced with silk. Today, however, synthetic fibres are frequently used to create velour and velvet, and machine looms may now be used to produce velvet in large quantities. Together, these two elements have almost entirely eliminated the substantial price differential that previously distinguished velvet from velour.
How does the environment be affected by velour fabric?
The total environmental impact of velour fabric is negligible compared to more widely used fabrics because so little of it is manufactured each year. However, given that velour is still widely used as stage curtains, some varieties of the fabric are more harmful to the environment than others. As a result, it is important to fully understand how velour affects the environment.
The environmental effect of velour has dramatically worsened as a result of increased reliance on synthetic elements in its production. Because synthetic fibres like rayon and polyester are not biodegradable, every time they are washed, microfibers are released into the atmosphere. Microfiber pollution is more of a worry in the context of synthetic velour garments since velour stage curtains are rarely washed. Additionally, harmful chemicals are used in the making of fabrics.
For a variety of reasons, cotton velour is preferable in terms of the environment; yet, the global cotton production business has its own unfavourable consequences on the environment. The use of hazardous agrochemicals is extensively emphasized in the majority of cotton production worldwide, and cotton mono cropping invariably causes soil erosion. However, cotton velour itself is not a big pollutant because it is a biodegradable fabric.