The term “velvety” means soft, and it takes its meaning from its namesake fabric: velvet. The soft, smooth fabric epitomizes luxury, with its smooth nap and shiny appearance. Velvet has been a fixture of fashion design and home decor for years, and its high-end feel and appearance make it an ideal textile for elevated design. Velvet can be made from anything, from natural fibers like silk, wool, and cotton, synthetic fibers like rayon or polyester, or a combination of both.

There are several schools of thought as to where and when velvet originated, but it’s generally agreed that it was somewhere in the Far East—likely China—around the 13th century, if not earlier. Velvet then made its way west along the Silk Road, becoming immensely popular during the Italian Renaissance. The word “velvet” comes from the Italian word velluto, meaning “shaggy.” Before the advent of modern industrial looms, velvet was quite costly to produce, and therefore available only to wealthy and royal families. Nobles in particular were drawn to its ability to accept richly hued dyes.

True “w” or “v” weave velvet is made on a special loom known as a double cloth, which produces two pieces of velvet simultaneously, one on top of the other, and joined using a second warp thread. The pile is then cut to separate the two layers, and the threads that protrude vertically from the fabric create the texture that is typical of velvet.

The orientation of the pile threads changes the way the fabric reflects light, which is why the color of velvet can be perceived as lighter or darker just depending on the angle it is being seen. It is thus particularly important to respect the nap by cutting all the pieces of a pattern in the same direction. Velvets cut with the nap going upwards reflect less light, which results in a deeper and more matte color, while velvets cut with the nap going downwards look shinier and marks on the fabric will be less obvious.

Velvet is available at all price points, from the most expensive (woven from ultra-fine silk fibers) to the most affordable (cotton, rayon, polyester, or acetate). Velvet is available in many weights, from chiffon to the heaviest upholstery fabrics.