What Is Woven Fabric? Warp, Weft and the Basic Weaves

Weaving is a fabric-making method in which two separate yarn systems are interlaced. The yarns stretched lengthwise on the loom are the warp; the yarn inserted across them is the weft. On each pass the weft goes over some warp yarns and under others, and this repeating sequence forms the fabric's weave.

Along both side edges there is usually a more tightly woven selvedge that stabilises the structure. The selvedge always runs parallel to the warp, so it gives a practical reference for telling length and width apart when cutting.

Weaving and knitting are the two main ways of making fabric. The difference lies in how the yarns are joined: in weaving, two yarn systems cross at right angles; in knitting, the yarn forms interlocking loops.

This is not a quality ranking; the two methods meet different end-use needs.

The vast majority of woven fabrics are based on three basic weaves or their derivatives.

Plain weave

Each weft yarn passes over one warp yarn and under the next. As the most tightly interlaced weave, it produces a firm, even surface and is common in shirting and summer fabrics.

Twill

The interlacing points shift by one step on each row, creating diagonal lines on the surface. Twill fabrics generally drape better and show creases less. Twill and its variants are common in suiting; see our guide to suiting fabrics for more.

Satin

The yarns are interlaced at longer intervals, leaving long floats on the surface. This reflects more light and gives a smooth, lustrous face. Because long floats can be more prone to snagging, the end use should be chosen accordingly.

Patterns are not always printed; they can also be created during weaving. Dobby systems are used for small, geometric patterns, while jacquard systems, which control each warp yarn individually, produce large and complex designs. Stripes and checks woven with yarns dyed in different colours are known as yarn-dyed fabrics.

These surface and pattern effects are an important part of what collections call fancy fabrics. We cover this separately in our guide to fancy fabrics.

The weave alone does not define a fabric. When comparing quotes and evaluating samples, read the following together:

• Composition: Which fibres are used and in what proportions. We explain how composition affects fabric behaviour in our composition guide.
• Weight: Mass per square metre (g/m²). For units and how to read them, see our GSM / fabric weight guide.
• Density: The number of warp and weft yarns per centimetre, which affects the fabric's compactness and hand.
• Yarn count: The fineness or thickness of the yarn (for example in Nm or tex).
• Width: Full width including selvedges and usable width should be stated separately.
• Finishing: Processes such as softening, brushing or calendering can change the hand and appearance.

Thanks to their shape retention and surface variety, woven fabrics are used across ready-to-wear: suits and jackets, trousers, skirts, dresses, shirts and blouses, waistcoats and outerwear are among the main uses. Choosing correctly for the season requires looking at composition, weight and weave together.

For an overview of the fabric groups Arkadaş Tekstil works with, see the woven fabrics section of our fabrics page.

The more clearly you describe your woven fabric requirement, the faster it can be assessed:

• End use and target product (for example men's suits, women's dresses)
• Reference sample or image, if available
• Expected weave or look (plain, diagonal, lustrous, patterned)
• Composition expectation
• Target weight and accepted tolerance
• Fabric width
• Colour, pattern and number of colourways
• Estimated quantity and target delivery date

You can send these details through the form on our Request a Quote page; simply leave blank any fields you are unsure about.