The loom in the museum?

***Moving the shuttle***

Or the scene in the costume drama where the weaver girl's delicate hands dance with silk threads, weaving all kinds of lifelike and dreamy beautiful fabrics like magic?

***Flying needles and running threads***

01 History of jacquard fabrics

***Great invention***

It is generally believed that jacquard fabrics were born in France in 1801. The English name of jacquard also comes from the Frenchman Joseph Marie Jacquard. This is actually because he was the first person to invent a single-operated jacquard machine. From then on, jacquard weaving entered the era of single-operated looms from the era of two-person manual looms. It is indeed a very remarkable invention and progress.

But back to jacquard fabrics themselves, China was far ahead of the world for many years. As early as the Western Han Dynasty, Chengdu Prefecture (the birthplace of Shu brocade) developed a manual loom operated by two or more people at the same time, which was able to weave complex and diverse luxurious patterns with a great multi-weave method.

When it comes to Chinese silk fabrics, in addition to the "silk and satin" that we often talk about, we also often use "icing on the cake". "Jin" is woven with a jacquard machine, which can be said to be the most complex jacquard fabric. More than 1,000 years before modern equipment, the Chinese were able to manually "icing on the cake", which is really amazing wisdom.

***Silk Road***

No wonder the ancient Silk Road, China's silk jacquard fabrics can be famous all over the world, and become the hard "currency" among European nobles at that time. The dignitaries were proud to wear silk jacquard clothing from China.

02 The principle of jacquard fabrics

***Pattern version***

The jacquard loom invented by Frenchman Joseph Marie Jacquard uses a series of punched cards to control the upper and lower openings of the warp yarn to replace the two people required by the traditional manual jacquard loom (the prototype of modern electronic jacquard). The basic steps of jacquard can be divided into the following three steps:

① Design of pattern and production of pattern plate (also called pattern paper);

② Preparation of warp yarn (shaft) after dyeing and other finishing;

③ Assemble the yarn and pattern paper according to the design requirements and start jacquard weaving.

03 Characteristics of jacquard fabric

Jacquard fabric is completely different from printed fabric. Printing is flat, while jacquard fabric is through pattern design, and then through complex dyeing, weaving and other processes, to present a lifelike three-dimensional sense, high-end sense, and luxury. This is something that printed fabrics cannot compare and interpret.

04 The charm of jacquard fabric

***Jacquard sweater (from Japan)***

Through jacquard, from simple geometry to complex patterns can be displayed on the fabric. It can be said that jacquard is a revolutionary existence in the field of fabrics.

05 Technical overview of jacquard fabric

① Definition of jacquard fabric

Any fabric that can weave a large and colorful pattern on a shuttle loom or knitting machine without embroidery or printing can be called jacquard fabric. Needle and shuttle woven jacquards are currently widely used by brands, and jacquard designs with their own characteristics can be made according to the tone of their own brands.

② Classification of jacquard fabrics

According to the size of the jacquard, it can be divided into large jacquard and small jacquard. Large jacquard generally refers to a curved pattern or pattern, such as a flower pattern. Small jacquard generally refers to a straight pattern, such as a lattice-like geometric figure.

③ Design of jacquard fabrics

By changing the warp and weft yarns, a myriad of changing patterns can be woven.

For example, the weft direction can be changed by a variety of colored yarns to bring a colorful pattern effect. With the upgrading of weaving equipment, the technology and tools of computer jacquard design are becoming more and more mature...jacquard fabrics are becoming more and more diversified.

Jacquard fabrics are born with a three-dimensional sense, mysterious colors, or noble, or sexy, or elegant. It can be worn in a variety of styles and can also handle various high-end occasions. This is probably why it is "fearless" and loved by luxury brands.

④ Functionality of modern jacquard fabrics

Due to the particularity of weaving, different yarns can be given different functionalities to design clothing with various magical effects.

For example, plain (monochrome) but different materials of warp and weft yarns are used to weave jacquard fabrics. When dyed, the yarns of different materials have different coloring reactions to the same dye, which will form a colorful jacquard pattern.

06 Advantages and disadvantages of jacquard fabrics

① Advantages

It can present complex patterns that cannot be presented by printing;

It has a stronger ability to resist fading;

The pattern has a three-dimensional effect and is more lifelike;

Unparalleled luxury and high-end feeling.

② Disadvantages

Since it is usually yarn dyed and the weaving method is very fine, it takes longer to weave and the cost is higher than printed fabrics.

Because of the principle of weaving, the fabric is easier to snag than printed fabrics, so brands should design or choose jacquards according to the actual wearing scene.

07 Conclusion

The long-standing jacquard fabric can express various moods and fashionable designs according to the pattern design, different functional yarns and materials.

Why not include jacquard fabric in your shopping list and give it a try?