Woven fabrics are composed of fibers that are hung on a loom and then interlaced with other fibers, both vertically (known as the warp) and horizontally (known as the weft), to form a textile. A helpful mnemonic device to remember the different directions is, “Weft goes right and left.”

History and Origins

The earliest woven fabrics dates back to the Neolithic period of around 5000 B.C.E. While originally done by hand, they have become mechanised and now many fabrics can be classified as woven, both natural and synthetic as well as blends of both. Woven fabrics are now produced on looms, with the earliest known evidence of a loom dating back to 4400 B.C.E. Since then, looms have been continually in use, with high-tech versions used today