Jacquard – a revolution for designer fabrics

Jacquard weaving is the supplementary weaving primarily meant for creating designs or patterns so that the motif or pattern gets included as part of the fabric weave. The versatility of the jacquard has allowed for a whole lot of new unlimited designs to be incorporated in fabrics with speed and flexibility.

What is the Jacquard?

The jacquard weave is a raised design woven into a fabric, achieved through an arrangement fitted on a loom, meant to create fine, exquisite patterns within the weaving process on the fabric. Jacquard weaving makes it possible on any sort of loom, the programmed raising of each warp thread independent of the others.

This has brought about greater versatility to the weaving process and offers the highest level of warp yarn control. The jacquard attachment between the warp threads provides for flexibility during the weaving of the fabric and allows patterns to be created in extraordinary shapes in fine detail.

In former times if figured designs were required, this was done on a draw loom. The heddles with warp ends to be pulled up were manually selected by a second operator (draw boy), apart from the weaver. It was slow and labour intensive, with practical limitations on the complexity of the pattern.

The first important improvement was when Basile Bouchon introduced the principle of applying a perforated band of paper. A continuous roll of paper was punched by hand, in sections, each of which represented one lash or thread, and the length of the roll was determined by the number of shots in each repeat of pattern.

Joseph Marie Jacquard recognized that although weaving was intricate, it was repetitive, and saw that a mechanism could be developed for the production of sophisticated patterns just as it had been done for the production of simple patterns. The Jacquard machine subsequently evolved from this.

Named after their inventor, Joseph Marie Jacquard, the Jacquard process and the necessary loom attachment are probably one of the most important weaving inventions made, as Jacquard shedding has made possible the automatic production of unlimited varieties of pattern weaving.

Jacquard weaving is mostly done for linen products, apparel fabrics and items of home furnishings. The saree has made good use of the jacquard loom for designs woven into a fabric. Light weight satin, charmeuse, chiffon, silk organza, crepe de chine, georgette are some of the fibres used for weave.

Modern fashion has brought about the fusion of prints and jacquard weaving in motifs in stunning ways. The process can also be used for patterned knitwear and machine-knitted textiles. Today the jacquard is made use of in India mostly for self-color weaving, captivating motifs and complicated floral designs on sarees, that has raised womanly allure to new heights.

Unnati Silk Prints Pvt.Ltd., manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer of genuine handlooms since 1981. Provider of Indian ethnic varieties in sarees, salwar kameez, Kurtas and kurtis, ethnic essentials and special Indo western apparel. Prices are attractive wholesale and retail, dispatch is within 24 hours, free domestic retail, worldwide express shipping.

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I am currently a Manager with Unnati Silk Prints pvt ltd., a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer of genuine handlooms in sarees, salwar kameez, Kurta, kurtis, ethnic essentials and special Indo western apparel. Prices attractive, shipping is worldwide