Damask Fabrics - Classic Furnishing Fabrics With Unique Weaves & Patterns

The fabric construction of damask fabrics, a traditional classy textile; is characterised by a background of lustrous fabric with woven raised designs.

This classic fabric is mostly used for drapery, upholstery, table cloths and wallpaper, and in some African countries such as Nigeria, sophisticated clothing have been produced for women of style with damask fabrics, and in some western countries it is used for beautiful clothing apparel like chic ladies jackets, evening purses, hand bags and other fashion accessories.

Traditionally, bespoke antique upholstered furniture were and still are upholstered with these furnishing fabrics and this contributes in no small measure to its favoured acquaintance with many home-owners, decorators, furniture makers and other consumers who love the uniqueness and high quality of this great fabric.

Today, damask materials can found in many fabric stores on-line and off, and come in a vast variety of weaves, colours, themes and patterns, and though many genres of the fabric comes a bit pricey (silk damask fabrics are priced high) because of its dense and intricate weave, it is still in high demand and well loved.

Damask is named after Damascus in Italy. It’s weaving/construction form actually originated in Asia but it wasn’t known or referred to as damask. Its use eventually spread across the Middle East, arriving in Europe through merchants and traders like Marco Polo.

Around the 12th century the fabric quickly rose to fame. At the time, Damascus was regarded as the centre of textile production and the ornate fabrics exported from Damascus were well known throughout Europe and beyond. Soon the elite and wealthy consumers began to associate the fabric with luxury.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the invention of the Jacquard loom made damask fabrics easier and faster to manufacture. Weaving was achieved with the direction of a series of punch cards which was useful in altering the position of the warp threads in the fabric. These punch cards aided automation of the weaving process, thus enabling the damask fabric manufacturers to produce damask patterns on a larger scale, and this in turn began to make damask textiles more affordable for a larger number of consumers.

See: Dior Flocked Damask Onyx/White

Today's technology has almost "made nonsense" of the traditional art of the fabric weaving process. The new age, with the use of computers, has helped in producing modern jacquard weaving and so all forms of damask fabrics can be found on the market, on-line and at fabric stores and boutiques. Manufacturers can now sell damask in bulk by the bolt.

The most popular choice (and affordable) of damask fabrics today is the synthetic ones. Though they tend to be much more durable than damask made from organic materials such as silk, they don't possess the same feel to the touch.

See: Michael Miller Rouge et Noir Dandy Damask Petal

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