Chenille
fabric has a fur-like texture, which is created by weaving the warp thread
in groups. It is made of cotton, silk or wool and is similar to velvet. The
fabric has beautiful appearance and is soft. This has made it a fancy fabric
and is preferred by fabric designers. The pile of the fabric is not flat, so
it reflects and absorbs light in varying degrees. It is known as shading and
mottled effect, which is found to some extent in all items of chenille
fabric.
The word 'Chenille' has been taken from a French word for caterpillar
because the fuzzy pile yarn looks like a caterpillar. Chenille is
commercially being produced since the 1970s. Chenille was first time made by
Catherine Evans in 1895 when after being inspired by a family heirloom, made
her first hand-tufted chenille bedspread. Five years later, she sold
hand-tufted chenille spread for $2.50. Later with further demand, Evans
Manufacturing Company was established in 1917.
Making of Chenille Fabric
- The pile yarns are wrapped around a shorter stem of polished meta
known as caliper.
- A blade passes cutting the pile yarns into short lengths.
- The core yarns are pressed into the shorter lengths with the help of
a rotating metal wheel.
- Next, the yarn is fed onto a traditional ring-twisting take up
mechanism.
- In this twisting process, both the ends of core yarn twist and trap
the shorter ends of pile between the core yarns.
- The caliper size determines the resulting yarn diameter.
- The size of the pile yarns and its number and quantity fed into the
core determines the count of the yarn.
Characteristics of Chenille Fabric
- It has fur like texture.
- It has beautiful appearance.
- It is soft.
- It is a fancy fabric.
- It resembles velvet.
- It reflects and absorbs light in varying degree.
Uses of Chenille Fabric
- Sweaters
- Outerwear
- Upholstery
- Curtains
- Throws and blankets
- rugs
