Yojana Magazine May 2024 - 3 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


44 May 2024
dO YOu KNOW?
t
he weave is the interlacement of warp and weft yarns to produce a woven fabric. Fabrics are 
manufactured in wide varieties and designs. t he basic weaves are plain, twill, and satin. All the others 
are derivatives of these basic weaves or their combinations. various weaving techniques like plain, 
twill, satin, honeycomb, huckaback, crepe, and others produce diverse fabrics including velvets, double 
cloth, and tubular constructions.
WEAVES OF WOVEN FABRIcS
plain Weave
Plain is the simplest weave, in which warp 
and weft threads interlace in alternate manner as 
shown, giving maximum number of interlacements. 
t his maximum interlacement imparts firmness and 
stability to the structure. Atleast two ends and 
two picks are required to weave its basic unit. A 
minimum of two heald frames are required for this 
weave. it is used in cambric, muslin, blanket, canvas, 
dhoti, saree, shirting, suiting, etc.
t will Weave
twill weave is 
another basic weave 
that is well known 
for its diagonal line 
formation in the fabric 
due to its interlacing 
pattern. this weave 
44 MAy 2024
Different 
basic 
weaves 
structures
Page 2


44 May 2024
dO YOu KNOW?
t
he weave is the interlacement of warp and weft yarns to produce a woven fabric. Fabrics are 
manufactured in wide varieties and designs. t he basic weaves are plain, twill, and satin. All the others 
are derivatives of these basic weaves or their combinations. various weaving techniques like plain, 
twill, satin, honeycomb, huckaback, crepe, and others produce diverse fabrics including velvets, double 
cloth, and tubular constructions.
WEAVES OF WOVEN FABRIcS
plain Weave
Plain is the simplest weave, in which warp 
and weft threads interlace in alternate manner as 
shown, giving maximum number of interlacements. 
t his maximum interlacement imparts firmness and 
stability to the structure. Atleast two ends and 
two picks are required to weave its basic unit. A 
minimum of two heald frames are required for this 
weave. it is used in cambric, muslin, blanket, canvas, 
dhoti, saree, shirting, suiting, etc.
t will Weave
twill weave is 
another basic weave 
that is well known 
for its diagonal line 
formation in the fabric 
due to its interlacing 
pattern. this weave 
44 MAy 2024
Different 
basic 
weaves 
structures
45 May 2024
and its derivatives are used for ornamental 
purposes. twill has a closer setting of yarns due to 
less interlacement, imparting greater weight and 
a better drape as compared to the plain weave. in 
simple twill, the outward and upward movement of 
the interlacing pattern is always one that imparts 
a diagonal line to this design. t he direction of the 
propagation of the twill line classifies twill into 
right-hand or left-hand twill. twill weaves find 
a wide range of applications, such as drill cloth, 
khakhi uniforms, denim cloth, blankets, shirtings, 
hangings, and soft furnishings.
s atin & s ateen
satin/sateen is a basic weave that does not 
have any regular pattern like twill. the surface 
of the fabric is either warp- or weft faced. satin is 
warp-faced, which means that all the surface of 
the fabric will show the warp threads except for 
the one threaded interlacement with other series 
of yarn. if it is weft-faced, then it will be known as 
sateen, which means that the fabric surface will 
mostly show the weft threads. t hese weaves have 
the fewest interlacement points among the basic 
weaves. Due to this, it gives the surface of the fabric 
more lustre and smoothness. With this weave, it is 
possible to use a cotton warp and silk filling, having 
most of the silk appearance on the surface of the 
fabric. it is used in sarees, blouse materials, dress 
materials, bed spreads, furnishing fabrics, curtain 
fabrics, etc.
h oney Comb Weave
this name is 
given to this weave 
due to its honeybee 
web-like structure. 
it makes ridges and 
hollow structures, 
which finally give a 
cell-like appearance. 
in this weave, both 
warp and weft threads move freely on both sides, 
which is coupled with the rough structure. the 
fabric made by this weave has longer floats all 
over the fabric. Due to this reason, it is radially 
absorbent of moisture. t his property made these 
weaves useful for towels, bed covers, and quilts. 
Most commonly, these weaves are constructed 
on repeats, which are multiples of four in ends 
and picks.
huck a Back Weave
this weave is 
largely used for cotton 
towels and linen cloth. 
it has longer floats 
in two quadrants, 
which makes it more 
moisture-absorbent. 
this weave is a 
combination of longer floats of symmetric 
weaves in two quadrants and plain weaves 
in the remaining two quadrants. Plain weave 
gives firmness to the structure, while longer 
float weave increases the absorbency of fabric, 
making it suitable for the above-stated purpose. 
sometimes, longer float symmetric weaves are 
used in combination with plain weaves in huck 
a back weave, which is also termed honeycomb 
huck a back weave.
Crepe Weave
crepe weave 
refers to the 
weave that does 
not have any 
specific pattern. 
the weave may 
have a little bit of 
the appearance 
of twill, but it 
does not have the 
prominence. t hey make small patterns or minute 
spots with a seed-like appearance all over the 
fabric surface. t he weave may be used separately 
or in combination with other weaves. c repe weave 
is frequently employed in making the ground of 
the figured fabrics. i n simple words, crepe weave 
is used to create a rough appearance. if we make 
crepe weaves with crepe yarns, this combination 
will give a remarkably pebbly or puckered 
appearance.
45 MAy 2024
Page 3


44 May 2024
dO YOu KNOW?
t
he weave is the interlacement of warp and weft yarns to produce a woven fabric. Fabrics are 
manufactured in wide varieties and designs. t he basic weaves are plain, twill, and satin. All the others 
are derivatives of these basic weaves or their combinations. various weaving techniques like plain, 
twill, satin, honeycomb, huckaback, crepe, and others produce diverse fabrics including velvets, double 
cloth, and tubular constructions.
WEAVES OF WOVEN FABRIcS
plain Weave
Plain is the simplest weave, in which warp 
and weft threads interlace in alternate manner as 
shown, giving maximum number of interlacements. 
t his maximum interlacement imparts firmness and 
stability to the structure. Atleast two ends and 
two picks are required to weave its basic unit. A 
minimum of two heald frames are required for this 
weave. it is used in cambric, muslin, blanket, canvas, 
dhoti, saree, shirting, suiting, etc.
t will Weave
twill weave is 
another basic weave 
that is well known 
for its diagonal line 
formation in the fabric 
due to its interlacing 
pattern. this weave 
44 MAy 2024
Different 
basic 
weaves 
structures
45 May 2024
and its derivatives are used for ornamental 
purposes. twill has a closer setting of yarns due to 
less interlacement, imparting greater weight and 
a better drape as compared to the plain weave. in 
simple twill, the outward and upward movement of 
the interlacing pattern is always one that imparts 
a diagonal line to this design. t he direction of the 
propagation of the twill line classifies twill into 
right-hand or left-hand twill. twill weaves find 
a wide range of applications, such as drill cloth, 
khakhi uniforms, denim cloth, blankets, shirtings, 
hangings, and soft furnishings.
s atin & s ateen
satin/sateen is a basic weave that does not 
have any regular pattern like twill. the surface 
of the fabric is either warp- or weft faced. satin is 
warp-faced, which means that all the surface of 
the fabric will show the warp threads except for 
the one threaded interlacement with other series 
of yarn. if it is weft-faced, then it will be known as 
sateen, which means that the fabric surface will 
mostly show the weft threads. t hese weaves have 
the fewest interlacement points among the basic 
weaves. Due to this, it gives the surface of the fabric 
more lustre and smoothness. With this weave, it is 
possible to use a cotton warp and silk filling, having 
most of the silk appearance on the surface of the 
fabric. it is used in sarees, blouse materials, dress 
materials, bed spreads, furnishing fabrics, curtain 
fabrics, etc.
h oney Comb Weave
this name is 
given to this weave 
due to its honeybee 
web-like structure. 
it makes ridges and 
hollow structures, 
which finally give a 
cell-like appearance. 
in this weave, both 
warp and weft threads move freely on both sides, 
which is coupled with the rough structure. the 
fabric made by this weave has longer floats all 
over the fabric. Due to this reason, it is radially 
absorbent of moisture. t his property made these 
weaves useful for towels, bed covers, and quilts. 
Most commonly, these weaves are constructed 
on repeats, which are multiples of four in ends 
and picks.
huck a Back Weave
this weave is 
largely used for cotton 
towels and linen cloth. 
it has longer floats 
in two quadrants, 
which makes it more 
moisture-absorbent. 
this weave is a 
combination of longer floats of symmetric 
weaves in two quadrants and plain weaves 
in the remaining two quadrants. Plain weave 
gives firmness to the structure, while longer 
float weave increases the absorbency of fabric, 
making it suitable for the above-stated purpose. 
sometimes, longer float symmetric weaves are 
used in combination with plain weaves in huck 
a back weave, which is also termed honeycomb 
huck a back weave.
Crepe Weave
crepe weave 
refers to the 
weave that does 
not have any 
specific pattern. 
the weave may 
have a little bit of 
the appearance 
of twill, but it 
does not have the 
prominence. t hey make small patterns or minute 
spots with a seed-like appearance all over the 
fabric surface. t he weave may be used separately 
or in combination with other weaves. c repe weave 
is frequently employed in making the ground of 
the figured fabrics. i n simple words, crepe weave 
is used to create a rough appearance. if we make 
crepe weaves with crepe yarns, this combination 
will give a remarkably pebbly or puckered 
appearance.
45 MAy 2024 46 May 2024
Bedford Cord Weave
this is a special class of weave that forms 
longitudinal warp lines in fabric with fine sunken 
lines in between. this fabric is used in suits for 
ornamental purposes. t he method of constructing 
this weave is simple. the repeat of the weave is 
calculated by multiplying the cord ends by two. 
t he resultant value will be the total number of ends 
of the weave repeat. t he pick repeat is four for this 
weave. t he weave repeat (warp ends) is divided into 
two halves to construct it. t he first and last ends of 
both halves are treated as cutting ends. Plain weave 
is inserted on these cutting ends. t hese plain ends 
behave as sunken ends in the Bedford cord.
Welts and pique
A pique weave consists 
of plain face fabric, which is 
composed of a series of warp 
and weft threads along with 
a series of stitching threads. 
this weave is unique due to 
the formation of horizontal 
lines (weft-wise). this weave requires two beams, 
one for the plain weave threads and the other for 
the stitching ends. the word ‘welt’ refers to the 
pique construction, when the indentations make 
deep or hollow (sunken) lines appear in the cloth.
Mock l eno Weave
the weave is constructed 
in four quadrants. the first 
and third quadrants have 
symmetric weave, and the 
second and fourth quadrants 
have opposite weave to the symmetric weave. t he 
perforated fabrics are made with this type of weave. 
t his effect is achieved by reversing the symmetric 
unit of the weave in the alternate quadrants. so, 
these weaves are produced in sections that oppose 
each other.
l eno Weave
Also known as gauze or 
cross weaving, Leno weaving is 
a weave in which two warp yarns 
twist and grip tightly around the 
weft yarns. t his makes for a more open weave that 
can be woven tightly for shirting or left completely 
loose to resemble netting or mesh.
Backed cloth
the weave combines two or more different 
weaves, but the weave on one side is not visible 
on the other side. For example: sateen on the face 
side and twill on the back side are woven with 
appropriate stitches. u sing this weave, two different 
types of yarn can be woven on the face and back 
sides of the fabric. For example, linen on the face 
side and cotton on the back side can be woven. t his 
combination will give good comfort to the wearer, 
along with an elegant appearance.
terry pile
this weave is unique in nature because it 
produces loop piles on the fabrics. t hese weaves are 
used in toweling fabrics. More popularly, these towels 
are known as turkey towels or terry towels. these 
towels are more popular for their water absorbency.
velvets and velveteens
t hese are cut-pile fabrics more popularly used 
for rich furnishing and made-up fabrics. they are 
also used for jewel boxes, car upholstery, etc.
double cloth
Double cloths are fabrics, in which there are at 
least two series of warp and weft threads, each of 
which is engaged primarily in producing its own 
layer of cloth, thus forming a separate face cloth 
and a separate back cloth. the purpose of the 
construction is to improve the thermal insulation 
value of a fabric with a smart facial appearance. 
Double cloths are used as different types of 
decorative cloth, such as – sofa covers, furnishing 
cloths, curtain fabrics, bed covers, pillow covers 
and other home textiles. it is also used for the 
production of winter garments, quilts, belts, 
different types of industrial fabrics, etc.
t ubular cloth
it is a double cloth woven without stitching 
points between the face and back fabrics. When we 
take out the fabric from the loom, it will be a tube 
made of fabric.                                                                       ?
Source: MyGov
46 MAy 2024
Page 4


44 May 2024
dO YOu KNOW?
t
he weave is the interlacement of warp and weft yarns to produce a woven fabric. Fabrics are 
manufactured in wide varieties and designs. t he basic weaves are plain, twill, and satin. All the others 
are derivatives of these basic weaves or their combinations. various weaving techniques like plain, 
twill, satin, honeycomb, huckaback, crepe, and others produce diverse fabrics including velvets, double 
cloth, and tubular constructions.
WEAVES OF WOVEN FABRIcS
plain Weave
Plain is the simplest weave, in which warp 
and weft threads interlace in alternate manner as 
shown, giving maximum number of interlacements. 
t his maximum interlacement imparts firmness and 
stability to the structure. Atleast two ends and 
two picks are required to weave its basic unit. A 
minimum of two heald frames are required for this 
weave. it is used in cambric, muslin, blanket, canvas, 
dhoti, saree, shirting, suiting, etc.
t will Weave
twill weave is 
another basic weave 
that is well known 
for its diagonal line 
formation in the fabric 
due to its interlacing 
pattern. this weave 
44 MAy 2024
Different 
basic 
weaves 
structures
45 May 2024
and its derivatives are used for ornamental 
purposes. twill has a closer setting of yarns due to 
less interlacement, imparting greater weight and 
a better drape as compared to the plain weave. in 
simple twill, the outward and upward movement of 
the interlacing pattern is always one that imparts 
a diagonal line to this design. t he direction of the 
propagation of the twill line classifies twill into 
right-hand or left-hand twill. twill weaves find 
a wide range of applications, such as drill cloth, 
khakhi uniforms, denim cloth, blankets, shirtings, 
hangings, and soft furnishings.
s atin & s ateen
satin/sateen is a basic weave that does not 
have any regular pattern like twill. the surface 
of the fabric is either warp- or weft faced. satin is 
warp-faced, which means that all the surface of 
the fabric will show the warp threads except for 
the one threaded interlacement with other series 
of yarn. if it is weft-faced, then it will be known as 
sateen, which means that the fabric surface will 
mostly show the weft threads. t hese weaves have 
the fewest interlacement points among the basic 
weaves. Due to this, it gives the surface of the fabric 
more lustre and smoothness. With this weave, it is 
possible to use a cotton warp and silk filling, having 
most of the silk appearance on the surface of the 
fabric. it is used in sarees, blouse materials, dress 
materials, bed spreads, furnishing fabrics, curtain 
fabrics, etc.
h oney Comb Weave
this name is 
given to this weave 
due to its honeybee 
web-like structure. 
it makes ridges and 
hollow structures, 
which finally give a 
cell-like appearance. 
in this weave, both 
warp and weft threads move freely on both sides, 
which is coupled with the rough structure. the 
fabric made by this weave has longer floats all 
over the fabric. Due to this reason, it is radially 
absorbent of moisture. t his property made these 
weaves useful for towels, bed covers, and quilts. 
Most commonly, these weaves are constructed 
on repeats, which are multiples of four in ends 
and picks.
huck a Back Weave
this weave is 
largely used for cotton 
towels and linen cloth. 
it has longer floats 
in two quadrants, 
which makes it more 
moisture-absorbent. 
this weave is a 
combination of longer floats of symmetric 
weaves in two quadrants and plain weaves 
in the remaining two quadrants. Plain weave 
gives firmness to the structure, while longer 
float weave increases the absorbency of fabric, 
making it suitable for the above-stated purpose. 
sometimes, longer float symmetric weaves are 
used in combination with plain weaves in huck 
a back weave, which is also termed honeycomb 
huck a back weave.
Crepe Weave
crepe weave 
refers to the 
weave that does 
not have any 
specific pattern. 
the weave may 
have a little bit of 
the appearance 
of twill, but it 
does not have the 
prominence. t hey make small patterns or minute 
spots with a seed-like appearance all over the 
fabric surface. t he weave may be used separately 
or in combination with other weaves. c repe weave 
is frequently employed in making the ground of 
the figured fabrics. i n simple words, crepe weave 
is used to create a rough appearance. if we make 
crepe weaves with crepe yarns, this combination 
will give a remarkably pebbly or puckered 
appearance.
45 MAy 2024 46 May 2024
Bedford Cord Weave
this is a special class of weave that forms 
longitudinal warp lines in fabric with fine sunken 
lines in between. this fabric is used in suits for 
ornamental purposes. t he method of constructing 
this weave is simple. the repeat of the weave is 
calculated by multiplying the cord ends by two. 
t he resultant value will be the total number of ends 
of the weave repeat. t he pick repeat is four for this 
weave. t he weave repeat (warp ends) is divided into 
two halves to construct it. t he first and last ends of 
both halves are treated as cutting ends. Plain weave 
is inserted on these cutting ends. t hese plain ends 
behave as sunken ends in the Bedford cord.
Welts and pique
A pique weave consists 
of plain face fabric, which is 
composed of a series of warp 
and weft threads along with 
a series of stitching threads. 
this weave is unique due to 
the formation of horizontal 
lines (weft-wise). this weave requires two beams, 
one for the plain weave threads and the other for 
the stitching ends. the word ‘welt’ refers to the 
pique construction, when the indentations make 
deep or hollow (sunken) lines appear in the cloth.
Mock l eno Weave
the weave is constructed 
in four quadrants. the first 
and third quadrants have 
symmetric weave, and the 
second and fourth quadrants 
have opposite weave to the symmetric weave. t he 
perforated fabrics are made with this type of weave. 
t his effect is achieved by reversing the symmetric 
unit of the weave in the alternate quadrants. so, 
these weaves are produced in sections that oppose 
each other.
l eno Weave
Also known as gauze or 
cross weaving, Leno weaving is 
a weave in which two warp yarns 
twist and grip tightly around the 
weft yarns. t his makes for a more open weave that 
can be woven tightly for shirting or left completely 
loose to resemble netting or mesh.
Backed cloth
the weave combines two or more different 
weaves, but the weave on one side is not visible 
on the other side. For example: sateen on the face 
side and twill on the back side are woven with 
appropriate stitches. u sing this weave, two different 
types of yarn can be woven on the face and back 
sides of the fabric. For example, linen on the face 
side and cotton on the back side can be woven. t his 
combination will give good comfort to the wearer, 
along with an elegant appearance.
terry pile
this weave is unique in nature because it 
produces loop piles on the fabrics. t hese weaves are 
used in toweling fabrics. More popularly, these towels 
are known as turkey towels or terry towels. these 
towels are more popular for their water absorbency.
velvets and velveteens
t hese are cut-pile fabrics more popularly used 
for rich furnishing and made-up fabrics. they are 
also used for jewel boxes, car upholstery, etc.
double cloth
Double cloths are fabrics, in which there are at 
least two series of warp and weft threads, each of 
which is engaged primarily in producing its own 
layer of cloth, thus forming a separate face cloth 
and a separate back cloth. the purpose of the 
construction is to improve the thermal insulation 
value of a fabric with a smart facial appearance. 
Double cloths are used as different types of 
decorative cloth, such as – sofa covers, furnishing 
cloths, curtain fabrics, bed covers, pillow covers 
and other home textiles. it is also used for the 
production of winter garments, quilts, belts, 
different types of industrial fabrics, etc.
t ubular cloth
it is a double cloth woven without stitching 
points between the face and back fabrics. When we 
take out the fabric from the loom, it will be a tube 
made of fabric.                                                                       ?
Source: MyGov
46 MAy 2024 49 May 2024
ndia has a rich history and tradition 
of weaving in handlooms with each 
region having special designs and using 
a variety of raw materials.  According to 
some estimates, the handloom industry may be the 
largest source of employment in india next only to 
agriculture.  
unfortunately, the lack of reliable data regarding 
this sector is but one of the many challenges that 
it faces today. 
the other big challenge faced by the sector 
is competition from products made by the 
powerloom which are much cheaper and available 
in much larger quantities. the prevalence of  
machine-made goods has lured many weavers 
away from traditional hand-weaving techniques. 
Another challenge for the weavers is fast-
changing fashion and design preferences. Most 
weavers work at home in villages and rural areas, 
with the loom being at the centre of the weaver’s 
home. Few weavers have formal training in the 
design and marketing of products, especially those 
which are in demand in urban centres. 
thus many weavers, instead of passing their 
skills to the next generation, choose to encourage 
their children to work in offices, in the hope of a 
better life. However, it can also be seen that women 
are joining in this trade, unlike in earlier times. With 
I
mAlvikA HAlwAsiyA  The author is the Joint Secretary, Delhi Crafts Council. Email: malvika.saraogi@googlemail.com 
WeavinG as a livelihood
49 MAy 2024
Page 5


44 May 2024
dO YOu KNOW?
t
he weave is the interlacement of warp and weft yarns to produce a woven fabric. Fabrics are 
manufactured in wide varieties and designs. t he basic weaves are plain, twill, and satin. All the others 
are derivatives of these basic weaves or their combinations. various weaving techniques like plain, 
twill, satin, honeycomb, huckaback, crepe, and others produce diverse fabrics including velvets, double 
cloth, and tubular constructions.
WEAVES OF WOVEN FABRIcS
plain Weave
Plain is the simplest weave, in which warp 
and weft threads interlace in alternate manner as 
shown, giving maximum number of interlacements. 
t his maximum interlacement imparts firmness and 
stability to the structure. Atleast two ends and 
two picks are required to weave its basic unit. A 
minimum of two heald frames are required for this 
weave. it is used in cambric, muslin, blanket, canvas, 
dhoti, saree, shirting, suiting, etc.
t will Weave
twill weave is 
another basic weave 
that is well known 
for its diagonal line 
formation in the fabric 
due to its interlacing 
pattern. this weave 
44 MAy 2024
Different 
basic 
weaves 
structures
45 May 2024
and its derivatives are used for ornamental 
purposes. twill has a closer setting of yarns due to 
less interlacement, imparting greater weight and 
a better drape as compared to the plain weave. in 
simple twill, the outward and upward movement of 
the interlacing pattern is always one that imparts 
a diagonal line to this design. t he direction of the 
propagation of the twill line classifies twill into 
right-hand or left-hand twill. twill weaves find 
a wide range of applications, such as drill cloth, 
khakhi uniforms, denim cloth, blankets, shirtings, 
hangings, and soft furnishings.
s atin & s ateen
satin/sateen is a basic weave that does not 
have any regular pattern like twill. the surface 
of the fabric is either warp- or weft faced. satin is 
warp-faced, which means that all the surface of 
the fabric will show the warp threads except for 
the one threaded interlacement with other series 
of yarn. if it is weft-faced, then it will be known as 
sateen, which means that the fabric surface will 
mostly show the weft threads. t hese weaves have 
the fewest interlacement points among the basic 
weaves. Due to this, it gives the surface of the fabric 
more lustre and smoothness. With this weave, it is 
possible to use a cotton warp and silk filling, having 
most of the silk appearance on the surface of the 
fabric. it is used in sarees, blouse materials, dress 
materials, bed spreads, furnishing fabrics, curtain 
fabrics, etc.
h oney Comb Weave
this name is 
given to this weave 
due to its honeybee 
web-like structure. 
it makes ridges and 
hollow structures, 
which finally give a 
cell-like appearance. 
in this weave, both 
warp and weft threads move freely on both sides, 
which is coupled with the rough structure. the 
fabric made by this weave has longer floats all 
over the fabric. Due to this reason, it is radially 
absorbent of moisture. t his property made these 
weaves useful for towels, bed covers, and quilts. 
Most commonly, these weaves are constructed 
on repeats, which are multiples of four in ends 
and picks.
huck a Back Weave
this weave is 
largely used for cotton 
towels and linen cloth. 
it has longer floats 
in two quadrants, 
which makes it more 
moisture-absorbent. 
this weave is a 
combination of longer floats of symmetric 
weaves in two quadrants and plain weaves 
in the remaining two quadrants. Plain weave 
gives firmness to the structure, while longer 
float weave increases the absorbency of fabric, 
making it suitable for the above-stated purpose. 
sometimes, longer float symmetric weaves are 
used in combination with plain weaves in huck 
a back weave, which is also termed honeycomb 
huck a back weave.
Crepe Weave
crepe weave 
refers to the 
weave that does 
not have any 
specific pattern. 
the weave may 
have a little bit of 
the appearance 
of twill, but it 
does not have the 
prominence. t hey make small patterns or minute 
spots with a seed-like appearance all over the 
fabric surface. t he weave may be used separately 
or in combination with other weaves. c repe weave 
is frequently employed in making the ground of 
the figured fabrics. i n simple words, crepe weave 
is used to create a rough appearance. if we make 
crepe weaves with crepe yarns, this combination 
will give a remarkably pebbly or puckered 
appearance.
45 MAy 2024 46 May 2024
Bedford Cord Weave
this is a special class of weave that forms 
longitudinal warp lines in fabric with fine sunken 
lines in between. this fabric is used in suits for 
ornamental purposes. t he method of constructing 
this weave is simple. the repeat of the weave is 
calculated by multiplying the cord ends by two. 
t he resultant value will be the total number of ends 
of the weave repeat. t he pick repeat is four for this 
weave. t he weave repeat (warp ends) is divided into 
two halves to construct it. t he first and last ends of 
both halves are treated as cutting ends. Plain weave 
is inserted on these cutting ends. t hese plain ends 
behave as sunken ends in the Bedford cord.
Welts and pique
A pique weave consists 
of plain face fabric, which is 
composed of a series of warp 
and weft threads along with 
a series of stitching threads. 
this weave is unique due to 
the formation of horizontal 
lines (weft-wise). this weave requires two beams, 
one for the plain weave threads and the other for 
the stitching ends. the word ‘welt’ refers to the 
pique construction, when the indentations make 
deep or hollow (sunken) lines appear in the cloth.
Mock l eno Weave
the weave is constructed 
in four quadrants. the first 
and third quadrants have 
symmetric weave, and the 
second and fourth quadrants 
have opposite weave to the symmetric weave. t he 
perforated fabrics are made with this type of weave. 
t his effect is achieved by reversing the symmetric 
unit of the weave in the alternate quadrants. so, 
these weaves are produced in sections that oppose 
each other.
l eno Weave
Also known as gauze or 
cross weaving, Leno weaving is 
a weave in which two warp yarns 
twist and grip tightly around the 
weft yarns. t his makes for a more open weave that 
can be woven tightly for shirting or left completely 
loose to resemble netting or mesh.
Backed cloth
the weave combines two or more different 
weaves, but the weave on one side is not visible 
on the other side. For example: sateen on the face 
side and twill on the back side are woven with 
appropriate stitches. u sing this weave, two different 
types of yarn can be woven on the face and back 
sides of the fabric. For example, linen on the face 
side and cotton on the back side can be woven. t his 
combination will give good comfort to the wearer, 
along with an elegant appearance.
terry pile
this weave is unique in nature because it 
produces loop piles on the fabrics. t hese weaves are 
used in toweling fabrics. More popularly, these towels 
are known as turkey towels or terry towels. these 
towels are more popular for their water absorbency.
velvets and velveteens
t hese are cut-pile fabrics more popularly used 
for rich furnishing and made-up fabrics. they are 
also used for jewel boxes, car upholstery, etc.
double cloth
Double cloths are fabrics, in which there are at 
least two series of warp and weft threads, each of 
which is engaged primarily in producing its own 
layer of cloth, thus forming a separate face cloth 
and a separate back cloth. the purpose of the 
construction is to improve the thermal insulation 
value of a fabric with a smart facial appearance. 
Double cloths are used as different types of 
decorative cloth, such as – sofa covers, furnishing 
cloths, curtain fabrics, bed covers, pillow covers 
and other home textiles. it is also used for the 
production of winter garments, quilts, belts, 
different types of industrial fabrics, etc.
t ubular cloth
it is a double cloth woven without stitching 
points between the face and back fabrics. When we 
take out the fabric from the loom, it will be a tube 
made of fabric.                                                                       ?
Source: MyGov
46 MAy 2024 49 May 2024
ndia has a rich history and tradition 
of weaving in handlooms with each 
region having special designs and using 
a variety of raw materials.  According to 
some estimates, the handloom industry may be the 
largest source of employment in india next only to 
agriculture.  
unfortunately, the lack of reliable data regarding 
this sector is but one of the many challenges that 
it faces today. 
the other big challenge faced by the sector 
is competition from products made by the 
powerloom which are much cheaper and available 
in much larger quantities. the prevalence of  
machine-made goods has lured many weavers 
away from traditional hand-weaving techniques. 
Another challenge for the weavers is fast-
changing fashion and design preferences. Most 
weavers work at home in villages and rural areas, 
with the loom being at the centre of the weaver’s 
home. Few weavers have formal training in the 
design and marketing of products, especially those 
which are in demand in urban centres. 
thus many weavers, instead of passing their 
skills to the next generation, choose to encourage 
their children to work in offices, in the hope of a 
better life. However, it can also be seen that women 
are joining in this trade, unlike in earlier times. With 
I
mAlvikA HAlwAsiyA  The author is the Joint Secretary, Delhi Crafts Council. Email: malvika.saraogi@googlemail.com 
WeavinG as a livelihood
49 MAy 2024 50 May 2024
proper design and structural support, women have 
come forward to take part in weaving in many 
prominent organisations of the country. 
However, with the current interest in handmade 
and sustainable products, there is renewed hope for 
weavers. Weaving by hand produces no emissions 
and uses natural raw materials. it is sustainable 
in every sense of the term. today, several indian 
fashion designers are working with rural weaving 
clusters international fashion houses too are 
showing interest in indian handicraft and handloom 
practices. urban clientele too are realising the 
importance and beauty of hand-crafted products 
and are prepared to pay a premium for them. 
the other positive development is the advent 
of e-commerce. Weavers have easy access to whole 
new markets, information, and connectivity, and they 
can choose to market their products online. some 
organisations and corporate houses are supporting 
weavers in the entire value chain from providing raw 
materials to marketing their products. 
not many other countries can boast of such a 
rich culture of hand work particularly handlooms. 
it is a rare privilege to have weavers with such skill 
and knowledge even today and we must each do 
our bit to understand, support, and encourage 
handlooms.                                                                          ?