This is unlike the previous machines in which the figuring shed is drawn once after every four shots. These days, jacquard looms are controlled by computers.Īn added win for the jacquard machine is that the figuring shed can be drawn on every shot, thereby producing fabrics with a better defined outline. It noticeably simplified the process of production. The jacquard machine was invented in 1804 and named after its inventor, Joseph Marie Jacquard. A jacquard machine is an apparatus that simplifies the manufacturing process of intricate patterns like brocades, matelasse, and damasks.
A jacquard loom is the common name used to describe a loom and jacquard machine ensemble. Thanks to advancements in the manufacturing industry, the fabric is now made with a jacquard loom.
These are then used to create the complicated patterns that give it its embossed look. What is Brocade? What is Brocade - Production Methodsīrocade is created by weaving an additional weft yarn which is added to the compulsory warp and weft yarn. This is because if the fabric is dyed after the weaving process, the dye can conceal the beautiful patterns. Regardless of the fabric used, it is dyed before the weaving process. Brocade purists however still insist that it should be produced solely with silk. Today, some other fabrics such as rayon, polyester, cotton, and a variety of other fabrics can be used in recreating the brocade style. This is largely because brocade production has come a long way from the days of weaving with only a draw loom. Nowadays, silk production is rampant, so brocade fabrics and materials are readily available and much more affordable. Consequently, as silk was a rather rare fabric, the fabric was regarded as a luxury item. In the middle ages, brocade fabric was made of woven silk material. The little available silk was used to weave brocades for the nobility in Byzantium, India, Japan, Persia, Korea, China, and Greece by the Byzantines. Its production was seemingly non-existent, with wool and linen being the common fabrics of the day. This was probably due to the fact that silk was extremely rare and expensive. Brocade was considered a luxury fabric and worn only by the nobility. In the past, this material was the exclusive preserve of the rich. The idea is to give the impression that the decorative weaves are embroidered. Extra weft threads are used to produce the ornamental decorative design. Usually, brocade is woven with silk on a draw loom. Embroideries, on the other hand, are stitched on after the fabric has been completed. This is because the patterns in brocade are created with additional weft threads during the weaving process. It can bear a close resemblance to an embroidered material but in reality, they are quite different.