Matching Colors of your fabric samples with velvet

If you have a sample of a fabric be it velvet or any other and you want to get a similar shade of velvet, you need to keep a few things in mind.

1. Since velvet is a pile fabric, the shade directly on top will look different than viewed from an angle
2. After folding the fabric or if you attach it in a curved way, the fabric will look different. the color would look lighter or darker
3. So,  you need to check how you are going to cut and use the fabric and then match with the cutting at the same angle
4. You can also try to match the back side of the fabric, if your sample is the same quality. This is a backup method and does not work all the time.
5. Velvets with different finishes like crush/standing/flat finish give off different shade. Standing finish looks darker compared to sleeping flat finish which may look like satin.
6. If you buy dyeable velvet or you intend to dye or wash it later, the pile would become disturbed and the colors would vary due to this, even if the dyeing process is good.
7. You should check the pile direction of both samples before checking color (one way it should become raised and one way would fall down - similar to a dog's or cat's fur).
8. You should also see that both the fabrics are compared in weft way (width of the fabric) or warp way (length of the fabric). Generally knitted fabrics stretch in the weft.

The Problem of Color Fastness or Bleeding

We have received some feedback from garmenters about the problem of Color Fastness or Bleeding in velvet.

What happens is that the color of velvet (or any other fabric) bleeds and transfer onto other garments or other parts of the same garment. This usually happens after making the piece or washing or packing it. If one is not careful about it, the entire lot or your specially stitched suit can be ruined.

Since, testing every piece of fabric is tedious and impossible, we can have a look at few of the reasons and ways to home test them quickly.

Why do colors bleed - 
1. Processing: The main reason that fabrics bleeds is due to improper processing by the dyeing/printing factory. The adequate temperature is not applied and washing is insufficient. So residual color is present on top of the fabric and does not penetrate into the yarn. (generally this happens with cotton/viscose/nylon based fabrics which are dyed at boiling water temperature in small dyeing shops or in open bath/pot at home)

2. Improper garment care: We need to carefully study the fabric care instructions that are mentioned on labels while buying the garments. Hot or Cold Water, Dry Clean Only, Drip Dry only, have a lot of implications, especially for pile fabrics like velvet.

When do colors bleed - 
1. Touching: if the process has really gone awry, it will come off onto you hand like ink
2. Stitching: while stitching some color may transfer onto lighter colored surfaces (please note, this may also be misinterpreted as color bleed but it maybe just the pile coming off. you can roll your hand over it in a circular way to gather and remove it.
3. Stain removing: when you use white petrol or any other substance like water to remove stains, liquid acts as a medium and dissolved or carries the color away. quality of such stain removing materials needs to be checked as they may also be the cause.
4. Ironing: when ironing the garment or fabric, if the steam is in excess and takes time to evaporate, it may collect in one place or drain, thereby causing the color to bleed. high temperatures of the iron may also cause chemical reactions with the dye.
As a rule, one must be careful to hang garments or the fabric to dry, till the steam evaporates completely. As after folding, any collection of steam in spots or evaporation in a particular area will cause color bleeding. the water has no where to go in a packed bag and the fabric would just sit in the water for extended periods.
5. Washing: one should ideally only dry clean velvet fabric/garments. hot temperatures of water or sunlight and chemicals in detergents/softeners may react with the dyes and lead to the problem.
6. Sweat/Rain/Liquids: after a garment is made, chemicals present in sweat, rain and other liquids that may come in contact could cause the problem.

How to test:
1. Taking a light colored plain cotton cloth you can wet it with tap water and try rubbing on the edges of the fabric or garment vigorously. If you have hot water available it's best.
2. Dipping the fabric swatch completely in water (only for synthetic) you can check if the color of the water changes. you can also try warming the water a bit for best results. 

What to do if the problems arise:
1. Use special stain removing chemicals, of which some are like acid to remove the dye. There are different chemicals and dyes for natural and synthetic materials, so please keep in mind. You should ideally try any chemical on the hidden side of the fabric so that you can be safe. 
2. Apply the chemical with cotton white fabric and in only one same direction, off the side of the garment or fabric. And in the same pile direction.

How to make fabric color fast (I'm not sure about this, but it has been suggested by a manufacturer to me. Please try at your own risk)
- you need to dip the fabric in hot salt water for a few minutes and dry. It's only for polyester/synthetic fabric.

Different qualities of velvet

This is Micro 9000 Velvet. The width is 44 inches. It is very soft and light weight. Nowadays this is the most popular quality imported from China. Garmenters are even making entire saris and anarkalis out of this velvet. It is polyester and it is woven.

This is 4 way spandex velour/velvet. The width is 58 inches. It is soft and durable. 

It has inherent stretch like lycra and is used to make blouses or leggings. It is polyester and it is knitted.

This is also 4 way spandex velour/velvet. The width is 58 inches. It is soft and durable and is lighter than the previous quality. It has inherent stretch like lycra and is used to make blouses or leggings. It is polyester and it is knitted.

This is flocked velvet. The width is 54 inches. It is soft an light. It is used to make cord dori or buttons or cuffs and sleeves. It is stiff and has a good stand. It is nylon polyester and it is knitted.

This is China Silk Dyeable Velvet. The width is 44 inches. It is very soft and light weight. Garmenters generally make the entire lengha choli of velvet and other net fabric and dye the entire piece together to get the same shade. Also this is useful for people who want a particular shade only and can be easily dyed in a open pot or tapela dyeing. It is nylon rayon and it is woven.

This is a variant of the China Silk Dyeable Velvet. The width is 44 inches. It is also very soft and light weight. The back has lurex and the velvet has a cord effect. So the gold lurex shines from underneath. It is nylon rayon and it is woven.

This is the most shinning velour/velvet. The width is 58 inches. It is soft and durable. It does not have stretch and velvet has a flat finish to give it almost a mirror effect. Metallic colors are the easiest to make in this quality. It is polyester and it is knitted.

This is a picture of zardosi/hand embroidery work done on velvet. This is the M Series of Micro Velvet. The width is 44 inches. It is soft and light weight. The zariwork does not hide between the velvet like other qualities and is visible.  It is polyester and it is woven.

This is stretch velour/velvet. The width is 58 inches. It is soft and durable. It is polyester and it is knitted.

This is the M Series of Micro Velvet. The width is 44 inches. It is soft and light weight. It is polyester and it is woven.

This is the M Series of Micro Velvet. The width is 44 inches. It is soft and light weight.  
There are many colors available and the it is very popular.  It is polyester and it is woven.

This is also shinning velour/velvet. The width is 56 inches. It is soft and durable. It has less stretch and velvet has a flat finish to give it almost a mirror effect. Metallic colors are again the easiest to make in this quality. It is polyester and it is knitted.

Choosing Velvet Fabric for making a jacket or sari border

So, you have decided that you want to make a velvet coat or add a velvet border to your sari. But you're stuck, how do you choose which fabric is best suited for your purpose??!

You can keep a few things in mind, before picking that fabric and spending thousands of rupees on the tailoring charges.
1. Woven or Knitted: This is an important consideration if you want to get stitching work or embroidery work done.
Woven fabric is good for mostly all kinds of work. Even embroidery or zardosi work can be easily done.
Knitted fabric may need to have an additional lining which can be ironed on the backside to make it stiffer and easier to stitch. Knitted fabrics are good for blouses as the have stretch and can take the shape of the wearer's body.

Identity test:
Woven: If the fabric doesn't stretch, then its mostly woven fabric. If you look on the backside, then you will find lines running at parallel to each other. If its in the length, its the warp, if its in the width, its the weft threads. The more lines you see in a 1 cm the higher the grade of fabric. The fabric will also have a border or a selvedge on the edges. Woven fabrics are generally more expensive as they take more time to produce.

Knitted: If its knitted then it may stretch. On the backside, you will find loops, just like a sweater or a sock does. The more loops you see in a 1 cm the higher the grade of fabric. This will generally not have a selvedge/border on both its sides. It will be cheaper.

Nowadays, there is also a third kind of "flocked" velvet fabric. I do not recommend this kind of fabric as there have been many instance of the pile or hair coming out after contact with sweat or water. It is an imitation or "pure" velvet fabrics which are woven.

2. Polyester or Rayon or Cotton: Different materials are suited for different uses.
Polyester: This material usually has fixed colors which do not bleed due to sweat or washing. Water won't have a damaging effect on it and it can be washed easily.you can use it for a jacket or a sari. you should know that polyester's moisture holding capacity is quite less and may become uncomfortable during the day or when the A/C is turned off.

Rayon: The colors may bleed sometime due to sweat or washing. You should ask your supplier and you must dry clean it. It requires a fair bit amount of maintenance. If someone spills a drink or you get stuck in the rain, then it will get ruined. The pile or hair will get a wet shabby look. You may need to send it to a professional dry cleaner who uses a brush on top and a steamer underneath to raise the pile to its former glory. the plus point is that you can get it dyed if you're buying the dyeable kind (but take care of its fastness!!). It is breathable and has properties similar to Cotton. Make sure the supplier has not used an Urea Formaldehyde to give it a raised finish as it is a harmful chemical for your body.

Cotton: This is the king of materials in velvet and the most expensive velvets are made out of cotton. The colors may bleed sometime due to sweat or washing. You should ask your supplier and you must dry clean it. It is very high maintenance and the wearer must be careful. While wearing any stray water or even a fine mist can change the look for the worse. It is most breathable and comfortable in Indian weather. You will need a fabric steamer to iron out creases. Harsh creases may require a brush to give an even direction to the pile. 

Never use an iron on the face of the fabric or the garment will be damaged beyond repair. 
If you do not have a fabric steamer, you may use the method below with a normal iron:
Use a clean carpet and put the fabric face down. Lay a wet sheer cotton cloth on the back and lightly iron to remove creases. Try it on the sides first before moving onto the entire fabric.

Identity test: ask the supplier as it is difficult to ascertain without burning.

3. Thickness (or pile height)/ Weight
If you want to use the fabric for making a garment for the evenings, a thicker fabric is OK.
But Indian weather is generally hot and humid. The thinner the fabric is better.
For Coats, you may want to choose a thicker or heavier fabric to maintain the shape. But keep in mind your tailor will also be attaching a lining to it
For dresses, the lighter the better. As the zardosi or embroidery work can be done easily and you do not want to add the additional weight of the fabric. As you may be adding zari work later.

4. How much to buy
You should ask your tailor as per his requirement. Your body shape or fabric design may require a particular amount only. He should keep in mind that velvet can be only cut in the same direction and there may be an extra wastage of fabric. Not every tailor has the skill to sew velvet.
On the basis of the width, you will need to adjust the quantity you need to buy


5. Width (12 inch = 1 foot)
Woven fabrics are of different sizes: 40"/44"/48"/54"/60"
Knitted fabrics are usually of 54" or 60"
Price should be proportionate.

6. Price (at my shop)
Woven velvet fabrics: I have fabrics starting from Rs. 100 to Rs. 2000
Knitted velour fabrics: The range is from Rs. 70 to Rs. 200
Prices depend on quantity and quality. 
In my opinion, if you want to buy wholesale quantities, you must visit the street my shop is located in. There are almost 10 manufacturers/suppliers of velvet to choose from. I think its the largest concentration of velvet fabric shops in Mumbai!!

7. Other factors to keep in mind
Age: if the fabric is old, it tends to weaken and tear easily. Check as if you were tearing a sheet of paper.
Color: if the color is suited to you and the current fashion trends

These are the main points you should keep in mind. Please let me know if this post was useful to you or if I've made a mistake at some place.

Cheers,
Sanket 

An Introduction

Hey Everyone!

I’m Sanket Saraf and I’ll be writing here for my company – Shubhtex Fabrics. I’ve joined this business in 2007, straight after graduation. Under the guidance of my grandfather, I totally fell in love with the warp n weft. It became a fun challenge to me to calculate all kinds of details about a fabric sample. New samples and their origin always make me curious! I’ve learnt Chinese Mandarin so that I can converse better with my suppliers. I visit China at least twice a year and enjoy my time spent there.

We started Shubhtex Fabrics in the year 2000. Our office and shop is near the traditional and famous cloth market area of Kalbadevi. We are also quite close to Mangaldas market which houses the oldest fabric traders that arrived in Mumbai.

We import and trade different kinds of velvet fabrics among other textiles. We generally like to source unique kinds of fabrics which are difficult to find. More about that in following posts.

Getting in touch:
Email: shubhtexfabrics@gmail.com
Tel: 0091 22 23426798/0508
M: 0091 9820930326

Getting there:
Add: 70, Mirza Street, Near Zaveri Bazaar, Mumbai – 400003
If you’re coming by train, the Masjid Station (Central & Harbor Line) and the Marine Lines station (Western Line) are the closest. Both stations are 10-15 minutes walking distance.

If you have a fabric sample and you can’t figure out where to find it, you can come see me! I would be glad to point you in the right direction.

Cheers,
Sanket Saraf

Update: We have started a new shop at Dadar, especially to cater to the needs of garment manufacturers.
Getting there:: Aayush Fabrics, Shop no. 30, Ground Floor, Atlantic Plaza, Near Bhoomi Plaza, Garage Gully, Dadar West, Mumbai - 400028
Getting in touch:0091 22 24320751
Email: aayushfabrics@gmail.com
M: 0091 9821683930 (Shailesh Sharaf, my uncle)