A weaving system that controls individual warp threads to create patterns, and a name for fabrics made with it.
Jacquard weaving uses a head above the loom to control individual warp yarns. Each warp end passes through a heddle connected by a cord to the head, allowing selected ends to rise as the pattern is woven. This individual control differs from a dobby mechanism, which moves harnesses and can produce small patterns and complex twills. A woven jacquard figure is formed through the fabric’s construction, while printing selectively applies colour to a substrate. Jacquard can also describe patterned fabric made on a knitting machine, so a specification should establish whether the material is woven or knitted before its construction is discussed.
In job listings
Alfred Dunhill’s Senior Designer, Soft Accessories & Print role in London explicitly called for knowledge of print and jacquard techniques when developing patterns and colourways. The pairing makes production method a practical design consideration: a proposed motif needs to be understood in relation to the technique used to realise it. Search local jobs for “fabric”.
