How Corduroy Fabric Is Made

Corduroy fabric's alluring texture has made it a go-to material for clothing, furniture, and home decor. Made of cotton or a combination of cotton and synthetic fibres, its durability means it makes it suitable for clothing, furniture, home decor, as well as decor items like upholstery. With its high wale count (defined as raised lines or ridges on an inch of fabric) corduroy provides warmth in cold climates by trapping air. Great choice for jackets, trousers, skirts as its stretch affords comfort allowing ease of movement as well as dressy outfits like suits or tuxedos!

Corduroy originated as a type of fustian fabric used for workwear by lower classes. After experiencing significant transformation during the 18th century, however, corduroy became widely available and became known as "poor man's velvet." 

Corduroy fabric is created through weaving yarns into either a basic plain or twill weave with filler yarns woven in between. These filler yarns create floats which pass over four warp threads, creating what is known as "wales." Following that step, an additional process separates floats from ground, creating raised ridges on its surface that make this textile unique according to Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Los Angeles.

Corduroy fabric typically boasts a higher wale count than most cotton fabrics, typically 16-21 per inch. As it's thicker than its counterparts, corduroy lends itself well for outerwear and heavier clothing, including outerwear for outdoor sports and heavier activities like hiking and camping. Patterned and solid colored corduroy fabrics can all be found.

Corduroy fabric is dyed post-weaving to produce an array of colorful hues and hues, giving it an endlessly versatile palette of shades. Corduroy can be found used in outerwear, skirts and dresses as well as furnishings like upholstered chairs and sofas; its durability has made it popular. Woven with various fibers such as wool, cotton, polyester or nylon threads it has its nap raised after dying; this gives a soft velvety surface while helping prevent it from pilling as the result of surface abrasions on its surface caused by wear-and-tear damage on fabric surface fibers after weaving has occurred.

Corduroy garment construction requires paying careful consideration to seams. As it can be challenging to sew this thick fabric, ensuring a strong stitch is used is crucial to avoid holes or rips in the seam allowances from being created by poor stitches or improper ironing pressure. When pressing seams open instead of closed is recommended because corduroy frays easily; to protect its nap from being crushed under an iron's soleplate when sewing and never press closed seam allowances when unlining garments with unlined fabric corduroy should receive an appropriate Hong Kong finish, usually constructed using rayon seam tape or bias tape sewn into seam allowance allowances using seam tape sewn onto rayon seam tape or bias tape as another common option when sewn through its seam allowance allowances if fraying quickly enough!