Granada woven silk velvet brocaded with gilt thread and blue areas block-printed, designed by William Morris.

Red velvet mini-dress

Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are very evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctly smooth feel.

Velvet can be made from many different fibres. It is woven on a special loom that weaves two pieces of velvet at the same time. The two pieces are then cut apart and the two lengths of fabric are wound on separate take-up rolls. Velvet is difficult to clean due to its pile, but modern dry cleaning methods perform well.