Fabric Definitions — definitions of fabrics, cloths, laces and textile materials from Apparel Search
In a woven fabric, the selvage (or selvedge) is the uncut edge of the fabric which is on the right- and left-hand edges as it comes out of the loom. As such it is 'finished' and will not fray because the weft threads double back on themselves; the term also refers to the unfinished but structurally sound edges of flat knitted textiles.
In a woven fabric, the selvage (or selvedge) is the uncut edge of the fabric which is on the right- and left-hand edges as it comes out of the loom. As such it is 'finished' and will not fray because the weft threads double back on themselves. The term also refers to the unfinished but structurally sound edges of flat knitted textiles.
Very often fabric near the selvage is not usable as it may have a different weave pattern, or may lack pile or prints that are present on the rest of the fabric, requiring that the selvage fabric be cut off or hidden in a hem. In handknitting, the selvage may be considered finished; it may also be used in seaming garments, or finished and reinforced using crochet or other techniques.
Selvage also can refer to the excess area of a printed or perforated sheet of any material, such as the white border area on a sheet of stamps.
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The Edge the Loom Finishes for FreeEvery woven cloth carries its own hem along both sides. As the shuttle or carrier lays each weft pick across the warp, the yarn turns at the edge and returns, so the two long edges of the fabric are formed from continuous loops of weft rather than cut ends. Mills weave these edges slightly differently from the body — often a few warp ends are set more densely or in a small plain-weave band — to give the roll a firm edge that survives handling, tentering and transport without ravelling. The word itself, also spelled selvedge, is simply 'self-edge'. For sewers the selvage is working information: it identifies the fabric's lengthwise grain, since selvages always run parallel to the warp, so pattern pieces are aligned by them; it carries, on printed cottons, the maker's marks, color-test dots and registration information printed in the margin; and on prized denims and tweeds a distinctive selvage — a colored thread line or a woven name — signals cloth woven on narrow or shuttle looms and is deliberately shown at cuffs and seams as a quality mark. Why Cutters Respect and Remove ItThe selvage is structurally sound but not garment cloth. Its weave density differs from the body, so a seam that catches part selvage and part body can pucker as the two zones shrink and behave differently in washing; prints and pile often stop short of it; and loom tension can make the inches beside it wavy or tight. The definition states the trade practice plainly: the selvage fabric is cut off or hidden in a hem. Yardage is therefore sold by total width while patterns are drafted to the narrower cuttable width between selvages — the difference is a standard allowance every cutter learns. Flat knitted textiles borrow the term for their edge zones, which are likewise structurally sound but visually and mechanically different from the body. The word's extension to any printed or perforated sheet — the white border on a sheet of stamps is its selvage — shows the underlying idea: the margin that belongs to the manufacturing process, finished enough to hold the piece together, and the first part sacrificed when the piece is used. Common QuestionsWhy doesn't a selvage fray?Because it is not a cut edge. On the loom, each weft thread reaches the edge and doubles back on itself to form the next row, so the edge is a continuous folded turn of thread rather than a row of severed ends. There are no loose ends to work free, which is what makes the selvage a self-finished edge. Why is fabric near the selvage often cut away?Fabric near the selvage is very often not usable: it may have a different weave pattern, or may lack pile or prints that are present on the rest of the fabric. Cutters either cut the selvage off or hide it in a hem or seam, which is why a fabric's stated width is wider than its usable, cuttable width. What is a selvage in handknitting?In handknitting, the selvage is the finished edge column of stitches at each side of a flat piece. It may be considered finished as it stands, used as the seaming edge when garments are joined, or finished and reinforced using crochet or other techniques. More to ExploreMore from Apparel Search: Fabric Definitions | Clothing Industry Glossary | Fashion Terms | Apparel Search Home
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