On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This article is about the fabric. For the wetland feature, see Salt velvet pants and pools. This article needs additional citations for verification.

Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. By extension, the word velvety means “smooth like velvet”. In the past, velvet was typically made from silk. This section relies largely or entirely upon a single source.

Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Velvet is woven on a special loom that weaves two thicknesses of the material at the same time. The two pieces are then cut apart to create the pile effect, and the two lengths of fabric are wound on separate take-up rolls. This complicated process meant that velvet was expensive to make before industrial power looms became available, and well-made velvet remains a fairly costly fabric. Velvet can be made from several different kinds of fibers, traditionally, the most expensive of which is silk. Much of the velvet sold today as “silk velvet” is actually a mix of rayon and silk. Velvet made entirely from silk is rare and usually has market prices of several hundred US dollars per yard.