
Today, brocade is mostly used for upholstery, curtains, and evening wear, with a few collections far and between that introduce brocade pieces into everyday wardrobes. But it takes only a few decades for Victorians to start using it both for their garments and home decor. It falls a little bit out of fashion after the French Revolution and around the time Beau Brummell reinvented menswear.

This is also the time when we see a huge jump in the technology used to manufacture this fabric. The fabric eventually reached Europe and Byzantium where it became one of the rare truly luxurious fabrics nobility can indulge in.Įuropean brocade comes into its own during Rennaissance, with Italy leading the charge. They developed multiple styles, including the ones we see even today. The earliest record of brocade manufacturing come from the Warring States period in China (3rd century BCE).

Traditionally, brocade used to be made exclusively from silk, but it’s also available in viscose as a more budget-friendly alternative, and cotton for upholstery. One-sided ones tend to look very messy on the wrong side, but they are usually more complex and colorful. Double-sided brocade technically doesn’t have a wrong side and both sides are inverted images of each other. There are two main types of brocade: one-sided and double-sided. In fact, the designs are made with thread, either by weaving them in or embroidery. What is Brocade Fabric? Golden brocade patternīrocade is a distinct type of fabric that doesn’t use print for its decorations.

Are Brocade and Jacquard the Same Thing?.
