Difference between Velvet and Velveteen

Velvet is a type of fabric which is well known for being rather soft. It has a very soft and great feel to it, which makes it stand out as being one of the most popular fabrics around. Traditionally, velvet was used as an alternative for silk, this is despite the fact that it was formerly made from silk. Velvet was known to be a fabric for the rich, since it was very expensive. However, with the advancement in technology, the formation of velveteen took place. This is a material that looks and feels just like velvet; however it is not the same product and is merely and imitation.

In order to better understand how the two differ, we need to look at a few more factors.

Velvet is a rather old fabric, which was created over a hundred years ago. On the other hand, velveteen is a rather recent invention, which was made to help people get cloth which felt just like velvet, but was much cheaper than it.

Velvet was initially made out of silk, however, later on fabrics such as wool, linen, polyester, and cotton were used to produce velvet as well.

Initially velvet was considered to be one of the most expensive materials around. It was so expensive, that only kings and queens could afford it.

Velveteen is a cheaper alternative to traditional velvet. It is made using cotton, which is very common and economic in terms of price.

Velveteen is manufactured using a pile effect, which helps give it the same softness and smoothness that traditional velvet has. However, it doesn’t compare with velvet in terms of sheen and softness, which is the only primary difference which most people can use to distinguish the two.

Velvet is used to make articles of clothing, while velveteen is normally used in other places where you just want the velvet effect, but don’t want to pay as much money, such as stage curtains.

Instructions

  • 1

    Velvet:-

    It is a material which was created as an alternative to silk. It is smooth and soft and was traditionally used by kings and queens. It is one of the most expensive materials around.

    - Image Courtesy: motelrocks.com

  • 2

    Velveteen:-

    This is an alternative to traditional velvet. It is used as a cheap imitation, since it is made of cotton. However, the difference between the two can be spotted simply by touching the material.

    - Image Courtesy: backseatstylers.com

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