Based on the design, fabrics are divided into three large groups:
1) Plain fabrics. Made on looms equipped with healds, they are the group that includes the majority of
fabrics for clothing, are divided into:
• smooth fabrics, which do not have any obvious pattern
• woven fabrics or with a woven effect, which have small designs obtained
with small intertwining effects.
2) Fabrics available. They are those that present large geometric design effects
straight and are mostly formed by combinations of several interlacings and are obtained
on looms equipped with healds. The width of the design is due to the system of passage of the threads in the healds.
This group includes both clothing and furnishing fabrics (damask tablecloths
checkers, blankets with Greek frill, etc.).
3) Textured fabrics. They are those that present large ornamental and curvilinear design effects. They are obtained on looms where the movement of the warp threads, rather than with healds, is obtained
with special machines (Jacquard, Vincenzi, Verdol or electronic) that "read" the weave
to be made from continuous paper forms or digital discs. This group includes the majority
part of the furnishing fabrics and particular types for clothing.
All tissues belonging to each of these groups can in turn be classified according to
to the construction or more precisely in relation to the number of elements that compose them.