All About Chenille Fabric

Chenille is derived from the French word meaning caterpillar. Most caterpillars are covered in short hairs that give them a fuzzy look. It is this soft fuzzy texture that gives Chenille fabric its name.

Chenille fabric is produced from cotton, acrylic, rayon and even olefin. Although Chenille has been produced since the 18th century it did not gain popularity until the 1930s when it began being used for decorative items such as draperies, upholstery, bedspreads, throws, pillows and carpets. In the 1970s it began being used in garments. Chenille was so widely used, that in the 1990s an organization, The Chenille International Manufacturers Association (CIMA) was created to monitor the standards by which Chenille fabric is manufactured. Often, Chenille fabric is treated with chemicals to prevent fading. Chenille upholstery fabric is used both to cover furniture and for draperies. It is perhaps most widely known as a material for bedspreads and quilts. Patterned Chenille bedspreads became very popular in the mid-20th century and still retain some of their popularity today.

Chenille yarn is quite thick, soft, and fuzzy. Lengths of the chenille yarn do look, in fact, like long caterpillars.

Manufacturing of Chenille fabric begins by creating a tightly wound core for the yarn. Then short lengths of fabric, referred to as piles are wrapped about the core. After the fabric is wrapped around the core, its edges stand at right angles from the center of the fabric. This gives Chenille both its softness and its characteristic look. Depending on the type of fabric that is used to create Chenille, as well as the color, Chenille can have a lovely iridescent look to it without actually using iridescent fabric.

Unlike fabrics such as Mohair and Wool which are named specifically for the type of fibers that they are made of, Chenille is distinguished by the way in which it is made. The fabric piles used to create Chenille are most commonly cotton. However, Chenille can also be made of acrylic,, olefin and rayon fibers

If you currently own a Chenille garment, or are considering incorporating the fabric into your wardrobe, it is important to know how to care for it. Almost all Chenille fabrics should be dry cleaned. However, if you do decide to hand-wash it, make sure you do not hang it to dry as it will almost certainly stretch. This can ruin the form of your garment. Rather, when hand washing Chenille, be sure to dry it flat.