2026 International Observation of Velvet Yarn: The double-layer cutting technique has been refined, combined with Y2K and minimalist luxury styles, and the artificial silk velvet has seen significant growth in both the clothing and high-end soft furnishing sectors.
Jinshuangru, as the symbol of "old money style" fabrics, has a global market size approaching 15 billion US dollars in 2025.
Process Section: From "Double Layer Weaving" to "Brushed Felt Finish", it is the middle three processes that determine the softness of the fabric.
The core of velvet fabric lies not in the raw materials but in the weaving structure. The mainstream process adopts the double-layer weaving method: the upper and lower layers of base fabric are woven simultaneously, and the middle part is connected by velvet yarns. After the shearing knife rotates at high speed to cut the connecting lines, the velvet fibers stand up, forming a "sandwich" type of split-felt structure. Another method of raising the velvet fibers is through a raising machine, which fixes the warp yarns and is more efficient, suitable for large-scale production. Regardless of which method, the precision of shearing directly determines the flatness of the velvet fibers - any deviation of the blade will cause uneven lengths of the fibers, which is the first hurdle that separates factories from each other.
After shearing, the middle three processes are carried out, which are also the key points that overseas buyers will check during factory inspections:
Brushing: Sort out and remove impurities from the sheared velvet fibers, and ensure a density of 1000–2000 fibers per square centimeter.
Finishing: High temperature and pressure make the velvet fibers align in a certain direction, presenting a layered luster of "dull appearance from a distance and golden appearance upon closer inspection", with the setting temperature usually controlled at 190–200℃.
Anti-static + Softness + Wear Resistance Additives: Fatty amide softening agents + 1% slot addition are the industry standard. For fabrics weighing over 170g/㎡, an additional 0.5% nap agent is added to improve the quality of the fibers.
The new generation of factories have changed the traditional drying process in the dyeing section to roller washing, which can save 2 tons of steam and several dozen degrees of electricity for processing one ton of golden velvet fabric, reducing the cost by over 400 yuan, and the finished fibers are short and uniform - this is the process adjustment point that the leading factories in China will adopt to win European quick response orders in 2025.
In terms of raw material structure, viscose (artificial silk) filament hanging and dyeing intensity remain the top choices for haute couture. Polyester-based anti-wrinkle and wear-resistant products are in high demand. Nylon-based wear-resistant materials are used for shoes, bags and car interiors. Acrylic-based fluffy materials are used for home furnishings. Copper-zinc alloy coating gold threads or recycled polyester gold threads are mixed in the spinning process to form the name of "gold velvet". The rPET recycled polyester gold velvet reduces carbon emissions by approximately 30% compared to traditional methods, and is the most significant subcategory with a premium advantage in the EU's direction for 2026.
In the clothing sector, the Y2K retro trend has shown tangible data in the Russian market: In Yandex Market, the search volume for millennial styles increased by 15 times from January to August 2025. Among them, velvet sport suits saw a 2.6-fold increase, while Juicy Couture and Karl Lagerfeld saw their sales in Russia double to several times. In the European direction, "quiet luxury style" and Y2K coexist - low-saturation moondust velvet suits (milk tea color, matte dark green, grayish champagne) are for light business casual wear; high-saturation contrasting colors + low-cut cuts are for the Z Generation's sweet coolness. The KISS OF LIFE and Jaded London dance outfits drive the B2B repeat purchase of short velvet tops. In the haute couture sector, Tom Ford and Valentino still use artificial silk gold velvet for gowns, while Huajia Silk's "Jinshu Gold Velvet" has 2000+ gold thread nodes per meter and a 0.1mm pattern accuracy, with a repeat purchase rate of 85%.
In the home furnishing soft decoration sector, artificial silk gold velvet curtains, sofas, and cushions are regulars on the European high-end soft furnishing list. Wanli's "Yangtze Silk Dyeing" series, Swedish Fogia's low-saturation pure color series, and Ardo Nano Silk Textured 280g/㎡ small-sized models correspond to three lines: Neo-Classical, Nordic Minimalism, and Techno Youthification. Light-blocking curtains require a thread density of ≥120×80 and a shading rate of over 85%, and GOTS-certified anti-wrinkle models are popular in the European baby and home furnishing lines.
