There are four general types of velvet fabrics suitable for garment making. It is important to know their qualities in order to be able to understand how to sew with them:

Cotton velvet - a soft fabric with a deep, long pile, but thicker, stronger, and heavier than other velvets, with a more stable woven base and therefore easier to work with. Denser drapes are better than cotton velveteen. Can be used for formal wear, but due to its slightly heavier weight, it is better suited for more structured designs rather than draped ones. Great for jackets, suits, and coats.

Stretch cotton velvet (commonly called "velvet") has a soft drape and is best suited for casual wear or casual items such as bathrobes, tops, etc. These types of velvet fabrics are sometimes sold in polyester/cotton blends.

Polyester velvet - is usually the cheapest. The weight is between cotton velvet and silk or rayon velvet. Less wrinkled and less crushable pile, but not as luxurious as silk or rayon velvet, slightly stiffer and less graceful in drape. Very sensitive to heat. Sometimes sold with a Lycra component and/or in a knitted form to provide stretch. Stretch types are commonly used in modern evening dresses, wrap dresses, fancy tops, and more.

Rayon (or viscose) velvet and silk/rayon velvet: 100% rayon velvet is not much different from 20% silk/80% rayon velvet. Both types are prone to wrinkling and flattening of the surface, yet have a luxurious drape, deep shine, and a beautifully soft texture. Silk/rayon blend velvet usually consists of a rayon pile head and a woven silk backing rather than a true fiber blend. Heat sensitivity is slightly lower than polyester.

Pure velvet: 100% real velvet (quite expensive), but performs very similarly to rayon, except it has a more beautiful finish.

Haining Jiameida Warp Knitting Co., Ltd. is a wholesale curtain fabric factory in China. The company sells gilding fabric etc. The price is reasonable and the quality is guaranteed.