Handweven

Handweven is the practice of weaving textiles by hand, typically on a loom or frame, without powered weaving machines. The term covers the process and the resulting fabric, often described as handwoven. Handweven is found worldwide and varies by loom type, technique, and finishing methods.

Historically, handweven appears in many ancient societies before mechanized looms became common. Small workshops and households produced fabrics on frame looms, backstrap looms, and other simple devices. The rise of factory weaving during the Industrial Revolution reduced domestic production, but handweaving persisted as an artisanal craft and has undergone revivals in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Techniques and equipment: Common loom types include frame looms, backstrap looms, rigid-heddle looms, and treadle looms. The basic process involves preparing a warp on the loom, passing the weft through the warp, and beating it into place. Fabrics are created in structures such as plain weave, twill, and satin, or through more complex patterns using color changes, supplementary wefts, or dye-resist methods like ikat.

Materials and products: Handweaving uses natural fibers such as wool, cotton, linen, and silk, as well as blends. Finished textiles include garments, blankets, rugs, and wall hangings. Finishing steps—washing, fulling, steaming, or light felting—affect texture, drape, and hand.

Contemporary context: Handweaving is sustained by craft communities, studios, and education programs. It is valued for texture, variability, and local production, with ongoing interest in sustainable and ethically produced textiles.