Microfiber vs Velvet: Difference and Comparison

We use different types of clothes every day. Every type of clothes is used for different purposes like woolen clothes for winter, cotton clothes for summer, etc.

These are two types of clothes that are very similar and are used for almost the same purposes that are microfiber and velvet. But both of them vary in many parameters as well, understanding them will be helpful in choosing the right fabric.

Key Takeaways

  1. Microfiber is a synthetic material known for its durability and stain resistance, while velvet is a luxurious, soft fabric made from natural or synthetic fibers.
  2. Microfiber is easier to maintain and clean than velvet, making it suitable for everyday use.
  3. Velvet offers a more elegant and sophisticated appearance, making it popular for formal settings and high-end furnishings.

Microfiber vs Velvet

Microfiber is a type of fabric that is made of extremely fine polyester fibers, which are tightly woven to create a soft and durable material. Velvet is a soft and plush fabric that is popularly known for its short, dense pile. It is a type of fabric that is made of natural fibers.

Microfiber vs Velvet

Microfiber is a synthetic fiber and has a diameter of fewer than 10 micrometers. There are many types of microfiber that are mostly made of polyester, polyamide, synthetic fabric, polypropylene, etc.

Microfiber is commonly used to make mats, cleaning materials for industries, weaves, and in some cases, towels for washing cars, etc.

Velvet is a type of woolen fiber made out of strands of polyester. The material velvet is known for its smooth and classy appearance.

But however, velvet is thick from the inside as they are made of polyester and keeps the body warm. Generally, they are used to make clothes for luxury people, carpets, and also clothes for winter climate.

Comparison Table

Parameters of ComparisonMicrofiberVelvet
MaterialMicrofiber is made of synthetic fiber and also from a few strands of polyester.Velvel is made of woolen material and also from the strands of polyester.
CostMicrofiber is comparatively cheaper than velvet.Velvet is expensive as they have a classy and matte look.
UsesMicrofiber is commonly used for manufacturing mats and cleaning products.Velvet is commonly used for manufacturing luxury clothes and carpets.
ThicknessMicrofiber is comparatively thinner than velvet.Velvet is thicker in comparison to the microfiber cloth.
WeightMicrofiber is comparatively less heavy than velvet.Velvet is slightly heavier than microfiber.

What is Microfiber?

Microfiber was one of the widely used synthetic fibers which were discovered by the scientist, Miyoshi Okamoto. He worked in the Toray industries that were located in Japan.

Toray Industries is a multinational company and is known for manufacturing industrial products like chemicals, synthetic fibers, polyesters, etc. The headquarters of Toray Industries was located in Japan.

Initially, when this product was launched into the market, the use of this fiber wasn’t much, and hence, the demand for this product was quite less.

But later on by the 1960s, many experiments were conducted by scientists, and many applications of microfiber were found. The product had a good market in Sweden and other European countries.

Microfiber has numerous uses in different types of sectors of the world all over the world.

They are highly demanding in the industrial sector as a cleaning product, used as mats for households, used as cloth for washing cars, also used to manufacture basketballs in the sports sector, etc.

In addition to this, they are also used in manufacturing shoes, cloths, mops, etc.

Even with all these uses, microfiber is relatively cheaper in comparison to the other fibers available in the market. Hence, microfiber is really useful in various sectors of the economy.

microfiber

What is Velvet?

Velvet was one of the famous polyester materials which been discovered since ancient times. It wasn’t clear when and who created velvet but history says that velvet had been found in China and had been existing around 750 A.D.

The first material of velvet was introduced in Baghdad. Initially, velvets were made out of silk to which only noble class people had access as it was very expensive.

In the ancient period, because of its feature of softness and matte appearance, velvet was known to be used by noble kings and high authority people.

After many kinds of research by scientists, there were many types of velvets found like crushed, chiffon, mirror, panne, etc. Velvet had a good market all over the world, especially in China.

Velvet had numerous uses like manufacturing clothes, carpets, curtains, pillow covers, and was suitable for making luxury figure-hugging dresses.

Velvet dresses are mostly worn in colder regions and have the advantage of having a luxurious look. However, the disadvantage of velvet is they are expensive in comparison to the other materials in the market.

Hence, velvet is popularly used in different parts of the world and is recognized for its luxurious looks. They have numerous uses.

velvet

Main Differences Between Microfiber and Velvet

  1. Velvet is recognized for luxury while microfiber is recognized for its cleaning quality and they are extremely effective.
  2. Velvet is expensive in comparison to microfiber as velvet has a matte and classy appearance that symbolizes nobles.
  3. Velvet is made out of polyester and silk while microfiber is made out of a few strands of polyester and synthetic natural fiber.
  4. Velvet was discovered earlier than microfiber and microfiber has numerous uses in comparison to velvet as they are used in all sectors.
  5. Microfiber is really to reuse and wash while velvet requires caution while washing as they are made of silk materials.
Difference Between Microfiber and Velvet
References
  1. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780429495762/velvet-revolution-bernard-wheaton-zden%C4%9Bk-kavan
  2. https://www.mdpi.com/68802

Last Updated : 14 July, 2023

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