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Europe/Asia/India - Damask

From Syria (and the Levant) all the Way to the World

Damask fabric is named for Damascus, which is where this textile product originated. Known for its intricate and reversible patterns, damask fabric is prized for its ornateness. These days, however, it’s easy to make incredibly complex damask patterns with modern textile machines. Traditionally, damask fabric was made from silk, cotton, or wool, but synthetic damask weaves are now available also.



The first mention of “damask” in the West was in a document from 14th-century France. At the time, nations within the borders of modern France and Italy were the mercantile centers of the world, so most types of textiles were inspected and categorized by French merchants at one point or another.

It’s unclear exactly when the peoples of the Middle East started weaving fabric in damask patterns, but historians have long recorded that damask, tabby, twill, tapestry, and lampas are the five main textile products of the glory days of Byzantium and Arabia. By the Middle Ages, the popularity of this fabric style lessened everywhere aside from Spain, which remained occupied by Muslims until the 15th century.


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