Pile and loop, two ways to build a surface
Velvet is a cut pile: threads stand up from the base and are sheared level, which is what catches the light. Bouclé is the opposite, a looped yarn left uncut, which scatters light instead of reflecting it.
The fabric
Velvet and bouclé
The two textures that change a room fastest, and the reason cushions exist.
Why corduroy has ribs
Cutting the pile in channels rather than across the whole surface gives the wale, the raised rib. It makes the colour shift as you move past it, which a flat cloth never does.
Brush, do not press
Never iron a pile fabric; heat and pressure crush it flat and it does not come back. Shake the cover out, brush the pile in one direction, and it recovers.
Questions about this fabric
Is the insert included?
No. Covers are sold on their own so you can keep the inserts you already have.
Will the pile flatten where people sit?
It marks, then recovers. Shake the cushion and brush the pile back and the mark goes.
Can I machine wash it?
Yes, cold and gentle, then air dry. Heat is what damages pile, not water.