Twill

About

Twill fabric brings a diagonal weave, natural drape, and wrinkle resistance to your next collection. From crisp cotton chino to structured gabardine and stretchy performance blends, this weave family covers denim, drill, herringbone, and more. Zelouf Fabrics stocks twill by the yard across a full range of weights and fiber content, ready for trousers, jackets, workwear, and home textiles alike. Order a free swatch to check color and hand before you commit to your next production run. Twill Fabric Basics: Weave, Wale, and Float Ratio Twill fabric gets its name from the wale, the diagonal line that runs across the surface of the cloth. A weft thread passes over one or more warp threads, then under two or more, shifting by a single thread on each row. This offset interlacing gives twill fabric more surface texture and flexibility than a plain weave of the same weight. Reading Twill by the Numbers Twill fabric is described using a float ratio, written as a fraction like 2/1 or 3/1. The top number represents the warp threads, and the bottom number represents the weft threads. A 3/1 twill produces a heavier, more pronounced diagonal than a 2/1, and a balanced 2/2 twill shows up often in suiting and stretch fabrics. A higher float ratio softens the drape but can slightly reduce abrasion resistance. Right-Hand and Left-Hand Twill Twill fabric also varies by the direction of its diagonal. Right-hand twill runs from lower left to upper right, the standard orientation for most denim and cotton twill. Wale angle shifts the look too: standard twill sits near 45 degrees, steep twill near 63 degrees for a bold gabardine-style diagonal, and reclining twill near 27 degrees for a flatter surface. Types of Twill Fabric to Know Cotton Twill and Chino: Chino is a lighter 2/1 or 3/1 twill with a subtle sheen, a staple for casual trousers. Denim: A 3/1 right-hand twill with an indigo-dyed warp and undyed weft, giving raw denim its visible rib and signature fade. Gabardine: A tight 2/2 twi