ISTANBUL, TURKEY—Fabric manufacturers can attest to the fact that woven velvet, which is highly prized in the market right now is also one of the most difficult fabrics to handle and ship. That is why the news that Van de Wiele in Kortrijk, Belgium has produced a three-meter width velvet loom for upholstery and curtains is so highly anticipated. “This loom is on the market a couple of months,” according to Joseph Verschelde, Sales Manager for NV Michel Van de Wiele in Gent, Belgium. Verschelde has been with the company for over 37 years. “You can see it running in our showroom. It’s a fantastic loom.” The problem with velvet is that it excessively marks up and shows creases from shipping and handling. When sewn up for curtains and draperies for example, there is always a problem with marks which result from the sewing equipment. It is for this reason that the market is waiting with anticipation to see the new wide width velvets expected to hit the industry later this year and early 2019. With seamless confeccion of draperies, a savings for the workroom will be realized and less handling will mean less creases and marks in the velvet. Belgian area velvet manufacturers like Muvantex and at least one Turkish producer, specifically Rekor, are aware of the new three-meter width loom developed by NV Michel Van de Wiele Yet, it has not been determined that any fabric producer has yet purchased the new loom. The question remains, will anyone buy the loom and will commercial production be realized this year or next?