What Is Velour? Velour vs Velvet vs Velveteen and How to Care for It
Velour is a soft, stretchy, plush pile fabric used for tracksuits, robes, baby clothes and upholstery. Learn how it is made, how it differs from velvet, and how to keep the pile looking new.
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What is velour?
Velour is a soft, plush fabric with a cut pile: millions of short fibre ends stand up from the base fabric, giving a velvety touch. The word comes from the French velours, meaning velvet. Most velour sold for clothing today is knitted, so it stretches and moves easily; woven velour is used for upholstery, car interiors and theatre curtains.
Velour became a fashion staple in the 1970s and returned in the early 2000s with matching velour tracksuits. Today it is common in loungewear, robes, baby clothes, sportswear and soft furnishings.
Velour at a glance
- Construction
- Cut pile; knitted (apparel) or woven (upholstery)
- Fibres
- Cotton, polyester, blends, often with spandex
- Feel
- Plush, soft, warm, stretchy
- Sheen
- Low to medium
- Uses
- Tracksuits, robes, baby wear, upholstery, car seats, curtains
- Watch for
- Crushing, shading, colour rub-off, shedding
How velour is made
Knitted velour is closely related to terry and fleece. A common route is to knit a fabric with extra loops on one side, as in French terry or loop-back fabrics, then shear the loops so they open into upright fibre ends. Brushing and further shearing make the pile even. The fabric is dyed, and many velours are finished with softeners and heat-set if they contain polyester or spandex. Woven velour is made with an extra set of pile yarns that are cut during or after weaving, similar to velvet but usually with a longer, less dense pile.
If you are interested in the base fabric, our guide to CVC 60/40 French terry knitting, dyeing and finishing shows how loop-back knits are produced.
Velour vs velvet vs velveteen
Velveteen is a third cousin: a cotton fabric with a very short, dense pile made from extra weft yarns, so it is firmer and less shiny than velvet and has almost no stretch. Embroidering on any pile fabric needs a water-soluble topper so stitches do not sink; our guide to machine embroidery on velvet applies to velour too.
Types of velour
- Stretch velour: polyester or nylon velour with spandex for dancewear, tracksuits and leggings.
- Cotton velour: breathable and absorbent, used for baby clothes, robes and loungewear.
- Velour terry: towels and robes with loops sheared on one side for a smooth, velvety face and absorbent loops on the back.
- Crushed velour: pile twisted and pressed in different directions for a shimmering, crinkled look.
- Woven upholstery velour: denser and more durable, for sofas, car seats and theatre curtains.
- Micro velour: very fine, low pile, often polyester, used for blankets and soft toys.
Velour towels: soft but less absorbent
Velour towels feel luxurious, but shearing the loops on the face reduces how much water that side can absorb. Use the looped side to dry off, or choose standard terry if absorbency matters more than a soft, smooth look.
Why deep-coloured velour can rub off
Pile fabrics expose a lot of fibre surface, and loose dye on those fibre tips transfers easily under friction. That is why a new navy velour sofa can mark light jeans, and why a dark velour tracksuit can stain a white bag strap.
From our lab data
In 744 knit fabric lab reports our team reviewed between July and October 2026, raised and pile constructions failed rubbing (crocking) tests far more often than flat knits: about 35 percent of fleece and 32 percent of terry rubbing tests failed, against 15 percent across all fabrics. Wet rubbing was the weak point, with a median grade around 3.5 while dry rubbing was around 4.5. These were mostly reports flagged for review, so typical rates are lower, but the takeaway for velour buyers is the same: wash deep shades separately for the first few washes and be careful with light upholstery.
Strengths
- Very soft and comfortable
- Warm without much weight
- Stretchy knitted versions move with the body
- Rich look at a lower cost than velvet
Drawbacks
- Pile crushes and shows shading
- Deep shades can rub off onto other items
- Sheds fluff when new
- Can shrink if cotton-rich and dried hot
Common velour problems and how to fix them
Sewing velour
- Cut with the nap: lay out all pattern pieces with the pile running the same way, usually down for durability or up for a deeper colour.
- Use the right needle: a ballpoint or stretch needle for knitted velour, a universal or sharp needle for woven velour.
- Stop shifting: pile layers creep against each other, so use a walking foot and pin or clip within the seam allowance.
- Reduce bulk: trim pile from seam allowances and grade seams.
- Stretch seams: use a narrow zigzag, stretch stitch or overlocker on knit velour.
- Press carefully: steam from the wrong side over a thick towel so the pile is not crushed.
How to wash and care for velour
- Turn garments inside out and wash cool on a gentle cycle with similar colours.
- Wash new deep shades alone for the first few washes.
- Do not overload the machine; crowding crushes the pile.
- Tumble dry on low and remove promptly, or hang to dry, then brush the pile.
- Do not iron the face; steam from the back or hang near steam.
- For velour sofas, vacuum with a soft brush attachment and consider a fabric protector; our guide to the best fabric protector for velvet furniture also suits velour upholstery.
Compare velour with other knits and wovens in our fabric types and specifications guide.
