Double-faced shading effect based on two wefts full-backed structure for traditional weft-backed woven fabrics

Purpose The purpose of this paper, on innovative design of traditional weft-backed woven fabric, is to investigate a design principle and method for full-backed structure with double-faced shading effect to realize two types of double-faced shading effects for traditional weft-backed fabric that are impossible to be realized under plane design mode. In addition, the study on the color rendering law is conducive to the design application, and the effectiveness of the design method has been verified by the design practices. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a design method for full-backed structure with two shaded weave databases (SWDs) by selecting two primary weaves (PWs), establishing the corresponding SWDs, selecting the proper compound structures for database of full-backed structure with double-faced shading effect. Color card fabric with 544 specimens is produced and their color values are measured, their color difference and variance are analyzed to evaluate the color rendering characteristics. Finally, double-faced weft-backed fabrics are produced under layered-combination design mode to verify the practicality of full-backed structure with double-faced shading effect. Findings Weft-backed woven fabrics with “SPDC” (same pattern and different color) and “DPDC” (different pattern and different color) shading effects can be produced using full-backed structure with double-faced shading effect. The color expression is extremely enhanced (136 compound structures on one side for one color weft). In the shading process, two sets of wefts do not affect each other, and stable and ideal color shading effect with high color purity can be expressed according to the analyses on the L * (lightness) values, color purity, color differences (0.47–3.20) and variance (0.25–1.21) of the color card fabric. Originality/value Breaking through the structural limitations and achieving the double-faced shading effects that cannot be expressed in plane design mode. The research on two weft-backed fabric with the most basic weft-backed structure provides not only a theoretical base for further study on weft-backed structures, but also some references for structure innovation design of traditional weft-backed woven fabrics.