Velveteen is a cloth made in imitation of velvet

Velvet

Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed,with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel.The word 'velvety' is used as an adjective to mean -"smooth like velvet".-Composition:...

. Normally cotton, the term is sometimes applied to a mixture of silk

Silk

Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...

 and cotton. Some velveteens are a kind of fustian

Fustian

Fustian is a term for a variety of heavy woven, mostly cotton fabrics, chiefly prepared for menswear. It is also used to refer to pompous, inflated or pretentious writing or speech, from at least the time of Shakespeare...

, having a rib of velvet pile alternating with a plain depression. This fabric has a pile that is short (never more than 3mm deep), and is closely set. It has a firm hand, and a slightly sloping pile. Compared to true velvet, velveteen has greater body, does not drape as easily, and has less sheen.

The velveteen trade varies with the fashions that control the production of velvet.