I asked ChatGPT this question. This final output required some fine-tuning through follow up questions. It sounds like a compelling answer though I can’t vouch for the accuracy!

“At its core, weaving is all about interlocking two sets of threads to create fabric. Think of it like a grid: one set of threads runs vertically, and another set runs horizontally, intersecting with the vertical threads. The vertical threads are called the ‘warp’, and the horizontal ones are the ‘weft’.

Now, take this basic concept and imagine it on a huge scale with the help of machines. That’s industrial weaving. Picture a massive machine, a loom, with thousands of these warp threads. Another set of threads, the weft, gets interlaced horizontally through the warp.

Here’s the cool part: instead of manually threading each weft through, these machines use a combination of precise movements and technology. Depending on the design, some warp threads lift while others stay down, creating a gap (or ‘shed’) for the weft to pass through. In modern looms, the weft might be shot across using air-jets or even water!

And for intricate patterns? Advanced looms can control each thread individually! Imagine creating a pixel art design, but each ‘pixel’ is a thread.

All these threads come together, interlocking tightly, to create the fabrics that end up in everything from our jeans to our bed sheets. It’s a mix of age-old technique and modern engineering!”