Canvas is a plain weave fabric formed from cotton, linen, jute, cotton, and hemp. Canvas is heavy and dense and has applications in making tents, sails, tarpaulins, awnings, upholstery, umbrellas, shoe uppers, embossed wall coverings that form a substratum for paint or gilding, and totes.
Modern canvas is usually made of cotton or linen, although historically it was made from hemp. It differs from other heavy cotton fabrics, such as denim, in being plain weave rather than twill weave. Canvas comes in two basic types: plain and duck. The threads in duck canvas are more tightly woven.
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame. It is also used in such fashion objects as handbags and shoes.
Additionally, it serves as the preferred surface for oil paintings, and is the name for the mesh fabric on which embroidery and needlepoint are done. It also is a type of paper used with inkjet printers.
