Silk Taffeta
Silk taffeta is one of the oldest luxury fabrics, woven in the early part of the thir century by the Persians, who called it "taftah" or "taftan".  Today's version is a fine, smooth, tightly woven fabric with very fine crosswise ribs, made with a plain weave, fine warp yarns and heavier filling yarns.  Taffeta looks the same on both sides and has approximately the same number of yarns in both directions.  The fabric is flat, with a distinctive rustle and a dull luster.  It may be soft or stiff, and light to medium in weight. Fabrics imitating silk taffeta are made from acetate, nylon and polyester.