plain weave, simplest and most common of the three basic textile weaves. It is made by passing each filling yarn over and under each warp yarn, with each row alternating, producing a high number of intersections. Plain-weave fabrics that are not printed or given a surface finish have no right or wrong side. They do not ravel easily but tend to wrinkle and have less absorbency than other weaves.

The visual effect of plain weave may be varied by combining yarns of different origins, thickness, texture, twist, or colour. Fabrics range in weight from sheer to heavy and include such types as organdy, muslin, taffeta, shantung, canvas, and tweed. Variations of the plain weave include the rib weave, with either warp or filling yarns heavier, as in dimity and bengaline, and the basket weave, in which two or more filling yarns, or a single heavier yarn, pass alternately over and under two or more warp yarns, as in oxford shirting and monk’s cloth.