ArahWeave

Overview

ArahWeave is specialist textile CAD for designers and mills developing dobby and jacquard fabrics. It is strongest when a design must account for yarn, weave construction and loom output; it is a poor fit for general-purpose pattern illustration or vector drawing.

Key features

Its fabric simulation works at actual size, drawing on thread pattern, weave structure, density, yarn composition and color. That gives textile designers a way to assess construction and materials together, rather than judging a surface pattern in isolation. Double-fabric decomposed editing, thread-pattern generation, automatic long-float correction and crêpe weave generation address specific weaving tasks. CIE Lab-based colorimetry and simulations of overprint, chiné, ikat, seersucker, raised finishes and wrinkles extend the review of a fabric beyond its base weave.

The Weft Blanket puts samples with different patterns into one file for weaving without stopping the loom, a practical advantage when a run includes multiple designs. ArahWeave supports major industrial dobby and jacquard formats and can save cards ready for weaving. DobbyPro and JacquardPro also support XML import and export for ERP interfacing. Dropbox is Arahne’s suggested way to share CAD data and keep a cloud backup; it is not a built-in cloud workflow. Seamless repeats and colorways are supported, but vector editing is not, so artwork that depends on vector tools belongs elsewhere.

Pricing

The Demo is free. It cannot save ArahWeave projects, though it can save images, and ArahPaint works fully. Treat it as a limited way to explore the software, not a project-ready free edition.

Personal Edition costs €2,500, paid once. It supports weaves up to 2048 × 2048 and handloom jacquards only, specifically AVL and Digital Weaving Norway. XML technical-data saving is disabled. One year of phone, email and TeamViewer support and one year of software updates are included. This is the paid option for handloom jacquard work within those constraints, not for industrial loom production.

Selvedge Edition costs €3,850, paid once and supports weaves up to 1024 × 8192, but only on Stäubli JC5, JC6 and JC7 selvedge jacquard looms. TIFF and PNG are included; XML technical-data saving is disabled. It also includes one year of phone, email and TeamViewer support and one year of software updates. Its narrower loom compatibility makes it a specialized choice, not a general step up from Personal Edition.

DobbyPro and JacquardPro have custom pricing. Both support weaves up to 65000 × 65000, offer XML import and export for ERP, and include one year of support and updates. DobbyPro adds industrial dobby interfaces and 2 to 3 days of training; JacquardPro covers industrial jacquard and dobby interfaces and includes 2 to 5 days of training. These are the production-oriented editions for mills, with the appropriate choice depending on loom type.

Platforms

ArahWeave is Linux-based and runs natively on Linux or in a virtual machine. Mac support is also described, while Windows use runs Linux through VMware or VirtualBox. The platform story is workable across the three systems, but Windows users need virtualization rather than a native Windows version.

Exports include PNG, GIF, JPEG, TIFF and BMP, as well as XML and HTML technical data.

Who it's for

ArahWeave suits textile designers and weaving businesses whose work depends on detailed fabric construction, simulation and loom-compatible output. The edition limits matter: handloom designers can consider Personal Edition, Stäubli selvedge jacquard users have a dedicated tier, and mills needing industrial loom interfaces and ERP exchange should look at DobbyPro or JacquardPro. It is not the right choice for users who primarily need vector artwork, or who need to save project files in a free edition.

Pros and cons

Pros: Actual-size simulation accounts for weave, density and yarn properties, making it relevant to production-minded fabric design.

Pros: The Weft Blanket and loom-card output connect design work to weaving workflows, including multi-pattern runs.

Pros: Industrial editions include ERP-facing XML exchange, support and updates, plus training.

Cons: The demo cannot save projects, so it cannot serve as a free working edition.

Cons: The paid editions have sharply defined size and loom restrictions; Personal and Selvedge also disable XML technical-data saving.

Cons: There is no vector editing, and Windows use requires Linux virtualization.

Alternatives

For a broader set of pattern-design options, browse Pattern Design Software. Choose Repper instead if you want a mobile-web pattern tool with a free option and trial; its free Repper Mobile plan limits image uploads to the first two weeks and provides simplified exports.

Raspberry AI Prints & Patterns is a web-based freemium option with a 50 one-time-credit free plan and a $49 a month Individual plan. MYTH AI is a web-based paid alternative with a free trial; its Individual Starter plan costs $19 a month for one user and 40 credits.

For browser-based direct stitching with a free tier, consider Seamlessify. Loocie Design is a free web option in beta, with files auto-deleted after a short time. Texloom Studio offers a free web and extension tier with 100 starting credits. For free web-based pattern tools, Tiler and JUMI PatternMaker are other options; JUMI includes SVG and PNG exports up to 8000px.

Verdict

Choose ArahWeave if your work is specifically about designing woven fabrics and you need simulation tied to construction, plus output for a compatible loom. Its depth is most compelling in the production editions, while the demo cannot save projects and the lower-cost paid editions restrict loom compatibility and size. If your priority is general pattern making, vector artwork or a free project-saving workflow, choose another tool.