ArahWeave vs Loocie Design

ArahWeave is textile design software for dobby and jacquard weaving, with fabric simulation based on thread pattern, weave structure, density, yarn composition, and yarn color. It can simulate fabric at actual size and supports double-fabric decomposed editing, thread-pattern generation, automatic long-float correction, and crêpe weave generation. Color tools use CIE Lab-based colorimetry and can simulate overprint, chiné, ikat, seersucker, raised finishes, and wrinkles. The Weft Blanket tool combines samples with different patterns in one file for weaving without stopping the loom. ArahWeave supports major industrial dobby and jacquard loom formats and can save cards ready for weaving. DobbyPro and JacquardPro editions add XML import and export for ERP interfacing. The software runs natively on Linux; the maker also describes Mac support and Windows use through Linux virtualization. The free demo can save images but not ArahWeave projects, while ArahPaint works fully. Personal Edition costs €2,500, paid once; Selvedge Edition costs €3,850, paid once. Both include one year of support and updates.

Loocie Design is a web-based Studio for turning artwork motifs into seamless repeating patterns for fabric, wallpaper, wrapping, stationery, and print-on-demand products. It is free during its beta and works on desktop, tablet, and phone. It is not a drawing app: users create motifs elsewhere and bring them into Studio. Extract accepts PNG, JPG, WEBP, and SVG files, detects and cleans motifs from a sheet, then sends sprites to Make Tile. Make Tile arranges motifs over solid or patterned grounds and exports print-ready PNGs. Repeat options include Brick, Half-drop, Grid, Diamond, and Scatter, with a background layer and up to four motif layers. Preview displays the repeating tile full-screen and checks vertical, horizontal, and four-corner joins. Projects can be downloaded as.loocie files containing sprites, layout, and background. Signed-in uploads are private per account, while site files are automatically deleted after a short time. Sprite Clean is an experimental single-motif cleanup tool, and results may be rough.