Jacquard fabrics owe their name to Joseph Marie Jacquard, an 18th century French inventor who developed a loom that made it commercially practical to weave fabrics with extremely complex patterns. In a Jacquard tablecloth, the design is woven directly into the material, not printed onto it. A Jacquard tablecloth has a soft, warm, luxurious "hand" and is supple enough to drape elegantly over any table. These tablecloths are pure cotton and have a protective, teflon based treatment that makes liquids "bead up" on them and helps protect them against spills and stains.