The tell is in the selvedge
The selvedge is the finished edge that runs the length of a fabric, the border the loom creates naturally as the weft thread turns back on itself. On a genuine handloom, the selvedge is slightly uneven. It pulls in a little, curves very faintly, and the weave density near the edge differs just barely from the centre. This happens because a human hand throws the shuttle and no two throws carry identical tension. On a powerloom, the selvedge is mechanically perfect: ruler-straight, uniform, with no variation at all. That perfection is the giveaway. Run your thumb along the edge. If it feels machine-finished and looks like it was cut with a laser, it was made by one.
