The industrial fabric has a main portion (10) and first and second ends (12, 14), and may be woven so as to have a first weave pattern at the main portion and a second weave pattern different from the first weave pattern at the first and second ends.

The weave pattern provides that the warp yarns inter-engage with the first and second picks in a balanced weave pattern which maintains the floats parallel and stable.

Woof wires (14) are woven into warp wires (12) in a polar weave pattern.

Each layer comprises warp yarns (T-20) and weft yarns (T1, T 2,T 3, B1, B2) woven together and having a predetermined repeat of the weave pattern in the cross-machine-direction.

The second weave pattern forms an upper layer (24) and a lower layer (26) with a pocket (28) therebetween at the first and second ends.

The inventive weave pattern has fill threads (20), warp twill weave threads (23) and (25), plain warp threads (22) and (24), and two adjacent pairs of double leno threads (26), (27) and (28), (29).

The first and second intrinsic, interchanging weft yarns (I1, I2) in at least some of the plurality of pairs (16) cooperating with each other to provide a discontinuous weft path in the paper side layer (12) within each repeat of the weave pattern.

The fabric sheet is woven of absorbent yarns and in a weave pattern which produces a tight weave such that the article is suitable for use as a drape in a surgical procedure, or in the nature of a laparotomy sponge.