[1][5][6] It differentiates itself from other types of lace because the openness of the réseau, the closeness and evenness of the toilé, which resembles cambric, and that it lacks any cordonnet (a loosely spun silk cord used to outline and define the pattern).

[7] This is simpler and easier to make than the ground for Mechlin lace, though similar in appearance.

To use up flax yarn, women began to make the famous Valenciennes lace.

Early Valenciennes lace was grounded with fancy mesh which was thicker and closer than the open réseau used later.

The more open version was developed in Valenciennes, and thus the type of lace became known under the name of the town.