Abstract: A cylindrical covering fabric for a damping form roller of an offset printing machine is manufactured by weaving, as ground yarn, yarns composed of polyurethane fibers drafted to at least twice of free length, water-soluble fibers and water-insoluble fibers coiling around the above-mentioned polyurethane fiber and water-soluble fiber and, as pile yarn, hydrophilic fibers. The covering fabric is firmly mounted on a damping form roller by immersing the roller covered by the fabric in water to remove the water-soluble fibers from the ground yarns, followed by shrinking of the polyurethane fibers.