Abstract: A woven fabric for use as a shade in a roller blind which is rolled and unrolled, the woven fabric including a continuous flexible woven sheet. The sheet includes a plurality of bands extending across the sheet in a transverse direction and integrally woven therewith. Each band includes a front ply having an inner surface and an outer surface which forms part of the front surface of the sheet, and a rear ply having an inner surface and an outer surface which forms part of the rear surface of the sheet, the outer surface of the rear ply being provided with at least one opening disposed proximate at least one of the side edges and adapted to allow the insertion of a rod therethrough. The front and rear plies are spaced apart from each other to form a pocket between their respective inner surfaces, the pocket being adapted to accommodate the rod. A pair of transverse cords, integrally woven with the rear ply, are disposed in the center of the outer surface of the rear ply.