Woven materials having tapered portions

A woven material comprising:

• a first width portion formed from a plurality of distinct layers of warp threads;
• and
• a tapered width portion formed adjacent the first width portion from the plurality of distinct layers of warp threads, at least a portion of the warp threads in at least one of the plurality of distinct layers is formed from a plurality of elastic fibers;
• wherein
• the plurality of elastic fibers formed in at least the portion of the warp threads in at least one layer of the plurality of distinct layers is:
• under a first tension in the first width portion;
• and
• under a second tension in the tapered width portion, the second tension greater than the first tension.

A method of forming a woven material, the method comprising:

• weaving the woven material using a first weave pattern in a first width portion, the woven material comprising:
• a plurality of distinct layers of warp threads;
• at least one weft thread woven through the warp threads for each of the plurality of distinct layers;
• and
• a plurality of ribs formed on each edge of the woven material by the woven warps threads and the at least one weft thread;
• altering a weave pattern of the woven material in a tapered width portion to a second weave pattern, distinct from the first weave pattern, the tapered width portion positioned adjacent the first width portion;
• and
• modifying at least one of a size and a configuration of the plurality of ribs formed in the tapered width portion of the woven material.