FAQ’s

FAQ’s : Textile Glossary

Fabric pattern

Weave Related Terms

American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)

Founded in 1921, the AATCC is the world’s leading not-for-profit professional association for the textile design, materials, processing and testing industries. AATCC has thousands of individual and corporate members in more than 60 countries. The Association is internationally recognized for its standard methods of testing dyed and chemically treated fibers and fabrics to measure and evaluate such performance characteristics as colorfastness to light and washing, smoothness appearance, soil release, shrinkage, water resistance, and the many other conditions to which textiles may be subjected.

Source: www.aatcc.org
Category: Fiber, Weave

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

A nonprofit organization that provides a voluntary consensus system for developing standards through committees composed of producers, engineers, academics, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders.

Source: www.astm.org
Category: Weave

American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI)

The U.S. textile industry’s trade association for the domestic textile industry; activities encompass government relations, international trade, product and administrative services, communications and economic information.

Source: ACT Glossary
Category: Weave

applique

An ancient needlework technique in which pieces of fabric, embroidery or other materials are sewn onto a foundation fabric to create designs.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

argyle

A pattern consisting of diamond shapes of different colors knit in a fabric.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

armure

A plain, striped, ribbed or woven fabric having small fancy designs that suggest chain armor.

Source: answers.com
Category: Weave

Association for Contract Textiles (ACT)

The Association for Contract Textiles is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1985. ACT is a professional trade group consisting primarily of companies that design, develop, produce and promote textiles for commercial interiors united for support, strength, credibility and common interests.

Source: ACT
Category: Fiber, Green, Weave

bar (or barré)

A manufactured fiber from cellulose acetate

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

barathea

A closely woven dobby-weave fabric with a characteristic pebbly surface. Generally made from silk or rayon, and often combined with cotton or worsted. Fabric is usually used for dresses, neckties and lightweight suits.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

bark crepe

A crepe fabric textured to simulate the appearance of tree bark.

Source: answers.com
Category: Weave

basket weave

A plain weave with two or more warp and filling threads interlaced to resemble a plaited basket

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

batik

An Indonesian word that refers to a generic wax-resistant dyeing technique used on textiles.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

batiste

A fabric named for Jean Baptiste, a French linen weaver. Lightweight, sheer, delicate fabric in a plain weave with a delicate hand and a graceful drape.

Source: Silk Road, inc.
Category: Weave

beaker dyeing

The dyeing of small fabric samples during color development.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

beam

The cylinder at both the front and back of a loom, onto which the warp is wound.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

bengaline

A fabric having a crosswise ribbed effect made of silk, wool or synthetic fibers.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

bias

An invisible line at 45 degrees diagonal to the grain of a fabric.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

bird’s eye

A dobby-loom weave characterized by a small diamond shaped spots resembling bird’s eyes.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

blanket

A textile sample showing a series of patterns or colors all on the same warp.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

bombazine

A fine English twilled fabric of silk and worsted or cotton.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

bouclé

A fabric woven with boucle yarns, which have a looped appearance on the surface.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

breaking strength

The measurement of stress exerted to pull a fabric apart under tension.

Source: ACT Glossary
Category: Weave

brocade

A rich jacquard fabric with allover interwoven design of raised figures or flowers. The name is derived from the French word meaning “to ornament.” The brocade pattern is emphasized with contrasting surfaces or colors and often has gold or silver threads running through it.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

burlap

A coarse, heavy plain-weave fabric made of jute.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

burn-out

A technique used to develop raised designs on fabric surface. Primarily done in fabrics with at least two different fiber content, i.e. cotton-polyester, silk-rayon, etc. One fiber component is being dissolved through chemical reactions while the other content remains intact, resulting in the illusion of a raised design.

Source: answers.com
Category: Weave

canvas

Usually cotton or linen woven in a heavy firm weave.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

carding

A process used for all natural fibers, in which they are separated and brought into general alignment before spinning. Yarns spun from carded wool are called woolen yarns.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

challis

A fine, light weight, plain-weave fabric; one of the softest fabrics made.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

chambray

A popular cotton fabric in plain weave that combines colored warp and white filling yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

check

A small pattern of squares.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

chevron

The general shape of a V character similar to zigzag stripes.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

chiffon

A lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric woven with twist yarns. The twist in the crepe yarns puckers the fabric slightly in both directions after weaving, giving it some stretch and a slightly rough feel. Made of silk, wool, or man-made fibers; From the French word for cloth.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

chintz

  • A highly lustrous printed cotton fabric with often with a glazed finish.
  • A painted or stained calico from India.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Finish, Weave

cisele

A velvet fabric on which the pattern is formed by contrast between cut and uncut pile loops.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

clipped fabrics

Clipping or shearing of floating threads between the design during finishing.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

cloqué

A cotton, silk or rayon fabric with a raised woven pattern and a puckered or quilted look.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

colorfastness to light

A material’s degree of resistance to the fading effect of light.

Source: ACT Glossary
Category: Weave

converter

An individual or company that buys grey goods, applies any numbers of finishes (dyeing, printing, mercerizing etc.) and sells the finished fabric to a wholesaler or retailer.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

corduroy

A durable cut-pile fabric, usually made of cotton with vertical ribs. Back may be plain or twill weave.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

corduroy

A durable cut-pile fabric, usually made of cotton with vertical ribs. Back may be plain or twill weave.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

count

  • The number size of a yarn. The higher the count, the finer the yarn.
  • The number of ends and picks per inch of weave. The higher the count, the finer the weave.
A durable cut-pile fabric, usually made of cotton with vertical ribs. Back may be plain or twill weave.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

cut-pile fabric

A cloth with a three-dimensional surface produced by double weaving or by looping an additional warp or filling thread into the basic weave, and then cutting the loops (i.e. velvet, velour, plush).

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Fiber, Weave

damask

Jacquard woven, firm textured fabric with a raised pattern similar to a brocade but flatter.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

denim

A washable, strong, twilled cotton cloth with the warp yarns dyed blue and undyed filling yarns.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

density

The number of picks and ends in a cloth.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

dimity

A lightweight, sheer cotton fabric having at least two warp threads thrown into relief to form fine cords.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

direct print

A pattern and/or ground color printed on the fabric in the desired colors.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

disperse dye

Sparingly soluble in water, particles of dye disperse in water and slowly dissolve into the fibers. Disperse dyes can be applied to a wide variety of fibers, but are really the only practical means of coloring acetate and polyester fibers.

Source: Understanding Textiles (7th ed.) by Billie J. Collier, Martin J. Bide & Phyllis G. Tortora
Category: Weave

dobby

Term applied to the loom or fabric. A dobby control on a loom controls the harnesses to permit the weaving of small geometric patterns. A dobby fabric, is made on a dobby loom and has a small geometric design.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

double-weave

A type of advanced weave achieved by interlacing two or more sets of warps with two or more sets of filling yarns. Face and back may contrast in weave and color.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

duvetyn

A very high-quality cloth resembling a compact velvet. It has a velvety hand resulting from the short nap that covers its surface, completely concealing its twill weave.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

embroidery

Designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle to decorate fabric or other materials.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

end and end

A weave with two colors alternating in warp yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

épinglé

A type of velvet fabric woven on a wire loom or épinglé loom. The épinglé velvet is specific by the fact that both loop pile and cut pile can be integrated into the same fabric.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

Fabric widths

Upholstery fabrics are generally manufactured in widths 48″=120 cm, 60″=150 cm. Normal upholstery yardage requirements are based on 50″-54″ goods.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

face

The side of the fabric which is visible when upholstered on furniture.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

faille

A soft, slightly glossy fabric in a rib weave, with a light, flat, crosswise rib or cord made by using heavier yarns in the filling and not the warp.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

felt

A fabric of matted, compressed animal fibers, such as wool or fur, sometimes mixed with vegetable or synthetic fibers.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

fiber

The most basic element in a cloth. Any tough, thread-like substance, natural or man-made, that can be spun, woven, felted, knitted or knotted into a fabric.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

fiber reactive dye

Used to dye cellulose fibers. Reacting chemically with the molecules of the fibers, resulting in unusually fast, brilliant colors. Also referred to as “reactive dyes”.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

fill

Crosswise yarns in the weave, synonymous with weft.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

flannel

A soft plain or twill woven fabric of wool or a blend of wool and cotton or synthetics.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

float

Portion of warp or weft that covers two or more adjacent warp or weft threads to form a design.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

foulard

A lightweight twill or plain-woven fabric of silk or silk and cotton, usually having a small printed.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

fringe

An ornamental border consisting of short lengths of hanging threads or tassels, often attached to a separate band.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

frisé

French for curl. Applied to different weaves made of looped, knotted or curled yarns.

Category: Weave

gabardine

A sturdy, tightly woven fabric of cotton, wool or rayon twill.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

galloon

A narrow band or braid used as trimming and commonly made of lace, metallic thread or embroidery.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

georgette

A sheer, strong silk or silk like clothing fabric with a dull, creped surface.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

gingham

Plain weave cotton fabric. Usually yarn dyed and woven to create stripes, checks or plaids.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

glazed

Cotton fabrics such as chintz or tartan treated to give them a polished look.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

grenadine

A fine, loosely woven fabric in a leno weave.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

grey goods

Woven fabric as it comes from the loom; undyed, unbleached, unprinted and unfinished. Also called greige goods.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

habutai

Smooth, soft, light, plain weave silk originally hand woven in Japan.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

hand

Touch, drape or “handle” of a fabric.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

harness

A rectangular frame on a loom that holds the heddles through which the warp yarns pass. A loom’s harnesses raise and lower the heddles in predetermined patterns so that the filling yarns can be threaded through the warp sheds to produce the desired weave. Different weaves may employ anywhere from one to forty harnesses.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

heddles

The needle-like wires on a loom through which the warp yarns are drawn and which raise and lower those threads during weaving. See harness.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

herringbone

A fabric in which the pattern of the weave resembles the skeletal structure of the herring. Made with a broken twill weave that produces a balanced zigzag effect.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

honeycomb

Weave with the surface resembling the cells of a honeycomb.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

hopsacking

An open basket weave that gets its name from the plain-weave fabric of jute or hemp used for sacking in which hops are gathered.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

houndstooth

A broken twill four-pointed star check.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

iridescence

Changeable color effect usually obtained by contrasting colors in warp and filling yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Jacquard

A woven-in pattern made by special looms which control individual weaving threads in warp to produce complicated patterns.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

jaspe

Upholstery, drapery or suiting fabric which has a series of faint stripes formed by light, medium and dark threads of the same color.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

knitting

The process of making fabric by interlocking a series of loops of one or more yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

lace

A delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open web like pattern without the aid of a ground fabric.

Source: Brentano, Inc
Category: Weave

lamé

Brocade with metal pattern or ground. Also, plain metal fabric and fabric embroidered with metal.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

lampas

A multi-warped weave with ornamental designs.

Source: Brentano, Inc
Category: Weave

lawn

A sheer, plain cotton weave made of fine combed yarns, often in a high thread count.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professionals (LEED AP)

LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. More than 43,000 people have earned the credential since the Professional Accreditation program was launched in 2001.

Source: www.usgbc.org
Category: Weave

leno

A structure in which pairs of warp yarns are twisted around each other between filling yarns, giving open-weave fabrics firmness and durability.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

Living Building Challenge Red List

This list is composed of materials that the International Living Future Institute (formerly known as the International Living Building Institute) and the Cascadia Region Green Building Council believe should be phased out of production due to health/toxicity concerns.

Source: International Living Future Institute
Category: Weave

loft

The bulk or resilience of a fabric, yarn or fiber.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

loom

A weaving machine that produces textiles by interlacing warp and filling yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Martindale Test

A wear abrasion test used extensively in Europe. The fabric’s warp and weft are abraded at the same time.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

matelassé

An intricately woven fabric created with two sets of warp and filler threads in a double weave giving an embossed, puckered or quilted effect. From the French word meaning “to quilt” or “to pad”.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

moleskin

A heavy sateen-weave, often napped or sheared to give a suede effect.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

monk’s cloth

A heavy, loosely woven basketweave in solid colors, with stripes or plaids.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

mossy crepe

Various crepes constructed to have a mossy look.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

motif

The feature or subject of a composition or work.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

mourning crepe

A dull, semi-sheer crepe which often has a moire effect.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

mousseline

A fine, sheer fabric resembling muslin.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

muslin

Plain-weave sturdy cotton fabrics.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

nacre velvet

Velvet with back of one color and pile of another, resulting in a changeable, pearly appearance.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

nap

The cut-pile or fuzzy surface finish of a cloth.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

needle point

Simple stitch embroidery completely covering mesh or canvas grounds.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

ninon

A sheer fabric of silk, rayon or nylon made in a variety of tight, smooth weaves or open, lacy patterns.

Source: Brentano, Inc
Category: Weave

non-woven

A material made of fibers in a web or mat held together by a bonding agent that is not woven, knitted or spun.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) began on January 1, 1994. This agreement removes most barriers to trade and investment among the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
Category: Fiber, Weave

nubbed fabric

A fabric decorated with novelty yarn containing slubs, knots, beads or lumps.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

ondule

Wavy effect in a fabric achieved by weaving.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

organdy

Sheer, plain cotton weave made of fine combed yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

organza

French for transparent, crisp silk organdy.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

ottoman

Heavy corded silk or synthetic fabric with larger and rounder ribs than a faille. Fillings are usually cotton or wool, and should be completely covered by the silk or man-made fiber warp.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

overplaid

Double plaid in which weave or color effect is arranged in blocks of the same or different sizes, one over the other.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

oxford cloth

A soft, somewhat porous cotton shirting fabric with a silk like luster finish. Made in a basketweave construction, and available in colors or solids. The cloth tends to soil easily because of the soft bulky filling yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

paillette

From the French for sequin. Generally larger than sequins.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

paisley

A paisley or paisley pattern is a droplet-shaped vegetal motif of Persian origin similar to half of the Yin yang symbol, or the leaf of the Indian bodhi tree or the mango tree; or to a leech. The western name derives from the town of Paisley, in central Scotland.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

panama

Plain woven hopsacking of coarse-yarn basket weave, plain or in two colors, producing a texture similar to that of panama hats.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

panne

A finish usually applied to either satin or velvet in order to give the surface a high luster.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

peau de soie

A medium to heavy drapeable fabric with a satin weave and delustered finish; a traditional fabric for wedding dresses.

Source: denverfabrics.com
Category: Weave

pebble

An irregular or rough surface with a pebbly look, as in a pebble crepe.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

photographic prints

Made from photoengraved rollers that transfer photographs to cloth. Several processes, all adapted from color printing on paper.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

pick

One thread of warp or filling.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

piece dyeing

A common method of dyeing that allows flexibility to meet color demands, i.e. a material dyed in the piece after weaving.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

pile fabric

Fabric with cut or uncut loops which stand up densely on the surface. Not to be confused with napped fabrics, which have brushed surfaces. Velvets, plushes, velveteens and corduroy are cut pile fabrics. Epingles are uncut pile fabrics.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

pile weave

A three-dimensional surface construction in which cut or uncut loops protrude from the ground cloth. The loops may be made of warp or filling yarns, and be produced by a double wave or with wires. The wire method uses round-tipped wires to raise loops for uncut pile, and sharp-edged cut wires for cut pile.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

pilling

The formation of little fuzzy balls on a fabric surface caused by the rubbing off of a fiber’s loose ends that are too long or strong to break away.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

pincheck

A very thin check

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

pique

Refers to a weaving style, as in “pique cotton”, which is characterized by raised parallel cords or fine ribbing (for example, in the collar of a polo shirt or tennis shirt). Twilled cotton (see Twill) or corded cotton are close relatives.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

plaid

A pattern of colored stripes or bars crossing each other at right angles.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

plain weave

The most simple method of interlacing warp and weft threads to make a cloth. Each filling thread passes alternately under and over the warp yarns to produce a balanced construction. Also known as ‘tabby,’ this is a strong weave, inexpensive to produce, and the best ground for printing. However, if the thread count is low, the fabric may be too weak for upholstery.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

plisse

Usually a print cloth treated with chemicals that cause part of the cloth to shrink, creating a permanently crinkled surface.

Source: Introductory Textile Science (5th edition) by Marjory L. Joseph
Category: Weave

plush

Warp pile fabric originally made from silk or wool that is distinct from velvet because of its longer and less dense pile. Modern plushes can be made of polyester.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

polypropylene

The basic fiber forming substance for olefin.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

pongee

A plain woven, light weight or medium-weight fabric made from wild silk. Almost always pale or dark tan, but now sometimes printed, bleached and dyed in colors.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

poodle cloth

Loopy boucle or knotted yarn cloth that looks like the coat of a poodle.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

poult de soie

A silk fabric in plain weave with heavy filling strands forming cross ribs, sometimes called a Faille Taffeta.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

printing

The process of producing designs of one or more colors on a fabric using different methods, such as roller, block, screen, and several color techniques, such as direct, discharge, and resist.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klappe
Category: Weave

qiviut

Underwool of the domesticated musk ox that is considered the rarest and most luxurious wool fiber in the world. Fleece is not shorn from the musk ox, but it is shed naturally and removed from the guard hairs as it becomes visible.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

rabbit hair

Hair from the common rabbit or hare. Occasionally blended in various weaves and knits for softness or special effects.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

radium

A smooth, soft-luster plain-weave silk or rayon fabric similar to habutai.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

railroading

Applying fabric to furniture so that the weft runs vertically, avoiding intermediate seam detailing.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

ramie

A tall, tropical Asian perennial herb, Boehmeria nivea, cultivated for its fibrous stems. Ramie is the fiber extracted from this plant, resembling flax. Used chiefly for table linen.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

raveling

The fraying of yarn at the cut edge of a cloth.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

raw silk

The fabric or yarn made from untreated silk as reeled from a cocoon.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

reactive dyes

Used to dye cellulose fibers. Reacting chemically with the molecules of the fibers, resulting in unusually fast, brilliant colors. Also referred to as “fiber reactive dyes”.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

reed

The comblike device on a loom through which the warp ends pass.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

resilience

The property of a textile material to recover from a deformed state.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

resist dyeing

A pattern and ground created by methods used to “resist” or prevent the dye from reaching all the cloth.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

resist prints

Made by printing the designs using substance that resists dye stuffs. The fabric is often piece dyed to obtain the wanted color.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

reverse twill weave

A patterned twill weave using both right and left hand twills.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

rib

Usually a straight cord formed by a heavy thread, length wise, crosswise or diagonal.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

ribbon

A narrow woven fabric with woven selvage for trimming or decoration.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

sateen

A cotton cloth made in a satin weave, often treated with high luster and crease-resistant finishes.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

satin finish

A glossy finish given to many fabrics.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

satin weave

Basic weave, characterized by floats running in the warp direction in such a manner that gives the fabric a gloss, luster or shine.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Schiffi

A machine for embroidering and making heavy venise lace.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Scottish plaid

A coarse, very durable twilled woolen fabric made of Scottish native wool.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

screen prints

Similar to stencil work, except that a screen is used. Certain areas of the screen are treated to take dye, others to resist dye. A paste is forced through the screen onto the fabric by a squeegee to form the pattern.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

seam slippage

The movement of yarns in a fabric that occurs when it is pulled apart at a seam.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

seconds

Imperfect fabrics with weave, finish or dyeing flaws.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

seersucker

A thin, all-cotton fabric, commonly striped.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

selvage

Heavy reinforced outside woven edges of cloth.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

sequin

A small, sparkly plastic disc used for decoration.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

serge

A smooth-finished fabric in a balanced twill weave that is the same on both the face and back.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

serpentine crepe

A plain weave with lengthwise crinkled effect. Also in a ribbed form with heavy filling in the ribs.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

shading

The apparent graduations of color in cut-pile fabrics that are caused by variations in light reflection. This is not a defect, but a desirable characteristic of these fabrics.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

shantung

A plain silk weave originally made from wild silk in Shantung China on hand looms, characterized by a rough, nubbed surface caused by the slubs in the yarn.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

shearing

A mechanical process that cuts projecting fibers from the fabric face. It is especially used for wool and other fabrics with a tendency to pill.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

sheer

Any very thin almost transparent fabric.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Shetland

Applies only to wool from a sheep raised in the Shetland Isle of Scotland. Fabrics made from this fiber are usually lightweight and warm, with a raised finish and soft hand.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

shibori

The Japanese term for a myriad of resist dyeing techniques, including Western tie-dye.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

shuttle

The device on a loom that carries the filling yarn through the shed to interlace it with the warp.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

silicone finish

A liquid fluorocarbon treatment that is either sprayed or padded on to the fabric to make it resistant to water and oil-borne stains. See Scotchgard™ and Teflon™.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

silk

A natural protein fiber. The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons made by the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). The shimmering appearance for which silk is prized comes from the fibers’ triangular prism-like structure which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles.

Source: Brentano, Inc.
Category: Weave

sisal

A hard fiber obtained from the sword like leave of the sisal plant.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

skein-dyed yarns

Spun or filament yarns of any natural or man-made fiber dyed in the form of hanks or skeins.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

skin fiber

Skin fiber or bast fiber is plant fiber collected from the phloem (the “inner bark” or the skin) or bast surrounding the stem of certain, mainly dicotyledonic, plants. They support the conductive cells of the phloem and provide strength to the stem. Most of the technically important bast fibers are obtained from herbs cultivated in agriculture, as for instance flax, hemp, or ramie, rattan, bamboo.

Source: Wikipedia
Category: Weave

slippage

Sliding or slipping of warp threads along filling threads, or vice versa, in a fabric of smooth yarns or loose weave.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

slub

Soft, thick, uneven nub in a yarn that gives decorative textured effect to a weave.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

solution dyeing

The coloring of a synthetic solution before it is extruded into filament form. This method achieves a high degree of colorfastness; also called dope dyeing.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

source reduction

Any practice: (a) reducing the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment or disposal; and (b) reducing the hazards to the public health and the environment associated with the release of such substances, pollutants or contaminants.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

spinning

The process of twisting staple fibers into single-ply yarn, or of drawing liquid through a spinneret to produce synthetic monofilaments.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

spun-silk

Yarn made of silk broken by the emergence of mature silk moths from cocoons.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

stabilizing

Any process which prevents fabrics from shrinking or stretching.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)

Standard Industrial Classification codes indicate the company’s type of business. These codes are also used in the Division of Corporation Finance as a basis for assigning review responsibility for the company’s filings.

Source: US Securities and Exchange Commission
Category: Fiber, Weave

staple

The length of the fiber. Usually short lengths rather than one continuous strand or filament.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

strié

Irregular streaks in a fabric of practically the same color as the background, from the French “stripe” or “streak”.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

stripe

A long, straight region of a single color.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

suedecloth

A woven fabric with a flat, napped surface finished to resemble suede.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

surah

A soft twilled fabric of silk or of a blend of silk and rayon.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

swatch

A small piece of cloth used as a sample of a fabric.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

synthetic fiber

A textile fiber made from a petrochemical rather than natural base. All synthetic fibers are man-made, but not all man-made fibers are synthetic.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

taffeta

A lustrous, medium weight, plain weave fabric with a slight ribbed appearance in the fill. It has a crisp hand, lots of body and may appear iridescent.

Source: fabriclink.com
Category: Weave

tapa cloth

A fabric made in the Pacific Islands from the bark of the paper mulberry tree. Ranges in texture from fine muslin to tough and leathery; can be bleached, dyed and printed.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

tapestry

A heavy cloth woven with rich, often varicolored designs or scenes, usually hung on walls for decoration and sometimes used to cover furniture.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

tassel

A bunch of loose threads or cords bound at one end and hanging free at the other, used as an ornament on curtains or clothing, for example.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

thread

Usually a stand of yarn that has been plied, twisted and finished for smoothness, used in sewing.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

tie-dye

A method of resist dyeing in which parts of the fabric are tightly wound with yarns or tied into knots in selected areas. When the fabric is placed in a dyebath, the covered and knotted areas are protected from the dye.

Source: Understanding Textiles (7th ed.) by Billie J. Collier, Martin J. Bide & Phyllis G. Tortora
Category: Weave

toxic waste

If a threshold concentration of one of fourteen substances listed by RCRA is present in an extract of a waste stream, the entire waste stream is classified as toxic waste and is subject to regulation as a hazardous waste (under the RCRA definition, 40 CFR Part 261.24). The list contains several synthetic organic chemicals and toxic metals such as lead, chromium and mercury.

Category: Weave

tricot

French for warp-knitted fabric, usually flat-knitted with fine ribs on the face and ribs on the back.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

tufted fabric

Fabric decorated with short clusters of elongated strands of yarn. Made by hooked needles into fabric structures or by high-speed tufting machines.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

tweed

A coarse, rugged, often nubby woolen fabric made in any of various twill weaves and used chiefly for casual suits and coats.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

twist

The turning of fibers or yarns around their axes, expressed in number of turns per unit length.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

unfinished

Fabrics left as they come off the loom.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Upholstered Furniture Action Council (UFAC)

The Upholstered Furniture Action Council was founded in 1978 to make upholstered furniture more resistant to ignition from smoldering cigarettes. It is an all-industry, voluntary compliance system designed to increase protection for consumers.

Source: Upholstered Furniture Action Council
Category: Weave

v-construction

A double-weave construction for cut-pile fabrics in which the pile yarns are caught by one shot of weft.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

vat-dyed

Material dyed by insoluble vat colors produced on the fabric by oxidation. Considered the most resistant to the effects of washing and sunlight. Originally applied to fabrics in big wooden vats.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

velours

A closely napped fabric resembling velvet, used chiefly for clothing and upholstery.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

velvet

A warp pile fabric with short-cut close pile that gives a smooth rich surface, soft to the touch. Effect is obtained by weaving two faces together and shearing apart. One type of velvet has an uncut pile. Pile may be chemically dissolved to leave patterns on a chiffon or taffeta ground. Also pile may be pressed flat, as in a panné velvet.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

velveteen

Cotton or rayon pile fabric with short, close filling loops cut by sharp knives to create the velvety pile. Unlike velvet that is woven face to face, velveteen is woven singly.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

venise

A point lace without net background. The design is usually embroidered ground removed later by a chemical process that leaves only the embroidery.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

vicuna

A llama-like animal of the Andes. Expensive and scarce, it is considered the finest classified wool. Sale of this fiber is regulated by the Peruvian government. Naturally a reddish brown color, silky luster, with a soft, lush hand.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

vinyl

Any of various typically tough, flexible, shiny plastics, often used for coverings and clothing.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

virgin wool

Wool that has never been used or reclaimed from any spun, woven, knitted, felted, manufactured or used product.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

viscose

A manufactured fiber made of regenerated cellulose, most commonly obtained from wood pulp. The European word for Rayon.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

voile

A light, plain weave, sheer fabric of cotton, rayon, silk or wool used especially for making dresses and curtains.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

w-construction

A double-weave construction for cut-pile fabrics in which the pile yarns are caught and woven through a series of three weft yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

waffle cloth

A fabric similar to pique in texture and usually made of cotton, has a honey-comb weave made on dobby loom.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

wale

In knit fabrics, a column of loops lying lengthwise in the fabric. The number of wales per inch is a measure of the fineness of the fabric.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

warp knits

A kind of knitting in which a number of threads are chained with one or more contiguous threads on either side. Resistant to runs and relatively easy to sew.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

warp prints

Usually a plain weave, the warp yarns are printed before the filling is inserted. The fabric has a very fuzzy design when design is distorted as fabric is woven.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

warp-faced fabric

A woven cloth in which the warp yarns predominate over the filling yarns.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

washable

Capable of being washed without ruining or distorting the fabric.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

water-repellent fabric

Cloth that is impervious to water, but still “breathes.”

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

water-repellent fabric

Cloth that is impervious to water, but still “breathes.”

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

wear test

A test for fabric wear, abrasion, flexibility, washing, crushing, creasing, etc., in which the fabric is made into a garment, worn for a specific time, then assessed for performance.

Source: Vectran Fiber Website
Category: Weave

weave

The structural pattern in which yarns are interlaced to produce a fabric. The basic weaves are plain, twill and satin.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

weaving

The process of making a cloth by interlacing the threads of the weft and the warp on a loom.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

weft

The horizontal or crosswise element in a cloth. Synonymous with fill.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

wet & dry crocking

Transfer of dye from the surface of a dyed or printed fabric onto another surface by rubbing.

Source: ACT Glossary
Category: Weave

worsted

A general term applied to fabrics and yarns from combed wool and wool blends. Worsted yarn is smooth-surfaced and spun from evenly combed long staple. Worsted fabric is made from worsted yarns and is tightly woven with a smooth, hard surface. Examples are gabardine and serge. Transfer of dye from the surface of a dyed or printed fabric onto another surface by rubbing.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

wrinkle recovery

The property of a fabric that enables it to recover from folding deformations.

Source: Textile Glossary by Marvin Klapper
Category: Weave

Wyzenbeek Test

A test used to measure a fabric’s resistance to wear and abrasion. A fabric sample, pulled taut and weighted, is abraded with a cylinder covered with a 50 x 70 wire screen or a 10 oz. cotton duck cloth.

Source: Midwest Decorative Fabrics Association Textile Resources Directory, 1990
Category: Weave

zibeline

  • The fur of small animal in the sable family.
  • A thick, lustrous, soft fabric of wool and other animal hair, having a silky nap. Usually strong colored and sometimes striping (removal of color) is noted in the cloth.

Source: All-About-Fabrics.com
Category: Weave