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Textile Dictionary

A
Abrasion
Wet processors (laundries) try to make garments look worn or faded by scraping or rubbing the surface of the fabric
causing abrasion. Pumice stones are most freuently used. (see stone washing)
Acetate/Triacetate
The oldest man!made fibre and the first one made using tree pulp. "abrics were made from acetate during World War #
and used in airplane wings. Acetate has fair absorbency$ high luster$ (silk like) poor abrasion resistance$ poor fastness
to the sun and low strength which reduces %&' when wet.
Acid Wash (also know as (arble Wash)(oon Wash)*now Wash)
Patented by the the +talian ,andida -aundry company in #./0$ the finish ga1e indigo 2eans sharp contrasts. The
process was achie1ed by soaking pumice stones in chlorine and letting these stones create contrast.
Acrylic
*ynthetic fibre that is made with 2ust the right combination of coal$ air$ water$ petroleum and limestone. The fibre has fair
affinity to dye$ and pills easily.
Azoic Dyes
A3oic dyes are insoluble pigments formed within the fibre by padding$ first with a soluble coupling compound and then
with a dia3oti3ed base.
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Bartak
A sewing procedure that reinforces stress points on 2eans$ usually front flies$ pocket openings and crotch 2oins of
inseams. Thankfully there is a bartak machine.
Basket Weave
A fabric wea1e where more than one filling threads pass o1er and under the same number of threads on alternate rows
of the warp.
Bedford Cord
A fabric wea1e with ribs down the length of the fabric. The ribs can be any width. -ooks like an uncut unbrushed
corduroy without a 1el1et feeling.
Big E
5eans made by -e1i *trauss before #.6# where the 787 on the -89+ tab was a capital.
Bleach
-aundries use this chemical to make denim 2eans fade. -iuid bleach is usually an aueous solution of sodium
hypochlorite$ and dry powdered bleaches contain chloride of lime (calcium hypochlorite). 4ecause chlorine destroys silk
and wool$ commercial hypochlorite bleaches should ne1er be used on these fibres.
Bleaching
An industrial finishing process that takes off natural and artificial impurities from yarn or fabric. Also a process for
laundries to make denim 2eans fade.
Boll Weevil
This beetle is the most serious pest confronting cotton farmers. The boll wee1il affects cotton production throughout
:orth America. +t is estimated that between %$&&&$&&& and ;$&&&$&&& bales of cotton are destroyed annually by this
pest. 8ach spring adult boll wee1ils deposit between #&&!%&& eggs in cotton buds. 4ecause it takes only two to three
weeks for an egg to de1elop into an adult$ it is possible that two to ten generations of the beetle are created each year.
+nsecticides cannot stop the boll wee1il because the lar1ae li1es inside the cotton boll where it destroys both seeds and
surrounding fibres.
<rganic farmers control the beetle by mowing down and ploughing their crops completely at the end of each season
taking away the place for the pest to hide.
Broken Twill
A denim fabric wea1e first used by Wrangler in #.0= in their 2eans style #%(W>.
The diagonal wea1e of the twill is intentionally interrupted to form a random design. ?sed prominently in the #./&@s by
designer 2eans brands like *asson$ 5ordache and ,al1in Alein with their dark prewash 2eans and of course originally
made famous by Wrangler.
Bull Denim
A %x# twill wea1e piece dyed fabric$ made from coarse yarns. Weights can 1ary from . o3s)s yard up to the standard
#= o3s)s yard. +t@s basically a denim without indigoB
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Canvas
The simplest wea1e in textiles is a plain wea1e (#x#) where the filling yarn is passed o1er and under indi1idual warp
yarns. ?sing thick yarns$ makes the fabric into a can1as.
Carding
The industrial yarn preparation process where raw cotton is separated$ opened$ cleaned and made into sli1er.
Catalyst
A substance or agent that initiates a chemical reaction and makes possible for it to proceed.
Cellulose
The basic structural component of plant cell walls$ cellulose comprises about %% percent of all 1egetable matter (.&
percent of cotton and ;& percent of wood are cellulose) and is the most abundant of all naturally occurring organic
compounds.
,ellulose is processed to produce papers$ fibres and is chemically modified to yield substances used in the manufacture
of such items as rayon$ plastics$ and photographic films. <ther cellulose deri1ati1es are used as adhesi1es$ explosi1es$
thickening agents for foods$ and in moisture!proof coatings.
Cellulosic ibres
The chemical processing of short cotton fibres$ linters$ or wood pulp produce fibres like rayon$ acetate$ and triacetate.
<ther materials modified to produce fibres include protein$ glass$ metals$ and rubber.
Chambray
A plain wea1e fabric$ with a single but different warp and weft color. +n 2eanswear$ fabric mills usually use a medium
depth indigo warp color and natural (unbleached) weft.
Chino
The name came from both the trouser style worn by 4ritish ,olonial troops in the #/&&@s and the fabric used for the
fabric. Today a cotton trouser is considered as a chino and the fabric would be considered as a tightly wo1en C ply right
hand %x# combed cotton twill.
Ciba!"eigy A"
*wiss multinational holding company created in #.6& in the merger of two concerns headuartered in 4asel!,iba AD
and 5.E. Deigy *A. The group consists of affiliates in some ;& countries and is engaged in the manufacture and
marketing of dyes and chemicalsF pharmaceuticalsF plastics and additi1esF agricultural chemicals and fertilisersF
photographic productsF and household and garden products and toiletries.
Combing
An industrial yarn preparation process where fibres are combed to make them parallel in the sli1er and short fibres are
taken out.
Combed #arn
A yarn whose sli1er is combed ! uses finer fibre than carded yarns and is more regular and expensi1e than carded yarn.
Conventional Cotton
(ost popular (commercial) system for growing cotton by feeding plants hea1y dosages of synthetic fertilisers$ and
eliminating competing species for maximum yields. ?sing toxic pesticides (chemical herbicides$ insecticides and
defoliants) the process of pro1iding con1entional cotton is dangerous to farmers$ people who li1e near farms$ as well as
our en1ironment.
Corduroy
The "rench originally called this this lush 1el1ety fabric 7,ord Du Eoi7$ cord of the Aing. The fabric is ribbed throughout
the length and the ribs are cut and sheared so that a smooth 1el1ety surface appears. "ourteen wale corduroy was one
of the most important 2eans fabrics in the #.0&@s and #.6&@s when 2eans became uni1ersal.
The fabric has a rounded plush 1el1et type cord$ rib$ or wale surface formed by cutting the pile. The fabric is wo1en by
ha1ing one warp and two fillings. After wea1ing the back of the fabric is coated with glue$ and the ribs are cut open down
the centre. <nce the glue is remo1ed from the face$ the fabric is finished by a series of brushings$ waxings$ and
singeings.
When the pile is made from extra fillings rather than from extra warp yarn$ the fabric is called 1el1eteen.
Core $%un #arn
A yarn in which a base yarn is completely wrapped by a second yarn.
Cotton
,otton$ genus Dossypium$ one of the world@s most important crops$ produces white fibrous bolls that are manufactured
into a highly 1ersatile textile. The plant has white flowers$ which turn purple about two days after blooming$ and large$
di1ided lea1es.
-ength of fibre ranges from %)/7 to C7 (8gyptian$ *ea +sland). The longer the fibre$ the higher the price and the more
luxurious the fabric.
,otton withstands high temperatures$ can be boiled and hot pressed. +t is resistant to abrasion has good affinity to dyes$
and increases in strength #&' when wet.
The world@s leading producers of cotton are Pakistan$ ,hina$ the ?nited *tates$ +ndia$ ?3bekistan$ 4ra3il$ Turkey$
Australia$ and 8gypt.
Cotton "in
<n (arch #=$ #6.=$ 8li Whitney patented his in1ention of a machine that could take seeds out of cotton. Although one
of the most important hardware de1elopments in the history of cotton textiles$ Whitney@s gin in1ention was pirated and
this put Whitney@s company out of business by #6.0.
Cotton ins%ection
The grading$ and classing of cotton to facilitate interstate and foreign commerce in cotton by pro1iding official uality
determinations.
Garn Count
The si3e of yarn is defined by its weight and fineness. Gou may ha1eH Te&I:o. of grams per kilometreF English Cotton
CountI :o. of /=& yd lengths per lbF Woollen Count (G*W)I:o. of C;0 yd lengths per lbF Woollen Count
(Dewsbury)I:o. of yard lengths per o3F Worsted CountI :o. of ;0& yd lengths per lbF 'etric CountI :o. of kilometres
per kilogramF (inen Count (Wet *pun)I :o. of %&& yd. length per lbF )ute CountI :o. of lb per #=.=&& ydF DenierI :o.
of grams per ..&&& metresF Decite&I :o. of grams per #&.&&& metres.
Courtaulds
<ne of the oldest and largest textile groups in the world. Di1ided today in C groups$ Courtaulds Te&tiles with fabric
production$ garment manufacturing and retail$ and Courtaulds *lc$ a chemical company which produces fibres and has
recently de1eloped and marketed Tencel J.
Crock
A term used to describe how dye rubs off fabric on skin or other fabric.
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Defoliant
A chemical dust or spray applied to plants to cause their lea1es to drop off prematurely. Defoliants are freuently applied
to cotton in order to facilitate har1esting. Defoliants were employed in warfare to eliminate enemy food crops and
potential areas of concealment of enemy forces by *outh 9ietnamese and ?.*. forces in the 9ietnam WarF the most
contro1ersial substance being the chemical compound known as Agent <range.
Di%s
Dips is used to describe fabric or yarn when they are immersed in dye. +ndigo yarns are dipped in an indigo bath usually
0 times but up to #0 times.
Dobby
A fabric with small geometric figures incorporated into the wea1e$ it is made on special looms.
Double +eedle
A seam commonly used in 5eanswear garments (shirts$ 2eans$ 2ackets) where a sewing machine stitches two threads
side by side for strength at one time.
Drawing/Drafting
The industrial process where sli1ers are pulled out after carding and)or combing.
Drill
?sually a left hand Cx# wea1e$ twill fabric.
Duck
<nce known as a fabric lighter than can1as$ today a duck is considered to be a synonym for can1as or a plain wea1e
cotton made from medium to coarse yarns.
Dungaree
,omes from the Kindi word used to describe the trousers worn by sailors from the +ndian port of Dungri many years
ago.
Du*ont
They brought you :ylon$ Teflon$ -ycra....
Dyeing
The industrial process to add color to fibre$ yarn$ fabric$ or garments.
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Eight , $even -./01
The law that allows fabrics to be cut in the ?nited *tates$ garments to be assembled in (exico$ ,aribbean and ,entral
American countries$ returned to the ?nited *tates with tariff assessed only on the added 1alue (sewing).
Enzymes
Are proteins and as such are present in all li1ing cells. 8n3ymes speed up chemical processes that would run 1ery
slowly if at all. They are non!toxic and readily broken down. 8n3ymes are used in textile processing$ mainly in the
finishing of fabrics and garments.
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air to 'iddling
The name for the grade of cotton usually used in the spinning of yarns that will be used for the production of denim
fabric.
ibre
The smallest textile component. A near microscopic$ hairlike substance that may be natural or manmade. Are units of
matter ha1ing length at least #&& times their diameter or width. "ibres suitable for textile use possess adeuate length$
fineness$ strength$ and flexibility for yarn formation and fabric construction$ and for withstanding the intended use of the
completed fabric. <ther properties affecting textile fibre performance include elasticity$ crimp (wa1iness)$ moisture
absorption$ reaction to heat and sunlight$ reaction to the 1arious chemicals applied during processing and in the dry
cleaning or laundering of the completed fabric$ and resistance to insects and micro!organisms. The wide 1ariation of
such properties among textile fibres determines their suitability for 1arious uses.
illing -also called weft1
The lengthwise$ sel1age to sel1age hori3ontal$ yarns carried o1er and under the warp. "illing yarns generally ha1e less
twist than warp yarns because they are sub2ected to less strain in the wea1ing process and therefore reuire less
strength.
+n pile!fabric constructions$ such as 1el1et or 1el1eteen$ extra sets of warps are used to form the pile. A single filling yarn
is known as a pick.
ive *ocket )ean
(eans your 2ean has C back pockets plus C front pockets and a coin pocket inside the front right pocket.
lannel
Any napped fabric be it$ twill$ plain wea1e$ printed$ yarn dyed or solid color.
la&
A natural 1egetable fibre composed mainly of cellulose that is processed from the stems of the flax plant. The flax plant
yields long fine fibres that can be from C7!%07 in length while the color can range from light i1ory to dark tan or grey.
o& ibre J
:aturally ,oloured ,otton$ the fibres of which grow from seeds that already ha1e their color and do not need to be
dyed. +t is belie1ed that six colors (pink$ red$ la1ender$ brown$ green and yellow) were de1eloped by the ancient peoples
of the Americas thousands of years ago. *ally "ox managed to breed plants that bring the fibre uality of the wilder
brown cottons up to that reuired by modern spinning technology. "<L"+4E8J colors grow best without chemicals$
opening the door to organically grown cotton$ the ,<-<EDA:+,J cotton. Three shades are a1ailable today$ ,oyote
4rown$ 4uffalo 4rown and Palo 9erde Dreen.
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"abardine
A distincti1e =;MdegF or 0%MdegF warp face left hand twill if single plied yarns are used or right hand twill of a two ply
yarn is used in the weft. Dabardines are made from any fibre not 2ust cotton.
"inning
The industrial process where seeds are taken out of picked cotton.
"ood 'iddling
The name for the best grade of cotton.
"ray "oods/(oomstate/"reige/"rey
Words used to describe fabric that is 2ust off the loom$ wo1en but unfinished in any way.
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2and or 2andle
The way a fabric feels. This is a 1ery sub2ecti1e 2udgment of the feel of a fabric and it should help decide if a fabric is
suitable for a specific end use. Kand may be crisp$ soft$ drapeable$ smooth$ springy$ stiff$ cool$ warm$ rough$ hard$ limp$
soapy........
"inishing and garment wash affect the final handle of a fabric.
2arness
The frame holding heddles that ha1e warp yarns threaded through its eyes.
2eather/Cross Dye/To% Dye/'elange
A mixed fabric color is achie1ed (the best examples are grey t!shirts$ socks or wool used in suitings) by using different
colors of fibre$ and mixing them together. 4lack and white fibre mixed will combine to gi1e grey heather fibre.
2eddles
*teel wires$ or thin flat steel strips held by the frame$ with a loop or eye near the centre through which one or more warp
yarns pass on the loom so that the thread mo1ement is controllable in wea1ing. Keddles control the wea1e pattern and
shed as the harnesses are raised and lowered during the wea1ing.
2em%
The contro1ersial fibre with the bad image. Kemp is a low cost annual seed plant that grows in most climates. Kemp@s
natural fibre and seed oil ha1e o1er C;$&&& possible industrial applications and these were once competitors of wood
pulp$ cotton$ and petroleum products like inks$ paints$ plastics$ sol1ents$ sealants$ and synthetic fabrics. Kemp (official
name cannabis sativa, L, from the Dreek Kannabis ) fell 1ictim to the anti!drug sentiment of the times when the ?.*.
,ongress passed the (ari2uana Tax Act in #.%6. The intent of this law was to prohibit the use of mari2uana$ but it
created so much red tape that the production of industrial hemp became nearly impossible in spite of all the products
that deri1e from hemp. +n his <ctober %&$ #.//$ editorial in ,alifornia@s most conser1ati1e newspaper$ The <range
,ounty Eegister$ senior columnist Alan 4ock stated that 7*ince #.%6$ about half the forests in the world ha1e been cut
down to make paper. +f hemp had not been outlawed$ most would still be standing$ oxygenating the planet.7
2erringbone
Kerringbone is a wea1e where twill warp stripes are created by running twills in different directions.
2oechst Celanese
,alls their company 7a science!based$ market!dri1en company$ who produce and market chemicals$ fibres and films$
engineering plastics$ high!performance and specialty materials$ pharmaceuticals$ and animal!health and crop!protection
products7. They are the largest subsidiary of the Koechst Droup$ a premier worldwide organisation with C/& companies
in #C& countries and an annual sales 1olume of NC/ billion.
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3ndigo
+ndigo is a blue 1at dyestuff$ that was originally taken from the "Indigofera tinctoria" plant by fermenting the lea1es of the
shrub. +n #/.6$ fourteen years after Adolf 1on 4ayer identified the chemical structure of indigo$ the chemical became
synthetically manufactured.
+ndigo@s inherent features are good colourfastness to water and light$ a continually fading and its inability to penetrate
fibres completely. This allows the blue color in 2eans made from indigo to always look irregular and indi1idual.
There is no dyestuff like itB
3ntimate blend yarn
Different fibres are blended together to make a yarn composed of two fibres. The purpose is to mix the properties and
characteristics of indi1idual fibres into one new mixed fibre.
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)ean
,omes from the "rench word 7Denes7 used to describe the pants sailors from Denoa once wore.
While the historical definition implied that all 2eans were made of denim$ 2eans today usually refer to a garment that has
; pockets (two in the front$ two in the back and a small change pocket on the front right pocket) and this style can be
made using any kinds of fabrics be it corduroy$ twills$ or bull denim.
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4haki
Ahaki uniforms were introduced by *ir Karry 4urnett -umsden for 4ritish colonial troops in +ndia and were later widely
used at the time of the +ndian (utiny (#/;6!;/) and became the official colour for uniforms of 4ritish armies$ nati1e and
colonial$ in +ndia.
Today$ the word is used both as a color and as a style of trouser. Ahaki is a beige to yellow military color and the
garment is usually a men@s army style trouser made of a twill cotton fabric.
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(aundry
A manufacturing company that takes unwashed 2eans$ and processes them. This processing includes washing$ stone
washing$ sandblasting$ and garment dyeing. -aundries today are critical in making 2eans look commercial and wash
de1elopment has become eually important to fabric de1elopment in the 2eanswear industry.
The best laundries and wash de1elopments come from +taly$ 5apan and the ?nited *tates.
(eft 2and Twill
A fabric wea1e where the twill line runs from the top left hand corner of the fabric towards the bottom right. ?sually in
piece dyed fabrics$ left hand twill fabrics are wo1en from single plied yarns in the warp. +n the 2eans industry -ee has
always used -eft Kand twill denims as their basic denim.
(inen
A fibre taken from straw of the flax plant. The stems are steeped in water to remo1e resinous matter and allow
fermentation to take place. After fermentation is completed$ the fibrous material is separated from the woody matter and
spun into thread. The fibre can be from C7!%07 long with a natural color that 1aries from light i1ory to dark tan or grey.
-inen is 1ery absorbent$ take dyes more readily than cotton but has poor resiliency.
(oom
The wea1ing machine. (ost famous loom manufacturers are *ul3er EOti from *wit3erland$ Picanol from 4elgium$
Dornier from "rance$ Tsudakoma )Toyoda from 5apan and 9amatex from +taly.
The word loom (from (iddle 8nglish lome$ 7tool7) is applied to any set of de1ices permitting a warp to be tensioned and
a shed to be formed.
The warp shed is formed with the aid of heddles where one heddle is pro1ided for each end of warp thread. 4y pulling
one end of the heddle or the other$ the warp end can be deflected to one side or the other of the main sheet of ends.
The frame holding the heddles is called a harness.
Today there are three kinds of loomsH dummy shuttle$ rapier$ and fluid 2et.
The dummy!shuttle type$ the most successful of the shuttleless looms$ makes use of a dummy shuttle$ a pro2ectile that
contains no weft but that passes through the shed in the manner of a shuttle and lea1es a trail of yarn behind it.
The rapier type con1eys a pick of weft from a stationary package through the shed by means of either a single rapier or
a pair of rapiers. Eapiers are either rigid rods or flexible steel tapes$ which are straight when in the shed but on
withdrawal are wound onto a wheel$ in order to sa1e floor space. Eapier looms are$ on the whole$ simpler and more
1ersatile than dummy!shuttle looms but are slower in wea1ing speed.
There are of two kinds of fluid!2et looms$ one employing a 2et of air$ the other a water 2et$ to propel a measured length of
weft through the shed. The significance of this is that nothing solid is passed into the shed other than the weft$ which
eliminates the difficulties normally associated with checking and warp protection$ and reduces the noise to an
acceptable le1el. The machines can attain great wea1ing speed and output.
(oo% Dyed
<ne of the three ma2or industrial methods of dyeing indigo yarns.
(ycra J
Dupont@s trademark for spandex fibre.
(yocell (see Tencel)
The generic name gi1en to the cellulosic fibre de1eloped by ,ourtaulds and marketed by them under the Tencel brand
name.
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'an made ibre
9iscose and Acetate$ deri1ed from cellulose were almost all the man!made fibres in existence before World War ++.
During the #.%&s$ after intensi1e fibre research$ se1eral new synthetic fibres were produced experimentally which led to
the production of nylon (Dupont@s in1ention)$ the first commercially successful synthetic!textile fibre.
*ince that time$ synthetic!fibre production has created polyesters$ acrylics$ polyolefins$ and others.
'ercerization
An industrial process used on yarn or fabrics to increase lustre as well as dye affinity.
+t can also be used (on fabrics destined for the 2eanswear industry) for keeping dye on the surface of the yarns or fabrics
so that dyes do not fully penetrate the fibre.

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+atural Dyes
?p to to the middle of the #.th century there were only natural dyes and most of these these were 1egetable origin.
:atural indigo being one of the more important dyes.
:atural dyes usually ha1e no affinity for textile fibres until the fibres are treated with aluminum$ iron$ or tin compounds to
recei1e the dye (mordanting). This is a problematic process and the dyes in any case ha1e poor fastness to sun or
abrasion.
+atural ibres
Any hairlike raw material directly obtainable from an animal$ 1egetable$ or mineral source that can be con1ertible$ after
spinning$ into yarns and then into wo1en cloth. The usefulness of a fibre for commercial purposes is determined by it@s
length$ strength$ pliability$ elasticity$ abrasion resistance$ absorbency$ and 1arious surface properties
The earliest indication of hemp is in *outh 8ast Asia in =;&& 4,$ linen in 8gypt in %=&& 4,$ and cotton fibre use is in
+ndia in %&&& 4,.
+ylon (PA)
:ylon is a synthetic fibre in1ented by DuPont that was used originally for hosiery but is currently used in many
applications. :ylon is naturally water repellent$ easy to dye$ and 1ery strong. These features ha1e helped nylon replace
cotton in many industrial uses like bags and flags and is 1ery popular for use in the outerwear apparel industry. :ylon
has a poor absorbency.
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,55$ or A.".
"or <ther "ibres (Altre "ibre)$ can be found on the ,omposition label of fabrics containing recycled materials. (any of
the fabrics produced in the +talian area of Prato are made using yarns spun from blends of reclaimed wool (and$ of
course$ other fibresB).
,%tical Brighteners or <ptical Whiteners
,hemicals that make fabrics appear to reflect more light than they really do$ to make them brighter (they con1ert
ultra1iolet light to 1isible light in the blue region). They are sometimes used in the manufacture of fabrics and are often
included in the formula of many detergents sold for home use.
,rganic Cotton
,otton grown where toxic chemicals ha1e been eliminated in all growing process steps. -i1ing soil (defined as being
free of toxic chemicals for three years) is the basis of an organic farm and organic farmers ha1e pro1en when plants are
healthy they are able to resist insects$ weeds and disease.
,verall
A one piece garment style usually made from denim or can1as. +t is a pant with a bib top and suspenders o1er
shoulders and back. <riginally a work wear product.
,verdye
"abric dye process on denim fabrics. (ost freuently used on indigo or black denim fabric which is o1erdyed black.
,&ford
<riginally made in <xford$ 8ngland$ it is a plain wea1e fabric where C or more filling yarns pass o1er and under # or
more parallel warp yarns. +t is possible to ha1e Cx#$ CxC$ %xC$ =x=$ or /x/.
?sed in dress shirtings where the warp is a color and the filling is natural. Also 1ery popular in nylon for outerwear
2ackets.
,&idation
Where oxygen and another substance chemically 2oin. <ccurs when indigo yarn comes out of the indigo bath between
dips$ and is critical for the the dyestuff to penetrate the fibre.
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*adazoic
A little known dyestuff that was used in the late #.0&@s and early #.6&@s instead of indigo when there was insufficient
indigo production throughout the world to support the demand.
*igment Dyes
Dyes without affinity for fibre and are therefore held to fabric with resins. They are a1ailable in almost any color and
ha1e been used extensi1ely in the 2eans wear industry by fabric dyers who want to create fabrics that fade.
*ima Cotton
,otton grown in Peru and America where the fibre length is long (# %)/7!# ;)/7) and luxurious. A beautiful uality of
cotton. The best a1ailable after *ea +sland and 8gyptian cotton fibre.
*lain Weave
The simplest and most common fabric wea1e where the filling yarn passes o1er and under each warp yarn in alternating
rows.
*ly
All yarns are single ply unless twisted with another yarn. Terms used areH C ply if two yarns are twisted together and %
ply if three are twisted. Plied yarns are used to make yarns stronger. +n the 2eans!wear industry it has become important
to ply yarns in piece dyed fabrics that are intended to endure a long stone wash cycle.
*oints / Demerit *oints
9isual fabric inspections reuire a numerical assessment to be made to areas of the fabric where there are defects.
*olyamide (PA)
*ee :ylon.
*olyester (P8*)
Polyester is made of chemicals deri1ed from coal$ air$ water and oil.
Polyester is a strong fibre with a good dye affinity$ a high luster and good resiliency. +n the #.0&@s polyester and cotton
were blended and had mass market appeal due to the blending of both fibres@ strengths. Polyester@s weak
characteristics are that it pills$ and is non!absorbent.
*o%lin
:ame of a light weight tightly (more warp threads than filling) wo1en plain wea1e fabric where a coarser yarn is used in
the filling than the warp$ lea1ing a slight rib effect across the width of the goods.
?* customs defines this fabric as 7not of a suare construction$ whether napped or not$ weighing less than C&& gms per
suare metre$ containing %% or less warp ends and filling picks per suare centimetre7.
*umice $tones
A 1olcanic stone used for stone washing garments. Pumice is popular because of its strength and light weight.
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6uality Control
This term unfortunately can mean e1erything and nothingB +t is normally used to imply inspection of products throughout
the manufacturing process to ensure that the finished products meet the standards.
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7amie
The perennial stalk producing ramie plant has been culti1ated in eastern Asia for fibre since prehistoric times. Drowing
%!/ feet high$ with heart shaped lea1es$ the plant@s fibres was used in fabric in ancient 8gypt and was known in 8urope
during the (iddle Ages. Eamie fibre did not achie1e importance in the West until the #.%&s.
4ecause of its desirable properties$ including strength and durability$ ramie has freuently been promoted as a textile
fibre of great potential.
Eamie fibre is pure white in colour$ lustrous$ moisture absorbent$ and readily dyed. The fibre is stronger than flax$ cotton$
or wool. "abric made from ramie fibre is easily laundered$ increasing in strength when wet$ and does not shrink or lose
its shape. +t dries uickly and becomes smoother and more lustrous with repeated washings. Eamie is resistant to
mildew and other types of micro!organism attack and good fastness to sun.
4ecause ramie is brittle$ spinning it is difficult and wea1ing is complicated because ramie has a 1ery hairy yarn surface.
7ayon
The synthetic fibre known as rayon is produced from regenerated cellulose (wood pulp) that has been chemically
treated. "abrics made of rayon are strong$ highly absorbent$ and softF they drape well and can be dyed in brilliant$ long!
lasting colors. Eayon fibres are also used as reinforcing cords in motor tires$ and their excellent absorbency makes
them useful in medical and surgical materials. Eayon can be used alone or blended with other synthetic or natural
fibers. *ince the mid!#./&s rayon use has grown dramatically as new formulations and blends ha1e added more
strength and softness to the fabric and ha1e made it more absorbent$ more washable$ and less 1ulnerable to wrinkling.
7ight 2and Twill
A fabric wea1e where the twill line runs from the top right hand corner of the fabric towards the bottom left. ?sually in
piece dyed fabrics right hand twills use two plied yarns in the warp. +n the 2eans industry -e1i@s has always used Eight
Kand twills for their basic denims in their ;&# model as well as their other basic models.
7ivet
A metal accessory that is used for both reinforcement of stress points and for non functional ornamentation.
7o%e Dyed
,onsidered as the best possible method to dye indigo yarns.
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$anding/Emerising
A fabric finishing process where fabrics are sanded (real sandpaper) to make the surface soft without hair. ,an be
performed before or after dyeing.
$anforize
A ,luett Peabody and ,ompany trademark for the preshrinking fabric process that limits residual fabric shrinkage to
under #'. De1eloped in the late #.C&@s by the *anfori3e ,o.$ the process was used on the garments in Wrangler@s first
2eans line in #.=6.
$andblast
A laundry process where 2eans before washing are literally shot with guns of sand in order to make the 2eans look as if
they ha1e been worn. While originally done only by hand$ this processing has recently become automated. ,hemicals
are also now used in many laundries replacing sand.
$atin and $ateen
A fabric wea1e where one yarn floats o1er a series of yarns before it interlaces once. When the warp floats o1er a series
of picks (at least four) the fabric is called satin. When the filling floats o1er a series of ends the fabric is called sateen.
*atin wea1es make fabric surfaces shiny and 1ery smooth.
$couring
An industrial process where dirt or starch (oil$ grease$ si3ing) is taken off fabrics.
$creening
A laundry process where 2eans are checked for uality$ repaired$ price tagged and packed.
$ea 3sland Cotton
Along with 8gyptian cotton fibre$ the finest grade of cotton a1ailable. The fibre can be spun into yarn two times finer than
Pima$ the next best cotton grade.
$elvage Denim
<ld C/)C. inch shuttle looms produced denim where sel1ages were closed. 9intage -e1i@s 2eans had a single red stripe
along both sel1ages$ -ee@s had a blue)green along one$ Wrangler@s was yellow. When 1intage shopping for 2eanswear
check 2ackets and 2eans for sel1ages because they are a great clue to the real thingB
$hade Batching
The process of selecting batches of fabrics into homogeneous shade lots to obtain consistent color continuity in
garment making.
$hade Blanket
Where fabric is cut from each roll of fabric$ sewn together$ with roll numbers on the back of each pad to allow
manufacturers to wash and identify all shade colors of each roll. This is an important tool in cutting apparel made from
denim to ensure you cut garments from the same shade group.
$huttle
The weft insertion de1ice that propels the filling yarn across (o1er and under) the warp yarns. *huttles used to be
(shuttle looms) wooden with a metal tip.
$ilicone
*ilicones are silicon!containing polymer materials that ha1e found wide use in industry because of their great stability.
They are a1ailable as fluids$ sealant!adhesi1es$ mouldable resins$ and rubbers. When the first silicone oil was made in
the #/6&s$ its insensiti1ity to both high and low temperatures was noted$ but the first silicone rubbers were not in1ented
until #.=%. +n the #.;&s silicones were de1eloped commercially for the aerospace and electronics industries but rapidly
found applications in many fields$ especially construction. *ome fluid silicons are used in garment finishing$ to gi1e a
smooth handle to fabrics.
$ilk
*ilk is the filament secreted by the silkworm when spinning its cocoon$ and the name for the threads$ yarns$ and fabrics
made from the filament. (ost commercial silk is produced by the culti1ated silkworm$ 4ombyx mori$ which feeds
exclusi1ely on the lea1es of certain 1arieties of mulberry trees and spins a thin$ white filament. *e1eral species of wild
silkworm feed on oak$ cherry$ and mulberry lea1es and produce a brown$ hairy filament that is three times the thickness
of the culti1ated filament and is called tussah silk.
$ingeing
A phase of finishing when the fabric surface hair is burnt (or singed) using a controlled flame$ to gi1e a clean
appearance to the fabrics.
$izing
*tarch$ gelatin$ glue$ wax that is added to fabrics in the finishing state to impro1e touch or weight and to help fabric
laying in the cutting phase. Denim fabrics for example ha1e almost # o3 of si3ing.
*i3ing is also applied to reinforce warp yarns during wea1ing. (ost common starches used are corn in the ?nited
*tates$ rice in Asia$ and potato in 8urope$ or P9<K and other chemical substances. -ook out for fabrics containing
P.,.P.$ a highly toxic chemical still used sometimes as si3ing agentB
$kewing
Twill fabrics ha1e to be ensured not to skew or not unroll
$lasher Dyed
<ne of the three methods to dye indigo yarn.
$liver
,ontinuous strands of fibre untwisted that come from carding.
$lub #arn
A yarn that is spun purposely to look irregular in shape (length and diameter). ?sually slub yarns are 1ery regular in
repeat and si3e.
$%ande& (P?)
Deneric name for man!made fibres deri1ed from a resin called segmented polyurethane. +t has good stretch and
reco1ery properties.
$%inning
*pinning is the process by which cotton$ wool$ flax$ and other short fibres are twisted together to produce a yarn or
thread suitable for wea1ing into cloth$ winding into rope or cable$ or used in sewing. (-ong$ continuous fibres$ such as
silk$ are not spun. To achie1e strength and the appropriate thickness$ they are thrown$ or twisted$ together.)
$ta%le
*hort lengths of fibres$ normally measured in inches or fraction of inches$ like those naturally found in cotton and wool.
*ilk$ on the other hand$ is the only natural fibre that does not come in staple lengths but instead in filament lengths.
$tone wash
A type of wash where 2eans are abraded with stones.
$!Twist #arn
A left handed twisted yarn. *ee also >!Twist.
$ul%hur
A type of dyestuff used freuently on blacks$ and neutrals (khaki@s) while economical$ has only moderate fastness to
washing and light.
$ynthetic dyes
+n #/;0 William Kenry Perkin$ an 8nglish chemist$ disco1ered the synthetic dye mau1eine. "rom this day forward$
synthetic dyestuffs began to supplant natural dyes. The synthetic!dye manufacturing industry was founded by Perkin in
#/;6$ when he set up facilities near -ondon for the commercial production of mau1eine and$ later$ of other synthetic
dyes. <ther dye!making factories followed both in the ?.A. and continental 8urope$ and new dyes began to appear on
the market.
$ynthetic ibres
,hemicals combined into large molecules called polymers$ produce fibres like nylon$ polyester$ spandex$ acrylic$
modacrylic$ olefin$ saran$ spandex$ and 1inyon.
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Tencel J
A cellulose fibre in1ented by ,ourtaulds using a non!chemical sol1ent. +t was originally de1eloped to produce 1iscose
fibres without polluting the en1ironment. The end result was a new fibre which was not only en1ironmentally friendly
(more than any other fibre) but also featured 1ery high strength and a wonderful touch.
Te&tile 3ndustry
Deri1ed from the -atin 7texere7 (to wea1e)$ and originally used to describe wo1en fabrics$ textiles has become a general
term for fibres$ yarns$ and other materials that can be made into fabrics as well as for wo1en or knitted fabrics. Threads$
cords$ ropes$ braids$ lace$ embroidery$ nets$ bonding$ felting$ or tufting are textiles.
Te&tile inishing
The non coloring process to make wo1en or knitted fabric more acceptable to the consumer. "inishing processes
include bleaching prior to dyeingF treatments$ si3ing applied after dyeing affecting touch treatments adding properties to
enhance performance$ such as preshrinking. Dreige fabric is generally dirty$ harsh$ unattracti1e and reuires
considerable skill and imagination for con1ersion into a desirable product. +talian textile mills are famous as being the
best finishers in the world.
Trevira J
A branded type of Polyester$ produced by Koechst "ibres +nc. +t offers better Pilling performance than regular Polyester.
Twill
The term twill designates both a textile wea1e characterised by diagonal structural designs and the cloth made from that
wea1e. The wea1e may be 1aried to produce broken or intertwining effects. Twill fabrics are usually firm and are used
especially in suits and in sport and work clothes. Twill!wea1e fabrics are also used for linings$ pockets$ and mattress
ticking. *erge$ gabardine$ and che1iot are ma2or types of twill.
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8neven #arn
Eing *pun yarn is by nature ne1er perfectly regularF these irregularities can be used to gi1e character to the yarn and
subseuently to the fabric. +t can be either light to gi1e a natural appearance$ or pronounced$ to gi1e an 7antiue7 effect.
81en <pen 8nd yarns can sometimes reproduce the antiue effect$ although they are 1ery regular and cannot gi1e a
natural effect.
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9elour
A knit or wo1en fabric with a thick$ short$ cut pile.
9elvet
A fabric with a short$ closely wo1en pile$ originally made of silk$ it is today made of rayon$ nylon$ acrylic cut pile fabrics.
9irgin ibres
"ibres ne1er made into fabric before$ primarily used for wool fibres (1irgin wool)$ to differentiate between these and
reclaimed$ reprocessed$ and reused fibres.
9iscose 7ayon
see Eayon
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Wales
They are a series of ribs or ridges usually running lengthwise on wo1en fabrics. They describe the pile ribs found on
corduroy fabrics.
War%
The lengthwise$ 1ertical yarns carried o1er and under the weft. Warp yarns generally ha1e more twist than weft yarns
because they are sub2ected to more strain in the wea1ing process and therefore reuire more strength.
Weft -also called filling1
The lengthwise$ sel1age to sel1age hori3ontal$ yarns carried o1er and under the warp. "illing yarns generally ha1e less
twist than warp yarns because they are sub2ected to less strain in the wea1ing process and therefore reuire less
strength.
+n pile!fabric constructions$ such as 1el1et or 1el1eteen$ extra sets of warps are used to form the pile. A single filling yarn
is known as a pick.
Width
<ne of the most contro1ersial issues in fabric saleF it can be 7sel1age to sel1age7$ where the width 1alue is inclusi1e of
sel1ages$ or 7usable7$ where the 1alue indicates the fabric effecti1ely cuttable.
Wrangler
This name will celebrate its ;&th anni1ersary next yearF the 2eans were manufactured by a ,ompany called 4lue 4ell
( 4lue 4ell <1erall established in :orth ,arolina in #.&=$ changed its name to 4lue 4ell ,ompany in #.C;. 4lue 4ell
became e1entually the biggest work wear company in the worldB). After the war$ in #.=6$ 4lue 4ell started manufacturing
2eans for cowboys. The first model was :o. ##(W.
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:!Dyed abrics
,ross dyed fabrics present a two color wea1e$ obtained using different color yarns in the warp and in the weft.
::
The original denim fabric used by -e1i@s for the production of their ;&# 2eans. According to the legend$ the name ;&#
itself deri1ed from the lot number of this fabric.
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#arn
A generic term for a continuous strand spun from a group of natural or synthetic staple fibres$ or filaments$ used in
wea1ing$ knitting to form textile fabrics.
#arn Dyed
<r ,olor Wo1ens$ are fabrics produced with yarns already dyed prior to the wea1ing process.
; (4ack to Top)
;!Twist
A right!handed twisted yarn$ as opposed to *!Twist.

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