Location & Hours

• Mon., Wed., Thurs. 10 - 9
• Tues. Fri. & Sat. 10 - 6
• Sun. 12-5
• View holiday hours

• 905 S. Main St.,
• Royal Oak, MI 48067 Map
• (248) 541-0010

Fabric Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

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A

Acetate – Generic name for a cellulose-acetate man made fiber. Used in taffeta and satin, or blended with other fibers for sheen. Silky hand, wrinkle-prone. Dry clean only. Dissolves in acetone.

Acrylic -  Generic name for a man-made fiber with a soft, light weight, brushed or wooly hand. Lacks the resilience of wool fiber. In addition to apparel, it is used in outdoor furniture for its resistance to sun fading.

Acrylic Craft Felt – A non-woven, compressed fabric of entangled acrylic fibers. Does not ravel or drape. Used for craft projects and costumes.

Alençon – A re-embroidered lace, often with floral motifs, woven on a background of various styles of fine netting.

Alpaca -  A warm fabric made from the silky fleece of the llama that is used alone or blended with wool. Heavier weights make soft, luxurious coats or lighter weights for dresses or sweaters.

Ambiance® – A woven, silky lining made of Bembergâ rayon.

Angora - Fur of the angora rabbit. Hair of the angora goat is called mohair.

Argyle – A plaid design, derived from a Scottish tartan, with interlinking diamond shapes in a diagonal checkerboard pattern.

B

Bamboo - A natural woven or knit fabric made from the cellulose fiber pulp of the fast-growing, sustainable bamboo plant. Soft and drapable.


Barathea - Very fine, hardwearing, tightly woven fabric with a soft appearance. Has a slightly pebbled surface texture and often a fine twill weave.  Used for suits, ties, skirts. Generally made in silk, worsted, or man-made fibers like viscose or acetate.


Bark Cloth –  Originally popular in the 1940-1950’s, a midweight, heavily textured cotton often with printed tropical floral and leaf designs. Now also made in synthetic fibers.

Batik -Generally cotton or rayon fabrics dyed or printed with an Indonesian process of wax or gum dye resist.

Batiste – A plain weave, light-weight fabric usually made of cotton or cotton blends. Use for blouses, dresses, comfortable lining.

Batting –  Non-woven soft, bulky web of often polyester fibers that, depending on its weight/thickness is used for stuffing, quilting, shaping, and wrapping cushions/furniture.

Beaded or Sequined fabric- Any fabric embellished with applied sequin or beads. Background fabric may be almost any fabric, including lace, sheers, taffeta or satin, even wools.

Bengaline – Medium weight, moderate body fabric woven in various fibers, with a corded or rib weft texture. May have watermark/moiré design. Used for structured skirts, dresses, other apparel, and drapery.

Black-Out Lining –Plain woven drapery lining with a coated or brushed back to block all light penetration.

Boiled Wool –  Supple wool with good body that has been shrunk to increase stability. Generally a knitted fabric. Use for jackets, coats, purses, hats. Does not fray.

Bottom Weight - A term used to describe medium to heavy weight fabrics with adequate body for pants or skirts.

Bouclé – A highly textured, fabric woven with bouclé/nubby textured yarns and a supple, springy hand.  Use for Chanel-type jackets or suits with simple lines. Can be woven in most fibers, like wool, cotton, acrylic, rayon, mohair, polyester and blends.

Bouclé Wool – A bouclé fabric made of wool or wool blends.

Broadcloth - A plain, tightly woven light weight fabric suitable for tops, dresses, quilts or curtains. Often cotton or cotton-polyester blend. Use pure silk broadcloth for tailored shirts.

Brocade -  A crisp, heavier fabric woven on a jacquard loom with strong surface texture and/or contrasting colors, sometimes with additional fill yarns for added dimension. Patterns may be floral or geometric. Fibers vary from silk to cotton, polyester, rayon, acrylic or acetate or blends.

Buckram – A heavy, starched cotton or linen, plain or open weave fabric used for millinery and costumes or wherever needed to add stiff support.

Burlap -  A very coarse, rough textured fabric in a plain, somewhat loose weave.

Burn-out (devoré) – A fabric with a brocade effect created by dissolving one of the fibers used in the fabric, so that only the ground fabric remains. Acid applied to cellulosic (rayon) pile fibers of a silk or polyester background velvet, “burns out” the rayon pile of the velvet, leaving a pile pattern intact.

C

Calvary Twill – Medium to heavy weight, sturdy fabric with a pronounced twill (diagonal) weave, more coarse than a gabardine or tricotine twill. Traditionally in worsted wool, but can be other fibers or blends. Excellent for jackets and coats.

Camel Hair - The wool-like hair of a Bactrian camel. The fine, soft, lustrous undercoat fibers are warm and lightweight. Outer hairs are more coarse. Fabric of these fibers may be blend of both.  Additionally, may be blended with wool to reduce cost and increase wearability. Camel hair is classified as wool.

Canvas –  A plain weave, basic cotton, linen or synthetic fabric. Heavy, durable, firm.  Generally heavier, coarser than “duck”.

Cashmere – A luxury fiber from the soft fleecy undercoat of the kashmir goat. Most often used in sweaters, suits, coats, shawls and dresses. Additionally may be blended with wool to reduce cost and increase wearability.

Cellulose fiber – Fiber (like rayon) reconstituted from, or chemically derived (like acetate) from, naturally occurring raw material found in the organic woody substances of most plants.

Chalkcloth – Fabric made by applying dull, weighty finish to a base fabric. Used for creating chalk-writable board or wall coverings or other décor and craft items.

Challis – A lightweight, soft plain weave fabric with a slightly brushed surface. It’s often printed with floral or paisley designs and made of wool, rayon or cotton fibers.  The name may come from the native American word “shalee” for soft.

Chantilly Lace – Soft lace with a delicate appearance, has floral motifs embroidered on a net ground. May be outlined in heavier threads. Originally from Chantilly, France. Used in bridal gowns and other apparel.

Chambray – A plain weave fabric with colored warp and white weft (fill) yarns. Most often in cotton. Lighter weights are used for shirts; heavier weights for pants and skirts.

Charmeuse - A soft, lightweight lustrous satin weave fabric with a dull back. Excellent drape, but not hard-wearing. Generally woven in silk, rayon, or polyester fibers.

Cheesecloth – Plain weave, soft and fragile cotton fabric. Low thread count yields its open weave. Also called gauze.

Chenille – Fabric made of chenille yarn, which has a caterpillar-like appearance, with soft pile protruding on all sides. Fabric may be entirely chenille or may use the chenille yarn in a jacquard weave for raised, textured motifs on a plain ground. Chenille is used for mid to heavyweight apparel, and for upholstery and drapery fabrics.

Chiffon - A lightweight, sheer, plain-weave fabric made with fine, highly twisted yarns. Soft and drapeable. Made of silk, rayon, or synthetics. Polyester chiffon tends to have more strength and less drape than silk chiffon.

China Silk - A plain weave silk often very lightweight, used mostly for linings and underling without adding bulk. Heavier weights may be used for blouses.

Chintz – Medium weight, plain weave cotton fabric with a glazed finish often used for slipcovers and curtains. Available in solid colors or prints.

Ciré – Fabric with a high gloss, wet look finish. Depending on fabric’s fiber, it can be finished by applying heat, wax and a calender rolling process.

Cloqué – A soft, lightweight fabric with a raised, blister effect surface pattern caused by using two fibers with different shrinkage characteristics. Raised designs appear after weaving when the fibers relax.

Corduroy - A durable, cut pile fabric, woven with an extra set of filling (warp) yarns to create vertical cords, ranging from very thin to wide and heavy. Most often in cotton or cotton-blend; classified by the number of wales or cords to the inch.

Cotton – Fiber from the cotton plant seed pod, made into versatile fabric that is cool, absorbent, comfortable, durable and washable. It is also insect resistant, but flammable and gradually weakens in sunlight exposure. Cotton is woven or knitted in light to heavy weights for apparel and home décor.  Fibers are usually ½ inch - 2 inches long. Fibers longer than 1-1/2, including Pima and Egyption varieties, produce higheest quality fabrics.

Cotton Blend - Fabric made of a blend of cotton and other fibers, like linen or synthetics.

Cotton Flannel Interlining - Soft, bushed cotton plain weave fabric that’s used between the lining and garment or drapery fabrics, for insulation and added bulk.

Cotton Net - Open mesh fabric made of cotton fiber.

Cotton Velvet – Velvet material that is double woven with short pile. Pile is then cut producing two separate, single face velvet layers. Not as luxurious as other velvets, but more durable.

Coutil – Strong, close textured cotton twill or herringbone weave fabric used mostly for corsetry or strong lining.

Crepe – Nicely draping, light to medium weight fabrics with a pebbly or crinkly surface, achieved by using hard twist yarns, or some form of chemical, construction, embossing or surface treatment. Crepes are available in a wide range of fibers and blends, natural and synthetic, and in may different constructions. Varieties include crepe back satin, crepe de chine and georgette.

3 or 4-Ply Crepe is woven with multiple yarns for greater weight and luxurious hand. Woven in silk, but can be synthetic fibers or blends.

Crepe de Chine - A fine, nicely draping, lightweight crepe with a dull luster. Woven in pure silk or synthetics, like polyester.

Crepe Marocain – Heavier crepe with a pronounced pebbly texture, woven in various fibers. Used used for evening wear and bridal.

Crepe Wool - Crepe woven using wool fibers.

Crepe-Back Satin - A reversible crepe weave with a shiny, satin face on one side and a matte finish crepe on the other. Referred to as both crepe-back satin or satin-back crepe. Both contrasting textured sides can be used together in a garment as a design element. With good drape, color range and affordability, it’s often used in evening and bridal party dresses. Available in silk or synthetics.

Cross-Dyed – Fabric whose different colors in the warp and weft fibers produce an interesting, attractive iridescent appearance.

Cuddle® Fleece - Finer generation of micro-fibre polyester fleece. Available in silky single-sided solids and prints, or plush double-face solid colors in light to high loft heavy weights. Use heavy weight for the warmest robes and blankets; lighter weights for apparel, stuffed toys and throws and baby blankets.

Cupprammonium viscose (cupro)- A fabric made by a process of regenerating cellulosic fibers to produce the most silk-like, fine-draping viscose (rayon) fabrics. More expensive than other cellulose yarns. Bemberg is a cupro rayon.

D

Damask - A reversible fabric woven on a jacquard loom that creates simple to ornate patterns on a flat fabric. Available in many fibers from cotton, linen, silk or other natural fibers to synthetics. Used often table linens, slipcovers, and drapery, also for shirting.

Denim - A densely woven, crisp twill-weave cotton or cotton/blend fabric with colored threads in warp and white threads in the weft (fill). Weights vary from lightest weight 6-ounce to 16-ounce bull denim. Handling ease depends on weight. Denim is firm, washable, durable, and comfortable to wear. Natural fibers will fade with successive laundering. Frequently blended with spandex in stretch denim for additional comfort and shape retention.

Devoré (burn-out)- A fabric with a brocade effect created by dissolving one of the fibers used in the fabric, so that only the ground fabric remains. Acid applied to cellulosic (rayon) pile fibers of a silk or polyester background velvet, “burns out” the rayon pile of the velvet, leaving a pile pattern intact.

Dobby- Fabric woven with a raised, small geometric repeating pattern.

Dotted Swiss – Lightweight fabric, often lawn or batiste, in cotton or cotton blend, with a small embroidered, flocked or clipped dot pattern.

Double Cloth / Double Weave - A double layer reversible fabric that can be separated into two pieces of cloth with identical or completely different weaves, colors, or patterns. Often a wool or a wool blend, these fabrics range from lightweight, soft fabrics to heavy, crisp materials. Excellent for structured jackets and coats.

Double Face - Reversible fabrics with two useable sides on a single weave cloth. Doubleface fabrics cannot be separated into two pieces of cloth as with double weave fabric.

Double Knit - Medium to heavy-weight warp knit fabrics with good body and comparatively little stretch. Often knitted in wool, wool blend, rayon or polyester fibers, they have good shape retention and do not run or ravel.

Drapery Lining - Plain weave cotton or cotton blend fabrics used to line draperies and protect the fabric from sun damage.  Backed lining can be used to block light.

Duck –  A plain weave, firm, medium to heavy weight fabric.  Similar to, but generally less coarse than canvas. Can be cotton, linen, synthetic or blend.

Duchesse Satin - Lustrous, smooth, very finely woven fabric with good body and minimal bulk. Used to create volume in bridal or eveningwear. Duchesse satin is generally silk or a silk/rayon blend. Also seen in polyester.

Dupioni Silk – A crisp, softly lustrous, plain weave fabric made with double uneven silk filament yarns to create a unique textured, thick and thin, slubbed surface, seen in shantung and pongee silks. Now also made using man-made fibers. May have a coarser, hand-woven appearance or smoother machine woven texture. Excellent for dresses, suits, bridal gowns.

E

Eco or Eco friendly fabrics – Fabrics produced in ways to do little or no harm to the environment. May use sustainable fibers. Examples: Bamboo, hemp, soy, natural cotton and linen.

Elastane- Generic name for a group of fibers with excellent stretch and recovery rate.

Embossed fabric- Fabric with a raised design impressed into it in a calendaring process of engraved rollers using heat and pressure. Often in velvet and satin.

Embroidered - Fabrics that are embellished with decorative thread, yarn, beads, crystals, sequins, ribbons, and cording. May be sewn or glued on a variety of background fabrics such as lace and net, chiffon, taffeta and satin, cotton and wool. Embroidery may cover the fabric (all-over design) or feature border patterns or individual motifs.

English Net - Cotton net used in sheer sections of eveningwear or as bodice as underlining. The net has a hexagonal weave, and dyes well.

Eyelet- Fabric with cut out designs embroidered with stitching to prevent raveling.  Background fabric is often cotton or blends, but can be other natural or man-made fibers.

F

Faille - A light to medium weight, low luster fabric with flat cross grain ribs, finer than grosgrain. Drapes well. Used for dresses. Originally made of silk fibers, now in man-made fibers too. Heavier weights have good body for suits and light coats. Pronounced ‘file’.

Faux Fur – Low to high pile fabrics on a woven or knitted ground, designed to look like fur. Pile is generally acrylic or modacrylic synthetic fiber.

Faux Leather - Synthetic leather with or without stretch. Surface design mimics textures of various leathers from patent leather to ostrich. Often a polyurethane laminate.  Fabrics have no grain and do not fray, but retain pin holes.

Faux Suede – Synthetic fabrics, mostly polyesters, that mimic the texture of suede either on the surface or throughout. With or without stretch. May be single face or double face texture.  No obvious grain, do not fray.

Felt – A non-woven, compressed fabric made of man-made fibers for crafts, costumes, table covers, OR made of wool or wool blends for hats, garments, tailoring interfacing. Does not ravel or drape.

Fibranne –  A French term for spun rayon/viscose fibers and fabric made of them.

Flannel -A plain weave or twill, medium weight fabric that is brushed on one or both sides to raise the fiber ends and give a soft hand and more loft. Soft, warm, and drapes well. Made generally in wool and wool blends, or cotton and cotton blends.

Flannelette –  Cotton or cotton blend, light weight fabric, with a napped finish for softness.

Flannel, Worsted -A twill weave fabric made of high twist, worsted wool fibers.

The harder finish is preferred for fine tailored garments, even though it isn’t as forgiving as softer flannels.

Flannel-Back Sateen – Sateen lining with brushed flannel on the back face for added warmth. May be rayon, acetate or other man made fibers.

Flax – Strong, absorbant natural vegetable fiber from the stalk of the flax linum plant. Woven into linen fabric of various weights. Cool and comfortable to wear, though has poor elasticity.

Fleece – A deep-pile knit or woven, heavily napped, insulating, often double face fabric in many weights.  Originally natural wool fibers. Now used as a generic term for polyester fleece which comes in solid colors or prints. Polyester fleece is warm and durable, doesn’t fray.  It stretches, but lesser qualities have poor shape retention when stretched and they pill badly.

Flocked fabric- Sheer to heavy fabrics with designs applied in raised short fibers. Fibers are attached with adhesives or electrostatic techniques to the ground fabric.

Foulard – Lightweight, fine twill fabric printed with small figures on a contrasting color background. Originally silk, fine cotton or worsted; now also in fibers like acetate, viscose/rayon, triacetate and polyester.

French Terry – A single knit fabric with loops on one side that are brushed to create fleece for warmth. Generally made of cotton fibers.

Frisé – Fabric made with mohair, rayon, silk or synthetic fiber loops on a cotton or jute background. Loops may be cut or not to create patterns. Generally used for upholstery.

G

Gabardine - a tightly woven fabric with a fine twill (diagonal) weave on the right side of the fabric and medium body.  It can be woven in wool (worsted) for year-round suiting. Durable and resists wrinkles. Also made in other natural fibers or man-made fibers. Firm weave makes shaping and easing when tailoring more of a challenge.

Galloon lace – Lace with finished decorative designs on both selvedges. These edges can be removed and applied to garments as trim on garment hems or bodice edges.

Gauze – Very lightweight, sheer to translucent, plain-weave fabric. May have crinkle texture. Generally woven in cotton or wool.

Gazar - A silk organza. Often with a fine, slightly open basket weave texture.

Georgette -A lightweight, sheer, crepe textured fabric, often woven using silk high twist fibers, or synthetics like polyester or rayon/viscose.  Used in dresses, blouses and for lining under sheer fabrics. Resists wrinkles.

Glen Plaid (Wool) - A twill fabric woven in wool fibers in a pattern of large and small broken checks.  Glen plaids can be made in other natural and in man-made fibers also.

Greige – A term for fabrics in their original state prior to being dyed, bleached or finished.

Grosgrain – A fine, crisp, low luster fabric with cross-grain (weft) ribs. Originally in silk; now also in synthetic fibers. Used for eveningwear, facings, and ribbons.

Grospoint – Very durable upholstery fabric with tightly woven un-cut loops of the right side.

Guipure - An open-work lace with heavy embroidered patterns connected by “ladder” threads, worked into a ground fabric generally made of acetate, cotton or nylon. The background fabric is chemically dissolved without affecting the lace embroidery.

H

Habotai – Originally a very light weight  plain weave silk fabric used for lining. Now available in light to medium weight, plain or twill weave for casual clothing.

Handkerchief Linen -  A very lightweight, plain weave linen.

Harris Tweed – Coarse, hairy textured, hand woven wool fabric made in the Scottish Outer Hebrides islands. Originally 27” wide. Now available in 54” width.

Hemp – Bask fiber of the hemp plant, similar to linen. Coarser fibers are used for making twine; finer fibers for weaving fabric. Hemp is often combined with other fibers, for a more comfortable fabric.  Resists easing, frays and wrinkles in handling.

Herringbone – A broken twill weave with a zig zag effect pattern. Often made of wool fibers, but can be other natural or man-made fibers.

Hopsack –  A plain weave with paired/double fibers interwoven in both the warp (vertical) and weft (cross) directions. Fabric stability depends on the tightness of the weave. Also called basket weave.

Horse Hair - Hair from a horse’s mane combined with other fibers to make hair canvas interfacing for fine tailoring.

Houndstooth – A broken check pattern in a twill weave fabric. Often made of wool fibers, but can be other natural or man-made fibers.

I

Ikat – Fabric woven with a traditional technique for creating variegated designs, in which fibers are tied and dyed before weaving.

Illusion Net -Originally a silk, very fine, hexagonal patterned tulle, made in 52” or 72” width. Used for bridal veils.  The term illusion is now commonly used for all very fine bridal veiling, silk or nylon. It is available in 108” width.

Ironing Board Fabric (Thermaflec®) Flat or Quilted-

Interfacing – Fabric inserted between the fashion fabric and the lining for support, shaping and reinforcement. May be sewn to the fashion fabric or ironed on (fused). May be woven, knit or non-woven .

Interlining -  Any fabric inserted between the outer fabric and the inner lining for shape retention, bulk or warmth.

Interlock – A stretchable fabric in a variation of a rib stitch, with two finely ribbed fabric layers joined by interlocking.   Plain interlock, double knit fabrics are more stable and heavier than single knits.

Iridescent Fabric – Fabric with changeable color effect created by using contrasting colors in the warp (vertical fibers) and weft (horizontal fill).

J

Jacquard – A fabric woven on a versatile Jacquard loom which allows total manipulation of the warp and weft yarns to create intricate deigns. Damask and brocade are jacquard fabrics, as they are woven on a jacquard loom.

Jacquard Knits – A patterned double knit fabric with made with a jacquard-type mechanism to allow manipulation of weft fibers.  

Jersey Knit - A single, flat knit made with interlooping yarns that has fine lengthwise ribs on the right side and uniform texture on the back.  Jersey comes in many fibers including cotton, wool, silk, nylon, and polyester. It has a soft hand, drapes well and has moderate stretch. Fabric tends to run and it has poor shape retention without blending with spandex.

K

Kente Cloth – Hand woven cotton fabrics with intense colors and intricate geometric designs made in West Africa.  Printed cotton fabric with designs inspired by the hand-wovens are also available.

Knit - Fabric made by interlooping yarns on knitting machines. Various styles are available.

L

Lace – Open work fabric with complex designs created in a variety of ways on a background of mesh or net. Originally hand made, now generally made on specific machines for each style. Cotton, nylon and viscose are the most common fibers used.

Lamé - A woven or knit fabric using metallic fibers in plain or brocade designs. Some fibers are metal or metal wrapped yarn, or metal-coated plastic. Fabrics are often lightweight and can be soft and drapeable, or crisp.  Lame tends to be delicate, fraying easily, and requiring care in handling. Laser Cut - Fabric with open work designs cut by lasers.

Lawn - A semi-crisp, finely woven, smooth, plain weave cotton or occasionally linen. It is primarily used in dresses, blouses, collars, and cuffs and heirloom sewing. It is also a very comfortable underling or lining.

Leatherette – Synthetic leather with or without stretch. Embossed surface designs mimic textures of various leathers from patent leather to ostrich. Often a polyurethane laminate.  Fabrics have no grain and do not fray, but retain pin holes.

Leno – An open weave fabric created by warp fibers twisted around each other and interlaced with weft yarns. Sheer and strong, leno can be made of cotton, linen, other natural fibers or man-made ones.

Liberty of London® - A trademark of Liberty Ltd. In England for hand-blocked or machine printed prints in silk, rayon cotton, and wool challis.

Linen – Generally plain weave fabric that is made with woody fibers from inside the stems of flax plants. Stronger, more lustrous and crisp than cotton, linen is cool, comfortable, and absorbent. It is sometimes blended with softer fibers to lessen wrinkling. Linen is woven in very lightweight “handkerchief” linen for blouses and dresses, medium weight for tops, dresses and pants, and heavy weight for jackets and coats.

Linen-Look – Plain weave fabric with slight slub texture using man-made fibers like polyester or viscose or cotton-polyester blends to resemble linen, but cost less and  wrinkle less.

Lyocell – The generic name for a new family of biodegradable, environmentally friendly, solvent spun cellulose fibers from the wood pulp of trees in managed forests. It has the look, drape, absorbency, comfort and hand of fine cotton, and is stronger wet or dry than traditional cellulosic fibers (rayon).  It blends well with other fibers and dyes as vividly as rayon and silk. Tencel® is the name of a lyocell product.

M

Madras – Plain woven cotton in shirting weight, often in plaids, checks or stipes, originally from Madras India. Its colors are know to bleed or fade with laundering.

Marocain – A crepe fabric with a wavy cross rib construction used mainly for women’s clothing.

Marquisette –  A very lightweight, sheer, open mesh fabric. Originally in cotton, silk or wool; now nylon or polyester. Used for millinery, eveningwear and mosquito netting.

Matelassé - A medium to heavy weight compound fabric that looks padded or quilted. Made in most fiber types. It may be bulky, and difficult to ease. Popular for bedspreads, blankets, upholstery and slipcovers, and when in more formal fibers, eveningwear jackets and coats.

Matka – An rough textured Indian fabric made of spun silk fibers.

Matte Jersey –  Dull surface, tricot knit fabric with made with fine crepe yarn.

Matte Satin – Medium weight, somewhat firm, satin fabric with reduced luster. May be made of silk, but often polyester. Used for formal dresses and bridal gowns.

Metallic - A woven or knit fabric using metallic fibers in plain or brocade designs. Some fibers are metal or metal wrapped yarn, or metal-coated plastic. Fabrics are often lightweight and can be soft and drapeable, or crisp.  Lame tends to be delicate, fraying easily, and requiring care in handling.

Melton – A dense, felted heavy weight, firm fabric with a plain face used for over coats. Lighter weights are made for use in other apparel and for collars. Generally woven in wool or wool blends.

Mercerised – Fiber treated to increase luster.

Merino –  High quality wool from Merino sheep, originally from Spain, but exported to many countries including Italy and Australia.

Mesh – Fabric with a regular, open texture. May be knitted or woven, fine or coarse.

Microfibre – Extremely fine denier synthetic fibers, lighter than silk fiber. Used to make lightweight fabrics with very soft hand, good drape, and water resistance. Most often use acrylic, polyester, nylon or rayon fiber.

Micro-Fleece – A super-fine denier luxurious fleece with a velvety hand.

Mikado® -Brand name for silk zibeline, a crisp, lightweight, textured, satin weave fabric, that adds volume without bulk in gowns. Also used in suits.

Modacrylic – A man-made flame-resistant fiber, similar to acrylic, with warm hand and good bulk. Heat sensitive, so irons at lower temperatures. Used to make faux fur pile fabrics and children’s sleepwear.

Modal – Polynosic rayon. Regenerated cellulose fiber with higher strength when wet. Hand resembles cotton.

Mohair - A Durable and resilient long-hair fabric made from the angora goat.

Moire – Wavy, water-marked pattern produced by embossing fabric with engraved rollers. Pattern is only permanent on acetate-rayon blends. Used for eveningwear, drapery and bedspreads. Moire fabric is a crisp faille or ribbed weave, often in rayon, silk, acetate or cotton.

Moleskin – Originally a heavy, durable napped cotton. Now refers to any fiber fabric with a short, dense mole-like brushed nap on one face.

Momme – A Japanese unit of weight measurement for silk. One momme weighs 3.75 grams per unit. The higher the number, the heavier the silk.

Monk’s Cloth -  A heavy, coarse basket weave fabric, generally of cotton, linen, rayon, wool or synthetic fibers. Stability of the fabric depends on the tightness of the weave. Used for drapery and upholstery.

Mousseline - Sheer to semi-opague, lightweight, plain weave fabric. Derived from the French for muslin fabric, but is much more finely woven. Made of silk, rayon, wool or other fibers.  Resembles chiffon but is more crisp.

Mud Cloth - Hand woven and printed coarse cotton from Africa.

Muslin – Plain weave fabric that can be lightweight and sheer to heavier, coarse sheeting weight. Cotton or cotton blend. Natural, bleached or dyed.

N

Net- An open mesh fabric of rayon, nylon, cotton, or silk; made in a variety of geometric-shaped meshes of different sizes and weights for specific uses, like bridal veiling, bodice yokes and sleeves, crisp or soft gathered skirts, stiff layers beneath full skirts (crinolin).

Ninon –  Sheer, crisp, plain weave fabric made with high twist yarns. Originally made of silk, now nylon and other synthetics.

Non-Pill Fleece – Polyester fleece treated to reduce pilling.

Non-Static Polyester Lining – Polyester lining treated to prevent static electricity build-up. Many versions loose this quality with repeated washings.

Hang Loose® remains non-static.

Non-Woven – Fabric made of interlocking fibers held together in a random web or mat by fusing or bonding.

Novelty – Fabrics that are not plain, having intentionally interesting qualities in the texture of the yarn, weave or print design.

Nylon – Fabric made of manufactured polyamide fiber. Strong, resilient, and flexible.

O

Oil Cloth -  Originally oil, but now cloth coated with plastic resin. Waterproof, easy to clean. Used for tablecloths, tote bags, aprons, shelf lining, placemats.

Olefin – Strong, lightweight, soil, mildew and abrasion resistant fiber manufactured from a polymer containing propylene and ethelyne. Used for apparel, furniture and carpeting.

Ombré – Fabric with gradually changing color, either printed or yarn-dyed.

Organdy – Stiff, plain weave, open, translucent cotton fabric. Springy, easily creasing, fabric used for interfacing, collars, and dresses.

Organic Cotton – Fabric from cotton plants grown where toxic chemicals have been eliminated for a minimum of three years.

Organic Linen -A sustainable fiber made from flax plants grown without herbicides and pesticides.

Organza - A lightweight, sheer, crisp, plain weave fabric, generally in silk, polyester, rayon or nylon. Silk organza will wrinkle and press easily, fray and have little elasticity. Comes in solid colors or prints. Silk satin organza has more weight and a satin finished face, and makes wonderful evening wear.

Orlon – Brand name of an acrylic fabric.

Ottoman – A tightly woven, stiff fabric with a distinct ribbed pattern formed by weft covered fill yarns .

Oxford cloth – Plain or basket weave, durable fabric with a soft hand. Better qualities are mercerized.

P

Paisley – Intricate, multi-color curled teardrop motif typically printed on fine lightweight wool (or other fiber) challis fabric.  Originated in Paisley, Scotland.

Panné Velvet – Lightweight, lustrous velvet with pile pressed flat in one direction. Available in silk, man-made fibers and blends.

Pashmina –  Plain weave, soft, lightweight fabric made of cashmere and wool in varying proportions. Better quality has highest proportions of cashmere to wool. Used for shawls and scarves.

Passementerie – Decorative braid made in lustrous fibres in many styles, some open patterns, used for apparel and home décor embellishment.

Pattern Making Fabric -Non-woven material, plain or printed with one-inch grid to assist pattern drawing.

Peach Skin – Micro-fiber fabric with soft brushed surface hand to resemble texture of actual peach skin.

Peau de Soie – Medium to heavy weight silk satin fabric with dull luster, used for formalwear and bridal dresses. May be single or double face construction with slightly grainy surface texture. Available also in man-made fibers.

Percale – Medium weight, smooth, firm, plain weave cotton fabric with no less than 180 yarns per square inch.

Petersham ribbon – Ribbed ribbon used for embellishment, to face millinery, structure waistbands, and reinforce front jacket/sweater edges. Turn of weft fibers creates side edges. Woven in rayon or cotton.

Plaid – Like Scottish tartans, plaids are fabrics with bars and spaces that cross each other at right angles.  Proper layouts for apparel and décor items require additional fabric for matching horizontal and often vertical lines.

Picot – Trim consisting of small decorative edge loops.

Piqué – Medium weight, novelty weave cotton or cotton blend with dimensional weave in a waffle and birds-eye patterns.

Plissé -  Fabrics with a puckered or crinkled surface, achieved by treating with caustic solutions that shrink or blister fibers. Can be made with many fibers.

Pointelle – A type of knit fabric with a stitch design that resembles lace.

Polyamide – Synthetic fibers used to create fabric, known as nylon. It is strong, resilient, and flexible.

Polyester – A manufactured fiber that is strong, resilient, abrasion and wrinkle resistant. It’s poor absorbency makes it quick-drying. Often blended with other fibers to complement their characteristics.

Poplin – Mediumweight, plain woven fabric with a fine cross-weave cord texture. Heavier than broadcloth.

Pongee – Originally a lightweight, crisp fabric made of wild Chinese silk fibers with irregular, rough texture, generally in natural or ecru color. Now also made of synthetic fibers. For blouses and dresses, lightweight pants, skirts.

Ponte di Roma – A plain, double jersey knit fabric, usually in solid colors, with good elasticity.

Print - Fabric with a figured design applied, rather than woven or knitted into it.

Protex® table padding - Non-woven high loft fabric brushed on both sides, used to protect table surfaces under table cloths.

Q

Quilting – The construction technique that holds layers of down or synthetic fiberfill in place between layers of fabric by hand or machine stitching or sealing in an all-over pattern on the fabric.

R

Ramie – Sustainable, linen-like fabric made from a strong natural woody fiber that is similar to flax. It is more stiff, brittle, absorbent and lustrous than flax/linen. Used alone for rope and net, it is blended with other fibers as a flax substitute.

Rayon – Rayon is made from cellulose fiber and like cotton, a natural cellulose fiber, in many ways. It is soft and smooth, drapes well and dyes vibrantly, is absorbent, and comes in many weights and qualities. It does wrinkle easily and shrinks when wet. Viscose rayon, a higher performance  rayon, wrinkles less and is woven into light and heavy weight fabrics. When the fabric is washed before clothing construction, rayon clothing will be washable after construction without much shrinkage.

Rip Stop Nylon – Lightweight, plain fabric that is wind and water resistant, and has ribs in the cloth that block tears.

Russian Veiling – Net with large diamond shaped openings, made in silk or synthetic fiber. Used mainly for millinery.

S

Sateen – Fabric that is smooth and soft with low luster made of long staple cotton fibers, and sometimes other fibers. It’s a satin weave, which floats more weft/fill yarns over the warp yarns than a plain weave.

Satin – Satin is a weave of fabric that comes in very lightweight single face to heavy, double-face. Although tighter weaves are more durable, longer weft floats over the warp fibers, creates better drape and more luster. This fabric is generally woven in silk, rayon, acetate, or polyester.

Satin Chiffon – A very fine, sheer fabric with a satin finish on the face for added luster. Made of silk or sometimes synthetic fibers.

Satin Gabardine – A fine weave of wool gabardine with satin floats on the face for a slightly lustrous appearance.

Satin Organza - Lightweight, semi-sheer silk organza with a satin face and dull back. May be solid color or printed. More body and firmer than silk organza. Use for structured dresses, tops, skirts.

Seersucker - A permanently crinkled cotton fabric. Crinkle is produced in the weave and is not destroyed by heat.

Shantung Silk - This plain weave silk fabric is heavier than pongee, and has similar slubbed yarn which gives it a ribbed effect in the warp direction. Less textured than Dupioni silk.

Sheer - Very lightweight, transparent fabrics with soft or crisp hand.

Shirting -Tightly woven, absorbent, durable fabric that tailors well for shirts. Mostly in cotton or blended fibers or silk.

Silk – Fabric woven using the natural filament cocoon fibers of silk worms. Luxurious, resilient, absorbent, and strong, dyes well, retains shape. Silk is available in many fabrications from sheer chiffon or organza, crepe, dupioni, noil, and shirting to crisp taffeta and heavy satin.

Silk and Wool Worsted – Lustrous fabric with good body in a blend of silk fibers and worsted wool fibers. Used for elegant structured evening suits and dresses.

Silk Brocade – Brocade fabric woven in pure silk. See “Brocade” above.

Silk Charmeuse – Light weight silk satin. Lustrous on the face, dull on the back. Extremely good drape. Used in blouses, dresses and lingerie.

Silk Illusion Net - Very fine, hexagonal patterned tulle, made in 52” or 72” width. Used for bridal veils.

Silk Jersey-  Luxurious, soft draping single knit fabric in solid colors and prints.

Silver Cloth – Brushed flannel treated with tarnish preventer for use in lining silverware drawers and cases, and custom silver serving piece bags.

Soy – Sustainable fiber made from the soybean waste in tofu production. Soy fiber has excellent warmth retention and moisture wicking, and the same moisture absorption as cotton fiber. It resists bacteria. It has a silky luster that makes it popular for underwear, scarves, bedsheets and yoga apparel.

Spandex -  A man-made elastic fiber with excellent resilience and shape recovery. Blended with other fibers or used alone in garments requiring  stretch, from dance and swimwear to eveningwear, jeans and jackets.

Stretch Cotton – Cotton fabric with a blend of cotton and spandex or other elastic fibers for comfort, wearing eased and shape retention.

Stretch Lining – Apparel lining that blends rayon, polyester or silk with spandex or other elastic fibers for comfort and shape retention.

Stretch Net -Net or tulle that stretches lengthwise and crosswise, for wearing ease and comfort.

Stretch Satin – Fabrics with spandex or other elastic fibers added to silk, or most often polyester or other synthetic fibers, for wearing ease and shape retention in evening wear.

Stripe – Fabrics of any fiber and weight with stripes either woven, printed or knitted into it. May be single or multi-color, textured or smooth, wide or narrow pinstriped.

Suede Cloth - See faux suede.

Suiting - Plain or novelty menswear pattern fabric, with a flat, crisp surface for tailoring suits and structured separates.

Sweater Knit – Lightweight to heavyweight knit fabrics with soft hand, and smooth or bulky texture. Can be made in any fiber, including cashmere, polyester, acrylic.

Swimwear Knit - Single knit made of lycra or other elastic fiber or blended with them, for shape retention and comfort. May be treated for chlorine resistance.

T

Taffeta – Crisp, lightweight, plain weave, tightly woven fabric that rustles when worn. Generally smooth, somewhat lustrous surface, but may have subtle cross weave ribbed texture. Tissue Taffeta is lightest weight. May be solid color or iridescent cross-woven blend of two colors. Available in silk, polyester, acetate or triacetate, and rayon.

Tartan - Specific plaid patterns belonging to Scottish family clans. 

Tencel® - Brand name for lyocell fabrics. See lyocell.

Terry Cloth - Cotton fabric woven with uncut loops of both sides. Comes in a range of weights. May be “Terry Velour” having cut loops on one side. French Terry is a one-sided knit terry cloth.

Thai Silk – Semi-rough texture pure silk that’s made in Thailand.

Tissue Faille – A lightweight, low luster fabric with flat cross grain ribs, finer than grosgrain. Drapes well. Used for dresses. Originally made of silk fibers, now in man-made fibers too.

Triacetate – A more luxurious man-made cellulose acetate fiber created by modifying cellulose. It has excellent drape, shape retention and dyes well. It is more crisp, less absorbent and less heat sensitive than acetate fibers. Resistant to moths and mildew. Moderate wrinkle recovery. Used for better dresses and separates.

Tweed - A classic medium to heavy weight fabric with a textured novelty pattern. Popular styles are houndstooth (broken check), herringbone (zig zag), and Donegal. Durable with supple hand. For jackets, vets, coats, hats and purses.

Twill – Fabric with a diagonal weave that has the fine twill texture on face, plain on back of fabric.  Gabardine, denim and serge are all twill weaves.

U

UltraSuede® – A micro-fiber, double-face, man-made fabric that resembles suede. Available in various weights.  Doesn’t pill or ravel.

V

Velvet - A luxurious warp pile fabric in which the cut pile fiber ends create the surface of the velvet fabric. It is a one-direction napped fabric and must be carefully handled to avoid crushing the pile. It is made of silk, cotton, rayon, acetate, polyester and mircrofiber fibers, or blends of these fibers. May have spandex added for comfort.

Cut Velvet is created in the loop cutting phase of weaving, by leaving raised and low areas to accentuate designs.

Devoré (Burn-Out) Velvet- A velvet with a brocade effect created by dissolving one of the fibers used in the fabric, so that only the ground fabric remains. Acid applied to cellulosic (rayon) pile fibers of a silk or polyester background velvet, “burns out” the rayon pile of the velvet, leaving a pile pattern intact.

Velveteen - A short, dense weft (fill) pile fabric that lack the luster and drape of velvet. It is woven mostly in cotton, or in polyester and blends,

Venice (Guipure) - Firm, stiff or soft, open-work lace, is woven on a  background fabric which is dissolved to leave only the lace. Its heavy embroidered patterns are connected by “ladder” threads, which make it easy to clip out motifs to shape garments or use as appliqués.

Viscose – A higher performance generation of rayon, made from cellulose fibers. It wrinkles less, is stronger and is woven into light and heavy weight fabrics. When the fabric is washed before clothing construction, rayon clothing will be washable after construction without much shrinkage. Commonly referred to as simply rayon.

Voile – This very lightweight, plain, loosely woven fabric is thin, translucent and resembles organdy or organza but with a much softer hand.

W

Warm Coat Lining - Satin lining fabric backed with a brushed flannel nap for insulation.  Can be rayon, acetate, cotton or polyester.

Wool - Fiber spun from the fleece of sheep or lambs. Wool classification also applies to all animal hair fibers, including angora or cashmere goats, alpaca, llama, vicuna and camel. Wool is warm, absorbant, wrinkle resistant, and resilient. Wool fabric weights vary from sheer gauze to heavy, dense coating. The fibers are woven or knit and can be blended with other natural or man-made fibers. Used for clothing and upholstery.

Wool or Wool Blend Felt - A non-woven, compressed fabric made of wool or wool/rayon blends for hats, garments, tailoring interfacing. Does not ravel or drape.

Worsted Wool - Fabric that is made from long staple wool fibers that are smooth, uniform, and well-twisted. It allows smoother, tighter weave, resilient, and light to the touch qualities for flannel, crepe, gabardine, tropical weights and plain or novelty styles. Excellent for suits, skirts, jackets, pants and dresses.  Worsted wool is frequently blended with fibers such as nylon, polyester

Woven Selvedge - The compressed woven edge of the fabric, parallel to the warp which prevent raveling. On extra-fine wools, the fabric’s origin and quality classification (like Super 100) are woven into the selvedge.

X

Y

Yarn  -  The continuous strand of fabric fibers twisted together to weave or knit fabric.

Z

Zibeline –  Originally a satin weave fabric woven with cross-bred luxury wool yarns.  Named after the ‘zibeline’ a small sable-like animal from Siberia. Available now in silk. “Silk Zibeline” is a crisp, lightweight, textured, satin weave fabric, that adds volume without excessive bulk in gowns. Also used in suits.