filament

Extremely long continuous fibers that can be measured in meters or yards, or in the case of man-made fibers, in kilometers or miles. Filaments do not require spinning to form yarn. Examples are rayon, nylon, acrylic, polyester, and other man-made fibers. Silk is the only natural filament

flame retardant fabric

A fabric that resists or retards the spreading of flames. A flame retardant fabric can be made by using fibers that are themselves flame retardant, or by using special finishes on fabrics. Selow is a list of some flame retardant fabrics. Many companies produce similar items but have not given them names referring specifically to their flame retardant nature.

lame

Brocade, damask, or brocatelle fabrics in which flat metal­lic yarns (or with a combination of metallic and other fiber yarns) are woven or knitted in warp and filling for a luxurious effect. Today, most lame is made from one of the nontarnishable metallic fibers, a great improvement over lame of the past that tended to darken with age. Lame is also a trademark terrn for a nontarnishable metallic yarn. Glitter is sometimes used to describe this type of fabric and is used for evening dresses, blouses, and trimmings.

monofilament

A single, fine thread of continuous man-made fiber (as in nylon hosiery). See multifilament, staple, and tow.

multifilament yarn

A yarn made of two or more filaments (long threads) of man-made fibers (monofilaments) that are joined together, usually by twistingally by twisting.

abraded yarn

A two-ply combination yarn. One is an abraded ply, the other is filament viscose rayon.

asbestos

A mineral fiber that is nonmetallic. Its greatest virtue is that it is nonflammable. It is used in combination with other fibers for theater curtains and in industrial clothing where flameproofing is essential. Asbestos is often used to make ironing board covers and potholders..

bicomponent fiber

A bicomponent fiber consists of two filaments of the same generic class but different composition which have been extruded simultaneously. This results in a continuous-filament man-made fiber composed of two related components, each having a different degree of shrinkage.

broadcloth

Although the term broadcloth originally meant any fabric made on a loom of a certain width, it now means a fine, tightly woven fabric with a faint rib. Originally, it was made of mercerized cotton, but today the term is used to describe several dissimilar fabrics made with different fibers, weaves, and finishes. (1) Originally, a silk shirting fabric so named because it was woven in widths exceeding the usual twenty-nine inches. (2) A plainweave, tightly woven, high-count cotton fabric, with fillingwise rib finer than poplin. Best grades are made of combed pima or Egyptian cotton, usually with high thread counts (136x60 or 144x76). The fabrics are usually mercerized, sanforized, and given a soft lustrous finish, and are used for women’s blouses, tailored summer dresses, and men’s shirts. (3) A closely woven, medium-weight wool cloth with a smooth nap, velvety feel, and lustrous appearance. Wool broadcloth can be made with a two-up-and-two-down twill weave or plain weave. In setting up a loom to make the fabric, the loom is threaded wide to allow for a large amount of shrinkage during the filling process. The fabric takes its name from this wide threading. High-quality wool broadcloth is fine enough for garments that are closely molded to the figure or draped. Its high-luster finish makes it an elegant cloth. Wool broadcloth is ten to sixteen ounces per yard and is now being made in chiffon weights. (4) A fabric made from silk or man-made filament fiber yarns and woven in a plain weave with a fine crosswise rib obtained by using a heavier filling than warp yarn.

bulking

A yarn finishing process in which the yarn is made thicker or “bulkier” by heat setting crimp into the filaments or by looping individual fibers with an air jet. Bulking gives yarn and fabrics a less shiny, fluffier appearance. Bulking is often used in making sweater yarns.

bunting

A loosely woven fabric used primarily for flags and draping. Bunting used in public places must be flameproof. Bunting is also a term used to describe a simple rectangular square of material in which a baby is wrapped for warmth.

chevron

Chevron is a design that forms horizontal rows of joined Vs. Another name for chevron is flame stitch.

curled yarn

A textured yarn made by a heated blade that curls the filaments.

doupion

Silk that comes from the fiber formed by two silk worms who spun their cocoons together in an interlocking manner. The yarn is uneven, irregular, and larger than regular filaments. It is used to make shantung and doupioni. Also called douppioni, dupion, and dupioni.

dry spinning

A derivative to be spun is dissolved in a solvent that can be evaporated, leaving the desired filament to be hardened by drying in warm air.

fiber

The basic unit used in the fabrication of textile yarns and fabrics. Fibers are much longer than they are wide. The term at one time was limited to materials that could be spun into yarn, but now is used to include filaments that do not require spinning, such as silk and man-made fibers.

filament

Extremely long continuous fibers that can be measured in meters or yards, or in the case of man-made fibers, in kilometers or miles. Filaments do not require spinning to form yarn. Examples are rayon, nylon, acrylic, polyester, and other man-made fibers. Silk is the only natural filament

fire resistant

Fire resistant refers to a fabric or fiber that has been treatedto discourage the spreading of flames. See lame-retardant-fabric/180/flame-retardant-fabric.html" title="flame retardant fabric" class="normal">flame retardant fabric.

fireproof

Fireproof means that a fabric literally will not burn. To be labeled fireproof, the Federal Trade Commission requires that a fabric must be 100’% fireproof. If the fiber or fabric has been treated to prevent flames from spreading, it must be labeled as fire resistant. See fire resistant and lame-retardant-fabric/180/flame-retardant-fabric.html" title="flame retardant fabric" class="normal">flame retardant fabric.

flame retardant fabric

A fabric that resists or retards the spreading of flames. A flame retardant fabric can be made by using fibers that are themselves flame retardant, or by using special finishes on fabrics. Selow is a list of some flame retardant fabrics. Many companies produce similar items but have not given them names referring specifically to their flame retardant nature.

glitter

The name, sometimes used in place of lame, for any fabric woven or knitted with all metallic yarns or with a combination of metallic and other fiber yarns. Today, most glitter is made from one of the nontarnishable metallic fibers, a great improvement over lame of the past that tended to darken with age.

lame

Brocade, damask, or brocatelle fabrics in which flat metal­lic yarns (or with a combination of metallic and other fiber yarns) are woven or knitted in warp and filling for a luxurious effect. Today, most lame is made from one of the nontarnishable metallic fibers, a great improvement over lame of the past that tended to darken with age. Lame is also a trademark terrn for a nontarnishable metallic yarn. Glitter is sometimes used to describe this type of fabric and is used for evening dresses, blouses, and trimmings.

metallic doth

Any fabric, such as lame, woven with gold, silver, tinsel, or other metal threads.

modacrylic

A generic name for modified acrylic fibers derived from thirty-five to eighty-five percent of acrylonitrile units. It differs from acrylic in its chemical structure. Modacrylic is used Most commonly to make fake furs and wigs. Modacrylic fibers are naturally flame-retardant (slow-burning). See acrylic.

monofilament

A single, fine thread of continuous man-made fiber (as in nylon hosiery). See multifilament, staple, and tow.

multifilament yarn

A yarn made of two or more filaments (long threads) of man-made fibers (monofilaments) that are joined together, usually by twistingally by twisting.

euprammonium rayon

Rayon niade by a process that allows very fine filament fibers to be fornred. The fineness of its filaments is its best known characteristic.

saponified rayon

A type of rayon made from cellulose acetate filaments, sirnilar to the kind used in making acetate. These fibers are treated in a special way to prodtrce a rayorr that is very strong. Fortisan is an examplc of saponified rayon.

reeling

The process of winding silk filaments onto a wheel directly from cocoons.

sharkskin

(1) A heavy weight, fairly lustrous cotton, linen, silk, or man-made fiber fabric with a sleek, hard-finished, crisp, and pebbly surface and a chalky luster. Today, it is almost always made of acetate or triacetate. Filament yarns, when used, are twisted and woven tightly in a plain-weave or basket-weave construction, depending on the effect desired. Staple fiber yarns are handled in the same manner, except for wool. Sharkskin is best known in its stark white color especially popular for tennis outfits and for permanently pleated white skirts when they are in fashion. (2) A wool fabric in twill weave, originally made of yarns of two colors.

silk

The product of the silk worm and the only natural filament fiber (it is produced in a long thread). Silk was the leading luxury fiber for thousands of years. There were many types of silk and many ways of making it into cloth. foday, man-made fibers have to a very large extent replaced silk, but the traditional names for certain silk fabrics are still used and include the following:

singeing

Removing surface fibers and lint from a cloth with hot copper plates or gas flames.

single yarn

One strand of fibers or filaments grouped or twisted together. See singles.

singles

A strand of several filaments held together by twist.

spinneret

A spinneret, which looks very much like a showerhead (a jet or nozzle containing very fine holes), is used in the manufacture of man-made fibers. The material from which the fibers are forrned is forced through holes in the spinneret (extruded) while it is in a syrupy or melted state. The resulting long strands harden into filament fibers. See filament and fiber.