Canton crepe
Canton
crepe is heavier than
crepe de Chine with a slightly ribbed
crepe filling. It was originally made of
silk in Canton, China. Today it is as well made of
rayon or
acetate.
crepe
A lightweight fabric of
silk,
rayon,
cotton,
wool, man-made, or blended fibers, and characterized by a crinkled surface. This surface is obtained through the use of crepe
yarns (
yarns that have such a high
twist that the
yarn kinks), and by chemical treatment with caustic soda, embossing, or weaving (usually with thicker
warp yarns and thinner filling
yarns). Although crepe is traditionally woven, crepe
yarns are now used to produce knit crepes.
crepe-backed satin
A two-faced fabric that can be used on either side. One is
satin whereas the reverse, made of twisted yarns, is
crepe.
crepe de Chine
Traditionally, a very
sheer, pebbly, washable
silk with the fabric degummed to produce crinkle. Today, it is a
sheer, flat
crepe in
silk or
man-made fibers. It is used for
lingerie, dresses, and blouses.
crepe georgette
A
sheer fabric, similar to
chiffon, made with a
crepe yarn that gives the fabric a
crepe appearance. See
chiffon and
crepe
crinkle crepe
A fabric with an taneven surface, created by use of caustic soda that causes it to shrink unevenly. Plisse is an example of a crinkle
crepe fabric. Crinkle
crepe and plisse usually have a larger pattern to surface irregularities than
crepe.
faille crepe
A
silk,
rayon,
acetate, or other man-made
fiber dress fabric with a decided wavy (crepe)
cord fillingwise. It is used for negligees, blouses, daytime and evening dresses, handbags, and trims.
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 f
lames from spreading, it must be labeled as
fire resistant. See
fire resistant and
lame-retardant-fabric/180/f
lame-retardant-fabric.html" title="f
lame retardant fabric" class="normal">f
lame retardant fabric.
flat crepe
A firm, medium-weight
silk crepe with a soft, almost imperceptible crinkle. It has
creped fillings alternating with two S and two Z twists. The surface is fairly flat. Flat
crepe may also be made of
man-made fibers. It is used for dresses, negligees, and blouses. See
crepe de
chine,
lingerie crepe
Pormerly called French
crepe because it was originally made in France. The
creped surface was made by embossing (pressing cloth over a
fleece blanket). Because it is no longer pressed, it is not a
crepe and it is used for
lingerie and spring and summer dresses.
mock crepe
A term for fabrics that have the appearance of
crepe, but are not made from
crepe yarns. See
crepe.
moss crepe
Officially, moss
crepe is made in a plain or
dobby weave with
rayon yarns that produce the moss-like effect. In practice, however, the term refers to any
crepe, including polyester, considered to have a moss-like surface. See weaving.
moth repellency
An example of the desirable quaIities that can be given to fabrics in the
finishing process. Some fabrics are treated with colorless chemicals, similar to dyestuffs, added to the dye bath. Another method atomizes the fabric with mothproofing chemicals. Fabrics that attract moths, such as woolens, can be treated for repellency. The treatment also repels other insects, such as carpet beetles. Wool rugs are almost always treated for moth repellency today.
rep or repp
Heavy filling-wise
corded fabric, heavier than poplin. It may be
silk,
rayon,
man-made fibers,
cotton,
wool, or a
mixture. The fabric may be solid or striped. It is used for ties, robes, draperies, and upholstery, and in lighter weights for blouses and trimmings.
reprocessed fibers
Fibers obtained from scraps and clips of woven and felted fabrics made of previously urmsed woot that have been shredded back into
fiber form and then remade into new yarns. Reprocessed
fibers are usually
wool fibers and must be relabeled as reprocessed
wool ac
cording to Federal Trade Commission standards. Reprocessed
fibers are less desirable than new or virgin
fibers. See virgin Fiber.
romain crepe
A semi
sheer fabric of abraded yarns in
warp and filling. It is made of
rayon and
acetate ar
wool and is used tot street and dressy dresses.
rough crepe
A heavy fabric of
rayon,
acetate, or mixtures made with alternately twisted fillings, two right and two left (2x2).
crepe-backed satin
Creped-backed
satin can be used on either side. While the surface is
satin, the back is
crepe. It is mainly used for the production of clothing. Connected to:
crepe and
satin crepe.
satin crepe
A heavy
reversible fabric with
satin on one side and
crepe on the other. It is used in fall and winter dresses and linings.
water repellent fabric
The chemical treatment of a fabric to reduce its affinity for water. Pores of the fabric are open, and the degree of repellency varies. A water repellent fab ric will give protection in a shower, but not in heavy rain. Water repellency is often created with wax or
silicone resin finishes that enable the pores of the fabric to stay open so that it is more comfortable to wear than
waterproof fabrics. Another name for water repellent is water resistant. See
waterproof fabric.
wool crepe
Wool
crepe is made of
woolen or worsted yarns. The
crepe texture is achieved by keeping the
warp yarns loose.
Barkcloth
Originally, the term referred to a fabric found throughout the South Pacific and is made from the inner bark of certain trees. The bark is beaten into a paper-like fabric, then dyed or otherwise colored. Tapa cloth is one of the best known types of true barkcloth. Barkcloth is a term that also refers to a fabric, often
cotton or
rayon, with a somewhat
crepe-like feel that is designed to resemble true barkcloth. This fabric is used extensively for draperies, slipcovers, and other home furnishings. See
crepe and tapa cloth
Canton crepe
Canton
crepe is heavier than
crepe de Chine with a slightly ribbed
crepe filling. It was originally made of
silk in Canton, China. Today it is as well made of
rayon or
acetate.
chiffon
Chiffon is an extraordinary lightweight and thin
crepe fabric. Originally, chiffon was made of
silk, but today also
wool,
rayon, nylon and other fibers are used for the production of chiffon. It is an open weave with slightly twisted yarns and can have both, a soft or stiff finish. Chiffon is often used for dresses and scarves.
China silk
China
silk is a lightweight and soft fabric. This plain-weave
silk fabric is used for
lingerie and soft suits. Nowadays, China
silk has been replaced almost completly with
lining fabrics of
man-made fibers.
crepe
A lightweight fabric of
silk,
rayon,
cotton,
wool, man-made, or blended fibers, and characterized by a crinkled surface. This surface is obtained through the use of crepe
yarns (
yarns that have such a high
twist that the
yarn kinks), and by chemical treatment with caustic soda, embossing, or weaving (usually with thicker
warp yarns and thinner filling
yarns). Although crepe is traditionally woven, crepe
yarns are now used to produce knit crepes.
crepe-backed satin
A two-faced fabric that can be used on either side. One is
satin whereas the reverse, made of twisted yarns, is
crepe.
crepe de Chine
Traditionally, a very
sheer, pebbly, washable
silk with the fabric degummed to produce crinkle. Today, it is a
sheer, flat
crepe in
silk or
man-made fibers. It is used for
lingerie, dresses, and blouses.
crepe georgette
A
sheer fabric, similar to
chiffon, made with a
crepe yarn that gives the fabric a
crepe appearance. See
chiffon and
crepe
crinkle crepe
A fabric with an taneven surface, created by use of caustic soda that causes it to shrink unevenly. Plisse is an example of a crinkle
crepe fabric. Crinkle
crepe and plisse usually have a larger pattern to surface irregularities than
crepe.
faille crepe
A
silk,
rayon,
acetate, or other man-made
fiber dress fabric with a decided wavy (crepe)
cord fillingwise. It is used for negligees, blouses, daytime and evening dresses, handbags, and trims.
finishing
"An overall term that usually refers to all processes, with the exception of coloring, to make fabric more acceptable (some experts also include coloring). Much of the look, feel, and behavior of a fab ric is determined by the finishing steps taken. Finishing can be mechanical (as in calendering) or chemical, or both. Special treatments are applied to fabrics during finishing to make them perform better, shrink less, resist flarnes, and repel water. Calendering refers to a process in which the fabric is passed through heated cylinders. This gives the fabric a lustrous surface and can also emboss it. Another important step in finishing, and usually the final process, is tentering
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 f
lames from spreading, it must be labeled as
fire resistant. See
fire resistant and
lame-retardant-fabric/180/f
lame-retardant-fabric.html" title="f
lame retardant fabric" class="normal">f
lame retardant fabric.
flat crepe
A firm, medium-weight
silk crepe with a soft, almost imperceptible crinkle. It has
creped fillings alternating with two S and two Z twists. The surface is fairly flat. Flat
crepe may also be made of
man-made fibers. It is used for dresses, negligees, and blouses. See
crepe de
chine,
functional finish
A special finish added to a fabric as une of the final steps in its manufacture that alters the performance and contributes a specific attribute to the fabric in some way. A water repellent finish, for example, is a functional finish because it prevents water from penetrating the fabric, thereby changing the function of the fabric. Other examples of special finishes are
soil release and crease resistant.
georgette
A soft,
sheer dull-
textured silk fabric, similar to chiffon, made with a
crepe yarn to give the fabric a
crepe appearance. The crepy surface is obtained by alternating right-hand and left hand
twist yarns in
warp and filling. It is used for summer and evening dresses. See
chiffon and
crepe.
glass fiber
Very fine flexible
fiber made from glass. It. is used extensively for curtains and draperies. Glass
fiber fabrics are very strong and wash well, but care should be taken to avoid getting small sp
linters of the glass yarns in the hands. Glass
fiber is stiff and has poor resistance to wear and
abrasion. It is also
fireproof. See
fireproof.
hackling
A combing process that prepares the
flax fibers for
spinning by removing short lengths of
fiber, leaving only longer ones and laying them parallel. It may be done by hand or by ma
chine.
interlining
A tayer of fabric placed between the outer fabric and the lining of the garment to add warmth. lt is most commonly found in coats and jackets. Interlinings are offen made of reprocessed
wool, but other materials such as polyester fiberfill may be used. See fiberfill, reprocessed
wool.
jacquard
A term used to describe fabrics with a woven or knitted pattern, whether or not they are made with a Jacquard attachment on the
loom. The Jacquard attachment for weaving and
knitting machines makes possible the manufacture of complicated, repeated geometrical designs in knits and wovens. See
dobby.
kapok
A fluffy
fiber that comes from the seed pods of the kapok tree found in the tropics. Kapok at one tirne was extremely popular for stuffing pillows and was also used in life preservers as it is naturally buoyant. Today, rnan-made
fibers have replaced kapok in many cases.
latex
The name for the liquid form of natural or man-made
rubber. It can be formed into
thread for use as an elastic
yarn. La
tex is also used extensively as part of the backing in the manufacture of rugs and at one time, was used extensively in corsets and brassieres. Now, however, although some la
tex foundation garments are still made, it has been largely replaced by
spandex. Solid la
tex is sometimes referred to as
rubber. See
spandex.
leather
The hide of an animal with the fur removed_ lt has been used throughout history for clothing and other purposes. Today, manmade fabrics that imitate leather are widely available. Common leather names include alligator,
buckskin, calfskin,
chamois, cordovan, cowhide, crocodile, doeskin,
grain leather, kid,
lambskin, morocco, nappa, patent, peccary, pigskin, pin
seal, reptile, reversed leather, Russian, shearling,
skiver, snakeskin, and
suede.
lingerie crepe
Pormerly called French
crepe because it was originally made in France. The
creped surface was made by embossing (pressing cloth over a
fleece blanket). Because it is no longer pressed, it is not a
crepe and it is used for
lingerie and spring and summer dresses.
loden cloth
A thick, heavy, napped fleecy coating fabric woven of coarse grade
wool in Austria and the German Tyrol. It is similar to
duffel cloth if made of
wool or the occasional
man-made fibers. Since the
wool has some grease, it is naturally water-repellent. lt is usually a light forest green color, called loden, from which it (gets its name. Loden cloth moves in and out of fashion everywhere except in those parts of Germany and Austria where loden jackets, suits, and coats are considered basic dress. Loden cloth is sometimes gray in color. See
duffel cloth.
Mackinaw
A thick, heavy, usually coarse fabric with a certain degree of natural water repellency. It was originally made of
wool, but other fibers such as acrylics are being used today. It was named for the blankets made by the Mackinaw Indians in Michigan. Mackinaw and similar fabrics are extremely popular for hunting jaekets and are usually plaid or checked. Mackinaw is also spelled Mackinac.
matelasse
A soft double or compound fabric with a quilted appearance. One of the fabrics that, like
cloque, has a blistered or quilted look to the design. Officially, the word matelasse implies the use of two different yarns that, when fini
shed, react differently to the
finishing resulting in a puckered effect in the fabric. In practice, the term matelasse is usually applied to luxury fabrics for evening wear, while a word such as
cloque is used for a similar fabric made from
cotton. The heavier type is used in draperies and upholstery, whereas
crepe matelasse is popular in dresses, semiformal and formal suits and wraps, and trimmings.
mock crepe
A term for fabrics that have the appearance of
crepe, but are not made from
crepe yarns. See
crepe.
momie cloth
A fabric made with a weave that produces a pebbled effect, similar to
crepe.
moss crepe
Officially, moss
crepe is made in a plain or
dobby weave with
rayon yarns that produce the moss-like effect. In practice, however, the term refers to any
crepe, including polyester, considered to have a moss-like surface. See weaving.
moth repellency
An example of the desirable quaIities that can be given to fabrics in the
finishing process. Some fabrics are treated with colorless chemicals, similar to dyestuffs, added to the dye bath. Another method atomizes the fabric with mothproofing chemicals. Fabrics that attract moths, such as woolens, can be treated for repellency. The treatment also repels other insects, such as carpet beetles. Wool rugs are almost always treated for moth repellency today.
motif
A design or color used alone or repeated on a fabric.
Moygashel
A trade name representing excellent quality in imported Irish
linen.
redaimed textile fibers
Fibers made into fabric (whether sold comrnercially or not) and then converted back into
fiber. Most reclaimed textile
fibers are
wool and other natural
fibers because it is extremely difficult to reclaim man-made
fibers. See reprocessed
fibers and reused
fibers.
recycled fiber
See reclaimed textile
fibers, reprocessed
fiber, and reused
fiber.
reprocessed fibers
Fibers obtained from scraps and clips of woven and felted fabrics made of previously urmsed woot that have been shredded back into
fiber form and then remade into new yarns. Reprocessed
fibers are usually
wool fibers and must be relabeled as reprocessed
wool ac
cording to Federal Trade Commission standards. Reprocessed
fibers are less desirable than new or virgin
fibers. See virgin Fiber.
crepe-backed satin
Creped-backed
satin can be used on either side. While the surface is
satin, the back is
crepe. It is mainly used for the production of clothing. Connected to:
crepe and
satin crepe.
satin crepe
A heavy
reversible fabric with
satin on one side and
crepe on the other. It is used in fall and winter dresses and linings.
shirting
Any lightweight fabric appropriate for shirts or blouses. The term top-weight (its opposite is bottom-weight) is often om-weight) is often used for this type of fabric instead of the word shirting. Some crepes and satins, as well as
voile and Oxford cloth, are examples of shirting fabrics although there are many others.
shoddy
Originally, a fabric made from reprocessed wool. Today, the word is used for a fabric - or anything else, for that matter - that is poorly made or made of inferior materials. See
reprocessed fibers and
reused wool.
showerproof
One of the many terms used to describe varying degrees of imperviousness to water. A showerproof fabric will repel water to a limited extent, but is not waterproof. See waterproof.
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:
sizing
Starch, gelatin, glue, wax, casein, or clay added to fabrics in the
finishing stages to give fabric additional body, a smoother appearance, and more weight. Cotton fabrics are those most commonly treated in this manner. At one time, sizing had to be replaced after each cleaning. Today, with more advanced
finishing techniques, sizing is rarely used and fabrics usually retain their initial appearance through cleaning. A few fabrics such as needlepoint
canvas are still sized so that they can be handled more easily. This in no way affects their final performance. Sizing also refers to the starch that is applied to the
warp yarns to help prevent
abrasion during the weaving process. This sizing is usually removed from the fabric in one of the
finishing steps.
spinning
A method of drawing out and
twisting together fibers to make a continuous
thread or
yarn. Spinning also refers to the manufacture of man-rnade fibers as they are formed by fcucing the
material from which they are rnade through a
spinneret. In conventional spinning, the tighter the
twist, the stronger the
yarn, but too tight a
twist can weaken the final
yarn. Crepe
yarns have such an extremely high
twist that the
yarn actually turns back on itself (kinks), producing the characteristic
crepe or corksc_rew look. Pabrics can be given shadow effects by the Lise of two
yarns which have been
twisted in opposite directions during spinning. This will strike each of these
yarns in a different way producing this effect. See
spinneret.
substrate
An underlying support or foundation. An example is a
fiber substrate prepared with a
mordant before dyeing.
carpet thread
A heavy
thread used for repairing carpets and for sewing on buttons. Carpet
thread was originally made of
cotton, but usually is made of polyester today.
cotton thread
Formerly the most common
thread, but difficult to find today. lt is usually made in two types. A plain
thread with a dull surface is called basting
thread. Mercerized
cotton thread has a shiny surface that enables it to slide smoothly through fabric and is suggested for general purpose sewing. Polyester
thread has replaced
cotton thread to a large extent. See
mercerization.
virgin fibers
Fibers never made into fabric before. The term is used primarily for
wool fibers to differentiate between these and reclaimed, repro cessed, and reused fibers. See
reprocessed fibers, reclaimed fibers, and reused fibers.
water repellent fabric
The chemical treatment of a fabric to reduce its affinity for water. Pores of the fabric are open, and the degree of repellency varies. A water repellent fab ric will give protection in a shower, but not in heavy rain. Water repellency is often created with wax or
silicone resin finishes that enable the pores of the fabric to stay open so that it is more comfortable to wear than
waterproof fabrics. Another name for water repellent is water resistant. See
waterproof fabric.
windbreaker
A jacket made of a closely woven fabric: or a fabric treated with a finish designed to prevent the passage of air. The fabric used in windbreakers offen has a degree of water repellency because of its tight construction.
wool crepe
Wool
crepe is made of
woolen or worsted yarns. The
crepe texture is achieved by keeping the
warp yarns loose.
