| Term | Abbreviation | Meaning | Usage |
| Basket weave | | A fabric woven 1end up, 1 end down. | Guess where the basket weave originated! |
| Basket weave | | A fabric woven 1end up, 1 end down. | Guess where the basket weave originated! |
| Body | | The fullness of a fabric. This is a subjective quality pertaining to a lack of limpness and/or stiffness. A fabric is said to have good body when it has a full, rich, supple hand. | This fabric has good body to it. |
| Body | | The fullness of a fabric. This is a subjective quality pertaining to a lack of limpness and/or stiffness. A fabric is said to have good body when it has a full, rich, supple hand. | This fabric has good body to it. |
| Brushing | | A finishing process whereby the surface of the fabric is scratched to pull fibers up from the yarn and produce a soft, fuzzy surface. Often confused with sueding. | Flannelette is brushed. |
| Brushing | | A finishing process whereby the surface of the fabric is scratched to pull fibers up from the yarn and produce a soft, fuzzy surface. Often confused with sueding. | Flannelette is brushed. |
| Cotton Count | CC | The number of 840 yard lengths (of spun yarn) per pound. Thus, a 1’s CC yarn is 840 yards per pound, whereas a 20’s CC is 16,800 yards per pound. | T-shirts are commonly made with 20’s CC yarn. |
| Cotton Count | CC | The number of 840 yard lengths (of spun yarn) per pound. Thus, a 1’s CC yarn is 840 yards per pound, whereas a 20’s CC is 16,800 yards per pound. | T-shirts are commonly made with 20’s CC yarn. |
| Creep | | The degree (usually expressed in %) to which a spandex fabric contracts when all tension is removed (i.e. unrolled). This is not to be confused with the more common descriptive usage, where the term is applied pejoratively to an acquaintance! | 6% spandex fabrics typically creep x%. |
| Creep | | The degree (usually expressed in %) to which a spandex fabric contracts when all tension is removed (i.e. unrolled). This is not to be confused with the more common descriptive usage, where the term is applied pejoratively to an acquaintance! | 6% spandex fabrics typically creep x%. |
| Crocking | | The transfer of dye stuff from one fabric to another by friction. This problem is usually worse with darker shades. Reds are often a problem in this respect. This is a dyeing problem and can be dealt with in the dyehouse. | The red crocks, but the blue does not. |
| Crocking | | The transfer of dye stuff from one fabric to another by friction. This problem is usually worse with darker shades. Reds are often a problem in this respect. This is a dyeing problem and can be dealt with in the dyehouse. | The red crocks, but the blue does not. |
| Cuttable width | | The maximum width that can be cut. | The cuttable width is 58". |
| Cuttable width | | The maximum width that can be cut. | The cuttable width is 58". |
| Decitex | d'tex | The weight in grams of 10,000 m of (filament) yarn. | This fabric is woven from 1100 d’tex polyester yarn. |
| Decitex | d'tex | The weight in grams of 10,000 m of (filament) yarn. | This fabric is woven from 1100 d’tex polyester yarn. |
| Denier | D | The weight in grams of 9000 m of (filament) yarn. This measure is still commonly used in the USA, but in the metric world, it has been generally replaced by tex (and/or d’tex). Normally used only for filament yarn. | This yarn is available in 1260 denier. |
| Denier | D | The weight in grams of 9000 m of (filament) yarn. This measure is still commonly used in the USA, but in the metric world, it has been generally replaced by tex (and/or d’tex). Normally used only for filament yarn. | This yarn is available in 1260 denier. |
| Double Knit | | A fabric formed with the stitches in two planes at right angles to each other. | Double knits are generally more stable than single knits, but less so than wovens. |
| Double Knit | | A fabric formed with the stitches in two planes at right angles to each other. | Double knits are generally more stable than single knits, but less so than wovens. |
| Doubled-and-rolled | | Folded in half lengthwise and rolled on a flat board, thus making a "Bolt" as commonly in Retail fabric stores, tailor shops, etc. Used only for "short" pieces. Pronounced "double 'n roll". | The tailor shop was full of double-and-rolled goods. |
| Doubled-and-rolled | | Folded in half lengthwise and rolled on a flat board, thus making a "Bolt" as commonly in Retail fabric stores, tailor shops, etc. Used only for "short" pieces. Pronounced "double 'n roll". | The tailor shop was full of double-and-rolled goods. |
| Drape | | The way a fabric hangs (on a body). | This fabric drapes beautifully. |
| Drape | | The way a fabric hangs (on a body). | This fabric drapes beautifully. |
| End | | A warp yarn. | This is a 126 end (per inch) fabric. |
| End | | A warp yarn. | This is a 126 end (per inch) fabric. |
| Herringbone | | A broken twill, vis. The direction of the twill is reversed at regular intervals, producing a pattern of nested V's. | Herringbones are frequently seen in mens' and womens' suitings. |
| Herringbone | | A broken twill, vis. The direction of the twill is reversed at regular intervals, producing a pattern of nested V's. | Herringbones are frequently seen in mens' and womens' suitings. |
| Hopsack | | A fabric woven with 2 ends up and 2 ends down. | Cotton Oxford is generally a hopsack weave. |
| Hopsack | | A fabric woven with 2 ends up and 2 ends down. | Cotton Oxford is generally a hopsack weave. |
| Jacquard | | A pattern knit or woven into a fabric; either a surface effect, or a pattern produced with coloured yarns. In common useage, jacquards tend to be heavier patterns than pointelles. | Jacquards come and go in popularity - like everything else! |
| Jacquard | | A pattern knit or woven into a fabric; either a surface effect, or a pattern produced with coloured yarns. In common useage, jacquards tend to be heavier patterns than pointelles. | Jacquards come and go in popularity - like everything else! |
| Latent defect | | A defect which is present, but not fairly visible or detectable under reasonable examination. | Disputes are common over latent defects! |
| Latent defect | | A defect which is present, but not fairly visible or detectable under reasonable examination. | Disputes are common over latent defects! |
| Metamerism | | An effect whereby different colours (i.e. shades) look the same (or the same shade looks different) under various conditions. | The term "Observer metamerism" is used when two swatches appear to some observers (or instruments) to have the same colour, but to other observers the same swatches do not match. |
| Metamerism | | An effect whereby different colours (i.e. shades) look the same (or the same shade looks different) under various conditions. | The term "Observer metamerism" is used when two swatches appear to some observers (or instruments) to have the same colour, but to other observers the same swatches do not match. |
| Napped | | Generally used as a synonym for "Brushed." | Flannelette is napped. |
| Napped | | Generally used as a synonym for "Brushed." | Flannelette is napped. |
| Neps | | Small bundle of tangled undeveloped cotton fibres. The undeveloped cotton does not take dyestuff, and thus neps appear as small white dots in fabric. Normally used in the plural, as you seldom find just one nep. | This fabric is full of neps! |
| Neps | | Small bundle of tangled undeveloped cotton fibres. The undeveloped cotton does not take dyestuff, and thus neps appear as small white dots in fabric. Normally used in the plural, as you seldom find just one nep. | This fabric is full of neps! |
| Patent defect | | A defect which is apparent under reasonable examination. | Holes are a patent defect. |
| Patent defect | | A defect which is apparent under reasonable examination. | Holes are a patent defect. |
| Pick | | A weft yarn. | How many picks per inch in that fabric? |
| Pick | | A weft yarn. | How many picks per inch in that fabric? |
| Piece goods | | Textiles. Fabric; either woven or knit, not not non-wovens. Sometimes used to distinguish doubled-and rolled from rolled goods in Retail textiles. | He sells piece goods for a living, poor fellow! |
| Piece goods | | Textiles. Fabric; either woven or knit, not not non-wovens. Sometimes used to distinguish doubled-and rolled from rolled goods in Retail textiles. | He sells piece goods for a living, poor fellow! |
| Plain weave | | A fabric woven 1end up, 1 end down. | Men's dress shirts are generally of plain woven fabric (broadcloth). |
| Plain weave | | A fabric woven 1end up, 1 end down. | Men's dress shirts are generally of plain woven fabric (broadcloth). |
| Pointelle | | A pattern, usually feminine, knit into a fabric. | This top is from a rib pointelle. |
| Pointelle | | A pattern, usually feminine, knit into a fabric. | This top is from a rib pointelle. |
| Polynosic | | Polynosic is a high wet modulus rayon. To the consumer, the main difference between ordinary rayon and polynosic is that the latter is MACHINE WASHABLE (and dryable)! | And here we have a similar fabric in polynosic. |
| Polynosic | | Polynosic is a high wet modulus rayon. To the consumer, the main difference between ordinary rayon and polynosic is that the latter is MACHINE WASHABLE (and dryable)! | And here we have a similar fabric in polynosic. |
| Power | | The force with which a fabric containing spandex (or rubber) springs back to its pre-stretched position. | Generally, the higher the spandex content, the greater the power. |
| Power | | The force with which a fabric containing spandex (or rubber) springs back to its pre-stretched position. | Generally, the higher the spandex content, the greater the power. |
| Roll goods | | I haven't heard this term for years, but it means textiles on rolls. | We sell piece goods and roll goods. |
| Roll goods | | I haven't heard this term for years, but it means textiles on rolls. | We sell piece goods and roll goods. |
| Single Knit | | A fabric formed with the stitches in a single plane. | The common T-shirt is made from s single knit. |
| Single Knit | | A fabric formed with the stitches in a single plane. | The common T-shirt is made from s single knit. |
| Split | | Broken yarn in one direction in a woven fabric. Usually a series of weft yarns broken between the same two ends. Quite common in tire cord fabric. | There are too many splits in this fabric! |
| Split | | Broken yarn in one direction in a woven fabric. Usually a series of weft yarns broken between the same two ends. Quite common in tire cord fabric. | There are too many splits in this fabric! |
| Sueding | | A finishing process during which the fabric is passed over abrasive rollers producing a (usually very short) nap. | That fabric is sueded, not brushed. |
| Sueding | | A finishing process during which the fabric is passed over abrasive rollers producing a (usually very short) nap. | That fabric is sueded, not brushed. |
| Tex | | The weight in grams of 1000 m of (filament) yarn. | This cord is made from 94 tex Nylon. |
| Tex | | The weight in grams of 1000 m of (filament) yarn. | This cord is made from 94 tex Nylon. |
| Torque | | The twisting of a garment, or part of a garment after washing due to forces in the yarn. A common problem in jersey T-shirts and the legs of demin jeans. | One of the legs in my new jeans torqued! |
| Torque | | The twisting of a garment, or part of a garment after washing due to forces in the yarn. A common problem in jersey T-shirts and the legs of demin jeans. | One of the legs in my new jeans torqued! |
| Twill | | A woven fabric with a diagonal ridge. | Denim is a yarn dyed cotton twill. |
| Twill | | A woven fabric with a diagonal ridge. | Denim is a yarn dyed cotton twill. |
| Width | | The distance between the edges of a fabric, generally measured as the fabric is rolled. | What's the width? |
| Width | | The distance between the edges of a fabric, generally measured as the fabric is rolled. | What's the width? |
