Acrylic: Fibers used to weave more
durable, easily laundered fabrics that resist shrinkage. It is a durable
fiber with a soft, woolly feel. It has an uneven surface, making it
different from most manufactured fibers. It comes in a variety of colors,
and can be dyed easily. It is resistant to sun and chemicals.
Cashmere: Cashmere is a luxury fiber from the Kashmir goat found in Kashmir India, Tibet, Iran,
Iraq, China, Persia, Turkistan and Outer Mongolia. Characteristics: Fiber
is cylindrical, soft and silken. A luxurious fiber more like wool than any
other hair fiber it has a very soft silky finish; very light in weight. Cashmere is one of
the finest natural fibers known to
man.
Chiffon:
Fiber: Silk, rayon, cotton, synthetics. Weave: Plain Characteristics: A
light diaphanous fabric of silk, nylon, etc Lightweight, sheer,
transparent. Made with very fine, tightly twisted yarns. The tightly
twisted yarns could be either in the filling or the warp or both. It is
very strong, despite filmy look. Wears very well. It is very difficult to
handle when sewing and it is best to baste the pieces over tissue to make
it easier. It has slightly bumpy look. It is best suited to shirring,
draping, gathering, tucking, etc., because it is so limp. Uses: After 5 wear, blouses, scarves.
Derivation: French from chiffe ‘rag’
Cotton: A
natural vegetable fiber of great economic importance as a raw material for
cloth. Its widespread use is largely due to the ease with which its fibers
are spun into yarns. Cotton's strength, absorbency, and capacity to be
washed and dyed also make it adaptable to a considerable variety of
textile products. It is one of the world's major textile fibers. Conventional cotton crops are
also one of the heaviest users of toxic pesticides and fertilizers which
pollutes the environment and our health.
Flax:
This fiber is taken from the stalk
of the Linum usitaatissimum plant. It is a long, smooth fiber and is
cylindrical in shape. its length varies from 6 to 40 inches but on average
is between 15 and 25 inches. its color is usually off-white or tan and due
to its natural wax content, flax has excellent luster. It is considered to
be the strongest of the vegetable fibers and is highly absorbent, allowing
moisture to evaporate with speed. It conducts heat well and can be readily
boiled. It's wash ability is great, however, it has poor elasticity and
does not easily return to its original shape after creasing. Uses: Apparel
fabric. When processed into fabric it is called linen.
Georgette:
Weave: Plain Characteristics: A
thin silk or crêpe dress material. Usually done in silk but can also be
found in manufactured fibers. It is characterized by its crispness, body
and outstanding durability. It is sheer and has a dull face.
Derivation: Named after Georgette de la Plante (c.. 1900), French
dressmaker
Georgette Crepe: Lightweight,
heavy, sheer fabric. Has quite a bit of stiffness and body. gives
excellent wear. Has a dull, crinkled surface. Achieved by alternating S
and Z yarns in a high twist in both warp and filling directions. Georgette
has a harder, duller, more crinkled feel and appearance than Crêpe de
chine. Uses: After 5 wear and dressy afternoon and weddings, lingerie,
scarves, etc.
Iridescent
Taffeta. A plain weave cross dyed shiny fabric that changes color
from different angles.
Jacquard: A woven design made with the aid
of a jacquard head (this constitutes a jacquard
loom)
and may vary from simple, self-colored, spot effects to elaborate,
multicolored all-over effects. The loom operates a bit like the
roller on a player piano. But instead of notes, it gives instructions to
the machine on how to create the design.
Derivation: Named after J. M. Jacquard, French inventor of the loom
d. 1834
Lenpur: is a new cellulosic fibre (US Patent 005899784°) which owes its characteristics to a specific type of timber used for its production. It differs from the other cellulosic fibers due to its softness, for its
capacity of absorption and ability to release dampness (as yarn and fabric), its anti-odor properties and its absorption characteristics.
Linen:
Cloth woven from flax.
Derivation:
Old English linen from West Germanic: related to obsolete line ‘flax’
See
Flax
Merino Wool: Made from any of a breed of sheep, originally from Spain, having long fine
wool. Merino wool is
the "golden fleece" of wool – prized throughout the world for its lustrous
softness and long wear. Its fibers are as fine as cashmere and are highly
crimped so they are strong and elastic.
Mohair:: Mohair is a luxury fiber from the angora goat. It
is a silky, lustrous, versatile and durable natural, animal fiber which is
non-flammable, washable, wrinkle, stretch-resistant and soil-resistant. One of the world's warmest natural, each fiber is naturally smooth, so people who find wool irritating are often pleased with mohair's silkiness.
Organza:
Fiber: Silk, rayon. Weave: Plain.
Characteristics: A thin stiff transparent silk or synthetic dress fabric.
Fine, sheer, lightweight, crisp fabric. It has a very wiry feel. It
crushes or musses fairly easily, but it is easily pressed. Dressy type of
fabric, sometimes has a silvery sheen. Uses: All types of after 5 dresses,
trimming, neckwear, millinery, and underlinings for delicate, sheer
materials, as well as an underlining for other fabrics that require a bit
of stiffness without weight.
Derivation: probably from Lorganza (US trade name)
Polyamide: A man–made
material used for clothes and other items characterized by more than one
amide group similar to Nylon.
Polyamide is an absorbing and quick drying fiber. It can hold up to 20x
its weight in water. Used widely in outdoor clothing and gear.
Poplin:
Fiber: Cotton, wool, and other textile fibers. Weave: Crosswise rib. The
filling is cylindrical. Two or three times as many warp as weft per inch.
Characteristics: A plain-woven fabric usu. of cotton, with a corded
surface. Has a more pronounced filling effect than broadcloth. It is
mercerized and has quite a high luster. It may be bleached, or dyed
(usually vat dyes are used) or printed. Heavy poplin is given a
water-repellent finish for outdoor use. Originally made with silk warp and
a heavier wool filling.
Derivation: obsolete French papeline, perhaps from Italian papalina
(fem.)
Satin:
A fabric of silk or various
man-made fibers, with a glossy surface on one side produced by a twill
weave with the weft-threads almost hidden. Characteristics: Originated in
China (Zaytoun, China - now Canton - a port from which satins were
exported during the Middle Ages). Became known in Europe during the 12th,
and 13th Centuries in Italy. Became known in England by the 14th Century.
It became a favorite of all court life because of its exquisite qualities
and feel. Usually has a lustrous surface and a dull back. The luster is
produced by running it between hot cylinders. Uses: Slips, evening
dresses, coats, capes, and jackets, lining fabrics, millinery, drapes,
covers, and pillows, trimmings, etc.
Derivation: From Latin seta Silk
Satin-back:
Satin on one side and anything on
the other. e.g. very good velvet ribbon has velvet on one side and satin
on the other.
Satin-back Crepe:
A reversible cloth with satin on one side and Crêpe on the other.
Silk:
It is obtained from cocoons of
certain species of caterpillars. It is soft and has a brilliant sheen. It
is one of the finest textiles. It is also very strong and absorbent.
Silk is one of the oldest known textile
fibers and, according to Chinese tradition, was used as long ago as the
27th century BC. The silkworm moth was originally a native of China, and
for about 30 centuries the gathering and weaving of silk was a secret
process, known only to the Chinese.
Soutache: A narrow flat braid in a herringbone pattern, used for
trimming and embroidery.
Derivation:
French, from Hungarian
sujtás.
Taffeta:
Fiber: Silk, rayon,
synthetics. Weave: Usually plain with a fine cross
rib.
Characteristics: Lustrous silk or rayon fabric of plain weave. A cloth
supposed to have originated in Iran (Persia) ad was called "taftah"
(a fine silk fabric) - (in 16th century, became a luxury for women's
wear). It is made in plain colors, fancy prints, watered designs, and
changeable effects. It is smooth with a sheen on its surface. The textures
vary considerably. They have a crispness and stiffness.
Uses: All kinds of after 5 wear, dressy evening wear: suits and coats,
slips, ribbons, blouses, umbrella fabric. It is quite a dressy fabric.
Derivation: From Persian taftah silken or linen cloth
A fabric made from the cellulose found in wood pulp which is processed into a silk-like, delicate fabric.
Tulle
Fiber: Silk,
nylon, cotton. Weave: Gauze, knotted, leno, made on a lace machine.
Characteristics: a soft fine silk etc. net for veils and dresses. First
made by Machine in 1768. Has a hexagonal mesh and is stiff. It is
difficult to launder. Comes is white and colors, and is very cool, dressy,
and delicate. Uses: It is a stately type of fabric when used for formal
wear, and weddings. It is also used for ballet costumes and wedding veils.
Derivation: Tulle, a town in SW France,
where it was first made
Velvet:
A closely woven fabric
of silk, cotton, etc., with a thick short pile on one side. Mostly made
with a plain back but some with a twill. Better velvet may be crush
resistant, water resistant, and drapes well. Has to be handled with care,
and pressed on a velvet board. It has the tendency to add weight to the
figure.
Derivation: Middle English via Old French veluotte from velu ‘velvety’,
via medieval Latin villutus from Latin villus ‘tuft, down’
Viscose:
Viscose
fabrics have a silky to matte luster with an elegant flowing drape. The
natural effect of the colors gives them an attractive look. Viscose is
supple and has a softness that is comfortable to wear. As they can absorb
perspiration quite quickly, making them very skin-friendly, but with poor
thermal properties. Cellulose, usually derived from tree trunks, is
converted into a highly viscous state and spun into a fiber by forcing it
through spinneret holes.
Derivation: Late Latin viscosus (as
VISCOUS)
Voil Fiber:
Cotton - also wool and called "Voilé de laine". Weave: Plain, loosely
woven. Characteristics: A thin semi-transparent dress material of cotton,
wool, or silk. Sheer and very light weight. Usually made with cylindrical
combed
yarns. To obtain a top quality fabric, very highly twisted yarns are
used. Voilé drapes and gathers very well. The clear surface is obtained by
singeing away any fuzzy yarns. Has a hard finish and crisp, sometimes wiry
hand. "Voilé de Laine" is wool Voilé. Uses: Dresses, blouses, curtains.
Derivation: French, = VEIL
Wool:
is made from the hair of various animals such
as sheep, llamas, camels and goats. It is very resilient and resistant to
wrinkling. It is renewed by moisture and well known for its warmth.
Derivation: Middle English wole
Compiled in part from All-About-Fabrics.com
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