M
-
- Madras
- Alightweightplainweavecottonfabricwithastriped,plaid,orcheckedpattern.Atruemadraswillbleedwhenwashed.ThistypeoffabricisusuallyimportedfromIndia.End-usesaremen’sandwomen’sshirtsanddresses.
- Matelassé
- Amediumtoheavyweightluxuryfabricmadeinadoubleclothconstructiontocreateablisteredorquiltedsurface.Commonend-usesareupholstery,draperies,andeveningdresses.
- Melton
- Aheavyweight,dense,compacted,andtightlywovenwoolorwoolblendfabricusedmainlyforcoats.
- Mercerization
- Aprocessoftreatingacottonyarnorfabric,inwhichthefabricoryarnisimmersedinacausticsodasolutionandlaterneutralizedinacid.Theprocesscausesapermanentswellingofthefiber,resultinginanincreasedlusteronthesurfaceofthefabric,anincreasedaffinityfordyes,andincreasedstrength.
- Merino
- Atypeofwoolthatoriginatesfrompure-bredMerinosheep.ThebestMerinowoolcomesfromItaly.
- Mesh
- Atypeoffabriccharacterizedbyitsnet-likeopenappearance,andthespacesbetweentheyarns.Meshisavailableinavarietyofconstructionsincludingwovens,knits,laces,orcrochetedfabrics.
- MetallicFiber
- Aninorganicfibermadefrommineralsandmetals,blendedandextrudedtoformfibers.Thefiberisformedfromaflatribbonofmetal,coatedwithaprotectivelayerofplastic,whichreducestarnishing.Metalusedinapparelfabricispurelydecorative.
- Microfibers
- Thenamegiventoultra-finemanufacturedfibersandthenamegiventothetechnologyofdevelopingthesefibers.Fibersmadeusingmicrofibertechnology,producefiberswhichweighlessthan1.0denier.Thefabricsmadefromtheseextra-finefibersprovideasuperiorhand,agentledrape,andincrediblesoftness.Comparatively,microfibersaretwotimesfinerthansilk,threetimesfinerthancotton,eighttimesfinerthanwool,andonehundredtimesfinerthanahumanhair.Currently,therearefourtypesofmicrofibersbeingproduced.Theseincludeacrylicmicrofibers,nylonmicrofibers,polyestermicrofibers,andrayonmicrofibers.
- ModacrylicFiber
- Amanufacturedfibersimilartoacrylicincharacteristicsandend-uses.Modacrylicshaveahigherresistancetochemicalsandcombustionthanacrylic,butalsohavealowersafeironingtemperatureandahigherspecificgravitythanacrylic.
- Mohair
- HairfibersfromtheAngoragoat.End-usesincludesweaters,coats,suits,andscarves.
- Moiré
- Acordedfabric,usuallymadefromsilkoroneofthemanufacturedfibers,whichhasadistinctivewater-markedwavypatternonthefaceofthefabric.
- MoistureRegain
- Theamountofwateracompletelydryfiberwillabsorbfromtheairatastandardconditionof70degreesFandarelativehumidityof65%.Expressedasa%ofthedryfiberweight.
- MoistureTransport
- Themovementofwaterfromonesideofafabrictotheother,causedbycapillaryaction,wicking,chemicalorelectrostaticaction.
- Monk’sCloth
- Aheavyweightcottonfabricutilizingthebasketweavevariationoftheplainweave.Usedfordraperiesandslipcovers,monk’sclothisanexampleof4x4basketweave.Ithaspoordimensionalstabilityandtendstosnag.
- Monofilament
- Asinglefilamentofamanufacturedfiber,usuallymadeinadenierhigherthan14.Monofilamentsareusuallyspunsingularly,ratherthanextrudedasagroupoffilamentsthroughaspinneretandspunintoayarn.End-usesincludehosieryandsewingthread.
- Muslin
- Aninexpensive,mediumweight,plainweave,lowcount(lessthan160threadspersquareinch)cottonsheetingfabric.Initsunfinishedform,itiscommonlyusedinfashiondesigntomaketrialgarmentsforpreliminaryfit.
N
-
- Nainsook
- Alightweightplainweavecottonfabric,usuallyfinishedtocreatealusterandasofthand.Commonend-usesareinfants’wear,blouses,andlingerie.
- Nap
- Afuzzy,fur-likefeelcreatedwhenfiberendsextendfromthebasicfabricstructuretothefabricsurface.Thefabriccanbenappedoneitheroneorbothsides.
- Net
- Anopenfabric,whichiscreatedbyconnectingtheintersectionsinawoven,knitted,orcrochetedconstructiontoformamesh-likeappearancethatwon’travel.End-usesincludeveils,curtains,andfishnets.
- Ninon
- Alightweight,plainweave,madeofsilkormanufacturedfibers,withanopenmesh-likeappearance.Sincethefabricismadewithhightwistfilamentyarns,ithasacrisphand.Endusesincludeeveningwearandcurtains.
- NonwovenFabric
- Fabricsmadedirectlyfromindividualfibersthataremattedtogetherbyforminganinterlockingweboffiberseithermechanically(tanglingtogether)orchemically(gluing,bonding,ormeltingtogether).
- NoveltyYarn
- Ayarnthatisintentionallyproducedtohaveaspecialoruniqueeffect.Theseeffectscanbeproducedbytwistingtogetherunevensingleyarns,byusingyarnsthatcontainirregularities,orbytwistingyarnsthatcontainacolorvariance.Aslubbedyarnisanexampleofanoveltyyarn.
- Nylon
- Producedin1938,thefirstcompletelysyntheticfiberdeveloped.Knownforitshighstrengthandexcellentresilience,nylonhassuperiorabrasionresistanceandhighflexibility.
- Nytril
- Amanufacturedfiber,mostoftenusedinsweatersorpilefabrics,wherelittleornopressingisrecommended,asthefiberhasalowsofteningormeltingpoint.However,ithasalsobeensuccessfullyusedinblendswithwoolforthepurposeofminimizingshrinkageandimprovingtheshaperetentioningarments.
O
-
- Olefin(alsoknownaspolyolefinandpolypropylene)
- Amanufacturedfibercharacterizedbyitslightweight,highstrength,andabrasionresistance.Olefinisalsogoodattransportingmoisture,creatingawickingaction.End-usesincludeactivewearapparel,rope,indoor-outdoorcarpets,lawnfurniture,andupholstery.
- Organdy
- Astiffened,sheer,lightweightplainweavefabric,withamediumtohighyarncount.End-usesincludeblouses,dresses,andcurtains/draperies.
- Organza
- Acrisp,sheer,lightweightplainweavefabric,withamediumtohighyarncount,madeofsilk,rayon,nylon,orpolyester.Thefabricisusedprimarilyineveningandweddingapparelforwomen.
- Osnaburg
- Atoughmediumtoheavyweightcoarselywovenplainweavefabric,usuallymadeofacottonorcotton/polyblend.Lowergradesoftheunfinishedfabricareusedforsuchindustrialpurposesasbags,sacks,pipecoverings.Highergradesoffinishedosnaburgcanbefoundinmattressticking,slipcovers,workwear,andapparel.
- Ottoman
- Atightlywovenplainweaveribbedfabricwithahardslightlylusteredsurface.Theribbedeffectiscreatedbyweavingafinersilkormanufacturedwarpyarnwithaheavierfilleryarn,usuallymadeofcotton,wool,orwasteyarn.Intheconstruction,theheavierfilleryarniscompletelycoveredbythewarpyarn,thuscreatingtheribbedeffect.Endusesforthisfabricincludecoats,suits,dresses,upholstery,anddraperies.
- Oxford
- Afine,soft,lightweightwovencottonorblendedwithmanufacturedfibersina2x1basketweavevariationoftheplainweaveconstruction.Thefabricisusedprimarilyinshirtings.
P
-
- Paisley
- Atear-dropshaped,fancyprintedpattern,usedindresses,blouses,andmen’sties.
- PannéVelvet
- Atypeoflustrous,lightweightvelvetfabric,usuallymadeofsilkoramanufacturedfiber,inwhichthepilehasbeenflattenedinonedirection.
- PeaudeSoie
- Aheavytwillweavedrapeablesatinfabric,madeofsilkoramanufacturedfiber,andusedforbridalgownsandeveningwear.
- Percale
- Amediumweight,plainweave,lowtomediumcount(180to250threadspersquareinch)cotton-likefabric.End-usesincludesheets,blouses,anddresses.
- PileKnit
- Atypeofknitconstructionwhichutilizesaspecialyarnorasliverthatisinterloopedintoastandardknitbase.Thisconstructionisusedintheformationofimitationfurfabrics,inspeciallinersforcoldweatherapparelsuchasjacketsandcoats,andinsomefloorcoverings.Whileanybasicknitstitchmaybeusedforthebaseofpileknits,themostcommonisthejerseystitch.
- PileWeave
- Atypeofdecorativeweaveinwhichapileisformedbyadditionalwarporfillingyarnsinterlacedinsuchawaythatloopsareformedonthesurfaceorfaceofthefabric.Theloopsmaybeleftuncut,ortheymaybecuttoexposeyarnendsandproducecutpilefabric.
- Pill
- Atangledballoffibersthatappearsonthesurfaceofafabric,asaresultofwearorcontinuedfrictionorrubbingonthesurfaceofthefabric.
- Piqué
- Amedium-weightfabric,eitherknitorwoven,withraiseddobbydesignsincludingcords,wales,waffles,orpatterns.Wovenversionshavecordsrunninglengthwise,orinthewarpdirection.Knittedversionsaredouble-knitfabricconstructions,createdonmulti-feedcircularknittingmachines.
- PlainWeave
- Abasicweave,utilizingasimplealternateinterlacingofwarpandfillingyarns.Anytypeofyarnmadefromanytypeoffibercanbemanufacturedintoaplainweavefabric.
- PliedYarn
- Atwistingtogetheroftwoormoresingleyarnsinoneoperation.
- Plissé
- Alightweight,plainweave,fabric,madefromcotton,rayon,oracetate,andcharacterizedbyapuckeredstripedeffect,usuallyinthewarpdirection.Thecrinkledeffectiscreatedthroughtheapplicationofacausticsodasolution,whichshrinksthefabricintheareasofthefabricwhereitisapplied.Plisséissimilarinappearancetoseersucker.End-usesincludedresses,shirtings,pajamas,andbedspreads.
- Polyester
- Amanufacturedfiberintroducedintheearly1950s,andissecondonlytocottoninworldwideuse.Polyesterhashighstrength(althoughsomewhatlowerthannylon),excellentresiliency,andhighabrasionresistance.Lowabsorbencyallowsthefibertodryquickly.
- Polypropylene(alsoknownaspolyolefinandOlefin)
- Amanufacturedfibercharacterizedbyitslightweight,highstrength,andabrasionresistance.Polypropyleneisalsogoodattransportingmoisture,creatingawickingaction.End-usesincludeactivewearapparel,rope,indoor-outdoorcarpets,lawnfurniture,andupholstery.
- Pongee
- Themostcommonformisanaturallycoloredlightweight,plainweave,silk-likefabricwithaslubbedeffect.End-usesincludeblouses,dresses,etc.
- Poplin
- Afabricmadeusingaribvariationoftheplainweave.Theconstructionischaracterizedbyhavingaslightridgeeffectinonedirection,usuallythefilling.Poplinusedtobeassociatedwithcasualclothing,butasthe"worldofwork"hasbecomemorerelaxed,thisfabrichasdevelopedintoastapleofmen’swardrobes,beingusedfrequentlyincasualtrousers.
- PurlStitch
- Abasicstitchusedinweftknitting,whichproducesknitfabricsthathavethesameappearanceonbothsides.Thepurlstitchisfrequentlyusedincombinationwiththejerseyandribstitchestoproduceaknittedfabricdesign.Sweaters,knittedfabricsforinfantsandchildren’swear,knittedfabricsforspecializedsportswear,andbulkyknitfabricsarecommonlymadeusingthepurlstitch.
