A
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- Absorbency
- Theabilityofafabrictotakeinmoisture.Absorbencyisaveryimportantproperty,whicheffectsmanyothercharacteristicssuchasskincomfort,staticbuild-up,shrinkage,stainremoval,waterrepellency,andwrinklerecovery.
- Acetate
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- Amanufacturedfiberformedbycompoundofcellulose,refinedfromcottonlintersand/orwoodpulp,andacedicacidthathasbeenextrudedthroughaspinneretandthenhardened.
- Acrylic
- Amanufacturedfiberderivedfrompolyacrylonitrile.Itsmajorpropertiesincludeasoft,wool-likehand,machinewashableanddryable,excellentcolorretention.Solution-dyedversionshaveexcellentresistancetosunlightandchlorinedegradation.
- Alpaca
- AnaturalhairfiberobtainedfromtheAlpacasheep,adomesticatedmemberofthellamafamily.Thefiberismostcommonlyusedinfabricsmadeintodresses,suits,coats,andsweaters.
- Angora
- ThehairoftheAngoragoat.AlsoknownasAngoramohair.AngoramayalsoapplytothefuroftheAngorarabbit.However,accordingtotheU.S.FederalTradeCommission,anyapparelcontainingAngorarabbithairmustbelabeledas"Angorarabbithair"onthegarment.
B
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- Barré
- Animperfection,characterizedbyaridgeormarkrunninginthecrosswiseorlengthwisedirectionsofthefabric.Barr巗canbecausedbytensionvariationsintheknittingprocess,poorqualityyarns,problemsduringthefinishingprocess.
- BasketWeave
- Avariationoftheplainweaveconstruction,formedbytreatingtwoormorewarpyarnsand/ortwoormorefillingyarnsasoneunitintheweavingprocess.Yarnsinabasketweavearelaidintothewovenconstructionflat,andmaintainaparallelrelationship.Bothbalancedandunbalancedbasketweavefabricscanbeproduced.Examplesofbasketweaveconstructionincludesmonkclothandoxfordcloth.
- BastFiber
- Strong,soft,woodyfibers,suchasflax,jute,hemp,andramie,whichareobtainedfromtheinnerbarkinthestemsofcertainplants.
- Batiste
- Amedium-weight,plainweavefabric,usuallymadeofcottonorcottonblends.End-usesincludeblousesanddresses.
- BedfordCord
- Acordcotton-likefabricwithraisedridgesinthelengthwisedirection.Sincethefabrichasahighstrengthandahighdurability,itisoftenusedforupholsteryandworkclothes.
- Blend
- Atermappliedtoayarnorafabricthatismadeupofmorethanonefiber.Inblendedyarns,twoormoredifferenttypesofstaplefibersaretwistedorspuntogethertoformtheyarn.Examplesofatypicalblendedyarnorfabricispolyester/cotton.
- Boucle
- Aknitorwovenfabricmadefromarough,curly,knottedboucleyarn.Thefabrichasalooped,knottedsurfaceandisoftenusedinsportswearandcoats.
- Broadcloth
- Aplainweavetightlywovenfabric,characterizedbyaslightridgeeffectinonedirection,usuallythefilling.Themostcommonbroadclothismadefromcottonorcotton/polyesterblends.
- Brocade
- Aheavy,exquisitejacquardtypefabricwithanall-overraisedpatternorfloraldesign.Commonend-usesincludesuchformalapplicationsasupholstery,draperies,andeveningwear.
- Burlap
- Alooselyconstructed,heavyweight,plainweavefabricusedasacarpetbacking,andasinexpensivepackagingforsacksofgrainorrice.Also,asfashiondictates,burlapmayalsoappearasadraperyfabric.
- Burn-out
- Abrocade-likepatterneffectcreatedonthefabricthroughtheapplicationofachemical,insteadofcolor,duringtheburn-outprintingprocess.(Sulfuricacid,mixedintoacolorlessprintpaste,isthemostcommonchemicalused.)Manysimulatedeyeleteffectscanbecreatedusingthismethod.Intheseinstances,thechemicaldestroysthefiberandcreatesaholeinthefabricinaspecificdesign,wherethechemicalcomesincontactwiththefabric.Thefabricisthenover-printedwithasimulatedembroiderystitchtocreatetheeyeleteffect.However,burn-outeffectscanalsobecreatedonvelvetsmadeofblendedfibers,inwhichthegroundfabricisofonefiberlikeapolyester,andthepilemaybeofacellulosicfiberlikerayonoracetate.Inthiscase,whenthechemicalisprintedinacertainpattern,itdestroysthepileinthoseareaswherethechemicalcomesincontactwiththefabric,butleavethegroundfabricunharmed.
C
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- Calendering
- Aprocessforfinishingfabricsinwhichsuchspecialeffectsashighluster,glazing,embossing,andmoiréareproduced.
- Calico
- Atightly-wovencottontypefabricwithanall-overprint,usuallyasmallfloralpatternonacontrastingbackgroundcolor.Commonend-usesincludedresses,aprons,andquilts.
- Camel’sHair
- AnaturalfiberobtainedfromthehairoftheBactriancamel,atwo-humpedpack-carryingspecies.Thefiberisusedprimarilyincoats,sweaters,andsuits.
- Carding
- Aprocesswhicheliminatesfiberstooshortforinclusioninthespunyarn.Theprocessalsoremovesdirtandforeignmatterstillremaininginthefibermass,andarrangesthefibersintoaverythinlayer.
- Cashmere
- AluxuryfiberobtainedfromthesoftfleecyundergrowthoftheKashmirgoatofTibet,Mongolia,China,Iran,Iraq,andIndia.Mostcommonlyusedinsweaters,shawls,suits,coats,anddresses.
- Cellulose
- Amaterialderivedfromthecellwallsofcertainplants.Celluloseisusedintheproductionofmanyvegetablefibers,aswellasbeingthemajorrawmaterialcomponentusedintheproductionofthemanufacturedfibersofacetate,rayon,andtriacetate.
- Challis
- Alightweight,softplainweavefabricwithaslightlybrushedsurface.Thefabricisoftenprinted,usuallyinafloralpattern.Challisismostoftenseeninfabricsmadeofcotton,wool,orrayon.
- Chambray
- Aplainwovenfabricthatcanbemadefromcotton,silk,ormanufacturedfibers,butismostcommonlycotton.Itincorporatesacoloredwarp(oftenblue)andwhitefillingyarns.
- Chiffon
- Aplainwovenlightweight,extremelysheer,airy,andsoftsilkfabric,containinghighlytwistedfilamentyarns.Thefabric,usedmainlyineveningdressesandscarves,canalsobemadefromrayonandothermanufacturedfibers.
- Chintz
- Aplain-weavefabric,whichhasbeenglazedtoproduceapolishedlook.Usuallymadeofcotton,thisfabricismostcommonlyusedinblouses,dresses,draperies,andslipcovers.
- Colorfastness
- Atermusedtodescribeadyedfabric’sabilitytoresistfadingduetowashing,exposuretosunlight,andotherenvironmentalconditions.
- Combing
- Thecombingprocessisanadditionalstepbeyondcarding.Inthisprocessthefibersarearrangedinahighlyparallelform,andadditionalshortfibersareremoved,producinghighqualityyarnswithexcellentstrength,fineness,anduniformity.
- Corduroy
- Afabric,usuallymadeofcotton,utilizingacut-pileweaveconstruction.Extrasetsoffillingyarnsarewovenintothefabrictoformridgesofyarnonthesurface.Theridgesarebuiltsothatclearlinescanbeseenwhenthepileiscut.
- Core-SpunYarns
- Consistofafilamentbaseyarn,withanexteriorwrappingofloosefiberwhichhasnotbeentwistedintoayarn.Polyesterfilamentisoftenwrappedwithacottonouterlayerinordertoprovidethestrengthandresiliencyofpolyester,alongwiththemoisture-absorbentaestheticsanddyeaffinityofcotton.Sewingthreadaswellashouseholdandapparelfabricsaremadefromtheseyarns.
- Converter
- Apersonoracompanywhichbuysgreygoodsandsellsthemasfinishedfabrics.Aconverterorganizesandmanagestheprocessoffinishingthefabrictoabuyers’specifications,particularlythebleaching,dyeing,printing,etc.
- Cotton
- Aunicellular,naturalfiberthatgrowsintheseedpodofthecottonplant.Fibersaretypically1/2inchto2incheslong.Thelongeststaplefibers,longerthan11/2inch,includingthePimaandEgyptianvarieties,producethehighestqualitycottonfabrics.
- Crepe-backSatin
- Asatinfabricinwhichhighlytwistedyarnsareusedinthefillingdirection.Thefloatingyarnsaremadewithlowtwistandmaybeofeitherhighorlowluster.Ifthecrepeeffectistherightsideofthefabric,thefabriciscalledsatin-backcrepe.
- Crinoline
- Alightweight,plainweave,stiffenedfabricwithalowyarncount(fewyarnstotheinchineachdirection).
- Crocking
- Therubbing-offofdyefromafabric.Crockingcanbetheresultoflackofpenetrationofthedyeingagent,theuseofincorrectdyesordyeingprocedures,orthelackofproperwashingproceduresandfinishingtreatmentsafterthedyeingprocess.
- Cuprammonium
- Aprocessofproducingatypeofregeneratedrayonfiber.Inthisprocess,thewoodpulporcottonlinersaredissolvedinanammoniaccopperoxidesolution.BembergrayonisatypeofCuprammoniumrayon.
