Glossary of Fabric & Fashion Terms

D - H

Damask - Made from linen, silk, rayon, cotton, synthetics, wool, worsteds and is woven on a Jacquard loom that has an alternating satin and matte texure.  Originally made of silk, that came to us from China via Damascus. In the XIII Century, Marco Polo gave an interesting tale about it. It is one of the oldest and most popular cloths to be found today. Very elaborate designs are possible. Cloth is beetled, calendared and the better qualities are gross-bleached.  It is very durable, reversible fabric that sheds dirt.  In Damask fabric, the firmer the texture, the better the quality.  It launders well and holds a high luster - particularly in linen.  The quality of Damask depends on the yarn used and the thread count. - If the same quality and thread count are used, single is better than double because the shorter floats are more serviceable and the yarns hold more firmly. Double damask with less than 180 thread count is inappropriate for clothing.  LotusOrganics.com has some excellent pajamas made from Damask manufactured by Fisher-Henney.

Denier - A system of measuring the weight of a continuous filament fiber. In the United States, this measurement is used to number all manufactured fibers (both filament and staple), and silk, but excludes glass fiber. The lower the number, the finer the fiber; the higher the number, the heavier the fiber. Numerically, a denier is the equivalent to the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of continuous filament fiber.

Denim - True denim is a twill-weave, cotton-like fabric made with different colored yarns in the warp and the weft. Due to the twill construction, one color predominates on the fabric surface.  Name derived from French "serge de Nimes".  Long wearing, it resists snags and tears. Comes in heavy and lighter weights.

Diamond Neck - A diamond-shaped cutout that fastens at the front or back neckline.

Dimity – Cotton fabric made of combed yarn that comes in a plain weave with a crosswise or lengthwise spaced rib or crossbar effect. A thin sheer with corded spaced stripes that could be single, double or triple grouping.  Has a crisp texture which remains fairly well after washing.  It is easy to sew and manipulate and launders well.  Dimity will crease unless treated to become crease-resistant. May be bleached, dyed, or printed and often printed with a small rose-bud design. It is mercerized and has a soft luster.

Dobby - Woven on a dobby loom, this fabric can be made with a dot or geometric design. A decorative weave, characterized by small figures, usually geometric, that are woven into the fabric structure. Dobbies may be of any weight or compactness, with yarns ranging from very fine to coarse and fluffy. Standard dobby fabrics are usually flat and relatively fine or sheer. However, some heavyweight dobby fabrics are available for home furnishings and for heavy apparel.

Doeskin – Made from wool and also rayon in a harness satin weave or a twill weave that is napped on one side.  Doeskin has a very smooth, lustrous surface made with a slight short nap and compact weave to look like fine leather.  The weave is not visible because of napping.  Very high quality wool is used.  Doeskin needs care in handling. Generally applied to a type of fabric finish in which a low nap is brushed in one direction to create a soft suede-like hand on the fabric surface. End-uses include billiard table surfaces and men's' sportswear.

Dolman Sleeve - Cut as an extension of the bodice, the dolman sleeve is designed without a socket for the shoulder, creating a deep, wide armhole that reaches from the waist to a narrowed wrist.  Also called a batwing sleeve.

Domett Flannel – A cotton fabric in a plain or twill.  Can also be spelled domet. Generally made in white. Has a longer nap than on flannelette. Soft filling yarns of medium or light weight are used to obtain the nap. The term domett is interchangeable with "outing flannel" but it is only made in a plain weave. Both are soft and fleecy and won't irritate the skin. Any sizing or starching must be removed before using. Outing flannel is also piece-dyed and some printed and produced in a spun rayon also.

Donegal Tweed – A medium to heavy of plain or twill weave fabric in which colorful yarn slubs are woven into the fabric. Made from wool but can also be made from rayons and cottons.  It is mostly made from a plain weave but can also be made in twill.  Donegal was originally a homespun woven by the peasants in Donegal, Ireland and is a rough and ready fabric that stands much hard wear. End-uses include winter coats and suits. Yarns are coarse with thick slubs and colored nubs. Now made in other places as well - particularly England.

Dotted Swiss – A lightweight, sheer cotton or cotton blend fabric with a plain weave with a small dot flock-like pattern either printed on the surface of the fabric, or woven into the fabric. Dots could be a single color or multicolored. Placed regularly or irregularly on a semi-sheer usually crisp fabric which may or may not be permanent. First made on hand looms in Switzerland and some still is. It is made in 32" widths. The lappet is the most permanent. When hand woven with a swivel attachment the dots are tied in by hand on the back of the cloth. End-uses for this fabric include blouses, dresses, baby clothes, and curtains.

Double-Breasted - Having one-half of the front lapped over the other.  Usually has a double row of buttons and a single row of buttonholes.

Double Cloth - A fabric construction, in which two fabrics are woven on the loom at the same time, one on top of the other. In the weaving process, the two layers of woven fabric are held together using binder threads. The woven patterns in each layer of fabric can be similar or completely different.

Doubleknit - A woven fabric construction made by interlacing two or more sets of warp yarns with two or more sets of filling yarns. A weft knit fabric in which two layers of loops are formed that cannot be separated. Made from cotton, wool, worsted, silk, rayon, and synthetics with a circular or flat-needle bar type.  A two faced cloth, either face may be utilized as the right side. The fabric originated in Milan and Florence. Can be stabilized for shrinkage control and dry cleans satisfactorily. A double knit machine, which has two complete sets of needles, is required for this construction.

Double-Tee Top - A layered look with one T-shirt over another.

Double Weave - The most common double weave fabrics are made using a total of either four or five sets of yarns.

Doupion, Douppioni - Silk yarns made from the cocoon of two ilk worms that have nested together. In spinning, the double strand is not separated so the yarn is uneven and irregular with a large diameter in places.  The fabric is of silk made in a plain weave but is very.  It is imitated in rayon and some synthetics, and one such fabric is called "Cupioni". Dupion yarns also used in shantung, pongee. It tailors very well.

Draped Bodice - An extra piece of material is draped over the bustline.

Drill – Cotton twill. Left-hand twill.   It has closer, flatter wales that ganardine. Medium weight and course yarns are used. Also made in some other weights. Some left in the gray but can be bleached or dyed. When dyed a khaki color, drill is also called "khaki".

Dropped Shoulders - Characterized by the shoulder / sleeve seam falling off the shoulder.

Dropped Waist / Low Waist - A waistline that is sewn below the body's natural waistline.

Duck - A tightly woven, heavy, plain-weave, bottom-weight fabric with a hard, durable finish. The fabric is usually made of cotton, and is widely used in men's and women's slacks, and children's playclothes.

Dupioni - Similar to shantung, this textured fabric is recognized by irregular-sized, thick fibers woven into the base fabric. Fibers that create the texture, are thicker and heavier than those used in shantung.

Durability - The ability of a fabric to resist wear through continual use.

Durable Press - A treatment applied to the fabric in the finishing process in which it maintains a smooth attractive appearance, resists wrinkling, and retains creases or pleats during laundering.

Duvetyn(e) – A  good quality wool. If it is made in cotton, it is usually called suede cloth.  Duvetyn has a close satin weave that is brushed, singed, and sheared to conceal the weave.  It has a smooth plush appearance resembling a compact velvet and is similar to wool broadcloth but heavier and thicker. Has a good draping quality, soft and wears well if looked after. Spots easily and care must be taken when handling it. Back is often slightly napped also. Name derived from the French word "duvet" meaning "down".

Dyes (Fiber Reactive) -   The molecules of fiber reactive dyes actually react and bond to the fiber molecules.  These dyes are the best quality and most ecologically sound synthetic dyes available.  They contain no heavy metals or other known toxic substances.  The colors are brighter, richer, and exhibit superior colorfast properties.  Very little residual dye comes out in the waste water.  Significantly more costly than using conventional direct dyes but the quality and ecological benefits are far superior.

Dyes (Low Impact) - Dyes that are more environmentally friendly than conventional dyes because they contain no metals, low salt, AZO & dioxazines compound free.  Called "Low Impact" because they use less water to disperse the dye, so less dye is used and waste water is carefully filtered to remove as many of the dye particles as possible. Low impact dyes require significantly less water for the dyeing process so there is much less polluted runoff than from the conventional dye process.  Organic cotton and most other fabrics can be successfully colored with all natural or fiber-reactive low impact dyes. They are the highest quality, most ecologically friendly dyes available, producing colors that are both richer and brighter than conventional dyeing practices. These dyes reduce water and electricity consumption and discharge 60% less toxic runoff into the waste stream. They promote healthy ecosystems by using fewer resources and less energy while providentially allowing greater adherence of the dye to the garment.

Dyes (Natural) - Pigments are derived from organic materials such as vegetables, berries, bugs, clay, indigo, and other plant extracts to dye fabric.  The weakness of natural dyes has been that many natural dyes are not color-fast and wash out of the garments quickly.  Clay dyes are some of the best in retaining their color across repeated washings.

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E

Eco Fashion - The term has been coined to refer to fashionable and stylish clothing that has been manufactured using environmentally- friendly processes under Free Trade conditions.  Eco fashion clothing can use recycled clothing and even recycled materials such as eco-fleeced produced from recycled  plastic soda bottles.  Eco fashion is not necessarily made from organic fibers and is not necessarily healthy for people with chemical sensitivities.

Eco-fleece - A nubby, soft fabric made from recycled soda bottles. Every time you purchase something from eco-fleece you are contributing to saving another piece of the earth, which would otherwise be used as landfill.  Of course, you are also wearing plastic from old soda bottles.

Eco Wool – Sheared from free range roaming sheep that have not been subjected to toxic flea dipping, and have not been treated with chemicals, dyes, or bleaches.  Eco wool comes in natural tones of white, grey and black.

Elasticity - The ability of a fiber or fabric to return to its original length, shape, or size immediately after the removal of stress/tension.

Elastin - A protein that is similar to collagen and is the chief constituent of elastic fibers.

Embossing - A pressure process using engraved rollers and heat application to produce raised or relief patterns on the surface of the fabric.

Embroidered - An embellishment of a fabric or garment in which colored threads are sewn into the fabric to create a design. Embroidery may be done either by hand or machine.

Embroidery - An embellishment of a fabric or garment in which colored threads are sewn on to the fabric to create a design. Embroidery may be done either by hand or machine.

Empire Bodice - A bodice that ends just below the bust, sometimes low-cut and gathered.

Empire Seams - A seam that is sewn directly below the bustline.

Empire Waist - This waistline begins just below the bust.

Eolienne - It's name comes from the term Eolus, which is Greek for God of Winds. This airy fiber has a low thread count and is very delicate. It is lightweight and is very lustrous.

Eponge (Souffle) – A fabric of wool, also of rayon and silk.  The name is derived from the French term eponge for "spongy".  It is a very soft and sponge-like fabric in a variety of novelty effects with loose weave.  It is also known as ratine in cotton.  The fabric in rayon and silk is soft, loose, and spongy, something like terry cloth.  It does not have surface loops.  Many stores now call eponge "boucle".

Etamine – A twill originally made of wool, cotton or linen and used for sifting. It is now a worsted fabric with a very short nap and light in weight used for clothing.

Eyelet - A style of decorative fabric stitched with small cut out openings. A type of fabric which contains patterned cut-outs, around which stitching or embroidery may be applied in order to prevent the fabric from raveling.

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Face - The right side or the better-looking side of the fabric.

Facing - A piece of fabric that is sewn to the collar, front opening, cuffs, or arms eye of a garment to create a finished look.

Faconne - Silk or rayon with a figured weave or "burnt-out" finish.  Faconne in French, means fancy weave. It has small designs all over the fabric.  Fairly light in weight, and could be slightly creped.  Background is more sheer than the designs, therefore the designs seem to stand out.  It is very effective when worn over a different color and it drapes, handles, and wears well.

Fagotting - an embroidery produced by pulling out horizontal threads from a fabric and tying the remaining cross threads into groups of an hourglass shape.

Faille - A glossy, soft, finely-ribbed, silk-like woven fabric made from cotton, silk, or manufactured fibers, especially rayon.  It has a crosswise rib weave and the soft material drapes well. It is finer than grosgrain and with flatter ribs.  It is difficult to launder but will give good wear if handled properly. Has a lustrous finish.

Faux fur - Artificial fur made from synthetic material.

Felt – Made from wool, reprocessed wool, reused wool, or scrap fiber, and can be mixed with other such as fibers, cotton, or rayon.  Felt fabric is not woven but felted.  It is a very compact fabric in various weights and thicknesses and has grain so can be cut any way.  Felt needs no hemming or finishing because it does not fray.  It has many industrial uses such as piano hammers and in the printing industry.

Fiber - The basic entity, either natural or manufactured, which is twisted into yarns, and then used in the production of a fabric.

Fiberfill - Specially engineered manufactured fibers, which are used as filler material in pillows, mattresses, mattress pads, sleeping bags, comforters, quilts, and outerwear.

Filament - A manufactured fiber of indefinite length (continuous), extruded from the spinneret during the fiber production process.

Filling - In a woven fabric, the yarns that run cross the fabric from selvage to selvage, and which run perpendicular to the warp or lengthwise yarns. Also referred to as the weft.

Findings - Any extra items attached to a garment during the manufacturing process. This can include trims, buttons, hooks, snaps, or embellishments.

Finished Fabric - A fabric that has gone through all the necessary finishing processes, and is ready to be used in the manufacturing of garments.

Fishtail Train - Fitted around the hips and flares out from the knee to the hemline.

Fitted Point Sleeve - A long, narrow sleeve that tapers to a point which rests against the back of the hand.

Flame Resistant - A term used to describe a fabric that burns very slowly, or has the ability to self-extinguish upon the removal of an external flame.

Flame Retardant - A chemical applied to a fabric, or incorporated into the fiber at the time of production, which significantly reduces a fabric's flammability.

Flannel - A warm, soft fabric of wool, worsted, cotton or rayon made in tightly woven twill or plain weave and finished with a light napping.  Flannel originated in Wales and has a soft, napped surface that partially cancels the weave.   Has a dull finish and is made in a variety of weights.  It is more loosely woven than worsted flannel with a higher nap and bulkier hand.  Flannel shrinks if not pre-shrunk and sags with wear, unless underlined. Does not shine or hold a crease. Watch pressing - if pressed too hard, it flattens in the nap. Flannel comes in many colors, weights, and fancy effects. Sometimes has a prickly feel when worn.

Flannel (Worsted) – It has a twill weave a is made in a variety of weights.  It is more closely woven and harder than wool flannel and can have a very slight nap on one side.  It tailors and presses very well and holds a hard crease.

Flannelette - A heavy, soft cotton material with a napped finish, usually only on one side. In cheaper qualities the nap comes off. Launders well, easy to manipulate and is warm to wear. There are many types on the market. It may be bleached, dyed, printed, or woven in colored stripes.

Flax - Flax is taken from the stalk of the Linum usitaatissimum plant. It is a long, smooth fiber and is cylindrical in shape with a length varying from 6 to 40 inches but averaging between 15 and 25 inches. The color is usually off-white or tan and due to it's 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 is very washable but has poor elasticity and does not easily return to its original shape after creasing. When processed into a fabric it is called linen

Fleece - A soft, bulky, deep-piled knitted or woven fabric of wool or cotton in a plain, twill, pile or knitted weave.  Fleece has a deep, soft nap or pile obtained by heavily napping with wire brushes or with a pile weave. This provides air space giving good insulating properties without too much weight. The inter-lacing space is covered by the nap. The nap wears out in time, but good quality cloth gives good wear. Range from cheap to expensive clothes. Material is often cumbersome and bulky, therefore it may be difficult to manipulate.

Flocking - A type of raised decoration applied to the surface of a fabric in which an adhesive is printed on the fabric in a specific pattern, and then finely chopped fibers are applied by means of dusting, air-brushing, or electrostatic charges. The fibers adhere only to the areas where the adhesive has been applied, and the excess fibers are removed by mechanical means.

Foil - A thin piece of material put under another material to add color or brilliance.

Foulard – A twill weave in silk, rayon, or very fine, worsted cotton.  A very soft, light fabric that is noted for its soft finish and feel. It is usually printed with small figures on a dark or light background and is similar to Surah and Tie Silk, but finer. It was originally imported from India to be used in dresses, robes, scarves, and neckwear of all kinds.

Frise – Often made from rayon but can also be made from mohair, silk and synthetics. The ground or backing yarns are usually made of cotton. Sometimes jute or hemp is combined with the cotton.  It has a pile (looped) weave with uncut loops.  It can be patterned by shearing the loops at different lengths. Some made with both cut and uncut loops in the form of a pattern.  Typically used in upholstery,  Frise is also spelled Frieze but frieze really refers to a rough, fuzzy, rizzy, boardy woolen overcoating fabric which originated in Friesland Holland. Often used for overcoating material for soldiers.  Irish frieze is quite popular and more reliable and is called "cotha more".

Flat-Front Pants - Straight pants, often seamless and without pockets.

Form-Fitting / Slim Fit - Straight from waist to ankle except for a slight curve around the hip.

Forte of a garment - The strong point of the garment.

Frey - Threads which come out from the fabric during handling.

Frog Closure - Chinese closing of decorative cording or braid.  A soft ball of cording or a button is used to complete the closure.

Fustian - Cotton or cotton with linen or flax in a cross woven weave.  It was originally made in Fustat near Cairo, from which it gets its name.

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Gabardine - A tightly woven, twilled, worsted fabric in cotton, rayon or a blend   with slight diagonal lines on the face and a raised twill.  Wool gabardine is known as a year-round fabric for business suits and wears extremely well.  It has a clear finish, tightly woven, firm, durable, rather lustrous, but it can be given a dull finish. Inclined to shine with wear and is hard to press properly.  Used in men's and women's tailored suits, coats, raincoats, uniforms, and men's shirts.

Gattar – A satin made with a cotton filling and a silk warp. It is only found in solid colors and is known for its elegant luster and excellent drapability. It is famous for elegant evening wraps.

Gauge - A measurement most commonly associated with knitting equipment. It can mean the number of needles per inch in a knitting machine. However, in full fashioned hosiery and sweater machines, the number of needles per 1-1/2 inches represents the gauge.

Gauntlets - Dress gloves extending above the wrist.

Gaucho - Wide-legged pants or divided skirt reaching mid-calf and worn with boots.

Gauze - A thin, sheer plain-weave fabric made from cotton, wool, silk, rayon, or other manufactured fibers. End-uses include curtains, apparel, trimmings, and surgical dressings.

Georgette - A sheer lightweight fabric, often made of silk or from such manufactured fibers as polyester, with a crepe surface. End-uses include dresses and blouses.  It is characterized by crispness, body and outstanding durability. It is sheer and has a dull face.

Geotextiles - Manufactured fiber materials made into a variety of fabric constructions, and used in a variety civil engineering applications.

Gingham – A medium-weight, plain-weave fabric with a plaid or check pattern made from cotton or synthetics fibers.  The word is derived from Italian "Ging-gang" meaning "striped".  Medium or fine yarns of varying quality are used to obtain the checks, plaids, stripes, and plain effects. The cloth is yarn dyed or printed. The warp and the filling are usually balanced and if checks of two colors, usually same sequence in both the warp and the filling. It is strong, substantial, and serviceable. It launders well but low textured, cheap fabric may shrink considerably unless preshrunk. Has a soft, dull luster surface that wrinkles easily. Tissue or zephyr ginghams are sheer being woven with finer yarns and a higher thread count.

Glass Fiber - An inorganic fiber which is very strong, but has poor flexibility and poor abrasion resistance. Glass will not burn and will not conduct electricity. It is impervious to insects, mildew, and sunlight. Today, the primary use of glass fiber is in such industrial applications as insulation or reinforcement of composite structures.

Grain - Another word used for the length-wise (weft yarn) or the cross-wise / horizontal (warp yarn) threads of the fabric.

Granada – A twill whose name is derived from the Latin word Granum, which refers to the grainy quality of the textile. This granular quality is achieved by a broken twill weave. It is made of a cotton warp and alpaca or mohair filling. This fiber is exceptionally fine.

Greige Goods (pronounced "gray") - An unfinished fabric, just removed from a knitting machine or a loom. Loom state of cloth that has not received dry and wet finishing.

Grenadine - A fine fiber originated in Italy. It can be made in various fibers such as cotton, wool, silk or synthetics. It is well know for its stiffness and often used women's clothing.

Gusset - Refers to mattress depth.

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H

Halter Top  - A sleeveless bodice with a high choke or wrap neck that may be backless.

Hand - The way the fabric feels when it is touched. Terms like softness, crispness, dryness, silkiness are all terms that describe the hand of the fabric.

Handkerchief Style - The hem of a blouse or skirt that is gently jagged to form flowing points.

Haute Couture - French (of course) that literally means "high fashion".  Haute couture garments are always one-off, one-of-a-kind.  They're extravagant, often irrational, always unique and totally unaffordable.  Famous eco haute couture designers include Linda Loudermilk, Katharine Hamnet, and Deborah Lindquist.

Heather - A yarn that is spun using pre-dyed fibers. These fibers are blended together to give a particular look. (For example, black and white may be blended together to create a gray heathered yarn.) The term, heather, may also be used to describe the fabric made from heathered yarns.

Hemp - Hemp is a bast fiber that was probably used first in Asia. The fiber is dark tan or brown and is difficult to bleach, but it can be dyed bright and dark colorrs. The hemp fibers vary widely in length, depending upon their ultimate use. Industrial fibers may be several inches long, while fibers used for domestic textiles are about 3/4 inch to 1 inch (1.9 to 2.54 cm) long. The elongation (1 to 6 percent) is low and its elasticity poor. The thermal reactions of hemp and the effect of sunlight are the same as for cotton. Hemp is moth resistant, but it is not impervious to mildew. Coarse hemp fibers and yarns are woven into cordage, rope, sacking and heavy-duty tarpaulins. In Italy, fine hemp fibers are used for interior design and apparel fabrics.  Hemp is a very durable fiber that holds its shape. It grows without the use of pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers and can withstand harsh growing seasons. Hemp cultivation does not exhaust, but rather continuously fertilizes the soil by shedding its leaves throughout its growing period. In this way, it actually returns nutrients to the soil, helping to reduce the energy demand on the Earth. It is also naturally UV resistant and dries quickly.

Hem Stitching - A decorative stitching along the stitching lines of hems and borders to create an open weave pattern.

Henequinn - It is obtained from the leaves of the Agave fourcroydes plant, which is native to Mexico. It is produced by mechanically decorticating the leaves into strands from 4 to 5 feet.

Henrietta – A twill originally consisting of worsted filling and silk warp. Today, it can be found in a variety of blends. It has excellent drapability. Its weight and quality vary with fibers, however, when created with silk and wool it is lustrous and soft. Often used for dress goods.

Herringbone Twill - A variation on the twill weave construction in which the twill is reversed, or broken, at regular intervals, producing a zig-zag effect. Named after the skeleton of the Herring fish as this is what the fiber pattern resembles. It is usually created in wool and has varying qualities. It is also known as Arrowhead and is commonly used in suits, top coats and sport coats.

Hickory Cloth – A twill known for its excellent durability. It is warp striped and comes in a variety of colors. It usually is created with cotton and found in work clothes.

High Loft - General term for a fiber structure containing more air than fiber. In general, higher loft retains more warmth.

Hip Pockets - Pockets sewn on the front of a garment at hip height.

Hollywood Waistband - Characterized by a full elasticized back and a side zipper / button closure.

Homespun - Cotton or wool in plain weave with coarse, rugged yarn. Originally an undyed woolen cloth spun into yarn and woven in the home, by peasants and country folk the world over. Has substantial appearance and serviceable qualities. Homespun is made with irregular, slightly twisted uneven yarns. Has a spongy feel with a hand-loomed tweedy appearance. Genuine homespun is produced in a very limited quantity and powerloom cloth is often sold as genuine homespun. Many qualities of homespun cloth are made but the best is an ideal rough-and-ready type of cloth.

Honey Comb A float weave made in many fabrics.  The name comes from a French word meaning birds nest. Its patterns are regular and open.  Honey comb fabric is also known as Diamond Weave.  It is found in draperies, jackets and women's clothing.

Hong Kong - A ribbed fabric usually found in plain colors. It comes in a variety of qualities but the best type is made out of silk.

Hook & Eye Closure - a two-part fastening device consisting of a metal hook that catches over a bar or into a loop

Hopsacking – Can be made from cotton, wool, linen, rayon, silk, hemp, or jute in a basket weave and made with coarse yarn. Has a rather rough texture and is quite durable and often bulky.

Houndstooth – Commonly made with wool with a broken twill weave that has been woven into an irregular check of a four pointed star.

Houndstooth Check - A variation on the twill weave construction in which a broken check effect is produced by a variation in the pattern of interlacing yarns, utilizing at least two different colored yarns.

Huckaback – Made from linen or cotton in a dobby or basket weave.  It is strong, but rough in the surface finish.  Has variation in weaves but most have small squares on the surface that stand out from the background.  The motif is made from a series of floats, some of them rather long, which gives a loose effect in certain areas. This, if well spaced, acts as a good absorbing agency.  Mostly used for towels.

Hydrophilic Fibers - Fibers that absorb water easily, take longer to dry, and require more ironing.

Hydrophobic Fiber - Fibers that lack the ability to absorb water.

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