A
Afghalaine
Ajour
All over
Alpaca
Amaretta/Alcantara
Amazon
Angora
Armure
Astrachan
Ausbrenner
All wool woven fabric in plain weave with a lightly pearled appearance
Fabric with woven or knitted openings
A design or pattern covering the fabric entirely
Fabric containing Alpaca hair (lama)
Brand names for a synthetic non-woven with a suede look; also called leather
cloth
Satin weave with fine worsted warp yarns and woollen weft and a light milling
and/or raising
Soft, hairy fabric with Angora hair (Angora rabbit)
Fabric with small embossed ribs
Curled-pile fabric to imitate Persian fur
German name for burnt-out fabric
B
Bajadère
Bakkersruit
Bannockburn
Barathea
Bark crêpe
Barley corn
Barré
Batiste
Batiste glacé
Beaverteen
Bedford cord
Beiersbont
Bemberg silk
Bengaline
Bi-colour
Birdseye
Black watch
Blanket
Bobbin lace
Bouclé
Bourette
Boutonné
Brocade
Broché
Brodé
Broderie (Anglaise)
Brushed nylon
Brushed twill
Burnt out
Woven fabric with coloured horizontal stripes differing in width and colour
Dutch name for a cotton fabric with blue and white windmill patterns used for
chefs’ pants; no English name available
Tweed cloth made of very hard twisted mouliné and uni-coloured yarns in a
faux-uni look
Worsted fabric, woven in a baked satin weave, with a smooth touch but granular
appearance; also called Grain de Poudre
Crêpe fabric which appearance of tree bark
Worsted fabric with ‘hops’ for suiting
Fabric with horizontal bars
Transparent, soft plain-woven cotton fabric
Fine cotton made lustrous, transparent and stiff by parchmentising
Imitation beaver skin; a raised and strong cotton fabric; also called Moleskin
Fabric with woven-in cords in the warp direction; also called Cotelé
Dutch name for a cotton-like chequered fabric with Lancé yarns; no English
name
Brand name for a fabric consisting of cupro filament yarns
Silk-like fabric consisting of filament yarns with medium-fine horizontal cords
Fabric in two colours
Fabric with a pattern that suggests the eye of a bird
Dreary coloured Scottish check
Plain or twill woven hairy fabric napped on both sides, provides thermal insulation
Machine produced lace on plain net or bobbinet machine
Fabric with a knobbly, knotty surface texture made with loop or bouclé yarns
Silk cloth made from waste silk and has an irregular appearance
Knobbly surface produced by knob yarns
Heavily figured jacquard fabric, often with lustre yarn effects (Lurex)
Raised designs or patterns on the surface of fabric due to additional weft yarns
Fabric with an embroidery effect
Shaped holes are punched and then embroidered. Embroidery on i.e. Batiste or
Anglaise.
Brushed tricot made of filament yarns
Cotton twill weave fabric, raised and brushed on the back
Fabrics in which one of the used fibres has been selectively removed according
to a pattern; also called devoré, devorant or ausbrenner
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C
Cable knit
Calico
Camel
Canvas
Cashmere
Cavalry twill
Chalk stripe
Chambray
Chanel tweed
Changeant
Charmelaine
Check
Cheese cloth
Chenille
Cheviot
Chevron
Chiffon
Chiné
Chintz
Ciré
Clip spot
Cloqué
Cloquette
Coated
Collar felt
Cool wool
Cord
Corduroy
Covercoat
Crash
Crêpe
Crêpe de chine
Crêpe georgette
Crêpe satin
Crêpon
Cretonne
Crinkle
Croisé
Cut velour
Knit with cable pattern alternating in depth
Unbleached cotton fabric woven in a plain weave, often printed
Fabric made of camel hair
Also generally used to refer to camel coloured fabrics
Rugged sail-like fabric in plain weave
Fabric of hair of the cashmere goat with soft, silky finish; also a design name for
the pine cone leaf pattern (Paisley)
Rugged fabric with double twill effect; also called Tricotine
Fabric with white, chalky stripes in the warp, used for suits
Denim look-a-like in a plain weave
Multi-coloured tweed in Chanel look
Fabric with iridescent effect as a result of different coloured warp and weft yarns;
also called Glacé effect, Iridescent effect or Shot effect
Strong woollen fabric of worsted yarns in twill or satin weave with a soft shine
Simple form of check fabric with bold stripe colourings in both warp and weft
producing a rectangular block pattern; also called carré or carreaux
Soft, light weight plain woven cotton with low thread density
Velvet like fabric made of chenille yarns
Strong, rugged woollen tweed fabric (Cheviot sheep)
Broken twill or herringbone weave giving a chevron effect, creating a design of
wide Vs across the width of the fabric; also known as Herringbone or fishbone.
Sheer fabric made of crêpe yarns
Fabric with vague ‘ikat’ design: shadowy and indistinct. Warp yarns are printed
before weaving
Shiny fabric as a result of a synthetic resin coating
Lustrous fabric as a result of wax/lacquer coating
Weft threads interlace with a few warp threads at intervals across the fabric, clip
spot means that these yarns are trimmed; also called Lancé coupé
Fabric which display a regular, prominent textured surface
Fabric which display smaller textured surfaces
Fabric with a coating
Lining, usually thin woollen felt to provide collar with support and good shape
Fabric with thin woollen worsted yarns for suits
Corded velveteen
Corded velveteen; weft pile fabric featuring pile rib cords running its length
Woollen fabric made of folded yarns, woven in a steep twill
Fashionable creased fabric by pressing or fixing creases during finishing
Fabric with a grainy texture and a sandy touch
Fabric made with kinked and crinkled weft yarns
Full crêpe fabric with crêpe yarns in both directions with a sandy handle
Delicate crêpe fabric in satin weave
Fabric with a grainy texture in de warp direction with weft crêpe yarns all having
the same direction
Rugged cotton fabric with finer warp and thicker weft yarns, usually with large
printed patterns
Fabric with crinkle effects
Soft, woollen and fine two-sided twill with a soft sheer
Knitted velour and made by cutting the yarn loops
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D
Damask
Dégradé
Délavé
Denim
Diagonal
Dirndl
Donegal (tweed)
Double chain
Double face
Doupion
Drapé
Drill
Duffle
Duvetine
Fabric with jacquard patterns in one or two colours
Fabric with a banded pattern of light to dark tone changes by dyeing or printing
Fabric with faded colour effects
Hardwearing twill fabric in cotton fabric with coloured twill yarns and white warp
yarns
Fabric with a bold diagonal twill line
Fabric with small, colourful patterns used for traditional dress in southern Germany
and Austria
Plain woven fabric using different coloured irregular yarns with knops; refer to
tweed
Fabric with double warp yarn system in different colours, resulting in a pattern
Reversible double cloth with different face and backsides
Irregular fabric with an uneven surface and rough texture made from slub yarns;
originally made in silk from a double cocoon, nowadays mainly produced in
viscose
Very fine, satin weave for suits with fine worsted warp and woollen weft yarns,
sometimes with a light milling or raised finish
Strong, thick cotton fabric in twill or satin weave; also called Coutil
Heavy, strong milled and napped fabric made of woollen yarns; also
manufactured in a long-haired and water-repellent duffle
Cotton sateen with a dull, velour type surface made by raising; also called Peau
de Pêche (peach skin)
E
Embossed
Embroidery lace
Etamine
Eyelet
Fabric with pressed relief patterns; also called Gaufré
By burning parts of base fabric away, embroidered patterns remain; also called
Guipure lace
Cotton gauze
Jersey with small openings, looking like eyes
F
Façonné
Faille
Fake fur
Fancy tweed
Faux uni
Felt
Fibre fill
Figuré
Fil-à-fil
(end-on-end)
Flammé
Flannel
Flannelette
Flausch
Fleece (polar)
Flock print
Foulard
Foulé
Fresco
Frisé
Frotté
Fabric with small jacquard patterns
Silk-like fabric made of filament yarns with delicate horizontal ribs
A sliver knitted fabric with a pile of fleecy effect formed on the technical back
Fashionable tweeds, often multi-coloured like Chanel Tweed
Fabric containing multi-coloured yarns giving the illusion of a single colour
Non-woven, densely matted fabric made of felted woollen fibres
Voluminous non-woven fibre made of synthetic materials
Fabric with medium-sized jacquard patterns
Fabric with a fine dotted look, woven in alternating white yarns in the weft and
coloured yarns in the warp
Dress fabric made from printed yarns
Light or medium weight woollen plain or twill weave with a short felt surface,
raised on one of both sides
A plain woven cotton fabric, raised on both sides
Voluminous and loose woollen fabric with shaggy long hairs, lightly milled and
with a strong raised surface; also called Wool fleece
Soft and warm, raised fabric knitted from synthetic fibres
Velvet-like relief pattern is obtained by printing design with adhesive, then
flocking with small snippets of fibre
Supple, silk-like printed fabric made from filament yarns in plain or twill weave
Lightly brushed woollen fabric used for suits, woven in a balanced twill
Firm, durable, worsted plain woven fabric with hard twisted yarns
Fabric woven from fine loop yarns resulting in a granular surface
Woven fabric with loop yarns in weft, to imitate Terry cloth
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G
Gaberdine
Gauze
Gingham
Givrine
Gore-tex
Gobelin
Glacé
Glen check
Granité
Grass linen
Densely woven, smooth fabric with a fine steep twill line
Open work fabric made by passing warp threads from side of one more
neighbouring warp threads and are bound into theses positions by the weft
Simple, checkered fabrics in two colours; also called Vichy check
Silk-like fabric with a shimmering, wavy effect due to uneven ribs
Brand name for a fabric with a water-resistant but breathable membrane
Wall carpet woven with an ‘inlay’-technique; imitations often woven on jacquard
machines
Fine worsted cloth, smoothed and flattened by shearing and pressing; used for
suits and blazers
Suiting fabric in English check with a Houndstooth design; also called Urquehart
check or Prince de Galles
Fabric in crêpe or granite weave
Strong, lustrous, durable vegetable fibre, lacking flexibility and elasticity; also
called China grass, Ramie and Nettle cloth
H
Haircloth
Haircord
Harris tweed
Herringbone
Honan
Honeycomb
Hopsack
Houndstooth
Resilient cloth made of horsehair and wool with a rough surface texture, used for
interlinings
Plain woven cotton fabric with fine rib lines in the warp; also called needle cord
Brand name for a Scottish rough, very hardwearing tweed fabric which contains
dead stiff wool hairs
Combination of twill weaves in which the direction of the twill is reversed
resembling 'herringbones'
Irregular silk made from wild silk worms; finer than shantung
Refer to waffle
English term for fabric woven in panama weave; also called matt and basket
A four-pointed star check design in a broken twill weave with medium-sized
checks and one of the colours is often white. Also called Pied-de-Poule
(chicken’s foot), larger designs are called Pied-de-Cocq en Pied-de-Cygne.
I
Irish linen
Imprimé
Intarsia
Interlock
Coarse linen fabric
Description for printed patterning
Weft knitted fabric with ‘laid in’ patterns
Double sided knitted fabric made from two interlocked rib knits
J
Jacquard
Jaspé
Javanese
Jersey
(single/double)
Fabric with complicated woven-in or knitted-in patterns
A fabric with a mottled appearance by using yarns made of different fibres with
different dyeing behaviour; looks as Mouliné
Viscose fabric with printed batik patterns
A generic English term to describe knits or knitted outerwear, made from any fibre.
K
Knitted velours
Velvet-like knitted fabric made from a plated loop-pile (plush); also called cut
Plush or Nicky velours
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L
Laine des Pyrénées
Lacquer cloth
Lama curl
Lamé
Lancé
Lawn
Locknit
Purl fabric
Loden
Lurex
Shaggy, long-haired fabric of wool or acrylic
Water-resistant fabric treated with a sprayed varnish finish
Pile fabric with a short curled hairy surface (wool, mohair or lama)
Woven fabric with metal threads (Lurex)
Weft threads interlace with a few warp threads at intervals across the fabric,
Lancé coupé means that these yarns are trimmed; also called clip spot
Light weight, plain woven cotton fabric wit fine prints
Warp knitted fabric made of filament yarns with a dull back and semi-lustrous right
side; also called Charmeuse
Weft knitted fabric where both back and face loops are used in the wales,
producing horizontal ribs
Wool fabric made from mixed woollen yarns, heavily milled and may also be
raised
Brand name for metal yarns or fabric also made of these metal yarns
M
Madras
Manchester
Marengo
Matelassé
Matting
Mélange
Melton
Milano rib
Mille fleurs
Mille point
Mille rayé
Mohair
Moiré
Moleskin
Molleton
Mouliné
Mousseline
Mull
Multi-colour
Muslin
Fabric with stripe or checkered designs made of irregular, dull coloured yarns
Heavy and abrasion-resistant corded velveteen, used for work wear
Dark woollen fabric for suits with few white fibres mixed in
Double cloth with large figured designs which are given a quilted effect by
wadding
Worsted yarn suiting fabric in panama weave
Fabric made of mélange yarns; yarns made of different coloured fibres
Firm, medium weight wool fabric in close plain weave, with a short non-directional
nap; same appearance as felt
Double knit with an identical face and backside with horizontal cords
Small floral, all over pattern
Tiny all over dot pattern; also called Pointillé
Fabric with fine vertical stripes
Long, straight hair of the angora goat or fabric made of these hairs
Fine silky fabric with fine ribs and a rippled appearance due to embossing
Thick cotton fabric in sateen weave; also called Beaverteen
A heavy reversible woollen cloth with a nap on both sides, woven with an
additional set of weft yarns
Dotted effect as a result of variously coloured strands made of ply yarns
Soft, supple fabric made of soft yarns
Lightweight cotton voile in plain weave (gauze)
Coloured fabric in 3 or more colours
Lightweight open cloth of plain or simple leno weave, with a rough finish
N
Natté
Net
Needle cord
Needle felt
Nicky-velours
Noppé
Fabric made in a loose basket or panama weave
Translucent, open mesh fabric with firm structure and hexagonal openings
Plain woven cotton fabric with fine rib lines in the warp; also called Haircord
A non-woven made of a bulky fibre web which is repeatedly penetrated by
barbed needles
Refer to knitted velours
Fabrics with a knobbly surface produced by knob yarns
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O
Ombré
Ondé
Organdi
Organza
Ottoman
Oxford
Fabric with a shaded or graduated colour effect ranging from light to dark shades
of one colour
A wave effect produced by calendering or weaving
A batiste with a stiff handle by using a special acid finishing treatment
A sheer and lightweight fabric in a plain weave, made from fine silk or synthetic
fibre yarns with a crisp handle
Warp-faced rib fabric
Classic cotton shirting fabric made in plain weave but with two coloured warp
ends weaving as one
P
Paisley
Pyjama cloth
Panama
Peau de Pêche
Pepita
Percale
Perlé
Pick and pick
Pied de Poule
Pinhead
Pinstripe
Piqué
Piqué jersey
Plaid
Plated tricot
Plissé
Plumetis
Plush
Pocketing
Pointillé
Pongé
Polka dot
Poplin
Punta di Roma
Purl knit
Pattern name for Indian / Persian pine cone leaf design
Fabric in satin weave with a brushed reverse side; also called Satin feutre
Lightweight fabric in panama weave, loosely woven; finer than hopsack or
matting
Refer to Duvetine
Fabric with small checks in two colours
Fine and closely woven plain weave cotton fabric
A finishing process used on woollen dress fabrics, which raises the nap in the form
of dots
Worsted fabric with alternating weft threads, one pick of one kind or colour and
one pick of another; also called Pickwick and sometimes fil-à-fil
Refer to Houndstooth
Fine speckled suit fabric with mono-coloured warp and alternate dark and light
weft; also called Epinglé
Worsted fabric for suits with fine, light coloured stripes in the warp
Woven double cloth fabric with relief pattern due to pronounced sunken areas
Weft knitted fabric with a small diamond pattern; also called cross-tuck
Large, colour woven checks, often raised and brushed
Knitted fabric from two yarns of different properties, both of which are used in the
same loop whilst positioned one behind the other, with result that the face and
backside have different characteristics or colours
Fabric with pressed pleats or creases
Batiste with small hairy patterns
Fur-like pile fabric, with a long pile (longer but less dense than velvet); also called
Teddy
Close-weave plain fabric; also called pocket lining
Pattern of small points, usually printed
Very fine, plain woven fabric from silk filament yarns, the fabric is thinner than Taft;
also called Toile de Soie
Fabric with all over round dots, very large is called 'Coin dots'.
Plain woven cotton-like fabric with fine weft-way ribs
Double jersey with an identical face and back side with fine weft ribs
Weft knit with two-sided identical look with prominent course-way ribs
Q
Quadrillé
Quilt
Fabric with overall design of small printed or woven squares
Voluminous fabric consisting of two outer layers with stitching, keeping an
insulating layer of non woven in place
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R
Raschel tricot
Ratiné
Rayé
Reversible
Rib knit
Rubberized
Intricate warp knitted fabrics
Raised woollen fabric with machine curled or twisted dots of fibre
Term for length way stripes made by coloured weaving or printing
Refer to Double face
Weft knit in which wales of face loops alternate with wales of back loops, running
in the length
Fabric which is impregnated with, or coated on one or both sides with rubber
compound, to make it water resistant or waterproof
S
Sand crêpe
Satin
Satin duchesse
Schappe
Scottish check
Scrubbed denim
Seersucker
Serge
Shantung
Shetland
Shirting
Shot
Silence cloth
Single jersey
Slub
Soie
Sparkling
Stepp fabric
Stitch-bonded fibre
batt
Stretch
Suiting
Surah
Swans down
Sweat tricot
Fabric with a sandy look; the irregular surface is achieved by special weave
construction techniques
Fabrics woven in satin (or sateen) weave, with smooth surface and subtle drape,
i.e. satin imprimé and satin lining
Smooth, stiff-handling, heavy quality satin used for wedding or evening wear
Fabric made of schappe silk; also called Matka
Refer to Tartan
Denim brushed on the face side
Cotton fabric with crinkled length way stripes or effects, caused by differential
shrinkage; also called Cloquette
Densely woven twill weave, used for suits and costumes; high lustre viscose serge
is used for linings
Plain weave fabric made with irregular yarns of raw silk
Shaggy, woollen fabric (Shetland wool) usually in twill weave, made of mottled
yarns
Fine woven cotton fabric for shirts in plain weave
Fabric with iridescent effect as a result of different coloured warp and weft yarns;
also called Changeant
Heavy, thick cotton fannelette
Single knitted weft knits for outerwear
Fabric with an irregular appearance as a result of using slub yarns
French term for silk
Fabric with a shiny, glistering effect
Refer to Watté
Laid yarns are bonded together by sewing or stitching along the length direction
Elastic fabric which stretches considerably and recover immediately, achieved
by the use of elasthane fibres
Especially woven wool for (men’s) clothing
Lustrous, silk-like fabric with fine twill lines; also called Foulard
Refer to brushed twill
Acrylic or cotton knit fabric with a bumpy fleecy back side, often with marled
yarns
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T
Tafetta
Tarlatan
Tartan
Teddy
Terry cloth
Terry velours
Texturé
Tinneroy
Toile
Top coat velvet
Travers
Tricot
Tricotine
Tropical
Tufting
Tweed
Twill lining
Smooth fabric made from filament yarns in a plain weave
An open, plain-weave coarse cotton with a starched finish
Cotton or woollen fabrics in twill weave with block checks in various widths and
colours referring to the tartan design of Scottish families
Faux-fur with long pile
Woven or knitted cotton fabric with uncut loops
Terry cloth fabrics with cut loops, causing a velvety appearance
Fabric made of textured filament yarns
Corded velveteen with fine ribs in the warp
French term for fabric
Thick wool-like fabric, heavily fulled and napped, with a short and thick fibre pile;
also called top coat velours
Fabric with width ways stripes as a result of colour weaving, embossing or printing
French word for a knit
Firm, durable, clean-finished, warp faced fabric with fine, steep double twill lines;
also called Cavalry twill
Light weight summer suiting made with fine, hard-twisted worsted yarns in plain
weave
Pile yarns are sewn into a woven fabric base in such a way that loops are formed
on one side
Term applied to fabric in a wide range of weights and qualities made from
coarse, spun woollen yarns in various weaves and sophisticated colour effects,
i.e. Harris tweed, Shetland tweed, Irish tweed, Donegal tweed
Cotton lining fabric in twill weave; used i.e. in jacket pockets
U
Uni colour
Fabric in one colour
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V
Velour knitted
Velour woven
Velours chiffon
Velours de Laine
Velours de Panne
Velours rayé
Velvet
Vichy check
Voile
Soft, velvet-like fabric made from loop-pile fabric by napping or cutting the loops
on one side of the fabric
Soft, closely woven fabric with a short thick pile formed by raising, brushing and
sometimes cropping
Glossy velour with loop-piles of filament yarns
Woollen fabric with a velvet-like appearance
Pressed velours chiffon
Velours with length way stripes
Soft, woven cut pile fabric; the cut ends of the pile yarn form the fabric surface
Refer to Gingham
Light, fine sheer fabric made from hard twisted yarns in plain weave with a crisp
handle
W
Waffle
Waved twill
Welliné
Weveknit
Whipcord
Wide wale
Wool fleece
Woollen
Woven cotton in which warp and weft yarns form ridges and hollows, giving it a
cellular appearance; also called Honeycomb
Twill woven fabric with twill lines come to a point at the reversals
Undulated ratiné
Firm weft knitted double jersey with different face and back sides
Densely woven warp-faced fabric with a steep twill line
Corded velveteen with very wide ribs
Voluminous, loose woollen fabric with a long, shabby hairy surface; also called
Flausch (German)
Heavy milled, raised, brushed and cropped woven woollen fabric with a dull
lustre
Z
Zephyr
Zibeline
Light weight, sheer soft fabrics in plain weave, often colour woven (check or
stripes) on a white background
Glossy, heavy woollen fabric with a long, shaggy nap laid in a single direction
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