Textile Fundamentals and Industry Terminology

A comprehensive vocabulary set covering textile industry operations, fiber and fabric characteristics, yarn structures, weaving and knitting methods, coloration, printing techniques, and fabric finishes.

Fiber

Smallest component of a fabric structure; smallest indivisible component of fabric

Yarn

Continuous length of interlocked fibers; continuous strand formed from fibers

Greige goods

Unfinished fabric

Colorfastness

Resistance to color change, loss, or fading; ability to retain color

Findings

Garment materials other than the main fashion fabric

Mill

Company that manufactures fabric

Converter

Company that arranges finishing of unfinished fabric for resale

Jobber

Company that buys surplus or excess fabric

Vertical integration

One company controls multiple production stages

Put-up

How fabric is packaged for sale

Shorts

Fabric pieces shorter than 40 yards

Remnants

Fabric pieces approximately 1–10 yards

Pound goods

Very short pieces of fabric sold at buyer's risk

Economies of scale

Cost advantages of large-scale production

Trade protection

Measures protecting domestic industries from foreign competition

Tariff

Tax on imported or exported goods

Quota

Limit on the quantity of goods traded

Nontariff barrier

Trade restriction other than a tax

MFA

Multi-Fiber Arrangement; established apparel import quotas

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement

Yarn-forward rule

Regional yarn and fabric production requirement for trade eligibility

Brand manager

Apparel company focused on design, branding, marketing, and distribution rather than manufacturing

Fabric performance

Ability of a textile to serve its intended end use

Drape

How a fabric falls or hangs

Texture

Three-dimensional nature of a textile surface

Body

Stiffness, firmness, or looseness of fabric

Loft

Ability to recover original thickness after compression

Hand

How a textile feels to the touch

Tenacity

Ability to resist stress; strength relative to fiber cross-sectional area

Tensile strength

Resistance to pulling force

Tearing strength

Force required to continue a tear

Flexibility

Ability to bend repeatedly without breaking

Abrasion resistance

Resistance to rubbing damage

Pilling

Formation of tangled fibers on a fabric surface; formation of small tangled fiber balls

Absorbency

Ability to take up moisture

Hydrophilic

Absorbs water easily

Hydrophobic

Absorbs little or no water

Hygroscopic

Absorbs water vapor from air without feeling damp

Wicking

Moves moisture to the surface for evaporation; movement of moisture through a textile

Electrical conductivity

Ability to transfer electrical charges

Electrical retention

Ability to accumulate electrical charges

Thermal conductivity

Ability to transmit heat

Thermal retention

Ability to hold heat near the body

Allergic potential

Ability to cause a physical reaction

Density

Compactness or openness of fabric

Air permeability

Ease with which air passes through fabric

Cover

Ability of a fiber to occupy an area; ability of fibers to create a solid surface

Resiliency

Ability to return to original shape after deformation, bending, or folding

Chemical reactivity

Response to chemicals, cleaning agents, and chemical substances

Thermoplasticity

Ability to soften, melt, or shrink under heat

Heat tolerance

Ability to withstand heat

Heat sensitivity

Temperature at which heat causes changes

Dye affinity

Receptivity to a particular dye; ability of a dye to combine with a fiber

Flammability

Ability to ignite and burn

Natural fiber

Fiber originating from plants or animals

Manufactured fiber

Fiber produced through chemical processing

Spinnerette

Device that forms filaments by forcing liquid through small holes

Cross-sectional shape

Shape of a fiber viewed from its end

Crimp

Bends or waves along a fiber's length; bends and curves in yarn that contribute to stretch

Fiber diameter

Thickness of a fiber

Fiber density

Mass per unit volume of a fiber

Nap

Fuzzy surface created by protruding fibers

Hydroxyl group (OH)

Chemical group that can attract water molecules

Amorphous region

Less ordered molecular region with space for water

Crystalline region

Tightly ordered molecular region that contributes to strength

Capillaries

Small channels that transport moisture

Insulation

Reduction of heat transfer

Elongation

Amount of stretch before breaking

Young's modulus

Measure of resistance to deformation

Elastic recovery

Return to original length after stretching

Cohesion

Tendency of fibers to stick together

Dimensional stability

Ability to maintain original dimensions, size, and shape

Oleophilic

Attracted to or having an affinity for oil

Decomposition

Breakdown of material over time

Microscopy

Examination of fibers using magnification

Burn test

Identification method based on reaction to flame

Staple fiber

Relatively short fiber length

Spun yarn

Short fibers twisted together

Filament yarn

Yarn made of continuous filaments

Core-spun yarn

Filament core wrapped in staple fibers

Monofilament

Yarn consisting of one filament

Multifilament

Yarn consisting of multiple filaments

TPI

Turns per inch; measurement of yarn twist

Soft twist

Low-twist yarn, generally soft and fluffy

Hard twist

High-twist yarn, generally firm and smooth

S-twist

Twist spiraling upward to the left

Z-twist

Twist spiraling upward to the right

Carding

Cleaning, disentangling, and partially aligning fibers

Combing

Removing short fibers and increasing alignment

Woolen yarn

Carded wool yarn; bulky and fuzzy

Worsted yarn

Combed wool yarn; smooth and firm

Single yarn

One continuous yarn strand

Ply yarn

Two or more single yarns twisted together

Blend

Multiple fiber types within one yarn

Mixture

Different yarn types combined in one fabric

Textured yarn

Modified multifilament yarn

Power stretch

High elasticity and recovery force

Comfort stretch

Stretch that accommodates body movement

Novelty yarn

Yarn with special decorative effects

Denier

Grams per 9,000 meters