Textile Science Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary terms and key definitions derived from the Textile Science Study Guide.

Fiber

Raw material used to make yarns and fabrics.

Yarn

A continuous strand of twisted or laid fibers used in weaving, knitting, or manufacturing fabric.

Fabric

A structure made by bonding yarns or fibers together.

Aesthetics

A concept of expected textile performance that includes visual appearance, drape, luster, and texture.

Durability

A concept of expected textile performance that includes resistance to wear, strength, and abrasion resistance.

Appearance Retention

A concept of expected textile performance that includes resistance to wrinkling, pilling, stretching, and shrinking.

Hydrophobic

Water-repelling; describes fibers that do not absorb moisture well, causing them to hold static charges and create static cling.

Dimensional Stability

The ability of a fabric to retain its original shape and size after laundering or wear.

Resilience

The ability of a fiber or fabric to spring back to its original shape after being compressed or creased.

Elongation

The ability of a fiber to stretch or increase in length when under tension.

Elasticity (Elastic Recovery)

The ability of a stretched fiber to bounce back to its original length once the tension is released.

Flexibility

The key property required for drapability, along with fiber fineness and bending stiffness.

Hygroscopic Capability

The ability of a fiber (such as wool) to absorb moisture without feeling wet to the touch and keep you warm even when wet.

Cohesiveness

The ability of fibers to stick together (usually aided by natural crimp, twist, or surface scale texture); the single most important property for yarn spinning.

Thermoplasticity

The property of fibers softening and melting when exposed to heat and setting into shape as they cool.

Staple Fiber

Short-length fibers measured in inches or centimeters; includes all natural fibers except silk.

Filament Fiber

Long, continuous strand fibers measured in yards or miles; includes silk and most synthetic/manmade fibers.

Mill

A manufacturing facility where textile processes take place—such as spinning yarn, weaving or knitting fabric, or finishing materials.

Converter

An individual or company that buys greige goods (unfinished fabric) from mills, has them dyed, printed, or finished, and sells the completed fabric.

Lanolin

A natural grease or wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep, harvested from wool during cleaning.

Sericin

A natural water-soluble gum or protein that coats and cements silk filaments together as the silkworm spins its cocoon.

Sericulture

The controlled production and cultivation of silkworms (Bombyx mori) for raw silk fiber production.

Silk Noil

Waste silk used to manufacture spun silk yarn.

Dupioni

A type of silk fabric known for having luster and characteristic slubs.

Raw Silk

Silk filament that has not yet had its natural gum (sericin) washed out (degummed).

Bast Fibers

Plant fibers derived from the inner phloem/stem of a plant, such as Linen (Flax), Hemp, Jute, Ramie, and Kenaf.

Trade Name

A trademarked brand name given by chemical or fiber manufacturers to market a specific proprietary version of a generic fiber (e.g., Dacron®, Lycra®, Tencel®).

Acetate

A regenerated cellulosic fiber made from wood pulp or cotton linters reacted with acetic acid; burns, melts, and produces a vinegar odor during burn testing.

Microfiber

An extremely fine synthetic fiber measuring less than 1 denier per filament in thickness.

Glass Fiber (Fiberglass)

A non-wearable mineral fiber whose tiny filaments shatter easily, causing severe skin irritation and respiratory damage upon contact.

Cellulosic Burn Characteristics

Burns quickly without melting, continues burning after flame removal, smells like burning paper, and leaves a light, feathery gray ash.

Protein Burn Characteristics

Burns slowly and self-extinguishes, smells like burning hair or feathers, and leaves a dark, crushable irregular bead or ash.

Synthetic Burn Characteristics

Melts and shrinks away from flame, burns with melting drops, smells chemical or sweet/plastic, and leaves a hard, uncrushable plastic bead.