Absorbency
Moisture absorbing ability of fabric
Acetate
A cellulose compound based fabric. It is a low-priced fabric and is quite sensitive to washing. It is derived from wood pulp or short fibers attached to the cottonseed. It is mostly used in the linings and dry cleaning of this fabric is recommended.
Acrylic
It is a synthetic fabric, which has excellent color retaining ability. It is a very good substitute for wool as it is cheaper. It is wash friendly and can be washed in machines or by hand.
Alpaca
It is a lightweight soft fabric, produced from Alpaca sheep’s hair and utilized for different purposes depending upon their quality.
Angora
The fur of Angora goat is used to make this fabric. It could also be derived from the Angora rabbit's hair.
Antique Satin
It is a satin drapery fabric that uses horizontal wefts, which can be created with silk, acetate or rayon in the heave and fine-textured cotton in the filling. Sometimes, the warp (heave) and weft (filling) threads are dyed with different colors for bright appearance.
Argyle
A pattern created with various colors in diamond shape and knitted into a fabric.
Astrakhan
It is an unsmooth fabric with tight curly surface looking like fur of Astrakhan lamb. It is usually woven or knitted with base of cotton and heap of wool, acrylic or mohair fibers.
Bamboo Fabric
It is a natural fabric built from bamboo grass pulp with unique features. It has enough sustainability than most other textile fabrics. It is light and solid with splendid wicking and some antibacterial features too.
Barathea
A smooth uniform fabric made of an indistinct corded basket and is weaved with finely double joined yarns.
Bark Cloth
A roughly woven, generally printed cotton material much popular as interior textile in the 30s-50s. The prints on cotton fabric were usually huge leaves, vines and floral.
Bathrobe Blanketing
A two-sided fabric threaded with firmly twisted heave along with two volumes of soft twisted filling threads. This is usually padded for producing thick, soft and warm textile and is made of wool, cotton, acrylic, polyester or mixture of this stuff.
Batik
This is a process of dyeing the fabric in which some parts are coated with wax or glue paste for making designs. This keeps the dye away from penetrating in the pattern parts. Several repetitions of the dyeing process give multicolored and blending effects with crinkled patterns.
Batiste
It is a lightweight, plainly woven fabric generally made of cotton, silk, wool or rayon. It is best for baby garments and lingerie.
Bedford cord
Cotton like corded material with elevated ridges designed lengthwise. Due to the extreme strength and durability, this fabric is used for upholsters and clothes for working.
Bengaline
It is a shiny, durable, weaved fabric with heavily filled cords and covered by thread (warp).
Blanket Cloth
This cloth can have straight or diagonal weaves with thick, soft yarns massively cushioned on both the sides.
Boiled Wool
It is matted and knitted wool and offers great warmth. It is best for jackets, robes and stuffed toys.
Boucle
It is a woven fabric or knitted with tiny loops or curls which occur at intervals and gives a kinky look. It is meant for vests, sweaters, coats and has a knotted or looped surface.
Broadcloth
A simple weave firmly woven material usually made of pure cotton, rayon or in their blended form with polyester. It is commonly used for quilting and for making shirts.
Brocade
A thick jacquard-kind of fabric with an elevated shaped and colorful pattern or floral design created throughout. It is best for draperies, upholstery, evening wear and handbags.
Brocatelle
It is an average weight Jacquard type fabric, which uses four or even more set of threads. Their surface varies according to the designs and may look puffy or embroidered.
Buckram
It is a heavy, spun-weaved fabric regenerated from cheesecloth with fillers and adhesives. It is mostly used as interlining for stiffening pleated and window fabrics.
Bunting
It is a light, pure, and soft-textured, plainly weaved fabric which can be used naturally, colored or dyed. It is ideal for banners and flags.
Burlap
It is a plain-woven, loosely fabricated, heavy weighted material and is made of irregular jute threads. It is rough and is used in natural form for bagging, carpet backing and furniture netting. When dyed and printed, it is also used for drapery and decorative objects.
Burn-out Velvet
Made from two distinct fibers from which the velvet is discarded with chemicals. This leaves the supporting fabric intact.
Calico
A firmly-weaved cotton fabric with prints of small country designs or multi-colored floral patterns. It is utilized for curtains, aprons, quilts.
Cambric
It is a thin, fine and white linen material.
Camel Hair
When unbleached, it is light colored with soft texture. The best form is expensive, it is still found mixed with sheep wool and other fabrics.
Candlewick
It is a muslin-type fabric adorned with heavy yarns providing misty designs.
Canvas
It is strong, heavy cotton or acrylic fabric, made in simple or basket weave and is frequently used for slipcovers, awnings, and boat covers.
Casement
It is a loose or firm casual fabric, found in open or closed, simple or quality weave forms. It gives good texture, usually opaque or translucent.
Cashmere
It is an extremely soft fiber, which is made from the soft fluffy Kashmir goat. It is mostly used in shawls, suits and sweaters.
Cavalry Twill
It is a heavily articulated twilled fabric with double-strake line and smooth surface.
Challis
It is a light, soft simple weaved material with a soft coated surface, often printed in floral designs. It is generally made from cotton, rayon or wool.
Chambray
This is a plain weaved fabric generally of cotton, rayon or a mixture of all these with polyester. It contains a colored heave and white replenishing yarns.
Charmeuse
It is rayon, cotton or silk satin weaved fabric with light shiny surface and light back.
Chantilly Lace
It is a lace with netted background, embroidered with ribbon and threads for creating floral patterns. The pattern is outlined with heavy threads or cords.
Charm Quilt
This is a quilt created with many small different pieces of fabric made in 2” patches.
Charmuese
It is a silky, supple and luxurious fabric with shiny front and light back. It is ideal for blouses, lingerie and full pants.
Cheesecloth
It is a light, thin, plainly woven fabric with soft finish. When dyed, it is known as bunting and is ideal for banners or flags.
Chenille
It is a fluffy fabric created with a chenille yarn with muzzy piles projecting from all the sides.
Chiffon
It is a lightweight, very sheer and stringy fabric, comprising of many twisted threads.
China Silk
It is a gentle, light but opaque and plain woven fabric made with fine-filling yarns and is used in garments.
Chintz
A plain weaved fabric coated for a polished feel. It needs dry-washing for retaining the glaze and is ideal for home furnishings.
Corduroy
It is a textile made from twisted fibers, which lie parallel to each other, when woven and gives the cloth its distinctive pattern. It is suited for skirts, pants, and jackets.
Cotton
It is a white fiber grown in warm climates throughout the world. It is utilized in producing many types of materials since ages. It is in great demand due to the good feeling it produces even in hot and humid climate.
Crepe
It is meant for describing all kinds of fabrics like cotton, rayon, and silk, wool, synthetic and mixtures which have a crimped, crinkled surface.
Crepe de Chine
It has a slight crinkled surface and comes in 3 weights: 2 ply, suitable for lingerie and blouses, 3 ply, for full pants and dresses and 4 ply, very luxuriant and best for jackets and trousers.
Crewel
Original crewel work is traditionally hand-weaved on a plain fabric embellished in India. It has various design motifs like vines, flowers, leaves and many bright colors. Even modern crewel work is also created without embroidery.
Crocheted
It is an open and loose knit created with curled threads with a hook like needle and is good for summer sweater.
Damask
It is a shiny, single-colored fabric with flat or two-sided patterns, used for home furnishings.
Denim
It is cotton weaved material formed with different colors both in heave and filling where one color prevails on the surface. It is ideal for shirts, pants and jackets. Pre-washing and completely drying is recommended to avoid shrinkage.
Dobby
It is a decorative weaved fabric with small woven geometric figures.
Doeskin
It refers to a low nap fabric, brushed on one side for a suede effect. It is best for pants, tops and full skirts.
Dotted Swiss
It is a light, thin cotton or blended fabric with small flock and dot patterns printed either on the surface or weaved into the material. It is ideal for curtains, baby clothes and garments.
Double Cloth
It is a creation with two fabrics interwoven with each other and joined together with binder strings.
Double knit
It is a knitted fabric with two inseparable layers of loops and can be created with a double knit machine with two needle sets.
Drill
It is a strong, medium or even heavy, distorted-looking, diagonally weaved fabric.
Duck
It is a firmly woven, simple-weaved fabric with heavy bottom and lasting finish. It is prepared with cotton and is used in slacks and children wear.
Dupioni Silk
It is a crispy fabric with asymmetrical knots. It is meant for slimmer fitting outfits.
Eyelet
It is a fabric with cut-out patterns with embroidery or stitches to avoid knotting of threads.
Elasticity
It refers to the capability of a material to regain its original shape instantly after stretching.
Embossing
It is a process of engraving the fabric with heated rollers and applying pressure for producing a design on the surface.
Embroidery
It is a decoration of a garment or fabric for creating a design with sewed colorful threads. It can be either done by hands or machine.
Faille
It is a silky, glossy and weaved fabric made with silk, cotton or its blends.
Felt
It is a fabric having 70% wool made with interwoven wool fiber scales using heat and moisture.
Flannel
It is a pure cotton fabric, which has been brushed for softness and can be used for nightwear and shirts.
Flax
It is a plant which gives linen. Linen is used for most of the garments.
Fleece
It is a synthetic knitted fabric, which extends throughout the texture and is ideal for tops, jackets and vests.
Foil
This is a thin material, which is kept under another cloth for more color and brightness.
Frieze
It is a strong, long-lasting, heaved fabric, created with over-wiring method.
Gabardine
It is a tightly weaved wrinkle resistive fabric and is considered best for suits throughout the year.
Gauze
It is a lightweight, sheer and openly weaved fabric generally silk or cotton.
Georgette
It is a light, sheer and plain weaved fabric made with twisted threads. It is less shiny than chiffon.
Gingham
It is a less weight, plain fabric either with check or plaid patterns.
Gossamer
It is an extremely soft, netted silk veiling.
Granada
It is a fine textured fabric with coarse surface and is made of crushed black dyed yarn.
Grosgrain
It is a firmly woven, heaved-faced material with round and heavy filling threads.
Habutai
It is a soft silky and light fabric, but weighty than China silk.
Handkerchief Linen
It is linen or similar fabric with knotted threads and is heavier.
Heather
It is a yarn which is reeled using dyed fibers to give a special look.
Herringbone
It is a variable of weaved construction, which produces the effect of a broken check in the design of interwoven yarns by using two different colored threads.
Hessian
It is a fine-textured, heavy but loosely weaved plain fabric usually prepared with irregular jute threads.
Homespun
It refers to a fine, plain woven fabric with a hand-weaved look.
Hopsacking
It is a fine, loosely weaved basket-woven fabric made of inferior cotton.
Iktat
It is a hand-woven fabric, which is tie and dyed in threads before weaving.
India Silk
It is an extremely soft, thin, hand-woven fabric found mainly in India
Interlock
This refers to a strong, double filled knit where both needle beds join the fabric.
Irish Poplin
These are of 2 types: 1) the original fabric made with silk threads and weaved plainly. 2) Fine cotton or linen. It is also made in Ireland.
Jute
This is an Indian fiber used mainly for bags, sacks, and tying threads in rugs and carpets.
Khaki
It is a dusty color weaved fabric, finer and softer than drill and made of linen, cotton, wool and blends.
La Coste
It is a double-knitted fabric created with the fusion of tuck and knit stitches to give a mesh-like look.