Terminology of textile industry

This article has introduced several key terminology that will be very beneficial to anyone working in the textile and readymade garments industries.

To understand the interaction of fiber, yarn and fabrics, it is important to have a sound basis of the descriptions and definitions. Understanding textile and apparel terminology, and having a glossary, is essential for effective communication. Additionally, those involved directly or indirectly in the garment, apparel, and clothing industries used those terminology and meanings linked to garments.

Background

Before we get into the terms used in the textile industry, it’s important to understand what a textile is.

A textile is a woven or knitted fabric created from yarn. Despite being used to describe woven cloth, the term also refers to fiber, yarn, fabric, and any other items manufactured from these. It is also connected to the manufacture of garments. A textile is a flexible material made up of a network of natural or synthetic fibers. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibers from wool, flax, cotton, flax, or other materials to produce long strands. Textiles are made by weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, tatting, felting, or braiding.

The following are some terms and definitions that are widely used in the textile and garment industries:

Acrylic Fiber: A man-made fiber containing nitrile. Maturing or ripening of alkali cellulose. Steaming of printed fabrics.

Attachments: Attached to a sewing machine, which can be removable and do not alter the original frame of the machine. Attachments facilitate the operator to perform their work effectively and reduce the complexity of an operation. For example, sewing machine attachments that fold fabric, control or guide fabric and enable a relatively unskilled operator to sew quickly and with a high level of accuracy.

Automatic cutting device: A computer-controlled knife, laser, water-jet, plasma or ultrasound used to cut textiles and other materials.

Auxiliary materials: Textile materials of different shape, size and properties with a decorative and functional use (bands, stripes, ribbons, elastic bands, stickers, light reflectors, others).

Bagging out: A special type of process by which the lining and facing are made and which is also folded back to the front or face side of the apparel.

Basic Dyes: Dyes containing basic amino group and applied to natural cellulosic fibers in an alkaline dye bath.

Basket weave: Two or more warp yarns interlock over two or more filling yarns. This pattern has greater pliability than plain weave.

Bast fiber: A fiber that derives from the stems of plants. The phloem is used, which transports the organic materials produced during photosynthesis.

Biomimetic: The process of extracting good design from nature (e.g. Velcro was obtained by copying the hooked burrs found on goose grass plants that hook onto fuzzy fibers).

Bleaching: Chemical process of improving the whiteness of the fabrics, yarn or fiber with! Without removal of natural colors, e.g. hydrogen peroxide.

Blend: A fabric made of different fibers mixed together. This combination improves the performance of fabrics (e.g. making polyester cotton to produce an easy-care fabric).

The process can also make fabrics cheaper to produce (e.g. blending a luxury fiber with a cheaper one to produce yarn).

Block of fusible components: Fusible components, separately grouped in a marker, fused together as a block and only cut as separate components afterwards.

Block of small components: Small components separately grouped in a marker where they form a separate spread; they are then cut by a band knife machine.

Bodkin: A small device used for making holes in the fabric.

Broad Cloth: A rib effect woven cloth having high cover factor.

Bundle: Stack of cut components, separated from the spread, folded or tied.

Calendaring: A finishing process to increase the smoothness and luster of fabric. Whereby fabric is passed between steel rollers, usually heated, to change the appearance of the fabric. For example a sheen, an embossed pattern or suede effect.

Calico: A term used for plain weave cotton fabric having medium cover factor.

Canvas: A heavy weight, plain weave fabric of cotton, flax, hemp or jute. It has good strength and firmness.

Carded: Fibers which have been straightened before spinning into a yarn

Carsolchromic: The coloration of fabric through the external stimulus of an electron beam.

Chopped fiber glass: Processes where lengths of glass threads are cut between 3 and 26 mm, threads are then used in plastics most commonly intended for molding processes.

Collar: The collar is a part of apparel that stays spread around the neck.

Color Fastness: The property by virtue of which the dyed material has resistance against bleeding on washed or exposed to light, gas, rubbing.

Coloration: Methods used to add color to fabrics (e.g. dyeing, printing, weaving and embroidery).

Continuous filament: Fibers that are infinitely long. They give a smooth surface to fabrics that often have sheen or shine because light can reflect off of them easily.

Continuous fusing press: Fusing press which ensures permanent fusing by transporting the components on a conveyor belt.

Cord: A general term used for plied and cabled yarns, structures made by braiding, knitting or weaving.

Course: A term used when knitting in one yarn is used to form connecting loops across a row.

Crochet: Continuous series of loops with single needle.

Crowfoot satin weave: One warp yarn interlocking over three and under one filling yarn. This pattern can conform to very complex contours.

Curing: A heat treatment to fix fabric finishes into fabrics.

Cutting: Process during which separate garment components are cut out from a single fabric ply or a fabric spread in accordance with the shape and number determined by the marker.

Dead heading: Transportation of a fabric ply or the entire roll above a spreading table without laying fabric.

Denim: 3/1 warp faced, 2c/ld. twill weave, heavy cotton cloth. The fabric is made of yarn-dyed warp and undyed weft yarn.

Die cutting: Cutting process carried out by fixed unchangeable dies – metal bands or pieces of metal in the shape of the perimeter of the cut components.

Direct Dyes: Dyes made of vegetable fibers. These are used for dying cellulosic and protein fibers. It is easily applied dyed but has low fastness.

Discharge (Printing): A method of printing in which by application of a chemical substance onto specific areas of a dyed fabric, the dye is discharged (removed) leaving a white or differently colored pattern.

Discontinuous fusing press: Fusing press which performs sequential, one at a time fusing of components.

Disperse Dyes: Dyes used only for synthetics e.g. polyester.

Dividing of a spread into smaller parts: First step of a manual cutting process during which large size spreads are divided into smaller parts using movable cutting machines.

Dobby: It is a loom used for making double fabrics. It has healed capacity greater than tappet loom. It also shows greater efficiency. Different color and weave effects can be woven using drop box motion at the shuttle box.

Drag knife: Knife with a slanting blade which is dragged along the profile of the cut component during the cutting process.

Drill marks: Round holes placed in the area of cut components to show ends of darts and placement points of ‘put on’ components (patch pockets, flaps, others).

Drill: A twill weave, piece dyed fabric. It is usually made in 0.7m width.

Drop loop: A technique of placing a belt loop in a little below from the upper end of the waistband of the trouser (normally 1-2cm). Drop loop stops the possibility of the belt moving above the waistband.

Durable press: A particular type of finishing treatment by which it is possible to provide specific shape size and crease to the cloth or apparel. By the pleat etc. could be made permanent and the apparel does not lose the above-noted quality through use and wash of the apparel.

Eight-harness satin weave: One warp yarn interlock over seven and under one filling yarn. This pattern produces the highest strength composite.

Elastic Fabric: A fabric composed of fibers (yarns) having very high young’s modulus. Thus the fabric is characterized by very high extensibility on application of stress without any permanent deformation.

Electrochromic: The coloration of fabric via the external stimulation of electricity.

Embossing: Method of developing a raised /depressed pattern on to the material by passing it between heated roller having the similar design engraved upon one of them. It is generally used upon thermoplastic fabrics.

End catcher: Device used with a spreading machine to fix the end of the laid material ply not allowing it to move from its correct position.

Extrusion: The process that occurs when molten polymer is pushed through the holes of a spinneret to form fibers.

Fabric feed system: Part of a spreading machine which rolls a material from a fabric setting bar or a special cradle and takes it down to the spreading table. It controls loading, unloading, threading or rewinding of fabrics, performs adjustable or automatic control of material feeding speed and measurement of roll/material length.

Fabric feeder: Stand with a horizontal axis on which the fabric roll is fixed so that it can be rewound during the spreading process. The stand may be fixed on the table, on a wall (at the end of the spreading table) or just put next to the spreading table.

Fabric shrinkage: Dimensional changes of a material resulting in decrease in one or more dimensions, i.e. the length or width.

Fabric specification: Document characterizing delivered fabrics. It includes the following information: the fabric article, a color number and its description, the number of delivered rolls (pieces), footage in every roll, total footage.

Fabric: General term used for all materials made of fibers /yarns by weaving, knitting, lace binding, braiding, felting, bonding, fusing or inter locking.

Facing: Lining or trim used to protect fabric edges in apparel i.e. cuff, collar, plackets is known as facing.

Fastness: Fastness of material to an agent means the resistance of the former towards the latter.

Fiber fabric: Web-form fabric reinforcing material that has both warp and weft directions.

Fiber mats: Web-form nonwoven mats of glass fibers. Mats are manufactured in cut dimensions with chopped fibers, or in continuous mats using continuous fibers.

Fiber: A fine strand that is the base component of textile materials.

Filament: A single long and continuous fiber with a predominantly circular shape.

Functional textiles: Products that are designed for specific end uses. They have specific properties (e.g. swimwear with UV protection).

Geotextiles: Fabrics used on the land because they are permeable. Used for drainage, erosion control, road construction, landfill sites, waterproof lining, etc.

Gore: A triangular piece of fabric in the toe or heel of a half hose or socks knitted in place by an automatic half hose machine.

Hosiery: Knitted articles.

Initial marker: Marker in which pattern pieces are placed in a logical way with allowances around them to achieve the required precise pattern matching of the components directly on to the fabric later.

Interlining: Woven or non-woven fabric layer between outer cloth and lining of a garment for stiffening or giving warmth.

Jacquard: A complex woven or knitted pattern produced on a loom or knitting machine where each warp yarn or knitting needle is controlled separately.

Jersey: Plain knitted fabric on circular knitting machine or tricot machines.

Jute: A multicellular baste fiber.

Knitting: A process of forming open work fabric by tying yarns when they cross one another, interlocking a series of loops.

Knitting needle gauge: used to determine the size of a knitting needle. Some also double for crochet hooks. Most needles come with the size written on the needle, but many needles (like double-pointed needles) tend to not be labeled. Also, with wear and time the label often wears off.

Knot: Joining together by tying.

Lace: Openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand plaiting, knotting, looping, or twisting.

Lawn: Light thin cotton fabric.

Lining: Fabric used to cover inner sides of a garment. Comes into contact with undergarments. Interlining fabrics have a slippery surface to improve put on and off comfort and increase movement comfort.

Loom: A weaving machine.

Luster: Gloss of textiles.

Manual spreading: Spreading process which is performed by two (could be also one) workers. They move a fabric ply above a spreading table, ensure quality placement of the ply, recognize faults in the fabric, make decisions to leave or cut them out, count plies and cut fabric ply at the end of the spread.

Marker: Efficient layout of pattern pieces. It can be used in manual or automated cutting to minimize consumption and organize the cutting process.

Melange: A mixture of colored stocks.

Microfiber: A fiber that has a denier count lower than one.

Movable fabric feeder: Movable carriage on which the fabric roll is fixed. It can move along a spreading table and perform ‘face to face in both directions’ (zig–zag) mode.

Muslin: A fine plain white cotton fabric.

Nap: Prominent direction in which surface fibers lie on a fabric.

Natural Polymers: These polymers are mainly short-length fibers.

Nesting software: Specialized software which allows the operator to move pattern pieces on a computer screen and position them in the area whose width corresponds to the width of the cut material.

Noils: Short fibers that have been removed during the combing process.

Non-woven: Fabric that is made using fibers that have not been spun into a yarn. Making non-woven fabrics is faster than making woven fabrics, but the fabrics have limited use due to their poor durability and strength.

Notches: Short cuts at the edge of components which help to join components correctly and precisely during the sewing process.

Nylon: Synthetic polyamide fiber.

Organdy: Thin transparent stiff effect on cotton.

Overall marker: Marker in which all pattern pieces of one or more garments are positioned in a free arrangement to obtain minimal fabric utilization.

Pattern: Design or style of a printed, woven or knitted fabric, e.g. stripe, check, floral.

Patterning (ribboning): This is a sort of defect which occurs during winding on a random winding machine when the wind per double traverse becomes exactly an integer. Some coils of yarns tend to superimpose on each other thereby creating a sort of short band or a ribbon. If a package with such a defect is used in subsequent processes such as knitting, warping or weaving, they adversely affect the unwinding properties of the yarn. During unwinding of the yarn at high speed, the coils of yarn from the ribbon tend to slough off in a bunch and cause a machine

stoppage.

Photochromic: The coloration of fabric via the external stimulation of light.

Piezochromic: The coloration of fabric via the external stimulation of pressure.

Pile: Raised surface of a fabric. It can be either cut or loop, patterned or plain, textured of flat.

Plain weave: One warp yarn passes over and under one filling yarn. This pattern has maximum stability with respect to slippage and fabric distortion.

Ply: Piece of fabric laid in a spread in accordance with the spreading mode and fabric pattern. Its length corresponds to the length of the marker.

Polyamide: Polymerized product of alcohols and acids.

Poplin: A plain weave fabric with ribbed or corded effect.

Quilt: A layer of insulating batting is sandwiched between two layers of fabric before being sewn or tied together to create a quilt. A quilt is a huge rectangular bed covering or other comparable piece of quilting art.

Raw Silk: Reeled silk directly from cocoon with slight twist.

Reed: Frame in front of harnesses separating warp and swinging forward.

Rough cutting: During cutting a fabric allowance is left around the contours of components; their cut lines may not be perfectly parallel to their original contours.

Router: Cutting tool which rotates around a vertical axis during cutting and allows movement along the profile of the cut component.

Roving: Process where filaments are spun into larger diameter threads. These threads are then commonly used for woven reinforcing glass fabrics and mats and in spray applications.

Satin: A woven cloth of smooth surface caused by weft floats.

Sectioned marker: Marker in which components with similar lengths or single size bodice pieces are united. The length of a section is determined by the longest pattern piece included in it.

Selvedge or selvage: The finished edge of woven fabric that prevents it from fraying. Often, there is a double warp count that should not be used in the manufacture of a product because the fabric property will behave differently – for example, it may have a different shrinkage rate and will pucker seams.

Shade variations of one fabric color: Fabric from different dye lots (batches) may have variations in shading (batch-to-batch color variations). Slight color variations may also occur in one fabric roll (side-center-side or end-to-end color variations).

Solvato chromic: Coloration of fabric via external stimulation of liquid.

Sourcing: Process of obtain goods and/or services from a manufacturer either domestically or globally.

Spinneret: A device made out of stainless steel or platinum that has holes and is used in the production of man-made fibers.

Spinning: Process of making yarns. Details here,

The process of twisting fibers to produce a yarn.

The extrusion of man-made fibers through the spinneret to produce fibers.

Splice lines: Two lines marked at every splice place in the marker. In the case of fabric faults, the zone between the splice lines is the area where the fabric is laid double (overlapping) to obtain all cut components in their full shape in either the first or the second piece of fabric.

Splice marks: Marks to determine the places where the fabric has to be spread double. They are printed outside the marker borders along its bottom and top edge or marked directly on the edges of a spreading table before the spreading process.

Splice places: Zones where more or less straight lines may be lined across the fabric width, the fabric ply could be cut off and the fault cut out without affecting the quality of the cut components.

Spreader truck turret: Part of a spreader truck which ensures crosswise transportation of a fabric roll during the spreading process. It can move aside to adjust the alignment differences of the fabric roll in order to achieve perfect fabric edge placement on the table.

Spreading mode: The way fabric is spread. It determines the placement of the face side of every fabric ply in a spread, up or down, and the placement direction of every fabric ply in a spread, one or both directions.

Spreading: Process during which fabric is cut in certain length pieces and placed one above other in one or many plies.

Spun Silk: Silk yarn from short filament.

Staple fiber: Short-length fibers that range from approximately 1 cm to 12cm in length. Typically, short fibers protrude onto the surface of the fabric, which gives it some texture and the appearance is matt (i.e. it cannot reflect light). All natural fibers, except silk, are staple fibers and man-made fibers can be produced in staple or continuous filament formats.

Step kind of spread: Spread in which a different number of plies are laid in different (two or more) zones (steps).

Synthetic Polymers: These polymers are produced by a process called polymerization to make a long chain of linear polymers.

Taffeta: Plain closely woven filament fabric.

Tapestry: Yarn dyed figured fabrics in jacquard loom.

Tearing device: Device on an automated spreading machine to tear light fabrics.

Technical textiles: Products designed with specific functional properties used by many industries (e.g. aerospace, building, automotive, military, medical, agricultural, and construction).

Tenacity: The strength of the fiber.

Tensile strength: How strong a fiber is and how much weight the fiber can withstand before it breaks.

Terry Cloth: Absorbent fabric with uncut pile loops.

Tex: A unit of fiber fineness defined by the weight in grams of 1000 m of yarn; the lower the number, the finer the yarn (weight per unit length, i.e., 1 g/1000 m = 1 Tex).

Thermochromics: The coloration of fabric via heat.

Thread count: The number of warp and weft yarns in one inch of fabric.

Twill weave: One or more warp yarns over and under two or more filling yarns. This produces a very drapeable fabric.

Underlay paper: Paper (40–100 g/m2) spread under a fabric spread to ensure easy transportation of the ready spread or its parts along the spreading table and eliminate deformations of the lowest fabric plies during the transportation.

Velvet: Cut pile fabric of silk or man-made fiber.

Wales: the interconnecting loops up the length of knitted fabric.

Warp faced fabric: More warp yarns show on the surface of the fabric, and more weft yarns appear on the back.

Warp knitting: One or two yarns feed a needle on a machine to form loops up the length of the fabric.

Warp: Lengthwise threads in a fabric attached to a loom before weaving begins.

Weave count: The number of yarns per one inch in the warp and weft.

Weaving: Interlacing of two sets of yarns usually at right angles to form a fabric.

Weft faced fabric: More weft yarns show on the surface of the fabric, and more warp yarns appear on the back.

Weft: The yarns that run across the width of the fabric; they can also be called filling.

Wicking: The movement of moisture through fabric via capillary action to the surface of the fabric where it can evaporate.

Winch Dyeing Machine: A dyeing machine consisting of a dye vessel fitted with a drive winch, which rotates and draws a length of fabric, normally joined end to end, through the liquor.

Wind: During the winding process, the package rotates, whether by friction of the drum or when mounted onto a spindle, and the yarn is traversed on the package from one side to the other and back. In one stroke of the single traverse, a certain number of coils are wound on the package and this number is defined as the wind. Wind is therefore defined as the number of coils wound around the package in a single traverse.

Woolen: Descriptive of yarns or fabrics or garments made from yarns, which have been produced on the condenser system, wholly from wool fibers, new or otherwise. (Wool is the fibrous covering of a sheep.)

Worsted Fabric: A fabric manufactured wholly from worsted yarns, except that decoration threads of other fibers may be present.

Woven fabric: Manufactured by intertwining two rectangular crossing thread systems, defined as warp and weft (or fill). The kind and crossing of warp and weft is called the “weaving pattern.” The weaving pattern influences the fabric properties and design. One of the variables in the process is how often a thread is crossing threads of the other system on a certain length. This length is called floating.

Woven: A cloth formed by weaving. It only stretches in the bias directions (at an angle between the warp and weft directions). There are three basic weaving patterns; plain, twill, and atlas weave.

Yarn: A product of substantial length and relatively small cross section consisting of fibers and or filament (s). Yarns consist of several hundred up to thousands of single filaments.

Zip fastener: The chain along the opening place of a garment with the help of which the opening place of the garment can be opened or closed is called the zip fastener.

Conclusion

The process of making clothing is laborious and complicated. In the textile industries, thousands of terminologies are used to operate manufacturing and business.