path: root/bookmarks/definitions and descriptions of fabric and cloth.txt

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title: Definitions and Descriptions of Fabric and Cloth
date: 2010-06-02T18:34:51Z
source: http://phrontistery.info/fabric.html
tags: reference, writing

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This is a rather odd category, listing 269 names of kinds of fabric and cloth. There is an enormous variety in fabrics, with many different national, historical and regional varieties. It is interesting to note, however, that almost all of the types of fabric listed below are variants or blends of just five basic fabric types (silk, cotton, linen, wool and worsted). Many of the terms are foreign in origin; English orthography has been adopted where it exists. **PLEASE NOTE**: I am not a fabric dealer. I do not know where to find weird fabrics, nor am I qualified to comment on the qualities or uses of any type of fabric, except from the definitions listed in the dictionaries from which this list was compiled. If you ask me to recommend a fabric for your wedding dress, well, I've always thought that burlap gets a bum rap ....

Word Definition

aba
garment of camel or goat hair; camel or goat-hair fabric

aerophane
thin crinkled semi-transparent fabric

alepine
mixed wool and silk or mohair and cotton fabric

alpaca
fine wool made from alpaca hair

angora
silk-like fabric made from wool of angora goats

ardass
fine silk

armure
twilled woollen or silk fabric

arrasene
embroidery fabric of wool and silk

atlas
rich satin fabric

baft
cheap coarse cotton fabric

bagging
coarse fabric for making bags or sacks

baize
coarse napped cotton or wool fabric

balbriggan
knitted cotton fabric

baldachin
rich embroidered silk and gold fabric

balzarine
light cotton dress material

barathea
pebbly silk or worsted fabric with broken rib weave

barege
gauzy fabric of silk, cotton, wool, or worsted

barracan
fine silk cloth

barras
coarse linen fabric

barrateen
some kind of fabric

batiste
fine soft sheer fabric of plain weave

bayadere
fabric with horizontal stripes in strongly contrasting colours

beaupers
linen fabric used for flags

bengaline
crosswise ribbed fabric

bombazine
twilled silk and worsted fabric

borato
thin fabric

boucl
fabric of uneven looped yarn

brilliantine
light lustrous cotton and worsted fabric

broadcloth
dense twilled wool or worsted fabric

brocade
rich silk fabric with raised patterns

buckram
stiff-finished cotton or linen used for linings of garments

bump
coarse cotton fabric

bunting
light loosely woven fabric used for flags

burdet
cotton fabric

burlap
coarse plain-woven jute or hemp fabric

burnet
dark brown; dark woollen cloth

burrel
coarse russet cloth

calamanco
satin twilled woollen fabric

calico
plain white cotton

camaca
fine silk fabric

cambresine
fine linen fabric

cambric
fine thin white cotton or linen fabric

camlet
strong waterproof silk or wool fabric

caneva
fancy woollen fabric made to resemble canvas

canque
Chinese cotton fabric

cashmere
soft twilled fabric made of fine goat's wool

cashmerette
soft imitation of cashmere

cassimere
closely woven twilled cloth of fine wool

cendal
silk fabric resembling taffeta

challis
soft lightweight silk, wool or cotton fabric

chambray
lightweight fabric with coloured warp and white filling

chamois
cotton fabric made in imitation of chamois leather

charmante
silk fabric with a crepe back

charmeuse
soft and satiny silk fabric

chenille
velvety silk, wool or cotton fabric with protruding pile

cheviot
coarse heavy plain or twilled wool or worsted

chiffon
sheer silk fabric

chino
strong twilled cotton cloth

chintz
glazed printed cotton fabric

cire
fabric with a glazed finish

cloque
fabric with an embossed design

coburg
thin single-twilled worsted fabric with cotton or silk

cordovan
soft goatskin leather

corduroy
durable cotton piled fabric with vertical ribs

crash
coarse drapery and towelling fabric

crepe
light crinkled fabric

crepon
heavy crepe fabric with lengthwise crinkles

cretonne
heavy cotton or linen cloth

crin
horsehair fabric

crinoline
stiff flax or cotton fabric

cubica
fine unglazed fabric resembling shalloon

cypress
silk or cotton gauze fabric, usually black

damask
fine lustrous fabric with flat patterns and a satin weave

delaine
light fabric of wool or mixed wool and cotton

denim
firm and durable twilled cotton

dimity
sheer and stout white cotton

domett
plain cotton-wool blend

dornick
stout linen

dowlas
coarse linen

drabbet
coarse linen

drap-de-Berry
old woollen cloth

dreadnought
heavy woollen cloth

drill
durable twilled cotton

droguet
ribbed woollen dress fabric

drugget
coarse durable wool fabric

ducape
plain-woven stout silk fabric

duck
durable closely woven cotton fabric

duffel
fabric of thick, low-quality woolen cloth

dungaree
heavy coarse durable twilled cotton, usually coloured

dupion
coarse silk

duroy
coarse woollen

duvetyn
smooth lustrous velvety fabric

ecarlate
fine woollen cloth, usually dyed scarlet

olienne
fine silk and wool

etamine
light open-mesh cotton or worsted

eyelet
small hole in fabric to allow passage of a cord; cotton fabric with small holes

faille
shiny closely woven silk, cotton or rayon fabric

farandine
silk and wool cloth

filoselle
coarse floss silk

flannel
light woollen fabric

foulard
soft lightweight plain-woven or twilled silk fabric

foul
light woollen fulled cloth

frieze
rough heavy woollen cloth

fuji
plain spun silk fabric

fustian
coarse twilled cotton

gabardine
closely woven cotton or wool twill

galatea
striped cotton

gambroon
twilled worsted and cloth

gazar
silk organza fabric

genappe
smooth worsted yarn

georgette
thin silk

gingham
striped cotton cloth

grenadine
thin silk

grogram
coarse loosely woven silk fabric

grosgrain
heavy close-woven corded silk

gulix
kind of fine linen

harn
coarse linen

herringbone
twilled fabric woven in rows of parallel sloping lines

hodden
coarse undyed woollen cloth

holland
coarse plain-woven cotton or linen

hopsack
rough-surfaced loose fabric

houndstooth
fabric with an irregular checked pattern

huckaback
absorbent cotton or linen used for towels

jaconet
stout cotton cloth

jacquard
intricately-woven variegated fabric; loom for making jacquard

jaspe
cotton or rayon cloth with shaded effect

jean
durable twilled cotton material

jersey
plain weft-knitted fabric of wool, cotton, nylon or silk

kalamkari
fabric coloured by repeated dyeing

kelt
coarse fabric made of black and white wool

kente
hand-woven African silk fabric

kersey
coarse woollen cloth

kerseymere
twilled fine wool

khaddar
homespun cotton cloth

kincob
embroidered silk with gold and silver threads

lam
fabric in which metallic threads are interwoven

lasting
sturdy cotton or worsted cloth

lawn
fine sheer plain-woven cotton or linen

leno
open-woven fabric

linsey
coarse linen and wool blend

linsey-woolsey
thin coarse fabric of wool and linen

lockram
coarse linen

loden
heavy waterproof woollen fabric

lustring
glossy silk

lutestring
plain glossy silk

mackinaw
heavy napped and felted wool cloth

mackintosh
lightweight rubberized waterproof cotton

madapollam
fine cotton cloth

madras
fine plain-woven cotton or silk

marabout
thin downy silk

marcella
cotton or linen in twill weave

marocain
ribbed crepe fabric

marquisette
sheer meshed cloth

matelass
having a quilted ornamentation; fabric with raised pattern as if quilted

melton
strong and smooth heavy woollen cloth

merino
soft wool of the merino sheep; any soft merino-like wool or wool and cotton cloth

messaline
soft lightweight silk with a satin weave

mockado
inferior quality woollen fabric

mogadore
ribbed silk used in making neckties

mohair
fabric made from silky hair of angora goats

moire
watered silk

moleskin
heavy durable cotton

moreen
stout corded wool or cotton

mousseline
fine sheer fabric

mull
soft fine sheer cotton or silk fabric

muslin
plain-woven fine cotton

musterdevillers
archaic mixed grey woollen cloth

nainsook
fine cotton fabric

nankeen
buff-coloured; durable buff-coloured cotton

needlecord
thinly ribbed cotton

ninon
silk voile or other thin fabric

organdie
fine translucent cotton

organza
transparent thin silk or nylon

orleans
interwoven cotton and worsted

osnaburg
coarse linen or cotton

ottoman
heavy clothing fabric with crosswise ribs

oxford
soft durable plain-woven cotton

paduasoy
corded silk

paisley
soft wool fabric with ornamental pattern

panne
heavy lustrous silk or rayon with waxy feel

paramatta
worsted and cotton blend

pashmina
fine goat's wool fabric used for making shawls

pekin
fine soft silk

pellicule
thin diaphanous fabric

percale
closely woven lightweight cloth

percaline
glossy lightweight cotton

perse
dark blue or bluish-grey; cloth of such a colour

piqu
stiff durable corded fabric of cotton, rayon or silk

platilla
fine white linen

pliss
fabric with puckered finish

pongee
thin soft fabric woven from raw silk

poodle
coarsely looped or nubby fabric

poplin
corded woven silk and worsted

prunella
strong and heavy silk or wool

rabanna
raffia fabric of Madagascar

ramie
strong lustrous fabric resembling linen or silk

raploch
coarse undyed woollen cloth

raschel
light loosely kitted cloth

ratin
rough bulky plain-woven fabric

rep
plain-woven fabric with crosswise ribs

reticella
old Venetian lace-like fabric

romal
handkerchief or headcloth; silk or cotton fabric

rumchunder
fine silk

russel
ribbed cotton and wool

russet
coarse homespun cloth

sagathy
light blend of silk and cotton or wool

samite
rich and heavy silk, sometimes interwoven with gold or silver

sarsenet
fine and soft silk; soft or gentle

satara
ribbed lustred wool

sateen
glossy cotton or wool

satin
closely woven silk with lustrous face

satinet
thin silk satin or imitation thereof

saxony
fine soft woollen fabric

say
delicate woollen fabric

scarlet
fine cloth

scrim
durable plain-woven cotton fabric

seersucker
light puckered cotton or linen fabric

sempiternum
durable wool

sendal
thin silk or linen

serge
strong twilled worsted

shalloon
light twilled wool or worsted

shantung
plain rough silk or cotton

sharkskin
smooth durable wool or worsted fabric

shetland
lightweight loosely twisted wool fabric

shoddy
woollen fabric made from rags

sicilienne
ribbed silk

silesia
thin twilled cotton or linen

silkaline
soft light cotton fabric resembling silk

sindon
fine linen

stammel
coarse woollen fabric, usually dyed red; bright red colour

stockinette
soft elastic cotton fabric

surah
soft twilled silk or rayon

swansdown
heavy napped cotton flannel

swanskin
soft napped fabric resembling flannel

tabaret
striped watered silk and satin fabric

tabby
plain-woven silk taffeta fabric

tabinet
silk and wool watered fabric

taffeta
thin glossy silk

tamin
thin glazed worsted

tamis
thin wool

tarlatan
thin sheer stiff cotton

terry
piled fabric consisting of uncut loops

ticking
strong linen or cotton fabric used for mattress and pillow cases

tiffany
transparent silk-like gauzy fabric

tiretaine
wool cloth mixed with cotton or linen

toile
plain or simple twilled fabric

tricolette
silk or rayon knitted fabric

tricot
plain knitted silk or woollen fabric

tricotine
double-twilled worsted fabric

tulle
sheer and delicate thin silk

tussah
brownish silk fabric

tweed
rough twilled wool

twill
any diagonally woven fabric

velour
piled velvety cotton

veloutine
velvety corded wool

velvet
soft piled fabric of silk, cotton or synthetic material

velvetine
cotton with silk pile

vicuna
fabric made from wool of the vicuna, a small ruminant

voile
soft fine sheer fabric

wadmal
thick coarse wool

whipcord
fabric with bold twill used for making dresses

wigan
stiff plain-woven cotton

wincey
plain or twilled cotton

woolsey
cotton and wool blend

worcester
fine wool

worsted
fine closely-woven wool

zanella
mixed twilled umbrella fabric

zephyr
lightweight wool or worsted fabric; the west wind

zibeline
soft piled wool

I hope you have found this site to be useful. If you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please [contact me][1]. Please note that I am not able to respond to all requests. Please consult a major dictionary before e-mailing your query. All material on this page © 1996-2014 Stephen Chrisomalis. Links to this page may be made without permission.

[1]: http://phrontistery.info/contact.html