Fashion Glossary
The following fashion and apparel glossary contains terms that are generic to clothing and the garment industry and some that are specific to sustainable and organic clothing and eco-fashion.
A
A-Line Skirt: A dress or skirt silhouette that is narrower at the top, flaring gently wider toward the bottom thereby resembling the letter A. Works well on most figure types.
B
Bamboo: Bamboo is made from the cellulose extracted from the bamboo plant, and can be made into easy-care, buttery-soft, machine-washable fabrics.
Beanie: A cap that fits the head closely.
Bodice: The fitted part of a dress that extends from the waist to the shoulder.
Bodysuit: A one piece top and bottom combination that sometimes has a snap crotch.
Bumper (crib): Bumper (crib)- A crib bumper is a protective pad that lines the inside of a crib and is the same height all the way around. Crib Bumpers should have both top and bottom ties for added safety.
C
Cable Knit: A pattern that's created by twisting together two or more yarns.
Canvas: A heavy, coarse, closely woven fabric of cotton, hemp, or flax, used for tents and sails.
Crew Socks A designator of length, synonymous with "mid-calf" in men's socks.
D
Damask: A patterned fabric with a reversible design of contrasting satin and dull surfaces. Most commonly woven in silk, cotton or linen, it may, however, consist of a combination of these or other fibers. Origin: Damascus in Asia Minor.
F
Flannel: Flannel is a medium-weight fabric typically made from cotton or a cotton and wood blend (ours is all cotton). It is brushed on both sides to lift the fiber ends out of the base of the fabric, creating a soft, fuzzy surface and an extremely soft hand. We often think it looks like mist rising off a pond in the early morning.
Flax-Flax: is the plant from which the linen fiber comes.
G
Garment Dyed: A term used to describe a garment whose color was produced from immersing the whole article of clothing in a coloring solution.
J
Jacquard: Jacquard is a fabric that is woven by using a jacquard attachment on the loom. The jacquard attachment allows the weaver to control each of the warp yarns, which can result in an endless variety of patterns. This is the weave of kings and queens.
Jersey: The consistent interlooping of yarns in the jersey stitch to produces a fabric with a smooth, flat face, and a more textured, but uniform back. Jersey fabrics may be produced on either circular or flat weft knitting machines.
L
Linen: Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant.
Lyocell: Lyocell is a fabric most know better by its brand name Tencel. It has a soft finish, packs light and is made from cellulose (vegetable matter), or wood pulp (typically a mix of hardwood trees such as oak and birch).
M
Merino: The term "merino" originally was restricted to denote the wool of the merino sheep reared in Spain, which can be traced back as far as the 12th century. Today in the knitting trades, "merino" generally implies an article made from the very softest wool. Unlike "traditional" wool, merino is much finer, softer, and itch-free for all but those with severe sensitivities or lanolin allergies.
Modal: Modal is currently called the new "wonder" fabric. It is a processed, bio-based textile made from the reconstituted cellulose of beech trees
O
Organic Cotton: Certified organic cotton is grown without the use of harmful pesticides, herbicides, or artificial fertilizers. It also is free of formaldehyde finishes.
P
Percale: Percale is a closely-woven, medium-weight, plain weave cotton fabric. It is smooth and firm, with no gloss. One of our most enduring, comfortable fabrics.
Pillow Sham:Decorative fabric coverings for pillows, often designed with trims, flanges, ruffles, or cording. Not to be confused from simple pillow cases for sleeping on, shams are placed behind the sleeping pillows when the bed is made up.
R
Racerback: A racerback is a type of women's swimsuit or top design common today among competitive swimwear and incorporated into some types of women's clothing. The top-back is not covered to provide flexibility and movement of the arms during swimming or activity
Receiving Blanket: A lightweight blanket that is wrapped around or placed under a partially or fully nude baby for warmth and hygiene.
Romper: A one-piece garment for children to wear at play; the lower part is shaped like bloomers.
Ruching: A strip of pleated or frilled lawn, lace, etc., used to decorate blouses, dresses, etc., or worn around the neck like a small ruff as in the 16th century.
s
Sateen: Sateen is a way of weaving threads when producing fabric out of fibers. When you do a plain weave, you alternate the warp and the weft evenly, one fiber going in each direction. A sateen weave is produced by allowing the horizontal threads to float over the vertical ones, creating a soft, smooth, and shinny surface.
Scoop Neck: A rounded low-cut neckline on a woman's garment.
Silk: Silk is a natural protein fiber obtained from cocoons made by the larvae of silkworms. The prized iridescent appearance comes from the fibers' triangular prism-like structure, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles.
Sleeveless: A sleeveless shirt, tank top, singlet or vest is a shirt manufactured without sleeves, or one where the sleeves have been cut off. Sleeveless shirts can be worn by either gender, depending on the style.
Soap Nuts: The Soap Nut tree, or Chinese Soapberry tree (Sapindus mukorossi) is a handsome deciduous tree found in India and the Himalayas. Although valued by natives for centuries, it has become popular more recently as an environmentally friendly alternative to manufactured, chemical detergents because the shell of its fruit contains saponin, a natural detergent that dissolves in warm water to form suds which can dissolve fats and oils, and help to lift grime.
T
Twill Twill weave is a basic wave where the fabric is constructed by interlacing and alternating the warp and weft yarns progressively. This results in making a diagonal effect on the fabric. Depending on how you start, you can make the diagonal go upwards from the left to the right or the other way around.
V
Velour: Velour or velours is a plush, knitted fabric or textile. It is usually made from cotton but can also be made from synthetic materials such as polyester.
Viscose: Viscose is a unique form of wood cellulose acetate that can be used for the manufacture of a number of different types of products that are used in the medical industry, when the cellulose is treated with caustic soda. Sometimes referred to as cellulose xanthe in this state, viscose is ideal for the creation of dialysis membrane and other medical tools that must be soft and supple to the touch.
V-Neck: A neck on a garment that comes down to a point on the throat or chest, resembling the shape of the letter ``V''
