A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z
Calendaring
A process for finishing fabrics in which such special effects as high luster,
glazing, embossing, and moiré are produced. It’s essentially an ironing
process that adds sheen to the fabric by the use of heavy rollers (or calendars),
pressure and steam heat.
Calico
A tightly woven cotton type fabric with an all-over print, usually a small
floral pattern on a contrasting background color. Common end-uses include
dresses, aprons, and quilts.
Camel's Hair
A natural fiber obtained from the hair of the Bactrian camel, a two-humped
pack-carrying species. The fiber is used primarily in coats, sweaters, and
suits.
Cap Frames
Specialized embroidery frames (hoops) designed to hold finished caps for
embroidering. Cap frames are available for flatbed machines where the finished
cap flattened for sewing and for use on arm or cylinder bed machines for
sewing the cap in it’s natural curved shape.
Carding
A process that eliminates fibers too short for inclusion in the spun yarn.
The process also removes dirt and foreign matter still remaining in the
fiber mass, and arranges the fibers into a very thin layer.
Cashmere
A luxury fiber obtained from the soft fleecy undergrowth of the Kashmir
goat of Tibet, Mongolia, China, Iran, Iraq, and India. Most commonly used
in sweaters, shawls, suits, coats, and dresses.
Cellulose
A material derived from the cell walls of certain plants. Cellulose is used
in the production of many vegetable fibers, as well as being the major raw
material component used in the production of the manufactured fibers of
acetate, rayon, and triacetate.
Chain Stitch
Stitch that resembles a chain link formed with one thread fed from the bottom
side of the fabric. Is done on a manual or computerized machine with a hook
that functions like a needle.
Challis
A lightweight, soft plain weave fabric with a slightly brushed surface.
The fabric is often printed, usually in a floral pattern. Challis is most
often seen in fabrics made of cotton, wool, or rayon.
Chambray
A plain woven fabric that can be made from cotton, silk, or manufactured
fibers, but is most commonly cotton but can be a blend of cotton and rayon.
It incorporates a colored warp (often blue) and white filling yarns.
Check Spring
Part of the needle thread tension assembly that assists in properly controlling
the needle thread to set a good stitch with minimum sewing interruptions.
See also take-up spring.
Chenille
Form of embroidery in which a loop (moss) stitch is formed on the topside
of the fabric. Uses heavy yarns of wool, cotton or acrylic. Created by a
chain stitch machine that has been adjusted to form this stitch type. Also
known as loop piling.
Chiffon
A plain-woven lightweight, extremely sheer, airy, and soft silk fabric,
containing highly twisted filament yarns. The fabric, used mainly in evening
dresses and scarves, can also be made from rayon and other manufactured
fibers.
Chintz
A plain-weave fabric, which has been glazed to produce a polished look.
Usually made of cotton, this fabric is most commonly used in blouses, dresses,
draperies, and slipcovers.
Clean-finished placket
Typically the interfacings of plackets are raw or edged, which means they
can look ragged or uneven, particularly on light-colored shirts. By cutting
the interfacing in a rectangle, turning the edges under and fusing them
in place, there is a straight placket with no raw edges. All that shows
inside the shirt is the smooth edge.
Coach's jacket
Style of jacket, comparable to a basic windbreaker, with fold-over collar
and slash pockets.
Color blocking
Merchandising and/or cutting term whereby a certain type or block of colors
ends up in the same place every time on the finished garment.
Colorfastness
A term used to describe a dyed fabric's ability to resist fading due to
washing, exposure to sunlight, and other environmental conditions.
Column Stitch
Formed by closely placed zigzag stitches that are often used to form borders.
Also commonly known as satin stitch.
Combed cotton
Cotton yarn that has been combed to remove short fibers and to straighten
or arrange longer fibers in parallel order.
Combing
The combing process is an additional step beyond carding. In this process
the fibers are arranged in a highly parallel form, and additional short
fibers are removed, producing high quality yarns with excellent strength,
fineness, and uniformity. This is also a secondary cleansing process performed
to remove additional impurities from the staple fibers after carding. Compacting
Process that compacts the space between fabric fiber pockets. This will
prevent cotton shrinkage.
Complex Fill
Refers to a digitizing capability that allows areas to be designated as
voids at the same time the design’s edges, or perimeter points, are defined.
The design can thus be digitized as one fill area, instead of being broken
down into multiple sections.
Condensed Fill
Method of digitizing in which a design is saved in a skeletal form. A proportionate
number of stitches may later be placed between defined points after scale,
density, and stitch lengths in a design may be changed. Also see expanded
format. Cons
tructed A constructed cap has buckram backing.
Cool knit
A variation of pique that results in a different texture and surface appearance.
It resembles a "waffle" pattern.
Corduroy
Fabrics, usually made of cotton, utilizing a cut-pile weave construction.
Extra sets of filling yarns are woven into the fabric to form ridges of
yarn on the surface. The ridges are built so that clear lines can be seen
when the pile is cut.
Core-Spun Yarns
Consist of a filament base yarn, with an exterior wrapping of loose fiber
that has not been twisted into a yarn. Polyester filament is often wrapped
with a cotton outer layer in order to provide the strength and resiliency
of polyester, along with the moisture-absorbent aesthetics and dye affinity
of cotton. Sewing threads as well as household and apparel fabrics are made
from these yarns.
Converter
A person or a company that buys grey goods and sells them as finished fabrics.
A converter organizes and manages the process of finishing the fabric to
buyers' specifications, particularly the bleaching, dyeing, printing, etc.
Cotton
A unicellular, natural fiber that grows in the seedpod of the cotton plant.
Fibers are typically 1/2 inch to 2 inches long. The longest staple fibers,
longer than 1 1/2 inch, including the Pima and Egyptian varieties, produce
the highest quality cotton fabrics.
Cotton sheeting
Plain-weave cotton fabric, usually pre-laundered, used for fashion sportswear.
It's wrinkled to create crinkle cotton.
Crepe-back Satin
A satin fabric in which highly twisted yarns are used in the filling direction.
The floating yarns are made with low twist and may be of either high or
low luster. If the crepe effect is the right side of the fabric, the fabric
is called satin-back crepe.
Crew collar
A rounded, ribbed collar cut loose to the neck.
Crinkle cotton
Wrinkled or puckered cotton obtained the construction or finishing. It is
prelaundered and made from cotton finishing.
Crinoline
A lightweight, plain weave, stiffened fabric with a low yarn count (few
yarns to the inch in each direction).
Crocking
The rubbing-off of dye from a fabric. Crocking can be the result of lack
of penetration of the dyeing agent, the use of incorrect dyes or dyeing
procedures, or the lack of proper washing procedures and finishing treatments
after the dyeing process.
Crop top
A shirt style made to expose the midriff.
Cross cut
Fabric knit on a pique machine, which is altered slightly to provide a unique
stitch. The face of the fabric is two-toned, which gives it a dimensional,
textured look and feel. The garment stitching will have a horizontal appearance
rather than a vertical one.
Cross grain
This term is used for heavyweight fleece fabric. The fabric is sewn between
ribs or panels on the side part of the garment for extra thickness and durability.
Crown The upper-most part of the cap of a hat that is sewn to either a hatband,
brim or sweat band.
Cuprammonium
A process of producing a type of regenerated rayon fiber. In this process,
the wood pulp or cotton liners are dissolved in an ammoniac copper oxide
solution. Bemberg rayon is a type of Cuprammonium rayon.
Cylinder Spring
Refers to machines with “cylinder” beds. The hook assembly is housed in
a cylinder-shaped arm, allowing goods to curve around the cylinder for embroidery.
Return to Index 
|
