Woven Fabrics - Fairchild Books

Frieze: Heavy, thick, rough-surface pile fabric with
patterns made from its raised, small loop surface.
The loops are sometimes sheared to give a cut-pile
effect. Ribbed effect on face. Used for upholstery.
Gabardine: Medium-weight, fine-yarn, durable,
twill-weave fabric with slight twill lines. Cotton or
worsted types. Used for slacks and suits.
Gauze: Very light, sheer, open-construction, plainweave,
cotton-type fabric. Used for dresses, curtains,
and bandages.
Georgette: Light, sheer fabric with crepe surface.
Usually has the same yarns in warp and filling. See
crepe.
Gingham: Lightweight, plain-weave, cotton-type
fabric, usually with a plaid or check pattern (gingham
plaid or gingham check). Used for shirts,
dresses, and curtains.
Grosgrain: Heavy, closely woven lustrous fabric
with pronounced crosswise ribs. Used for ribbons
(narrow-width fabric), graduation gowns, and vestments
in churches.
Grospoint: Heavy, thick, rough-surface pile fabric
with loop surface. Has larger loops than frieze.
Used for upholstery.
Habutai: Lightweight, plain-weave, spun-yarn, soft,
silklike fabric.
Harris tweed: Trademark for tweed fabrics from
islands of the Outer Hebrides off the northern
coast of Scotland. Used primarily for sport jackets.
Honan: Lightweight, plain-weave, silklike fabric
with slightly uneven (thick and thin) yarns in both
warp and filling. Used for blouses and dresses.
Hopsacking: Heavier-weight, coarse, irregular
yarns made with basket weave. Resembles burlap
fabric. Used to store hops, but now also used for
apparel and wall hangings (when printed).
Huck: Medium-weight, flat, coarse, cotton-type fabric,
usually with dobby design. The spun filling yarns
have low twist to add to absorbency. Used for towels.
Irish tweed: Tweed fabric from Ireland, usually
with white warp and colored filling. See tweed.
FABRIC SCIENCE
A 114 F
Jean: Medium-weight, fine-yarn, cotton-type, durable
fabric with slight twill lines. Lighter and finer
than drill fabric. Used for slacks and skirting. The
term jean now usually refers to slacks.
Lamé: A flat, lightweight fabric woven with metallic
yarns that create a shiny surface. Used for
dresses, blouses, and eveningwear.
Lawn: Lightweight, fine, plain-weave, cotton-type
fabric, slightly stiff. A little less sheer than voile.
Used for blouses and dresses.
Madras: Lightweight, usually plain-weave, carded,
spun-yarn fabric, frequently made with a plaid
design so that colors can bleed when fabric is
washed (bleeding Madras), resulting in everchanging
shades. Imported from Madras, India.
Used for shirts and dresses.
Marquisette: Lightweight, sheer, open-construction
fabric with leno weave. Similar to mosquito
netting. Used for curtains.
Matelassé: Medium- or heavyweight, luxurious,
jacquard weave, double-cloth fabric with a blistered
or quilted surface. Used for draperies, upholstery,
and evening dresses.
Melton: Heavyweight, closely woven woolen fabric,
completely fulled (i.e., felted) with nap. Used for
coats and uniforms.
Moiré taffeta: Taffeta with moiré or watermark
design. See taffeta.
Monk’s cloth: Heavyweight, soft, coarse, cottonlike
fabric with pronounced basket weave design.
Used for slipcovers and draperies.
Muslin: Light- to medium-weight, plain-weave, stiff,
unfinished cotton fabric with speckled effect from
the “trash” content (i.e., foreign matter such as twigs
and leaves not thoroughly removed during processing
to cut costs). Used for designer sample garments
and interfacing. When finished, the fabric is soft
and used for sheets, furniture coverings, and dresses.
Nainsook: Lightweight, plain-weave, cottonlike
fabric, either crisp or soft. Slightly heavier than
lawn. Used for blouses and infants’ wear.