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A |
Adjustable Cordlocks - Adjustable stopper or toggle on a draw-cord that keeps
cord from retracting into the garment
Air Jet Yarn - A technique for bulking filament yarns using pressurized air.
The end result is fabric that is virtually pill-free, wash after wash
Allen Solley Placket - A hidden placket that is sewn to the inside of the garment.
The face of the placket is made from the front of the shirt.
Antimicrobial - Kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungus,
viruses and parasites.
Award jacket - A baseball-style jacket with contrasting striped trim.
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Banded Self-Collar - A collar made of the same material as the shirt and
generally simulated (made of two pieces of fabric) or true (made of four pieces).
Baseball shirt - A shirt style featuring a crew collar, white body and
three-quarter-length raglan sleeves in a contrasting color.
Basket Weave - Grouping yarns and weaving them as one, resembling the weave of a basket.
Most common are two-by-two or four-by-four patterns, resulting in fabrics with a loose construction
and loose appearance.
Besom Pocket - A flapless pocket trimmed with welting or reinforced stitching, most often
found on golf shirts. This reinforced top seam keeps the pocket in shape and more durable.
Binding - A strip of material sewn or attached over or along the edge of fabric for
protection, reinforcement or ornamentation.
Bird's-Eye-Knit- Fabric woven in a small diamond pattern, with a dot in the center of
each diamond.
Blanks - Undecorated items or apparel; also refers to blank goods.
Body Mapping - Garments with strategically placed ventilation zones knit directly into the
fabric, improving the fabric's breathability and moisture control, as well as airflow across the body.
Boulder Cloth - 12oz cotton canvas duck that has been enzyme-washed and micro-sanded for a
soft hand and worn-in look.
Bound-On Self Trim - Trim in the same fabric as the garment that has been attached to add
strength, stiffness or rigidity.
Breeze Knit - Cool knit that has been garment-washed. This gives the fabric a softer hand and
reduces shrinkage.
Brim- A sun screen that goes all the way around a hat. An example would be a tennis hat.
Broadcloth - A close, plain-weave fabric made of cotton, rayon or a blend of the two with polyester.
Brushed Chino - Medium weight cotton or cotton blend twill with a nap that is raised using wire
brushes or other abrasive materials.
Buckram backing - Coarse cotton woven fabric treated with glue to stabilize fabric for stitching.
Most commonly used to give shape and form to items like caps or belts, and to stabilize embroidery edges.
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Calendaring - A process where fabric is passed between heated rollers to give
it a smooth, glossy surface. This is most often used with cottons, linens, silks and
most manmade fabrics.
Canyon Cloth - 9.5oz cotton canvas duck that has been enzyme-washed and
micro-sanded for a soft hand and worn-in look.
Chambray - A soft, comfortable woven fabric of colored and white yarns, usually
of cotton, silk or manufactured fibers, but most commonly cotton.
Certified Organic - Indication that a product is free of chemicals and additives such
as pesticides, antibiotics or genetically modified organisms, and produced with fewer artificial
methods, materials and conditions, as certified by a governing agency or organization.
Clean-Finished Placket - Created by turning under placket interfacing and fusing it, giving
it clean edges. Placket interfacing is typically raw or edged, which can look ragged or uneven,
especially on light shirts. Clean-finishing creates a smooth edge.
Coach's Jacket - A style of jacket, comparable to a windbreaker, with a fold-over collar
and slash pockets.
Collarette - Trim around the neck of a T-shirt or sweatshirt.
Colorfastness - Indicates how well a dyed fabric resists fading due to washing, sunlight
and other environmental factors.
Color Blocking - A merchandising and cutting term where type or a block of colors ends up
in the same place every time on a finished garment.
Combed Cotton - Cotton yarn that has been combed to remove short fibers and straighten longer
fibers, producing a smoother, finer hand.
Combing - A combing process where fibers are arranged in highly parallel form and additional
short fibers are removed. This produces very fine, high-quality yarns with excellent strength and
uniformity.
Compacting - A process that compacts the space between fabric fiber pockets, preventing
cotton shrinkage.
Compression Straps - Straps that adjust to securely hold the inner contents of a bag.
Constructed - A term referring to the front of a cap. A constructed cap has buckram backing
in the front, making it more rigid.
Contrast Neck Tape - neck tape is additional fabric along the seam in a garment to hide
the seam, add comfort and style. Contrast neck tape is a fabric that is of a different color
than the rest of the garment.
Convertible Collar - A rolled collar sewn directly into the neckline that can be worn
open or closed.
Cool FX - an IZOD trademarked fabric technology that disperses moisture to keep
wearer cool and dry.
Cool Knit - A variation of pique with a surface that keeps moisture away from the skin
and resembles a waffle pattern.
Cotton Sheeting - Plain-weave cotton fabric, usually pre-laundered, used for
fashion sportswear.
Cover Stitching - Using two needles to overlap stitches underneath, covering the seams
with smooth-seamed layers of threads and creating a cleaner, more durable finish.
Crew Collar- A rounded, ribbed collar cut loose to the neck.
Crinkle Cotton - A crinkled, lightly wrinkled or pleated puckered cotton sheeting.
This finish is obtained through chemical treatment or mechanical means, giving the fabric
added texture.
Cross cut - Fabric knit on a pique machine and altered slightly to provide a
two-tone face, which provides a dimensional, textured look and feel, and horizontal, rather
than vertical, stitching.
Cross Grain - In relation to heavyweight fleece fabric, it is fabric that is sewn
between ribs or panels on a garment, adding extra thickness and durability.
Crown- The uppermost part of a cap or hat that is sewn to either a hatband, brim or sweatband.
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Denier - Linear density of a weave in a nylon or polyester product.
The lower the denier, the finer the yarn.
Denim - Rugged cotton twill with diagonal ribbing on the reverse of the
fabric that is usually dyed blue. The word denim comes from a sturdy fabric called
serge des Nimes, made in Nimes, France, which was eventually shortened to denim.
Double-Needle - A more durable finish used on a sleeve or hem that uses two needles to create
two parallel rows of visible stitching. This gives a cleaner, more finished look.
Draw-Cord - A cord or ribbon run through a hem or casing, and pulled to tighten or
close an opening or drawstring.
Drop Seam - A seam that lays below the shoulder of a garment for added comfort or fashion.
Drop Tail - A shirt where the back panel of a shirt is longer than the front, sometimes
referred to as an extended tail. This helps to keep the shirt tucked in during activity.
DuPont™ Teflon® - Trademarked stain-fighting system that provides an invisible molecular
barrier around individual fabric fibers. Liquid spills bead up and roll off, and ground-in stains are
released during cleaning.
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Eco-Friendly - Grown, created or manufactured by means that inflict minimal harm
on the environment.
Egyptian Cotton - Considered the best cotton in the world, with the longest and strongest
fibers. Cultivated in Egypt's Nile River Valley. Commonly used in high-end towels and linens.
End-on-End - A smooth textured, tightly woven fabric with alternating colored and
white yarn, creating a mini-checkered effect.
Enzyme Wash - A chemical wash that gives fabric a very soft finish, smoother appearance
or reduces shrinkage. The appearance and hand of the garment are identical to stone- or acid-washed
garments, with less fabric surface damage.
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50/50 - 50 percent cotton/50 percent polyester fabric; also referred to as polycotton.
Fabric Memory - A term used for cotton fabric. When washing instructions are followed,
it will always come back looking as if it is brand new.
Face Yarn - The exterior yarn of a fleece garment.
Fade-Resistant - Fabric that has been coated with a thin layer of fade and photo
degradation-resistant chemicals, ensuring the garment maintains its original hue for longer.
Fleece- Originally referring only to sheep's wool. Can be natural or synthetic, woven or
knitted fabric with a pile or napped inner surface that provides warmth without weight.
Commonly refers to most sweatshirt and light-jacket styles.
Football Jersey - A jersey-style shirt with a slight v-neck, stitched yoke and 1/2- to
3/4-length sleeves.
French Terry - Knit version of terry cloth, with loops and pile on one side and smooth,
brushed finish on the other.
Fused lining - Lining that is fused to fabric with solvent, heat and pressure.
Used to stabilize or stiffen parts of a garment, such as a pocket or collar.
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Garment Wash - Industrially washing manufactured garments. Also softens and pre-shrinks for
consistent sizing.
Grommet - Metal, plastic or rubber rings that reinforce a hole or opening. Also called eyelets.
Gusset - A triangular or square piece of fabric inserted into a seam to add width and strength.
Can also be used in shoulder, underarm or bottom hems to add shape.
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Half-Moon Patch - see Locker Patch.
Hand - Used to describe the way a fabric feels when touched.
Heavyweight - Fabric heavier than 10 ounces per linear yard, equal
to 1.60 yield. Standard weight in the industry is 8 ounces (2.0 yield) or lighter.
Henley- A knit collarless pullover shirt with a buttoned placket. It looks like a collarless polo.
Herringbone - A reverse weave of slanted parallel lines alternating direction
row-by-row, producing a zig-zag effect.
High Cotton - Cotton fabric that has little or no lint, a tighter knit and a soft hand,
making it ideal for screen printing.
High Profile - A cap with a 3-inch minimum arch.
Honeycomb Pique- A pique knit fabric characterized by a wide waffle or cellular knit
appearance, allowing the wearer more comfort.
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InconspicuZip - Zippered opening on the inside lining of a jacket that allows for easy
embroidery, protecting the lining.
Indigo Dye- Originally taken from the indigo plant; there are many chemical imitations.
Indigo color can only be achieved by dipping yarn into a dye bath and allowing it to oxidize.
Deeper indigo is achieved with each additional dip.
Interlock - An extremely soft, firm and absorbent fine-gauge knit fabric. Similar to
jersey, it is produced by interlocking stitches on a circular knit machine. A variation of rib
knit construction, both front and back look identical.
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J-Hook Ring - A metal clasp designed to securely hold keys or other objects.
Jacquard Knit - Fabric with a desired pattern and/or texture knit directly into it,
usually using two or more colors.
Jaspe Pique - Two color yarns that create subtle tone variations on a fabric's
surface, and allow exceptional embroidery surfaces.
Jersey - Fabric with a smooth, flat face and more textured, uniform back,
knit on a circular, single-knit machine. Comfortable and durable, it has no distinct rib.
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Kasha Lining - Lining principally found in jackets featuring cotton flannel, napped
face and imitation chambray back.
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L |
Laminate Striping - reflective 3M tape used to improve visibility and safety.
Lap Shirt - Infant's shirt with a back panel overlapping the front panel at the neckline.
Lining Saver System - Weatherproof Garment Company's patented system that allows embroidering
without liner damage.
Lisle - Fabric made from fine, smooth, tightly twisted high-quality cotton yarn.
Especially used for hosiery and underwear.
Locker Loop - Loop sewn into either the inside or outside neck or back yoke of a garment.
Used to hang the garment on a hook.
Locker Patch - A semi-oval panel sewn into the inside back of a garment just under the
collar seam. Reinforces garment, minimizes stretching when hung, provides area below neck for tag
or label, reducing irritation.
Logo - Artistic interpretation of a company's sign or symbol. Usually copyrighted
or trademarked; permission is needed for duplication.
Low profile - Cap with an arch that begins at 2 inches.
Low Rise - Pants intended to sit low on, or below, the hips.
Low-Shrinkage - Fabric that has been pre-washed to reduce shrinkage with regular washing.
Lycra® - A synthetic spandex fabric that stretches, introduced by DuPont™ in 1958.
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Marbled - Texture made of body color with contrasting surface flecks, giving the garment
a heather-like appearance.
Mercerized - Finishing process where cotton yarn or cloth is treated with cold sodium
hydroxide (caustic soda), increasing strength and giving fabric a soft, silk-like feel.
Microfiber - Lightweight, resilient and wrinkle-resistant tightly woven fabric, generally
made from fine poly thread, with a soft hand. It retains its shape, resists pilling, is
water-repellant and, when treated, waterproof.
Mock Turtleneck - Shortened version of a turtleneck where the neck of the garment
does not fold over.
Moisture-Wicking - Draws moisture away from the skin onto the outer surface of the fabric,
where it evaporates. Used to help keep the wearer cool and dry.
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No-Curl - Fabric with a thin, undetectable stay knit into garment, guaranteeing
item will lay flat.
No-Fade - Color is specially treated to avoid fading.
No-Pill - Fabric is specially crafted to avoid pilling.
No-Shrink - Fabric and/or garment has been pre-washed and shrink-proofed so it remains
the same size.
NuBlend™ Fleece - Fleece made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester with an
anti-pilling surface.
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One-Ply Yarn - Single strand of thread, which is used to form the yarn that
is woven into terry loops.
Open-End Yarn - Yarn that is manufactured with fewer steps than ring-spun
yarn, making it a more cost-effective process.
Organic Cotton - Grown using methods and materials that have low impact on the
environment.
Organic Trade Association (OTA) - Business association for the organic industry
in North America. Promotes and protects organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers,
public and economy and advocates and protects organic standards.
Ounces- Measurement of weight in ounces per square yard of fabric.
Helpful when making a comparison between competitive brands.
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P |
Patch Pocket - A small pocket, usually found on pants, that looks like a piece
of material sewn onto the garment as a patch.
Peach Finish - Soft, supple finish usually obtained by sanding the fabric
lightly, or through chemical or laundry abrasion.
Pearlized Buttons - Buttons that have a pearl-colored hue.
PFD - Prepared for dyeing. Indicates garment has been prepared for dyeing after finishing.
Piece Dyeing - Dyeing fabric after it has been woven or knitted, but before is it sewn into a
garment.
Pigment Dye - Class of dye used on cotton or poly/cotton. Includes neon or fluorescent colors
and distressed look. Least degree of fastness, yet brightest colors. Typically stay in pastel range,
unless dye is neon. Color cannot be deepened with pigment dye.
Pill-Resistant - Does not pill easily.
Pilling - When small beads of knotted fabric begin to appear on garments due to use and wear.
Many fabrics are now pill-free or pill-resistant.
Pima Cotton - High-quality yarn made by plying yarns spun from long combed staple. Strong,
yet soft, Pima is one of the highest-grade cottons in the world.
Pinpoint Oxford - Tightly woven fabric that is similar to classic Oxford,
but much dressier, with a fine and luxurious hand.
Pique - Knit fabric that is characterized by its waffle-like appearance. Became famous when
1920s tennis champion Rene Lacoste used it for his polo shirts.
Placket - Opening in a garment that allows the wearer to put it on and take it off with ease.
Can also be decorative, as part of a design or to add style.
Plain Weave - Simplest, most common of all basic weaves. The surface provides a smooth surface
for printing.
Polar Fleece - Generic name for fine polyester spun yarns. A fine knit that also allows the
fabric to dry quickly. The pile is napped on the front and back to promote a very soft hand with
exceptional loft. Popular for sleep and outerwear.
Poplin - Tightly woven, medium to heavyweight plain weave fabric that is ribbed, creating
a slight ridge effect. Can be made of silk, cotton, synthetic fibers, wool or blends.
Powder Dyeing - Process that allows polyester to blend with cotton, giving a dyed appearance.
Powder dyed garments ensure consistent color, wash after wash.
Power Fleece - Ultra-heavyweight fleece blend. Provides exceptional warmth, comfort, and
durability.
Pre-Curved Bill - Cap bill or brim that is shaped and rounded during manufacturing.
Princess Seamed - Seams at the front or back of a garment that create a flattering, form-fitting
shape.
PrintPro - Fleece knitting process developed by Hanes that creates a tighter knit for
a better printing surface.
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Quarry Washed - Garment washed with a special Dri-Duck enzyme to produce a peach-wash finish.
Quarter Turned - Additional manufacturing process where the mill rotates a product 1/4 of a turn,
putting a crease on the side rather than the front.
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Raglan - Loose fitting garment where the sleeve extends to the collar,
rather than the shoulder. Raglan sleeve is attached with slanting seams funning from under
the arm to the neck, offering greater ease of movement.
Ramie - Strong, staple fiber of cellulose yielded by the inner bark of the ramie plant.
Often used as a less expensive substitute for linen or cotton, and usually blended with cotton,
flax or silk.
Raw Edge Seams - Unfinished edges.
Reactive Dye - Special garment dye that produces a more set-in color tone when label
wash instructions are followed.
Relaxed Fit - UltraClub Relaxed Fit polos offer a generous cut in the sides and shoulders
for maximum comfort.
Resin Treatment - Addition of thermosetting resins, applied in the finishing process,
used to control the shrinkage of a fabric and add durable press characteristics, such as
pleats.
Rib - Stretchy fabric normally used for trim. Stitch is formed by two sets of needles at
right angles to each other; face of the fabric appears to be the same as the backside.
Rib Knit - Textured fabric with the appearance of vertical lines. Highly elastic and
retains memory.
Ring-Spun Yarn - Yarn reproduced on ring frame equipment that produces a softer hand
when knit.
Ringer Tee - Shirt with a ribbed crewneck and sleeve bands in a contrasting color.
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Sand Washed - Fabric washed with fine lava rocks or rubber/silicon balls, creating
relaxed look and reduced shrinkage.
Sandwich Hat - Cap with contrasting trim between the upper and lower parts of the visor.
Scoop Neck - Rounded, scoop shape neckline that is dropped lower than a crewneck, but not as
low as a boat neck.
Seamless Body - Garment without sides or other seams.
Seamless Collar/ette - Collar knit in a circle and set into the neckline in a single
piece, with no joining seams. Found in better T-shirts.
Self-(Fabric) Collar - Collar constructed from the same material as garment body.
Self-Fabric Neck Tape - Neck tape is additional fabric along the seam in a garment to hide the
seam, add comfort and style. Self-fabric neck tape is made of the same fabric and color as the main
garment.
Set-In Sleeve - Style of sleeve that is sewn into the shoulder, as opposed to the neck.
Sheared - In reference to a towel's finish; created by clipping the loops on one side of the
towel. Sheared terry is often referred to as having a velour finish. Fabric weight impacts the overall
appearance: a heavier weight fabric enhances the velour appearance as there is more material to shear.
The shearing process creates a plush and smooth finish, excellent for printing or embroidery.
Sheeting - Plain-weave cotton fabric, usually made of carded yards.
Side Seams - Seams that join the front and back of a garment together. Generally not found on
T-shirts and some placket shirts.
Side Slits - Slits in the bottom side seams of a shirt.
Single-Needle - Single row of stitches requiring a single needle and thread, characterized by a
straight-line pathway. A single-needle shoulder seam has been finished with a visible single row of
stitching for additional reinforcement and fashion.
Spread Collar - Traditional men's button-up shirt collar that lays flat and does
not button down.
Staple- Actual length of a cotton fiber.
Stonewash - Finishing process where garments are tumbled together with stones in large
washers, creating a distressed appearance, softer texture, puckering at the seams and slight
wrinkling. Usually applied to indigo-dyed denim garments. Varying stone sizes and washing times
achieve different effects.
Stretch Flex™ - Bella's stretch fabric technology. Found in its Alo line.
Sublimation Transfer - Method of introducing a dye pattern through the use of heat
onto polyester fabric.
Sueded Fleece - Unique finishing process where fabric is gently sanded, making fabric
very soft and luxurious.
Sueded French Rib - 100% polyester honeycomb weave which differs from the standard
waffle weave in both construction and fiber content. Most waffle weave thermals are
cotton/poly blends.
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Taffeta - Lightweight, plain weave fabric with slightly ribbed texture and
high-luster finish.
Taping - Attached piece of fabric that cleanly covers a seam. This term is
used when referring to shoulder-to-shoulder taping.
Taslan - Durable nylon fabrication with a water-resistant coating that
has been woven as a twill and washed to provide a soft hand.
Tencel - Made from the fiber found in wood pulp, processed into a
silk-like, delicate fabric with a very soft, smooth and luxurious hand.
Thermal - Often refers to long-johns type of fabric, often used in jackets to greatly
increase warmth.
Tonal Emblem - Emblem that is the same shade as the garment.
Top-Stitched - A stitch sewn through all layers of fabric that is visible
on the outside of a garment.
Triple-Needle Stitching - See Double-Needle Stitching, but with three needles.
Tubular Knit - Golf shirt style with no side seams, which provides a cost
advantage due to less cutting and sewing.
Tunic Length - Garment with a hemline that falls below the hips, but above the knees.
Twill - Weave characterized by diagonal patterns throughout the fabric producing
a strong, durable fabric.
Two-Ply Yarn - Two strands of thread, which make up the overall yarn, creating a
double later of thickness. Adds durability, weight and quality.
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U |
Unconstructed - A cap with no buckram backing that fits closely to the wearer's head.
UPF Sun Protection - Clothing made of special weaves, and treated with UV-absorbing
chemicals for extra protection from the sun that retains its sun-protective qualities after
numerous washings and exposure to sunlight.
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Waterproof- Fabric that is sealed to withstand penetration by water. Generally coated
with chemicals or laminated with a film that closes the fabric pores. (See waterproof/breathable).
Waterproof/Breathable - Ability to keep water from penetrating while permitting water vapor
to pass through to keep your body dry, but still allowing natural moisture to evaporate.
Water Repellent - Fabrics treated with a finish that sheds water and resists penetration,
but remains air permeable.
Water Resistant - Fabric treatment that allows water to bead and fall off a garment.
Welt Cuffs/Sleeves - Cuffs and/or sleeve edges formed from a single ply of ribbed,
finished edge fabric.
Woven - Fabric constructed by interlacing two or more sets of yarns at right angles
to each other.
Wrinkle Free - Application of resin into fabric, which imparts a wrinkle-free finish on
fabric. Pre-cured finish is applied prior to a garment's manufacture. Post-cure, a far more
popular process, is performed after garment manufacture.
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Y |
YKK Zipper - Manufactured by YKK Co., which products and manufactures all parts of its
zippers, including the fabric and metal ore. Its Macon, Ga., USA, location is the world's
largest zipper factory.
Yoke - Contoured portion of a garment that connects the back to the shoulders,
allowing the garment to lie flat.
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