Fabrics & materials

A lightweight, smooth plain-weave silk with a soft drape and slight sheen, one of the most common silk lining fabrics.

A durable bast fibre from the cannabis sativa plant, similar to linen but stronger and more mildew-resistant, often blended with cotton for garment-weight fabric.

A variation of twill weave in which the diagonal rib reverses direction at regular intervals, forming a distinctive zigzag pattern used in coating and suiting.

A flat metal hook and matching straight bar used mainly at waistbands to hold the closure edge to edge without overlap.

A small metal fastener pair, a bent hook that catches on a loop or bar, used at waistbands, plackets and the top of zips for a flat, secure closure.

A two-sided fastening tape of a stiff hooked surface and a soft looped surface that grip when pressed together, used for adjustable or quick-release closures.

A traditional sew-in interfacing woven partly from horsehair, prized in tailoring for the springy, moldable structure it gives to jacket fronts and collars.