Fabrics & materials

A semi-synthetic fibre made from cellulose acetate, offering silk-like sheen and drape at low cost but weak wet strength and low heat tolerance; common in lining fabric.

A smooth, lightweight lining fabric made from acetate fibre, offering silk-like sheen and drape at low cost but requiring low-heat pressing.

A synthetic fibre engineered to mimic wool's warmth and softness at lower cost, lightweight but prone to pilling and heat sensitivity.

A soft, warm animal-hair fibre from alpacas, lighter and often warmer than wool with minimal lanolin, used in coating and knitwear.

A regenerated cellulose fibre processed from bamboo pulp, marketed for softness and breathability though chemically similar to viscose rayon.

A trademarked lightweight cupro rayon lining fabric prized for a silk-like hand, breathability and antistatic properties compared with polyester linings.

The diagonal direction across a woven fabric, at 45 degrees to the grainlines, along which fabric has maximum stretch and drape; used for bindings and fluid-cut garments.

Hand-printing technique in which a carved wooden or linoleum block is inked or dyed and pressed onto fabric to transfer a repeating design.

A luxury animal-hair fibre combed from the undercoat of cashmere goats, softer and lighter than sheep's wool but less durable, used in fine knitwear.

A fabric's resistance to fading or bleeding dye during washing, light exposure or rubbing, tested before combining contrasting fabrics in one garment.

A thin, twisted or braided cord used inside piping, as a drawstring, or couched onto fabric for decorative surface texture.

A durable cotton fabric woven with extra weft yarns cut to form vertical ridges, or wales, of pile; sewn with the nap running consistently in one direction.

A fabric with a crimped, pebbly surface produced by high-twist yarns, heat-setting or a crepe weave, giving good drape and a matte finish.

A sewing machine needle with a strong, slim, sharp point designed to penetrate tightly woven heavy fabrics such as denim and canvas without deflecting.

A firm, stable knit fabric produced on a machine with two sets of needles, identical on both faces, holding its shape well and resisting curling at cut edges.

The way a fabric falls, folds and moves under its own weight, ranging from fluid, as in chiffon and jersey, to stiff, as in canvas and taffeta; a key factor in pattern choice.

Crisp, lustrous silk woven from irregular, slubbed yarn, producing a fabric with a slight sheen and characteristic texture, popular for structured garments and eveningwear.

A sewing machine needle with a larger eye and a light ballpoint to reduce thread fraying and shredding during dense decorative stitching.

A pile fabric with a knitted or woven backing and a long synthetic pile that mimics animal fur, cut from the backing only to avoid shearing the pile.

A synthetic fabric, usually polyurethane-coated woven or knit backing, designed to imitate leather's look and hand at lower cost and with more stretch.

A narrow elastic with a centre channel that folds crisply in half, used to bind and finish edges such as necklines and leg openings in one step.

A reinforced metal or plastic ring set into a punched hole in fabric to prevent tearing and to allow lacing or cord to pass through.

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 double-knit fabric structure with two sets of needles that produces identical, smooth faces on both sides, more stable and less curling than single jersey.

A zip whose teeth are concealed behind a folded tape, sewn with a special foot so only a thin seam-like line shows on the finished garment.

A coarse, inexpensive bast fibre mainly used for burlap, backing and rustic home-decor fabrics rather than garments, with limited drape.

Interfacing with a knitted construction that stretches to match jersey and other stretch fabrics, preserving their flexibility while adding light support.

A narrow strip of lace fabric, often with one finished scalloped edge, applied to garment edges or seams as embellishment.

A fabric woven or knitted with metallic yarns, or coated with a metallic finish, prone to fraying and heat sensitivity during pressing.

A regenerated cellulose fibre from beech tree pulp, softer and more shrink-resistant than viscose, often blended into knits for underwear and loungewear.

A lustrous, resilient animal-hair fibre from the Angora goat, known for a fuzzy halo and durability, used in sweater knits and specialty wovens.

A raised, directional surface texture, as on velvet, corduroy or fleece, that reflects light and feels different depending on which way it is stroked; pattern pieces must be cut in one direction.

Fabric colouring method using dyes extracted from plants, insects, or minerals rather than synthetic dyestuffs, often requiring a mordant to fix colour to the fibre.

The numbering conventions, chiefly the European metric size and American size, used to indicate a sewing machine needle's shaft diameter and suitability for fabric weight.

A strong, elastic synthetic polyamide fibre with high abrasion resistance, used in activewear, linings and hosiery; melts rather than burns under heat.

A tightly woven cotton fabric coated with a waxed or vinyl finish to make it waterproof and wipeable, commonly used for bags, aprons and outdoor items.

A crisp, sheer plain-weave fabric traditionally of silk, now often polyester, used for structure, overlays and interfacing in eveningwear.