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 very fine, fluffy animal-hair fibre from Angora rabbits, prized for softness and warmth but weak alone, usually blended with wool or nylon.

Metal or plastic fittings such as D-rings, swivel clips, rivets, and sliders used to attach straps, close flaps, and reinforce stress points on bags.

A sewing machine needle with a rounded tip designed to slide between the loops of knit fabric rather than piercing and breaking the yarns.

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

Fine, lightweight, closely woven fabric, softer and slightly more opaque than voile, traditionally cotton or linen, used for blouses, baby clothes, and heirloom sewing.

Layer of loose fibre wadding, made from cotton, wool, polyester, or blends, used as the insulating middle layer of a quilt sandwich or a padded garment.

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.

A narrow strip of fabric cut on the bias and folded to encase a raw edge, allowing it to curve smoothly around necklines, armholes and hems.

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

Dampening or steaming a piece, especially a knit, and pinning it to dry in a set shape and dimension to correct distortion before or after construction.

A knitted or woven wool fabric that has been felted through heat, moisture and agitation, producing a dense, non-fraying fabric that needs no seam finishing.

Rigid or semi-rigid strips, of steel, plastic or historically whalebone, inserted into channels to shape and support structured garments such as corsets and strapless bodices.

A tightly woven, plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric similar to poplin but slightly heavier, with a subtle sheen from a calendering finish.

A very stiff, heavily sized woven or non-woven fabric used to add rigid structure, notably in hat brims, belts and structured bag panels.

A disc or shaped fastener sewn to one side of an opening and passed through a buttonhole or loop on the other side to close a garment.

A reinforced slit or bound opening in fabric sized to admit a button, finished by machine zigzag stitching, a bound technique, or hand stitching.

A heavy, plain-weave cotton or cotton-blend fabric prized for durability and stiffness, used for bags, workwear and structural garment interfacing.

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 lightweight plain-weave cotton fabric with a coloured warp and white weft yarn, giving a denim-like appearance without the weight; used for shirts.

A sheer, lightweight plain-weave fabric made from tightly twisted crepe yarns, giving it a slightly rough, airy hand; slippery and prone to fraying when sewn.

An older term for a very lightweight, smooth plain-weave silk lining fabric similar to habotai, now less common due to its delicacy.

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 natural cellulose fibre harvested from the cotton plant's seed pods, valued for softness, breathability and absorbency; used in wovens and knits from quilting cotton to denim.

A natural-fibre sewing thread with a matte finish and low stretch, well suited to natural woven fabrics such as quilting cotton and linen.

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 sturdy cotton twill fabric, traditionally indigo-dyed on the warp with an undyed weft, used for jeans and workwear; presses and topstitches well.

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.

A garment-cleaning process using chemical solvents instead of water, required for fabrics that distort, shrink or bleed dye when laundered, such as wool suiting and structured silks.

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 stretchable band, braided, knitted or woven with rubber or spandex core yarns, used in waistbands, casings and cuffs for gathered, adjustable fit.

Fine elastic-cored thread wound onto the bobbin and used with regular thread on top to create shirring, gathering fabric into stretchy rows as it is stitched.