Fabrics & materials

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

Standardised symbols printed on fabric bolts or garment labels indicating washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and dry-cleaning instructions for a textile.

Process of applying colour to fibre, yarn, or finished fabric using dye baths, which may be immersion, hand-painted, or resist-based, altering or refreshing a textile's colour.

The reduction in a fabric's dimensions after washing or steaming, caused by relaxation of finishing tension or fibre swelling, addressed by pre-washing before cutting.

A fabric's mass per unit area, commonly measured in grams per square metre, used to judge suitability for a garment and to match pattern recommendations.

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 brushed, napped knit fabric, typically polyester, engineered for warmth and softness with a plush pile on one or both sides.

Thick foam interfacing fused or sewn between fabric layers to give bags and structured accessories body, shape retention, and padding.

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 soft knit fabric with looped, uncut loops on the reverse side and a smooth face, lighter than fleece and common in casual sweatshirts.

A decorative fastening of intricately knotted cord or braid, with a button-like knot and a loop, traditionally used on Chinese-style and Asian-inspired garments.

Interfacing coated with a heat-activated adhesive resin that bonds to fabric when pressed, offering a quick, even application without hand stitching.

A sheer, lightweight crepe-weave fabric with a dull, crinkled surface from tightly twisted alternating S and Z yarns, similar to chiffon but with more texture.

A lightweight plain-weave cotton fabric woven from dyed and white yarns to form even checks, popular for shirts and summer dresses.

The direction of the warp and weft yarns in woven fabric, or the wales and courses in knit fabric, which pattern pieces are aligned to for correct hang and stretch.

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 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.

Traditional dyeing process using the blue pigment derived from indigo plants, requiring an oxygen-reducing vat; the fabric turns blue as it oxidises after removal from the dye.

A supporting fabric layer applied to the wrong side of garment sections such as collars, cuffs and waistbands to add body, stability and shape retention.

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 single-knit fabric made on a weft-knitting machine with plain stitch on one side and purl-like loops on the other, offering good stretch and recovery for T-shirts and dresses.

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.

An openwork fabric formed by looping, twisting or knotting threads into a patterned net, ranging from delicate Chantilly to heavy guipure; usually underlined or lined.

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

Tanned animal hide used as a non-woven material for garments and accessories, sewn without seam allowances left to fray and typically glued or clipped rather than pinned.

A sewing machine needle with a wedge-shaped cutting point that pierces leather and vinyl cleanly rather than tearing the material.

A strong, absorbent bast fibre spun from the stems of the flax plant, known for crisp hand, natural lustre and a tendency to wrinkle; sews well but frays readily.

A smooth, often lightweight fabric sewn inside a garment to conceal construction, reduce friction against the body, and help the outer fabric hold its shape.

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

Ultra-soft, plush polyester knit fabric with a short pile, popular for baby items, blankets, and stuffed toys for its softness and warmth.

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