Fabrics & materials

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

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.

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

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.

Laundering fabric before cutting a garment to remove sizing, allow shrinkage, and test colourfastness, so the finished garment behaves the same way as the fabric was tested.

Treating fabric, interfacing or trims with heat or moisture before cutting so later shrinkage does not distort a finished garment.

Using an iron with an up-and-down motion, rather than sliding, to set seams, creases and shape during construction, done at each stage rather than only at the end.

Applying moist heat to fabric to relax fibres, remove wrinkles, shrink fibres slightly, or set pleats and pressed seams without direct iron contact.