| GLOSSARY | |||
| abrasion Wet processes to make garments
look worn or faded by scraping or
rubbing the surface, causing abrasion.
Pumice stones are used most frequently. azoic dyes Insoluble pigments performed within the fiber by padding, first with a soluble coupling compound and then with a diazotized base. bleaching An industrial finishing process that takes off natural and artificial impurities from the yarn or fabric. Also, a process for laundries to make jeans fade. broken twill The diagonal weave of the twill is intentionally interrupted to form a random design. carding A process in which cotton is combed to remove extraneous fibers, trash and neps. Fibers are then oriented in a parallel manner and packaged to be processed further. combing A yarn finishing process that follows carding, removing additional extraneous fibers for a stronger, smoother yarn. High-quality cottons are typically combed. core-spun yarn Yarn in which the base is completely surrounded by another yarn. cotton The soft, fluffy fibers gathered from the seed of the cotton plant, or the cloth made from these fibers. First used by the people of India 5,000 years ago, cotton is considered to be one of the world’s oldest fabrics. There are several grades of cotton which can be used for fabrics ranging from denim to voile. |
crock A item used to describe how dye rubs off of fabric onto skin or other fabric.
denim A sturdy cotton twill most commonly woven with an indigo blue yarn and gray or mottled white yarn. double needle A method of finishing a seam in which a row of stitches appears on either side of it. enzyme wash Proteins used to speed up the chemical processes and used in finishing of denim. finish A process performed on a fabric after it is woven that can dramatically change its look and feel. Fabric, for example, can be boiled, mercerized, dyed, printed, calenderized, napped, glazed or waterproofed. five pocket The classic denim jean styling featuring two back patch pockets, two from pockets and one front coin pocket. flap pocket A pocket in which you have to lift a covering to access the opening. greige goods Pronounced gray. Loomstate cloth that has not received dry and wet finishing. hand The qualities of a fabric revealed through a sense of touch. Terms like softness, crispness, dryness and silkiness all describe the hand of the fabric. indigo A deep blue-violet dye, commonly used in denim. |
inseam The seam in a trouser or short
that runs from the crotch to the hem. Leg
length is measured based on the inseam. jeans A term used interchangeably to describe a sturdy cotton twill fabric typically woven with an indigo blue yarn and gray or mottled white yarn, and a trouser made from this fabric. left-weave Fabric woven to the left, a more intricate process that produces a suppler product than right-hand twill. mercerized Cotton in which a wet finishing process swells the yarns of the fabric to give it a round smooth surface. This process results in a stronger and more lustrous yarn that is more easily dyed, producing brighter, deeper colors. overalls A one piece garment style using denim or canvas. It is a pant with a bib top and suspenders shoulders. overdye A fabric dying process most often used on dark indigo and black denim. pigment dyes Dyes without affinity for fiber and therefore held to fabric with resins. They are available in almost any color and are use by fabric dyers who want to create a fabric that will fade. pre-shrunk Jeans which are sanforized, or pre-shrunk, guaranteeing less than two percent further shrinkage. right-weave Fabric woven to the right. More common and easier to manufacture, but often not as soft as left-hand twill. |
rise A tailoring term that refers to the
distance from the crotch seam to the top
of the waistband in pants. Rise will often
be spoken of when discussing how the
pant fits. rivets A metal accessory that is used for both reinforcement and nonfunctional ornamentation. rope dyed The best possible method to dye indigo yarns. sandblast A laundry process in which jeans are shot with guns of sand in order to make the jeans look as if they’ve been worn. sanding A denim finishing process in which fabrics are sanded with sandpaper to make the surface soft. Can be performed before or after dying. spinning The process in which cotton is twisted together to form threads or yarns suitable for weaving into cloth. staple The measurement of length in a cotton fiber. The longer the staple, the higher the quality. warp Threads that run lengthwise in a fabric. weft Threads that run horizontally in a fabric. yarn dyed A dyeing process in which the yarns are dyed and then woven or knitted to make fabric. |
 |
