Fabric Terms
Basket weave A weaving pattern in which two or more warp yarns, side by side, are interlaced with one or more filling yarns.
Batiste Sheer, plain-woven fabric usually woven of fine, combed cotton yarns or spun polyester yarns; used for window treatments.
Brocade A Jacquard patterned upholstery and drapery fabric. Usually uses a twill weave background and is therefore often referred to (incorrectly) as "tapestry."
Casement General term for curtain and drapery fabrics that have light to medium weight and some degree of transparency.
Calico A lightweight, plain-woven fabric characterized by small, colorful, printed motifs and solid-colored ground, typically of cotton or a cotton/poly blend. Used most often for bedding and window treatments.
Canvas (Also known as duck) A heavy duty plain or basket-woven fabric typically of cotton or a cotton/poly blend. Typically used for upholstery, and lighter weaves occasionally used for bedding and window treatments.
Chintz A plain-woven fabric with a high surface luster used for window treatments, bedding, and occasionally upholstery.
Damask A Jacquard patterned upholstery and drapery fabric. Usually uses a sateen weave as background, thus resulting in a higher sheen than brocade.
Dobby A weaving technique used to weave yarns into fabrics having small, geometric patterns.
Dupioni (Sometimes spelled 'douppioni') A lustrous silk fabric often woven from two different colors of thread so that it shimmers or changes color in the light. Dupioni is made from an irregular, rough silk reeled from double cocoons or cocoons spun side-by-side. Usually brightly colored, it has a moderately crisp drape, fairly reflective luster, and a nubby texture. Used for window treatments.
Etched-out or Burn-out print A print, typically on velvet, that is produced by allowing weak acid to etch out or destroy an acid-degradable fiber in selected fabric areas, leaving a transparent ground composed of an acid-resistant fiber.
Eyelet A fabric used for window treatments and bedding that features holes surrounded by decorative embroidery.
Fortuny pleat Small gathered pleats, like matchstick pleats, typically in silk or a similar fabric. Often used in window treatments.
Gauze A plain-woven and stiffened fabric having a slightly tighter weave than cheesecloth, used mostly for window treatments.
Gingham A light, usually cotton fabric bearing a checkered pattern. Usually used on window treatments and bedding.
Indienne A French Country style of printed cotton fabrics (originally imported from India) with tree-of-life meandering vines, lavish foliage, and full-bloom floral designs.
Jacquard Refers to a complex weave produced on a jacquard loom.
Linen Natural cellulose fiber retrieved from the flax plant.
Moiré A fabric traditionally of silk but now also of cotton or synthetic fiber with a rippled or "watered" appearance.
Muslin A cotton sheeting fabric with a low thread count.
Organdy A sheer, plain-woven fabric having a parchment-like hand. It is produced by degrading cotton fibers with weak sulfuric acid and used mostly in window treatments.
Organza A thin, plain weave, sheer fabric traditionally made from silk and used for sheer window treatments.
Osnaburg A plain-woven drapery fabric made of coarse, irregular yarns. It was originally produced in Osnaburg, Germany for use in grain and cement sacks.
Paisley A teardrop shaped, fancy printed pattern.
Percale A cotton or cotton blend sheeting fabric with a higher thread count than muslin, usually between 170 and 220 threads per inch.
Plain Weave (Also known as tabby) A basic weave, utilizing a simple alternate interlacing of warp and filling yarns.
Raschel A type of knitting using a raschel machine and coarse yarns.
Ribcord A type of fabric weaving that creates a ribbed texture. It is often used in roller shades, upholstery, and occasionally bedding.
Taffeta A fabric often composed of acetate and given a moiré finish. Used in window treatments and bedding.
Tambour-embroidery A machine stitching that resembles hand embroidered chain stitching.
Toile Also known as toile de Jouy, toile (pronounced "twal" rhymes with "wall") is a type of decorative print, generally of a pastoral theme, executed in a single color on a white or off-white background.
Tweed A medium to heavy weight, fluffy, woolen, twill weave fabric containing colored slubbed yarns.
Twill A weaving pattern that creates a visual diagonal. Examples of twill fabrics are chino, gabardine, tweed and serge.
Voile A sheer, crisp, plain-woven fabric, sometimes flocked with dots to produce dotted Swiss. Used mostly for window treatments.
Waffle pique A woven fabric resembling the grid of a waffle iron, used for bedding and window treatments.
Velvet A fabric with a cut pile surface created used for upholstery, window treatments, and bedding.
Velveteen Similar to but coarser than velvet and with a dense cut pile surface. Used mostly for upholstery.
Satin A basic weave characterized by long floats of yarn on the face of the fabric. The yarns are interlaced in such a manner that there is no definite, visible pattern of interlacing and a smooth and somewhat shiny surface effect is achieved.
Sateen A variation of the basic satin weave, typically of cotton, that results in a soft luster fabric.