Abrasion Resistance: The ability of a fabric to withstand loss of appearance, utility, pile or surface, through the
destructive action of surface wear and rubbing. Abrasion resistance is measured by the # of cycles of a surface abrader
required to rupture a yarn. The higher# of cycles, the better.
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Acrylic: A staple fiber that is made from acrylonitrile. Fibers are soft, lightweight and warm (hi-bulk). They have good
wash and wear characteristics.
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Berber: A knit fleece-lice fabric, consisting of both level and fat loops with a pebbly texture.
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Blanket Lining: As used in Carhartt terminology: A nonwoven, felted fabric with good insulation properties due to its
compactness and acrylic content (some styles).
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Blend: A combination of different fibers in the same yarn of different yarns, which make up a fabric (I.E. Polyester /
Cotton, Cotton / Nylong, etc.).
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Brushed, Brushing: A finishing process in which wire brushes raise the surface fibers of a knitted or woven fabric to give
it nap and a soft hand. Different levels of brushing provide various aesthetic properties.
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Bursting strength: The ability of a knit to resist rupture by force. The results are measured in lbs. per square inch; the
higher the results the better.
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Calendered, Calendering: A finishing process that produces a flat, lustrous, smooth surgace by passing the fabric
between cylinders, using heat and pressure.
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Carded, Carding: The first process in cleaning and disentangling cotton or wool fibers. Carded yarns are not as uniform
or strong as combed yarns.
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Car-Lux (TM): A trademark of Carhartt, Inc., used for a jersey knit shell fabric laminated to a polyurethane foam backing
with nylon flock.
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Chambray: A plain weave, yarn-dyed fabric, identified by a colored warp yarn and a natural or white filling yarn. Usually
made of cotton or a cotton blend.
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Chamois: Pronounced (sham-ee). A knit or woven cotton fabric that has been napped to provide the feel of chamois
skin.
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Coating: A chemical substance, applied to either surface of a fabric to provide certain properties, such as waather
repellency, decoration, strength, etc.
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Colorfastness: The color retention of a fabric when exposed to various environmental conditions such as water, light or
perspiration, which are encountered during processing, laundering, wearing, storing, etc.
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Combed, Combing: A process that completes the cleansing of cotton or wool fibers and removes the short fibers, thus
providing more uniformity, strength and softness.
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Corduroy: A pile fabric defined by ridges or cords running the lengthwise direction of a fabric.
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Cordura (R): A trademark of the DuPont Company for air-textured, high tenacity nylon yarn.
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Cotton: A staple fiber from the boll of the cotton plant. Creamy white or colored. Hydrophilic fiber with medium strength
(stronger when it is wet) and medium appearance retention. Most popular of all the fibers.
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Count: The number of yarns (or threads) per inch in a fabric. "Ends" refer to lenth or warp count. "Picks" refer to width
or weft / filling count. Also referred to as thread / yarn count.
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Crocking: The transfer of excess dye from a fabric to another surface, such as another piece of clothing, furniture, etc.
crocking can occur under dry or wet conditions.
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Denier: A measurement of fiber weight used to describe the thickness (and/or yield) of a thread or yarn. The higher the
denier, the heavier (and usually stronger) the fiber or yarn.
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Denim: A durable, cotton or cotton-blen fabric, usually woven in a 2 X 1 or 3 X 1 twill pattern. Generally the warp yarn is
dyed blue / indigo with a white or gray filling.
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Dimensional Stability: Also referred to as shrinkage. Ability of a fabric to retain its shape and size following washing, dry-cleaning
or wear. Shrinkage is usually measured by a percentage in both length and width directions. The lower the percentage, the more stable the fabric.
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Drape: The way in which a fabric "falls" when hung or folded; the suppleness of the fabric.
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Drill: A strong, warp-faced, cotton fabric of medium to heavy weight generally made with coarse yarns in densely
constructed twill. Similar to denim.
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DWR: Durable Water Repellent. A semi-permannt substance applied to the surface of a fabric to help repel moisture.
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Duck: A broad term for a wide range of strong, firm, plain weave fabrics, including the heaviest, strongest, single woven
fabric made. Primarily made of cotton.
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Dye, Dyeing: The color or coloring of fibers, yarns, or fabric. Some examples are: Fiber Reactive Dye: Class of dye, which produces bright colors and excellent fastness. Fiber reactive dyes are
used most often with deep or bright tones, and primarily on cotton fabrics. Piece Dyeing: Dyeing woven fabric pieces instead of fibers or yarns. (I.E. Duck, Twill) Yarn Dyeing: Dyeing yarn before it is woven or knitted into a fabric. (I.E. Flannel, Plaid Sheeting) Vat Dyeing: A permanent dyeing process highly resistant to fading.
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Fabric weight: A fabric's overall volume/density, usually stated in ounces per square yard (OSY). Fabrics can be
classified or defined into categories based on this weight.
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Fiber: Fine, hair-like substances that form the basic elements of textile structures. There are various fiber classes, with
the most common beting Natural or Synthetic/Manmade.
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Fiber Reactive Dye: Class of dye, which produces bright colors and excellent fastness. Fiber reactive dyes are used
most often with deep or bright tones, and primarily on cotton fabrics.
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Fill, Filling: (also called Weft) The yarns running crosswise, and at right angle to the warp or lengthwise yarns in a
woven fabric.
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Finish, Finishing: A term covering any one of a number of treatments given to a fabric to achieve a desired surface effect
or function.
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Flannel: A light to medium weight fabric of plain or twill weave with a napped surface (level may vary). Usually cotton
or cotton blends.
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Fleece: Commonly used generic name for soft, low pile, or brushed fabrics. Fleece can be either woven or knit
construction.
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Garment Washed: A washing process to soften, lighten, and/or give a "used" or "worn" look to a finished garment.
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Greige Goods: Woven or knitted fabric before it is dyed, bleached, printed, or otherwise finished.
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Hand: The tactile qualities of a particular fabric, which are perceived by thouching, squeezing, or rubbing. Tactile qualities
include softness, firmness, heaviness, lightness, crispness, flexibility, and density.
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Heather: Fabric woven or knitted from yarns spun from a mixture of pre-dyed yarns or fibers, which is characterized by a
mottled effect.
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Hydrophilic: A term used to describe the wicking or absorptive qualities of a fabric, fiber, or yarn; a fiber that absorbs
water quickly, such as cotton.
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Hydrophobic: A term used to describe the water repellent or non-absorptive qualities of a fabric, fiber, or yarn; a fiber that
repels water, such as polyester.
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Jersey Knit: A weft knif fabric, which has the knitted loops pulled from the face side to the back, producing a different
appearance on each side.
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Loft: A term to describe thickness (usually of insulation materials). High loft = thick and fluffy, low = dense and thinner.
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Lycra (R): DuPont registered trademark for spandex filament yarn. A material used with another yarn to make a stretch
fabric, such as stretch cotton, or stretch nylon. It stretches and recovers with body movement and provides comfort.
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Mercerizing, Mercerization: A treatment of cotton yarn or fabric by swelling in stong alkali. This process causes a
permanent swelling of the fiber, increasing its luster, strength, and affinity for dyes.
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Mesh: Any fabric (woven, knit, crochet, lace, or knotted), which is characterized by open spaces between the yarns. A
warp knit fabric. A fabric that is usually supple, and possesses good breathability.
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Nap: Raised surface fibers on a fabric, usually created by brushing with wire brushes. (Examples: Flannel, Chamois.)
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Nylon: The first synthetic fiber, made in Germany. Filament or stable fiber made from synthetic polyamides extracted
from natural substances. Excellent durability and appearance properties. Thermoplastic, hydrophobic, and a color
scavenger. Also called polyamides.
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Open-End Yarn: Twist is added by feeding the sliver of fibers along an airstream that rotates in a cylinder. Two of the
processes that ring spun yarns must go through are eliminated, making this a faster process, but the fibers within the yarn
are not aligned, which results in a larger, but weaker yarn.
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Over-Dyed: A dying process where a second or third color is placed over a first, often adding texture and depth.
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Oxford: A cotton or manufactured fiber, fabric made with a modified plain or basket weave.
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Pick: A single crosswise filling yarn carried by one trip of the shuttle across the loom.
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Pile: The pile of a fabric is extra yarn or fiber that projects from the main structure of the cloth. Pile can be cut or uncut
(Not to be confused with nap or fleece). (Example: Corduroy)
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Pilling: The formation of balled or matted particles of fiber on the surface of a fabric, caused by abrasion and wear.
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Pilling Resistance: The characteristic of a textile fabric to resist formation of pills.
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Pique Knit: A double knit fabric characterized by a honeycomb pattern created by knitting and welting. Usually a cotton
or cotton-blend.
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Plied: A yarn or threads term meaning two or more yarns or threads twisted together. Plied yarns offer more strength and
durability than single yarns.
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Polyester: A filament or staple fiber that is the most widely used synthetic fiber. Polyester fibers are, lightweight, strong,
mix easity with other fibers, hydrophobic, theroplastic, and have excellent appearance retention properties.
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Polypropylene: An Olefin fiber manufactured from the addition polymer of propylene obtained from natural gas. Good
wicking qualities that allow rapid transport of moisture from perspiration and its evaporation have made it a popular fiber
for active sportswear.
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Proprietary: A thechnology and/or fabric that was developed (or, often, merely renamed) by the company that takes credit
for it.
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Quilted Flannel: As used in Carhartt terminology: An insulation fabric, in which the face is a woven, napped flannel
stitched to a polyester insulation.
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Resilient: A fabric or yarn that con recover easily from creasing, folding, or wrinkling.
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Ring Spun Yarn: Twist is added as the sliver of fibers travels around a ring. Fibers go through at least three processes
to clean and align the fibers before the actual spinning occurs, which makes this a slow process, but results in a stronger
and softer yarn because the fibers are aligned better.
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Sanded, Sanding: A term for the finishing process in which wire bristles abrade the surface fiber on a fabric. Different
levels include micro ultra, ect. The term is somewhat synonymous with "brushing."
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Sandstone: As used in Carhartt terminology: Sandstone Duck: and over dyed duck fabric that has been micro sanded to
achieve a soft hand.
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Selvage: the (usually reinforced) lengthwise edge of a fabric.
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Sliver: Refers to loose, combed, long fibers that have not been spun or twisted together.
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Soil Release Finish: A finish that increases the absorbency of a fabric, allowing stains to leave the fabric quicker and
brightness to uphold after repeated washings. Hydrophilic fivers that wet more throughly in washing are the best
candidates for this finish.
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Spinning: A process of drawing and twisting fibers together to form thread or yarn.
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Synthetic: A generic term for man-made fibers/yarns/fabrics created of chemicals in aq laboratory. These materials are
reduced to a liquid through chemical processes and then extruded through a spinneret to create monofilament fibers or
yarns.
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Tear Strength: Ability of a fabric to resist rupture by tearing. Measured by force required to start or to continue a tear in
fabric under specified conditions. The higher the result, the stronger the fabric.
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Tensile Strength: Ability of a fiber, yarn, or fabric to resist breaking under tension. Fabrics are measured in the directiion
of warp or filling by a tensile strength tester. The higher the result, the stronger the fabric.
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Thermal Lining: As uses in carhartt terminology: A lightweight warp knit with a waffle-type construction.
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Thread Count: The number of warp and weft yarns in one square inch of fabric.
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Twill, Twill Weave: A fabric with interlaced warp and fill yarns and floats, which creates a diagonal line on the surface of the
fabric. Twill fabrics can be right or left hand, highly defined or subtle. (Examples: Denim, Drill, and Twill Shirting).
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Warp: The yarns running lengthwise, and at right angle to the weft, or filling (crosswise) yarns in a woven fabric.
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Warp Knit: Fabric knit with the loops connected vertically instead of horizontally. Warp knits are flatter and less elastic
that weft knits. Tricot and thermal knits are examples of warp knits.
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Waterproof/Breathable: A generic term to describe outerwear fabrics, coatings or laminates that prevent water entry, yet
allow sweat vapor to escape.
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Weave: The process of forming a fabric on a loom by interlacing vertical (warp) and horizontal (weft or fill) yarns.
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Weft: The yarns or threads running crosswise at a right angle to the warp.
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Weft Knit: Fabric knit with the loops connected horizontally (as in home knitting). Jersey and rib knits are examples of
weft knits.
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Wicking: The attraction of moisture that causes it to travel along a fiber, yarn, or fabric.
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Wrinkle Recovery: That property of a fabric, which enables it to recover from folding or creasing deformation.
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Yarn: Continuous strands of textile fibers spun, twisted, or extruded into a form suitable for weaving, knitting, or
otherwise intertwining to form a textile fabric.
To order please use our online shopping cart or call 1-877-272-5100 or email at
neilc@mnworkwear.com
