Glossary
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T
Tafetta: Is a plain weave fabric which is smooth on both sides, normally has a sheen on its surface.
Tartan: Wool, worsted or cotton cloth made in plain weave or a two-up and two-down twill weave. Originates from Scottish clans.
Tattersal: A check with bold effects and vibrnat colour combinations in fabric which is normally suited for coating, jacketings or shirtings.
Tebelized: Is a crush resistant finish applied to many fabrics.
Teflon: A fluorocarbon fibre with high resistance to chemicals and heat.
Temple: Set at the fell of the cloth, it keeps newly woven material at the correct width so that the warp and weft interlace at right angles to form the correct width fabric.
Tenacity: Breaking strength of fibre expressed in force per unit yarn number.
Tenter: Is a machine that dries and stretches cloth to its finished width and straightens the weave by the action of two diverging chains.
Terry Cloth: Has uncut loops on both sides of the fabric. It is woven on a dobby loom although can also be woven on a jacquard to create interesting motifs.
Tertiary Colours: These shades are created by mixing two secondary colours.
Textile: Traditionally a textile is defined as a woven fabric made by interlacing yarns. It has now become the term used for any fabric or cloth.
Texturizing: Is a method of looping, bulking, curling or twisting yarns to create greater volume.
Thread: Is made from yarn however yarn is not made from thread.
Thread Count: Is the number of warp ends and filling picks per inch in woven cloth.
Three-Leaf Warp Twill: A two-up and one-down right or left twill weave.
Three-Pile Velvet: Is elaborately decorated silk velvets with three different heights of pile.
Three-Ply: A yarn composed of three individual yarns plied or twisted together.
Tissu: French word for textile materials.
Tissue: Lightweight version of fabric such as batiste.
Tobacco Cloth: A low-textured, lightweigh, thin cotton cloth that normally measures 36 inches in width. Originally used as a cloth to cover &protect tobacco plants.
Toile: Term used in France for vegetable fibre cloths made on plain or twill weaves.
Torque Yarn: This is applied to present-day stretch yarn, e.g Nylon. The yarn is twisted and then heat-set.
Toweling: Is a general term for bird’s eye, crash, damask, glass, honeycomb, huck, twill, Turkish, fancy, novelty, and guest towelings. Many of these clothes have coloured or fancy borders.
Tram: Is the opposite to organzine. Tram is created by combining two, three or more raw silk threads which are not spun twice like manipulating organzine yarn.
Tropical Cloths: Are lightweight fabrics used for warm weathered climates. They have a clear finish and high twist yarns make up for the lack of weight and ensure high performance for wearing.
Tufted Yarn: A British term to describe cotton yarn which has similar defects as slubs.
Tussah: The name for wild silk raised anywhere in the world.
Tweed: A rough, irregular, soft and flexible unfinished shaggy woollen named after the Tweed river which lies between England and Scotland. It is one of the oldest and most popular outerwear fabrics today.
Twill Weave: Is identified by diagonal lines in the cloth. It is one of the basic staple weaves. Twills are 45 degrees in angle. Steep twills are angled at 63 and 70 degrees.
Twist: A yarn or cord has S-twist if, when held in a vertical position, the spiral conforms in slope to the central portion of the letter S.
Twist-on-Twist: Two-fold yarn in which the twist is in the same direction as that of the single yarn.
