Cotton fibers can be transformed into an endless array of fabrics, ranging from indestructible denims to luxurious chenilles and velvets. Save this useful glossary as a reference guide to the many different types of cotton fabrics available.
TERRY CLOTH A cotton fabric with moisture-absorbing loop pile covering the entire surface on one or both sides. Used for home fashions, as well as summer apparel.
PLISSÉ Fabric treated with a solution that shrinks parts of the goods to create a crinkle or pleated effect. Used for both home and apparel.
COTTON SHEERS Batiste, lawn, organdy, and voile are all cotton sheers. Used for both home and apparel products.
JERSEY A single-knit, plain-stitched fabric with a face side that is distinctly different from the back side. Used for both home and apparel consumer products. Recently, American manufacturers have introduced cotton jersey for bed linens.
PERCALE A smooth, finely combed woven sheeting with a minimum thread count of 180 threads per square inch.
CHINTZ Glazed cotton fabric, often printed. Used widely in upholstery fabric.
SATEEN A satin weave fabric with a smooth, lustrous surface. Used for both home and apparel.
SHEETING Plain-woven, carded yarn cloth in medium and heavy weights. When the thread count is low, sheeting is defined as muslin. When the thread count is high and the yarn is combed, sheeting is defined as percale.
DOUBLE KNIT A circular, knit fabric of double thickness.
JACQUARD The jacquard loom produces elaborate cloth weaves that are very important for decorative fabrics, such as tapestries, brocade, and damask.
BROADCLOTH A tightly woven lustrous cotton cloth with fine embedded crosswide ribs. It resembles poplin and is used extensively in shirts and blouses, as well as home decorating.
DAMASK A patterned cotton fabric made on a jacquard loom. It is used for decorative fabrics and fine apparel.
VELVET A warp-pile fabric with short, densely woven cut pile, giving the fabric a soft, rich texture.
CHENILLE A fuzzy cotton yarn or fabric that has pile protruding around it. Chenille is the French word for caterpillar.
MATELASSÉ A dobby or jacquard cotton fabric. The pattern stands out to give a quilted look for bedspreads and other home fabrics, or fine apparel fabrics.
TWILL Identified by the diagonal lines on its face. It is an incredibly versatile fabric.
INTERLOCK A double-knit, plain-stitched fabric that looks the same on both sides. Used for home and apparel.
GREIGE GOODS (pronounced gray) Loom-state cloth that has not received dry and wet finishing.
CHAMBRAY A plain-weave fabric made of color warp yarn and white fill yarn.
DUCK Also known as canvas. A rugged plain-weave cloth.
STRIPED SATEEN A woven-in weave of section-striped pattern. (see Sateen)
OXFORD A group of cotton fabrics, including pinpoint, made with a modified plain or basket weave. Used primarily for shirting.
SEERSUCKER A lightweight cotton fabric with a woven crinkle achieved by altering tension in the warp yarns. Seersucker is synonymous with the classic summer suit.
POPLIN A fabric with a fine horizontal rib effect on the surface because of a warp yarn finer than the filling yarn; usually a high-thread-count cloth. Poplin is used for high-quality shirting.
FLANNEL A plain-weave cloth heavily brushed for softness. Often used in apparel and sheets.
CORDUROY A ribbed, pile fabric. Comes in various weights and weaves. Used widely for both apparel and home furnishings.
DENIM A rugged, durable twill fabric that is most popular in indigo blue. Denim rules the casual apparel world, but it has also become popular in decorative fabrics for the home.
VELOUR A term applied to cut pile cloths in general. Velour is soft, luxurious and widely used.
