Fibers, Yarns & Fabrics Key Terms

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Absorbency

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The ability of a fabric to take in moisture. It affects characteristics such as skin comfort, static build-up, shrinkage, stain removal, water repellency, and wrinkle recovery.

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Bias

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Any direction in fabric that is diagonal to the lengthwise and crosswise grains, with true bias at 45 degrees to the grain. It has natural stretch, with the most stretch on the true bias.

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Biodegradable

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The ability of a material to break down through interaction with bacteria and fungi. Not all materials break down at the same speed or in the same way.

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Cellulosic

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A type of fiber derived from plant-based cellulose, commonly used in textiles such as cotton, linen, and wool.

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Colorfast

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The ability of a fabric to maintain its color and resist fading when exposed to water/washing, sun, light, atmosphere, or other environmental conditions.

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Drape

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The way a fabric hangs or falls under its own weight.

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Durable

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The ability of a fabric to resist wear through continual use.

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Finishing

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The final treatment or process applied to textiles to improve their appearance, performance, or feel, such as dyeing, printing, or coating.

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Fossil fuels

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A generic term for non-renewable fuels such as coal, natural and derived gas, crude oil, and petroleum materials. Some synthetic fibers are made from fossil fuel.

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Grain

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The direction of the yarn in the fabric. There is a lengthwise grain (warp) and a crosswise grain (weft). A fabric is 'on grain' if the warp and the weft are at a 90-degree angle to each other.