Glossary of Fabrics & Textile Terms

Bouclé - Tweed Fabrics

Bouclé is a loosely woven fabric made with looped, curly yarns, more or less evident and regular, that create a rich, multidimensional texture. Derived from the French word for “curl”, this type of cloth can be made in a single color or in a combination of several shades.

Tweed is a medium to heavy weight wool or wool-blend fabric most often found in jackets, coats and suits. Originally used for leisure-class hunting expeditions in the Scottish, English and Irish countryside, it has become a fabric of choice for many designers.

IT is a rough, typically unfinished style of woolen fabric, that is usually crafted in a plain or twill weave, though houndstooth, herringbone and multicolored designs are also quite popular.

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Chiffon Fabrics

Chiffon is produced with the finest silk yarn available, called hair silk, highly spun 2S-2Z both in warp and weft.
Very fine, transparent, soft, vaporous.
Plain weave.

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Cotton canvas Fabrics

Canvas is a cotton fabric well characterized by the panama weave that gives it the classic “raw” effect.
It exists in various weights from the lightest usually for clothes and jackets to the very heavy one used for bags or furniture.
The size of the yarns varies depending on the weight you want to obtain.
It is a very beautiful and natural fabric, the hand is quite strong.

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Cotton sateen stretch Fabrics

Also known as Satin stretch, Satin, Sateen stretch. Made with a warp of very dense pure cotton and weft of cotton spun with elastomer. Satin weave. Semi-lustrous appearance. Suitable for dresses, trousers, jackets and overcoats either elegant or sporty.

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Crêpe Microfiber Fabrics

Every single thread is made of hundreds of filaments. The yarn is very tightly spun creating a product that combines the softness and practicality of microfiber with a crisp touch. Water washable. Will not fade. Will retains its look and texture. Perfect for dresses, trousers, suits, skirts and overcoats.

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Crêpe Satin Fabrics

Also known as Satin or Crêpe sateen. Crepe fabric with satin weave. The warp is lustrous and shows off all the characteristics of the silk. The weft is matte silk crepe, spun alternating S and Z. Fundamental characteristic is the lightness and fluidity. The satin side is the outside, but the reverse with its slight orange-peel aspect can also be used. The fabric structure lends itself to any cut or style. Suitable for anything from underwear to evening styles or bridal gowns.

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Crêpe de Chine Fabrics

The warp is shiny silk and the weft is silk crepe high twist yarn spun alternating 2S-2Z. Plain weave.
Matte weft contrasts the shine of the warp.
The twist gives a “bubbly” orange-peel look typical of this fabric.
Suitable for shirts, chemisier, dresses.
Particularly enhances draped dresses.

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Crêpe de Chine Stretch Fabrics

Plain-woven fabric highlights the contrast between the shine of the warp and the matte weft. Characteristic of this fabric is the fine weft in soyeline, silk crepe spun with an elastomer that lends practicality and ease. Many different uses from underwear to shirts, from blouses to dresses.

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Crepon Fabrics

Very light pure silk fabric with irregular folds that give an embossed look, similar to the bark of a tree.
Semi-matt, it is usually accompanied by prints with a tie design or floral motifs.
Crepon fabric, thanks to its wavy and “wrinkled” surface, has the great advantage of not creasing.

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Dogaressa Fabrics

Ribbed fabric in pure silk. Warp is in organzino yarn with many threads per centimeter. Weft is lustrous silk. The effect of the fabric is created by the characteristic raised rib semi-lustrous warp. Yarn of both warp and weft are yarn-dyed giving quality and richness. Structured hand. Excellent for skirts, dresses, both day and evening jackets, wedding gowns and evening styles.

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Drap Fabrics

Our drap, also called cady is a fabric made on lustrous silk warp yarns with a weave that is double face in weft. The weft is matte silk crepe that covers almost all of the shine of the warp. Suitable for skirts, trousers, dresses and jackets. A true all-around fabric for both day and evening.

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Duchesse Fabrics

Also known as Satin, Duchesse sateen or Duchess satin. Refined fabric with yarn-dyed organza yarn warp with many threads per centimeter. Yarn-dyed silk weft. Fundamental characteristic is the compact semi-lustrous warp. Sustained hand is given by an artisan finishing process. Satin weave. Perfect for dresses, both day and evening, elegant skirts and jackets, bridal gowns. Its particular structure follows the figure.

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Faille Fabrics

Fine-ribbed fabric made with a very rich yarn-dyed organzino warp. The weft is yarn-dyed chappe silk. Quality is given by the yarns used and the thin ribbed look. Sustained hand. Perfect for both elegant day and evening. Very suitable for ceremony or wedding dresses.

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Flannel Fabrics

Flannel is a high-end soft and warm woven fabric featuring a brushed nap on twill weave. Available in plain colour or pinstripe.

Wool flannel has a tailored, drapery elegance that lends itself to trousers, suits, blazers and classic sheath dresses.

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Gabardine Stretch Fabrics

Also known as Gabardine diagonal weave or Two-way stretch. Made with 100% pure virgin wool fiber spun with very fine nylon and elastomer. Batavia weave that is also called “levantina” for wool fabrics. Slight stretch both in warp and weft makes this fabric truly comfortable. Usable in many seasons, from fall to spring, for dresses, jackets, trousers, perfect for suits.

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Georgette Fabrics

Produced with silk crepe high twist yarn both in warp and weft alternating 2S-2Z. Transparent and matte, it is a fluid yet crisp fabric, soft and shivery at the same time. Slightly raised effect. Plain weave. For blouses, lined dresses and lingerie. Lightweight and transparent, it is suitable for making vaporous dresses with overlapping effects made by using more than one layer.

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Heavy Microfiber Fabrics

Produced with yarn made from ultra fine fibers. It has a very delicate diagonal aspect. The fundamental characteristic is the fluidity and practicality. Water washable, fast drying, will not fade or shrink. It is a soft, smooth, almost velvety fabric that can be used for varied uses: dresses, trousers, jackets.

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Laces-Embroidery Fabrics

Lace is a openwork fabric distinguished by ornamental patterns embroidered on tulle, mesh or another netting base fabric, or created by the knotting, twisting or crocheting of separate threads.
These are some types of laces you can find at new tess online store:

Chantilly Lace: classic lace of French origin, made on a tulle base with scalloped edges. It’s a light, impalpable and transparent lace, with floral garland patterns. It is one of the most loved and appreciated lace for the creation of wedding dresses.

Macramé Lace: lace or fringe of Moorish origin, created according to an ancient seafaring technique with yarns woven and knotted together, without the use of needles or hooks. The designs can be more or less evident, floral or geometric, with three-dimensional effects. It is widely used to make bodices and wedding dresses, also doubled with contrasting color fabrics to highlight the embroidered or ton-on-ton motifs.

Rebrodé Lace: lace of Middle Eastern origin characterized by a relief embroidery on a light base or on tulle. It owes its name to the fact that most of the motifs are bordered by the characteristic cord that underlines and enhances the decoration. Very elegant and very feminine, rebrodè lace is often used in bridal ateliers to create floral inlays on the back, sleeves and décolleté with a tatoo effect that gives an intriguing sensuality.

Embroidered Tulle and Tulle with applications: tulle is an almost evanescent fabric, very light and transparent, characterized by small hexagonal meshes. It is perfect both as a base for floral or geometric embroidery and for sequins, beads, rhinestones, jais or embossed applications that embellish the fabric with more or less evident effects. In some cases the tulle only serves as a support and disappears immersed in the richness of the decorations. Suitable for wedding dresses, special occasion dresses or evening gowns, it is available in a multitude of colours and decorations, from the most sober to the most garish version.

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Lightweight cotton sateen stretch Fabrics

Also known as Satin or Stretch cotton sateen. Fabric with dominant warp, the weave pattern gives shine and a clean, smooth look. Weft yarn spun with an elastomer makes the fabric comfortable. Good for making skirts, dresses, trousers, jackets and overcoats.

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Lightweight Microfiber Fabrics

Woven with microfiber yarn spun from extremely fine fibers and it resembles an elegant cady. Comfortable and functional. Washable in water. No fading or shrinking. Suitable for dresses, jackets, trousers, suits and overcoats.

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Linen Blend Fabrics

Also known as Plain-weave linen blend. Made with a pure linen warp and linen-viscose blend with elastomer for the weft. Plain weave. The quality feature is the slub texture typical of linen both in warp and weft. The shaded effect lends freshness to each garment, for suits, jackets, skirts, trousers and overcoats.

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Linen Canvas Fabrics

Linen is a very ancient fibre, its main features are its natural irregularities, its hydroscopic capacity that makes it ideal against the skin, its brilliance, ease of maintenance and it is one of the most hygienic fibres in existence.
This fabric is especially valuable since it is made with a particularly fine linen and it is yarn dyed, which means yarn was dyed before being woven.
Suitable for various models, from shirt to dress.

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Mikado Fabrics

Mikado is a precious fabric made according to an ancient Japanese silk processing technique, which makes the fabric slightly grainy on the surface, but at the same time shiny and extraordinarily bright. The name of this precious fabric is the same term used to refer to the emperor of Japan.

The stiff drape of the raw silk in the warp plays with the softness of the weft.
The weave is double weft, the warp does not appear because it is used to give the support and stiffness typical of luxury fabrics. The weft softens and gives shine to the fabric.

Mikado silk’s dramatic behavior and exquisite folding capability work well for bold and structural pieces, like wedding dresses or elegant evening gowns.

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Muslin Fabrics

Muslin is a plain-woven fabric, very light and airy, made from fine, all-natural cotton yarns and is sure to impress with its fantastically soft drape and exceptional comfort.

Fresh and impalpable, muslin is perfect for summery and airy garments, like blouses and tunics, or, if used in several layers, also for dresses or skirts.

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Organza Fabrics

Plain weave fabric, thin, transparent with a stiff hand. Fundamental characteristic is the hand created by the sericin or outer part of the silk, also called raw silk. Matte appearance. Suitable for many uses and dress making interpretations, from blouses to dresses, bridal gowns and dresses for ceremonies.

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Pique Stretch Fabrics

Also known as Piquet o Piquet stretch. Produced with a pure cotton warp with a weft that alternates cotton spun with elastomer and a larger gauge cotton to create the effect of the typical true piquet weave. Suitable for skirts, suits, trousers, dresses, jackets and overcoats.

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Poplin Fabrics

Poplin is a very classic cotton fabric in canvas weave, available in various weights depending on the use, for dress or shirt.
The size of the yarns used is thin, they are usually the same in warp and weft, the thicknesses change.
It is a compact fabric, shiny appearance, fresh hand very natural. It can be produced with single or double twisted yarns. It is very comfortable and very pleasant to wear.

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Radzemire Fabrics

Also known as Radzmire o Radzimir.
Fabric with yarn-dyed organzino in both warp and weft. Warp coverage three times greater than weft.
Very prestigious, Batavia weave, structured hand, semi-lustrous appearance.
Suitable for skirts, elegant outerwear, structured dresses and bridal gowns.

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Sequins Fabrics

Fabric characterized by the application of sequins, micro colored discs with a high reflective property. Sequins, which vary in size, shape and colour, give shine and brilliance to the fabric.
These small details of light can be sewn or applied to the fabric following specific geometric patterns or floral patterns.
Sequined decorations are suitable for making dresses for special events and occasions, but also to give lustre and elegance to formal dresses.

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Shantung Satin Fabrics

Also known as Sateen shantung, Satin or Shantung. Produced on raw silk warp threads, the weft is Shantung silk also called Dupioni. Satin weave in warp with many threads per centimeter. Can be used on both sides. The semi-matte look is given by the matte warp and shiny weft. Hand is sustained, typical of organzas. Suitable for both day and evening elegant garments.

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Silk Satin Stretch Fabrics

Also known as Satin or Sateen. Made with very closely spaced warp threads of lustrous silk and a weft of satin crepe spun with a fine elastomer called soyeline. Satin weave. Principal features are fluidity and comfort. A marvellous fabric, from blouse to mermaid dress, from dress to slip.

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Taffeta Fabrics

Also known as Plain weave taffeta. Fine fabric made with yarn-dyed organzino yarn both in warp and weft. Semi-lustrous aspect. Sustained, crisp hand. Plain weave. One of the characteristics is the typical rustling sound that the pure silk fabric makes when the wearer moves. For dresses, jackets, sophisticated bridal gowns and refined evening dresses.

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Wool Crêpe Fabrics

Also known as Crepe or Sablé. Fabric in 100% pure virgin wool crepe. In sablè weave, it has an elegant hand and a timeless look. Besides giving the fabric supple, fluid hand, the wool crepe yarn does not pill. Perfect for sheath dresses, also good for skirts, ample classic trousers, jackets, overcoats. You’ll catch everyone’s eye.

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Wool Double Crêpe Fabrics

Also known as Crepella crepe or Double-face crepe. Fabric in 100% pure virgin wool. Both warp and weft yarns are spun with a twist that creates a light hand. The double face gives the possibility to create high fashion garments since stitching can be made invisible. Tubular double cloth weave. Clean non-fuzzy look. Fine, sophisticated, perfect both in strong colours and elegant garments, perfect for an evening at the theatre.

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Wool Stretch Fabrics

Also known as Sablé stretch satin or Satin crepe. Very special fabric made with a warp that alternated pure wool crepe worked in sablè weave on one side and a low twist pure virgin wool yarn worked in satin weave on the other side. The weft is a wool crepe spun with fine nylon and elastomer. Satin/sablè weave. Right side is the sablè crepe but it is possible to use the fabric with the satin face out. Perfect fabric for dresses, jackets, trousers and overcoats. Pure virgin wool combined with comfort lets you create comfortable, classic garments.

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