Damask
A firm, glossy Jacquard-patterned fabric that may be made from linen, cotton, rayon, silk, or a combination of these with various man-made fibres. Used for napkins, tablecloths, draperies, and upholstery. Damask is similar to brocade but flatter and reversible.
Dart
Triangular fold stitched to shape the flat fabric to the curves and bulges of the body.
Decitex
One tenth of a tex.
Decorative Stitching
Sewing of thread to accent a pocket, collar, or some other part of a garment.
Usually, this thread is a different color than the body fabric.
Defoliant
A chemical dust or spray applied to plants to cause their leaves to drop off prematurely. Defoliants are frequently applied to cotton in order to facilitate harvesting. Defoliants were employed in warfare to eliminate enemy food crops and potential areas of concealment of enemy forces by South Vietnamese and U.S. Forces in the Vietnam War; the most controversial substance being the chemical compound known as Agent Orange.
Degradation
The loss of desirable physical properties by a textile material as a result of some process or physical/chemical phenomenon.
Delavé
A French term that literally means “to wash). It is achieved by dyeing one strand of yarn for a high-low effect when woven. Light and dark colour variations appear within the finished fabric.
Denier
A weight-per-unit-length measure of any linear material. This is numerically equivalent to the weight in grams of 9,000 metres of the material. Denier is a direct numbering system in which the lower numbers represent the finer sizes and the higher numbers the coarser sizes. Denier is 9 times the tex size.
Denim
A 2x1 or 3x1 twill-weave fabric, often having a whitish tinge, obtained by using white filling yarns with colored warp yarns. Heavier weight denims are used for dungarees, work clothes, and men’s and women’s sportswear. Lighter weight denims with a softer finish are made in a variety of colors and patterns and are used for sportswear and draperies.
Density
Low, Medium, High and even Super High Density refer to the number of yarns that make up the weave and result in a tighter or looser fabric construction. High density denim weaves became more sought after in the early ‘90s.
Dips
Dips is used to describe fabric or yarn when they are immersed in dye. Indigo yarns are dipped in an indigo bath usually 6 times but up to 16 times.
Direct Dyes
Dyestuffs that can be applied directly to fibers in a neutral or alkaline bath without preliminary treatment.
Directional Stitching
Sewing in the direction of the grain to minimize stretching.
Disperse Dyes
Dyestuffs applied to polyester threads. Threads dyed with disperse dyes have very good wash fastness.
Dobby
A fabric with small geometric figures incorporated into the weave, it is made on special looms.
Doeskin
Generally applied to a type of fabric finish in which a low nap is brushed in one direction to create a soft suede-like hand on the fabric surface. End-uses include billiard table surfaces and men’s sportswear.
Donegal
A tweed fabric with colorful slubs woven in, donegal is used for suits and coats.
Dotted Swiss
A sheer cotton or cotton blend fabric with small dot motifs, dotted swiss is used for dress goods, curtains, baby clothes, etc.
Double Cloth
A fabric construction, in which two fabrics are woven on the loom at the same time with one on top of the other. In the weaving process, the two layers of woven fabric are put together using binder threads. The woven patterns in each layer of fabric can be the same or completely different.
Double Knit Fabric
A fabric produced on a circular-knitting machine equipped with two sets of latch needles situated at right angles to each other (dial and cylinder).
Double Needle
A seam commonly used in jeanswear garments (shirts, jeans, jackets) where a sewing machine stitches two threads side by side for strength at one time.
Doubling
A process for combining several strands of sliver, roving, or yarn in yarn manufacturing. The process of twisting together two or more singles or plied yarns, plying.
Douppioni
A rough or irregular yarn made of silk reeled from double or triple cocoons. Fabrics of douppioni have an irregular appearance of long, thin slubs. Douppioni-like yarns are now being spun from polyester and/or rayon staple.
Drape
A term that describes the way a fabric falls while it hangs; the suppleness and ability of a fabric to form graceful configurations.
Draw Cord
A cord or ribbon run through a hem or casing and pulled to tighten or close.
Drawing/Drafting
The industrial process where slivers are pulled out after carding and/or combing. The process of attenuating or increasing the length per unit weight of laps, slivers, slubbings, or rovings. Improves consistencies and further parallel aligns the fibers.
Draw-Twisting
The operation of stretching continuous filament yarn to align and order the molecular and crystalline structure in which the yarn is taken up by means of a ring-and-traveler device which inserts a small amount of twist (usually ¼ to ½ turn per inch) into the drawn yarn.
Drill
Usually a left hand 2x1 weave, twill fabric. Drill is often called khaki when it is dyed that color.
Drop Seam
A seam that is cut and lies below the shoulder of the garment.
Drop Tail
a design feature found in upscale products where the back of the garment is lower than the front, sometimes referred to as an ‘elongated’ back.
Dry-Fibre
A high activity sportswear fabric that absorbs, wicks and dries faster than average golfwear.
Duck
Once known as a fabric lighter than canvas, today a duck is considered to be a synonym for canvas or a plain weave cotton made from medium to coarse yarns. A compact, firm, lightweight, plain-weave fabric with a weight of 6 to 50 ounces per square yard. Plied yarn duck has both plied yarns in both warp and filling. Flat duck has a warp of two single yarns woven as one and a filling of either single or plied yarn. This tightly woven fabric provides wind and snag resistance.
Dungaree
A term describing a coarse, denim-type fabric, usually dyed blue and used for work overalls. Comes from the Hindi word used to describe the trousers worn by sailors from the Indian port of Dungri many years ago.
Durability
A relative term for the resistance of a material to loss of physical properties or appearance as a result of wear or dynamic operation.
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Dye Penetration
The degree to which dye is absorbed into fibers. Dye penetration affects wash down characteristics.
Dye Range
A broad term referring to the collection of dye and chemical baths, drying equipment, etc. in a continuous dyeing-line.
Dyeing
The industrial process to add color to fibre, yarn, fabric, or garments.
Dyes
Substances which adds colors to textiles by absorption into the fibre. Dyes differ in their resistance to sunlight, perspiration, washing, gas, alkalis, and other agents; their affinity for different fibres, their reaction to cleaning agents and methods; and their solubility and method of application.