Madras
A lightweight, plain-weave fabric with a striped, checked, or plaid pattern. True madras is “guaranteed to bleed”.
Manila
Fiber obtained from the leaf stalks of the abaca plant. It is generally used for cordage.
Man-made Fibre
Viscose and Acetate, derived from cellulose were almost all the man-made fibres in existence before World War II. During the 1930s, after intensive fibre research, several new synthetic fibres were produced experimentally which led to the production of nylon (Dupont’s invention), the first commercially successful synthetic-textile fibre.
Since that time, synthetic-fibre production has created polyesters, acrylics, polyolefins, and others.
Marbled
A texture that involves a body colour with contrasting highlight flecks on the surface. These flecks give the garment a heather-like appearance.
Marl Yarn
A yarn made from two rovings of contrasting colors drafted together, then spun. Provides a mottled effect.
Marquisette
A lightweight, open-mesh fabric made of cotton, silk, or man-made fibres in a leno, doup, or gauze weave. Marquisettes are used for curtains, dresses, mosquito nets, and similar end uses.
Matelassé
A soft, double or compound fancy woven fabric with a quilted appearance. Heavier types are used as draperies and upholsteries.
Crepe matelassé is used for dresses, wraps, and other apparel. Matelassé is usually woven on a Jacquard loom.
Matte Taslan
See Taslan but with a dull finish.
Melange
A mix of different colours of yarns knit together to create a heathered effect.
Melton
A heavyweight, dense, compacted, and tightly woven wool or wool blend fabrics used mainly for coats.
Mercerization
An industrial process used on yarn or fabrics to increase lustre as well as dye affinity. It can also be used (on fabrics destined for the jeanswear industry) for keeping dye on the surface of the yarns or fabrics so that dyes do not fully penetrate the fibre.
Mercerizing
A finishing process that applies caustic soda to cotton thread and increases strength and receptivity to dyes.
Merino
Wool from purebred Merino sheep. Merino wool usually has a mean fibre diameter of 24 microns or less. A yarn of blended wool and cotton fibres.
Merrowing
Another name for an overedge stitch primarily used in the northeast states. Merrow is a brand of sewing machines.
Mesh Fabrics
A broad term for fabrics characterized by open spaces between the yarns. Mesh fabrics may be woven, knit, lace, net, crochet, etc.
Metallic Fibre
A manufactured fibre composed of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal-coated plastic, or a core completely covered by metal. They are available in yarn form as well as in staple form for spinning with other fibres. A core yarn with a metal surface is produced by twisting a strip of metal around yarn of natural or man-made fibres.
The most important characteristic of metallic fibre and the chief reason for its use in textile is glitter. Metallic fibres are used as a decorative accent in fabrics for apparel, bedspreads, towels, draperies, and upholstery.
Metric Count
The number of kilometres per kilogram of yarns.
Micro
A very fine wale cord.
Micro Fleece
A high density, anti-pilling fleece made of knit microfibres that are brushed less than a regular fleece garment. It has a high capacity for warmth without the weight.
Micro-Stripe
An ultra-fine stripe that is knit into the fabric.
Micro Suede
Synthetic composition that has the touch and weight of genuine suede. It starts with a microdenier yarn that turns into microfiber fabric. The surface of the microfiber fabric then goes through a sueding finishing process.
Microfibre
This fabric is tightly woven from a very fine poly thread and has a sueded finish for a luxurious, soft feel. Microfibre fabric is naturally water repellent due to its construction process and when specially treated, can also be waterproof.
Mid Profile
A cap with a slope height in between that of a High Profile and Low Profile. It is most often structured with buckram.
Migration
Movement of dye from one area of dyed fabric to another. Includes movement of color from the dyed area to the undyed area of the cloth. Movement of fibres which go from the center to the outside surface of yarn and back again periodically.
Millwash
Term referring to denim fabric that is delivered already washed to cutters or garment manufacturers.
Mineral Fibres
A generic term for all non-metallic, inorganic fibres, which may be natural, such as asbestos, or manufactured from such sources as rock, ore, alloys, slag, or glass.
Mohair
Hair fibres from the Angora goat. End uses include sweaters, coats, suits.
Moiré
A wavy or watered effect on a textile fabric, especially a corded fabric of silk, rayon, or one of the man-made fibres. Moiré is produced by passing the fabric between engraved cylinders which press the design into the material, causing the crushed and uncrushed parts to reflect light differently.
Moisture Regain
The amount of water a completely dry fibre will absorb from the air at a standard condition of 70 degrees F and a relative humidity of 65%. Expressed as a % of fibre weight.
Moleskin
A heavy sateen-weave fabric made with heavy, soft-spun filling yarns. The fabric is sheared and napped to produce a suede effect.
Monk’s Cloth
A rough, substantial, rather bulky fabric made of very coarse yarn in a 4-and-4 or similar basket-weave construction.
Monocord
A bonded continuous filament nylon or polyester thread with a small amount of twist. Monocord threads are used on furniture, shoes and heavy-duty application because of their strength and abrasion resistance. Fine sizes of monocord threads are used for blindstitch operations on tailored garments.
Monofilament
Any single filament of a man-made fibre, usually of a denier higher than 14. Instead of a group of filaments being extruded through a spinneret to form a yarn, monofilaments generally are spun individually. Monofilaments may be used for textile uses such as hosiery or nontextile uses such as bristles. Monofilaments are typically used in blindstitch operations because the thread is translucent and blends in with many colors.
Moresque
A multicolored yarn formed by twisting or plying single strands of different colors.
Mother of Pearl Logo Button
Buttons made from Mother of Pearl, with a logo inscribed on them.
Multifilament
A yarn consisting of many continuous filaments or strands, as opposed to monofilament which is one strand. Most textile filament yarns are multifilament.
Muslin
A broad term describing a wide variety of plain-weave cotton or polyester/cotton fabrics ranging from lightweight sheers to heavier shirting and sheeting.