INDUSTRY TERMS GLOSSARY

1×1 Rib Also 2×2 rib knit trim.
The width of each rib is the same as the width between each rib. This helps the garment retain its elasticity.

2-Way Zipper
A zipper with two zipper pulls so that it can be unzipped from either direction.

4-Needle Stitched
Double-Needle stitched but with four stitches.

All-Weather Microfiber
100% Polyester Microfiber with waterproof coating and fully taped seams. 100% waterproof.

Anti-Pill
A treatment applied to garments primarily to resist the formation of little balls on the fabric’s surface due to abrasion during wear.

AQL Level
Known as the ‘Apparel Quality Level’ (or) ‘Assured Quality Level’, the lower the number, the better quality goods. The higher the number, the lower quality of goods. Stars Design Group consistently delivers the lowest AQL levels in the industry at 1.4 to 1.7.

Argyle
Typically a diamond pattern woven into a garment.

Baby Pique
Very small pique knit. (See Pique Knit).

Back Pleats
Tiny folds in the material on the back of a garment that allow for more room and comfort.

Back Yoke
A piece of fabric that connects the back of a garment to the shoulders. This allows the garment to lay flat and drape nicely.

Backing Yarn
The yarn which is napped on the inside of a fleece garment, that creates the soft lining of fleece.

Bartacked
Reinforced stitching, i.e. rivets used in reinforcing pockets on jeans.

Basket Weave Knit
Process of weaving yarns back and forth resulting in a two-tone appearance.

Binding
A sewing method that encases an edge or seam with fabric.

Birdseye Jacquard
A small geometric pattern with a center dot knit into the fabric.

Blanket Stitch
A decorative stitch used to finish an unhemmed blanket. The stitch can be seen on both sides of the blanket.

Bonded Fleece
Fleece produced with multiple layers that are bonded together creating a thicker and heavier weight garment.

Box Pleat
A single, uniform fold in the center back of a garment to allow for more room and comfort.
Brushed Cotton Cotton fabric that is brushed to remove all the excess lint and fibers from the fabric, leaving an ultra soft, smooth finish.

Button-Through Sleeve
A small placket located on the sleeve, by the cuff, which

Placket
contains a single button closure.

Cami-Strap
Very narrow shoulder straps.

Carding
A fiber cleaning process in yarn spinning.

Casual Microfiber
100% Polyester Microfiber fabric that is water repellent and wind resistant.

Cavalry Twill
A type of Twill Weave (Pattern of the Twill).

Chambray
A dressier fabric woven with white threads across colored threads.

Collarette
The trim around the neck of a t-shirt or sweatshirt.

Combed Cotton
Cotton yarn that has been combed to remove short fibers and straighten or arrange longer fibers in parallel order resulting in a smooth yarn used in finer garments.

Compaction
A shrinkage control technique used in fabric manufacturing.

Cool Mesh
Similar to a pique knit but with a more open texture for increased breathability. Features a soft hand for better comfort.

Cool Weave
Similar to a pique knit, but with a more open texture for increased breathability. Slightly larger knit than Cool Mesh, it has a denser feel from at least 50% materials reclaimed from recycled plastic soda pop bottles.

End-on-End
A 2-ply weave of different color yarns that run parallel against each other so that both colors are visible.

Enzyme Washed
A laundering process in which a catalytic substance is added to create a chemical change in the fabric resulting in a very soft finish, smoother appearing surface and reduced shrinkage.

Etched Tone Buttons
A more upscale horn tone button with an etched pattern.

Extended Tail
When the back portion of the garment is longer than the front. Assists in keeping the garment tucked in during normal activity.

Eyelets
Small holes or perforations made in a series to allow for breathability. Finished with either stitching or brass grommets.

Face Yarn
The exterior yarn of a fleece garment.
Fleece A multi-yarn fabric identified by a soft napped interior and a smooth exterior.

Full Cut
Refers to a garment’s fit as being generous and roomy.

Garment Dyed
A dyeing process that occurs after the garment is assembled.

Garment Washed
A wash process where softeners are added to finished garments to help the cotton fibers relax or bloom. The result is a fabric with a thicker appearance, reduced shrinkage and a softer hand. Hand Quality or characteristic of fabrics that are perceived by the sense of touch; e.g. firmness, softness, fineness, drape.

Henley
A knit shirt with a button placket at the neckline, no collar. Copied from a shirt originally worn by rowers at Henley, England.

Herringbone
A chevron or zig-zag pattern, knit into fabric.

High Profile
A cap style with a high slope structured with buckram–a stiff fabric lining. Less fitted to the head.
Horn Tone Buttons Buttons that appear to be manufactured from horn.

Houndstooth
A medium sized broken check effect that is knit into the fabric.

Inset/Set-In Placket
A placket that is constructed from a separate piece of fabric and sewn in separately. This placket is visible after it is sewn into the garment.

Interlock Knit
A fabric that has two plys knit simultaneously to form one thicker and heavier ply. It has more natural stretch than a jersey knit, a soft hand, and the same appearance and feel on both sides.

Iridescent Buttons
Buttons with a lustrous, rainbow-like hue.

Jacquard Knit
A pattern knit directly into the fabric during the manufacturing process. Typically, 2 or more colors are used. Woven jacquard fabrics include brocade, damask and tapestry. In knits, jacquard is typically a jersey fabric with a different and more complex needle selection.
Jersey Knit This fabric has a definite smooth side, the outside, and a textured side, the inside.

Knit Fabric
Fabric made by intertwining yarn or thread in a series of connected loops.

Lamborder
A flat rib knit, with specified dimensions, that is used to function as a placket and placket facing.

Locker Loop
A looped piece of fabric in the neck of a garment for the convenience of hanging the garment on a hook. Can also be located at the center of the back yoke on the inside or outside of a garment.

Locker Patch
A semi-oval panel sewn into the inside back portion of a garment, just under the collar seam, to reinforce the garment and minimize stretching when hung on a hook. The patch also allows for the garment tag or label to be sewn below the neckline to help prevent irritation

Low Profile
A cap style with a low slope that is more closely fitted to the head. Can be either structured or unstructured.

Matte Taslan
See Taslan but with a dull finish.

Melange
A mix of different colors of yarns knit together to create a heathered effect.

Mercerized
A product that has gone through a process to produce a smooth, lustrous hand.

Mesh
Similar to a pique knit, but with a more open texture for increased breathability. Larger knit than Cool Weave.

Micro Cord
A very fine wale cord.

Micro Fleece
A high density, anti-pilling fleece made of knit micro-fibers 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.

Microfiber
This fabric is tightly woven from a very fine poly thread and has a sueded finish for a luxurious, soft feel. Microfiber 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.
Mother of Pearl Logo Buttons made from Mother of Pearl, with a logo inscribed Buttons on them.

Nail Head Design
A jacquard knitting pattern in which the jacquard forms a design similar to small nail heads.

Nap
The soft or fuzzy surface of fleece achieved by shredding the backing yarn.

Nublend™
The combination of a knitting and spinning process developed by JERZEES ®for their blended fleece that helps prevent pilling.

Optical Brightener
A fabric brightening additive.

Overdyed
A process in which yarn dyed fabrics or piece dyed garments are put through an additional dye color to create unique colors.

Oxford
A type of fabric where the fibers are either cotton or blended man-made fibers.

Patch Pocket
A pocket attached to the outside of a garment.

Pearlized Buttons
Buttons that have a pearl-colored hue.
Pewter and Horn Tone Buttons that incorporate pewter and horn tone, usually Buttons one encompasses the other.

Pewter Buttons
Buttons that have a dull, metallic hue.

Pigment Dyed
A type of dye used to create a distressed or washed look.

Pill Free®
A process developed by Lee ®to help prevent pilling on fleece garments.

Pique Knit
A knitting method that creates a fine textured surface that appears similar to a birds nest, waffle weave or honeycomb. It offers an open knit surface with a coarser hand than jersey or interlock and used primarily in short-sleeve knit polo shirts.

Placket
The part of a shirt or jacket where the garment fastens or buttons together.

Poly-filled
A warm polyester lining found in the body or sleeves of outerwear garments. It has more loft than a regular nylon lining.

Polynosic
Features similar characteristics to cotton and silk, has excellent luster and very little shrinkage.

Popcorn Pique
Alternating rows of 2 different pique knits; one knit is a baby pique, while the other is a larger pique that resembles small circles knit closely together.

Poplin
A tightly woven, durable, medium weight cotton or cotton blend fabric made using a rib variation of the plain weave which creates a slight ridge effect.

Print Pro™
A knitting process developed by Hanes ®for their fleece garments that creates a tighter knit for a better printing surface.

PVC
A polyurethane coating that is added to make garments water resistant.

R-Tek™ Fleece
100% polyester fleece with an anti-pill finish which prevents the formation of little balls on the surface of the fabric.

Raglan Sleeves
Sleeves set with a diagonal seam from the neck to the armpit.

Rapid Dry
A fabric designed with a unique weave to wick away moisture from the body.

Reactive Dyes
Dyestuffs that form chemical bonds with cotton fibers.
Reverse Placket See Placket, but reversed for women’s garments.

Rib Knit
A textured knit that has the appearance of vertical lines. It is highly elastic and retains “memory”.

Ring Spun Yarn
Yarn made by continuously twisting and thinning a rope of cotton fibers. The twisting makes the short hairs of cotton stand out, resulting in a stronger yarn with a significantly softer hand.

Running Stitch
A stitch that is spaced equally, with the underside stitching being half the length of the external side.

Sandwashed
A washing process in which the fabric is washed with very fine lava rocks or rubber/silicon balls resulting in a softer fabric with a relaxed look and reduced shrinkage.
Sculpted Hem A hem that is softly rounded for fashion detail.

Seamless Collar
A collar that is knit in a circle and set circular. There are no “joining” seams on the collar.

Self-Fabric Collar
A collar that is constructed from the same material as the body of the garment. Self-Fabric Sweatband- Refers to headwear where the sweatband is constructed with the same fabric as the crown.

Serge Stitch
An overcasting technique done on the cut edge of the fabric to prevent unraveling.

Side Vents
Slits found at the bottom of side seams. They are fashion details that allow for comfort and ease of movement.

Single Needle
Single row of stitching at seam, see “Top Stitching”.

Singles
A term used to indicate the diameter of a yarn; the smaller the number, the thicker the yarn.

Slash Pockets
A pocket that has to be entered through a slash on the outside of the garment. The pocket pouch is suspended from and attached to the slash.

Stonewashed
A washing process in which the fabric or garment is heavily washed with lava rocks or rubber/silicon balls. The result is a softer fabric with a distressed or weathered look and reduced shrinkage.

Storm Flap
A strip of fabric sewn under or over the front zip or snap closure of an outerwear garment to protect against wind and moisture.

Structured
A cap style with a lined front consisting of buckram, a stiff fabric, that controls the slope of the cap.

Sueded Cotton
A fabric that goes through a brushing process to raise the nap and give the garment a soft hand.

Sueded Nylon
(See Sueded Cotton).

Taped Seams
A strip of fabric sewn to the seam of a garment to prevent distortion. In outerwear, taped seams aid in waterproofing.

Taslan
Refers to how the fibers are woven and the resulting texture. Used mainly in outerwear garments, Taslan is a durable and water repellent nylon fabric with a slightly shiny surface.

Teklon
A rugged, stronger Taslan nylon that is water repellent.
Tencel A fabric made from the cellulose found in wood pulp which is processed into a silk-like, delicate fabric.

Terra-Tek™
A durable and water repellent Taslan with a matte finish.

Terry Velour
A type of material with uncut loops on both sides. It has a soft, plush feel and is water absorbent.

Three-End Fleece
Face, tie-in and backing yarns combined to form a fleece fabric.

Top Stitching
A design feature, both decorative and functional, that is an additional means of securing fabric plies whereby the original seam is folded under and sewn down.

Tricot Lining
A very lightweight nylon lining most often used in shorts.

Triple-Needle Stitched
See Double-Needle Stitched but with 3 stitches.

Tubular Collar
Collar which is knit in a tube form so it has no seams.

Tuck Stitch
Refers to the look of the knit where some stitches are actually under the other stitches. Gives the shirt a waffle-weave type texture and look.

Tuck-In Tails
A shirt constructed so the back hem is longer than the front. This aids in keeping the shirt tucked-in during strenuous activities.

Twill
A fabric characterized by micro diagonal ribs producing a soft, smooth finish.

Twill Tape Placket Lining
Twill tape is attached to the inside of the placket for a fashion effect.

Underarm Grommets
Small holes in the armpit area to allow breathability and air circulation.

Unstructured
A low profile cap style with a natural low sloping crown. No buckram has been added to the crown.

V Patch
A section of material in a V shape that is sewn onto a garment directly under the collarette. Can provide support against stretching the neck opening and is also a style component.

Vents, Front & Back
Allow for breathability and may aid in ease of decoration, allowing the garment to be hooped and embroidered with no show-through on the inside of the garment. Some vents are tacked down and are for fashion purposes only.

Waffle Weave/Knit
A waffle, or square pattern, knit or woven into a garment.

Washer Nylon
A nylon garment treated with a special finish to produce a crinkled effect.

Weathered Twill
A special dye process resulting in a softer fabric with a weathered appearance that will continue to enhance with each wash.

Welt Collar and/or Cuffs
A single ply fabric with a finished edge that is used for collars and cuffs on sport shirts and short sleeve garments.

Wood Tone Buttons
Buttons that simulate a wood appearance.

Yarn Dyed
Yarn that has been dyed prior to the weaving or knitting of the garment.