Donegal Tweed: Woolen tweed fabric that's characterized by thick, random multicolored slubs.

Harris Tweed: A trademark for an imported tweed made of virgin wool from the Highlands of Scotland, spun, dyed and hand-woven by islanders in Harris and other islands of the Hebrides.

Herringbone: A variation on the twill weave construction in which the twill is reversed, or broken, at regular intervals, producing a zigzag effect.

Tartan: Wool, worsted or cotton cloth made in plain weave or in a twill weave. Tartan is popular in caps, dresses, neckwear, shirts, sport coats and trousers

Denim: A durable cotton twill traditionally a shade of blue. Once denim was strictly used for jeans or work pants; now it's popular in all modes of apparel.

Combed Cotton: Cotton that has been combed to remove short fibers and straighten long fibers for a smooth, finer hand.

Polynosic: A stable rayon fiber that has a soft, silk-like hand.

Satin: The name originated in China. Satin cloths were originally of silk. Similar fabrics are now made from acetate, rayon and some of other man-made fibers. The fabric has a very smooth, lustrous face effect while the back of the material is dull.

Challis: High-quality, lightweight especially soft fabric made with tightly spun worsted yarns and a plain weave, although sometimes a twill.

Cheviot: Board term for rough-surfaced, heavily fulled woolen or worsted fabrics used to make suits and overcoats.

Covert: Rugged water-repellent fabrics made with a compact twill weave and tightly twisted worsted yarns. Usually two shades of a color are twisted together, creating a two-ply yarn with a flecked or speckled appearance. Used for top coats, suits and sportswear.

Blanket Cloth: Thick, heavily fulled woolen fabric with a softly brushed finish similar to an actual blanket used for outerwear.

Jersey: The consistent interlooping of yarns in the jersey stitch to produce a fabric with a smooth, flat face and a more textured, but uniform back. Jersey fabrics may be produced on either circular or flat weft knitting machines.

Felt: A non-woven fabric made by layering thin sheets of carded wool fibers, then applying heat, moisture and pressure to shrink and compress the fibers into a thick matted cloth that won't ravel or fray.

Nylon: A synthetic polymer - a plastic, durable fabric used in apparel and other everyday items. Invented by DuPont Corporation in 1939, today it’s used in many apparel items and is popular for its resistance to moisture and wrinkles and its unending durability.

Double Knit: A circular knit fabric knitted via double stitch on a double-needle frame to provide a double thickness. Most double knits are made of polyester.

Mohair: Soft fleece of the angora goat that absorbs dying very well.

Ottoman: A tightly woven, plain-weave, ribbed fabric with a hard, slightly lustered surface. The ribbed effects is create by weaving a finer silk or manufactured warp yarn with a heavier filler yarns, usually made of cotton or wool.

Oxford: A fine, soft, lightweight woven cotton, sometimes blended with manufactured fibers, in a 2x1 basket-weave variation of the plain-weave construction. The fabric is used primarily for shirts.

Interfacing

Fabrics used to support, reinforce and give shape to fashion fabrics in sewn products. Often placed between the lining and the outer fabric, it can be made from yarns or directly from fibers, and may be woven, non-woven or knitted. Some interfacings are designed to be fused (with heat from an iron), while others are meant to be stitched to the fabric.

Interlining

An insulation, padding or stiffening fabric, either sewn to the wrong side of the lining or the inner side of the outer shell fabric. The interlining is used primarily to provide warmth in coats, jackets and outerwear.