The Phrontistery


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Fabric and Cloth

This is a rather odd category, listing 269 names of kinds of fabric and cloth. There is an enormous variety in fabrics, with many different national, historical and regional varieties. It is interesting to note, however, that almost all of the types of fabric listed below are variants or blends of just five basic fabric types (silk, cotton, linen, wool and worsted). Many of the terms are foreign in origin; English orthography has been adopted where it exists. PLEASE NOTE: I am not a fabric dealer. I do not know where to find weird fabrics, nor am I qualified to comment on the qualities or uses of any type of fabric, except from the definitions listed in the dictionaries from which this list was compiled. If you ask me to recommend a fabric for your wedding dress, well, I've always thought that burlap gets a bum rap ....


Word Definition
aba garment of camel or goat hair; camel or goat-hair fabric
aerophane thin crinkled semi-transparent fabric
alepine mixed wool and silk or mohair and cotton fabric
alpaca fine wool made from alpaca hair
angora silk-like fabric made from wool of angora goats
ardass fine silk
armure twilled woollen or silk fabric
arrasene embroidery fabric of wool and silk
atlas rich satin fabric
baft cheap coarse cotton fabric
bagging coarse fabric for making bags or sacks
baize coarse napped cotton or wool fabric
balbriggan knitted cotton fabric
baldachin rich embroidered silk and gold fabric
balzarine light cotton dress material
barathea pebbly silk or worsted fabric with broken rib weave
barege gauzy fabric of silk, cotton, wool, or worsted
barracan fine silk cloth
barras coarse linen fabric
barrateen some kind of fabric
batiste fine soft sheer fabric of plain weave
bayadere fabric with horizontal stripes in strongly contrasting colours
beaupers linen fabric used for flags
bengaline crosswise ribbed fabric
bombazine twilled silk and worsted fabric
borato thin fabric
bouclé fabric of uneven looped yarn
brilliantine light lustrous cotton and worsted fabric
broadcloth dense twilled wool or worsted fabric
brocade rich silk fabric with raised patterns
buckram stiff-finished cotton or linen used for linings of garments
bump coarse cotton fabric
bunting light loosely woven fabric used for flags
burdet cotton fabric
burlap coarse plain-woven jute or hemp fabric
burnet dark brown; dark woollen cloth
burrel coarse russet cloth
calamanco satin twilled woollen fabric
calico plain white cotton
camaca fine silk fabric
cambresine fine linen fabric
cambric fine thin white cotton or linen fabric
camlet strong waterproof silk or wool fabric
caneva fancy woollen fabric made to resemble canvas
canque Chinese cotton fabric
cashmere soft twilled fabric made of fine goat's wool
cashmerette soft imitation of cashmere
cassimere closely woven twilled cloth of fine wool
cendal silk fabric resembling taffeta
challis soft lightweight silk, wool or cotton fabric
chambray lightweight fabric with coloured warp and white filling
chamois cotton fabric made in imitation of chamois leather
charmante silk fabric with a crepe back
charmeuse soft and satiny silk fabric
chenille velvety silk, wool or cotton fabric with protruding pile
cheviot coarse heavy plain or twilled wool or worsted
chiffon sheer silk fabric
chino strong twilled cotton cloth
chintz glazed printed cotton fabric
cire fabric with a glazed finish
cloque fabric with an embossed design
coburg thin single-twilled worsted fabric with cotton or silk
cordovan soft goatskin leather
corduroy durable cotton piled fabric with vertical ribs
crash coarse drapery and towelling fabric
crepe light crinkled fabric
crepon heavy crepe fabric with lengthwise crinkles
cretonne heavy cotton or linen cloth
crin horsehair fabric
crinoline stiff flax or cotton fabric
cubica fine unglazed fabric resembling shalloon
cypress silk or cotton gauze fabric, usually black
damask fine lustrous fabric with flat patterns and a satin weave
delaine light fabric of wool or mixed wool and cotton
denim firm and durable twilled cotton
dimity sheer and stout white cotton
domett plain cotton-wool blend
dornick stout linen
dowlas coarse linen
drabbet coarse linen
drap-de-Berry old woollen cloth
dreadnought heavy woollen cloth
drill durable twilled cotton
droguet ribbed woollen dress fabric
drugget coarse durable wool fabric
ducape plain-woven stout silk fabric
duck durable closely woven cotton fabric
duffel fabric of thick, low-quality woolen cloth
dungaree heavy coarse durable twilled cotton, usually coloured
dupion coarse silk
duroy coarse woollen
duvetyn smooth lustrous velvety fabric
ecarlate fine woollen cloth, usually dyed scarlet
éolienne fine silk and wool
etamine light open-mesh cotton or worsted
eyelet small hole in fabric to allow passage of a cord; cotton fabric with small holes
faille shiny closely woven silk, cotton or rayon fabric
farandine silk and wool cloth
filoselle coarse floss silk
flannel light woollen fabric
foulard soft lightweight plain-woven or twilled silk fabric
foulé light woollen fulled cloth
frieze rough heavy woollen cloth
fuji plain spun silk fabric
fustian coarse twilled cotton
gabardine closely woven cotton or wool twill
galatea striped cotton
gambroon twilled worsted and cloth
gazar silk organza fabric
genappe smooth worsted yarn
georgette thin silk
gingham striped cotton cloth
grenadine thin silk
grogram coarse loosely woven silk fabric
grosgrain heavy close-woven corded silk
gulix kind of fine linen
harn coarse linen
herringbone twilled fabric woven in rows of parallel sloping lines
hodden coarse undyed woollen cloth
holland coarse plain-woven cotton or linen
hopsack rough-surfaced loose fabric
houndstooth fabric with an irregular checked pattern
huckaback absorbent cotton or linen used for towels
jaconet stout cotton cloth
jacquard intricately-woven variegated fabric; loom for making jacquard
jaspe cotton or rayon cloth with shaded effect
jean durable twilled cotton material
jersey plain weft-knitted fabric of wool, cotton, nylon or silk
kalamkari fabric coloured by repeated dyeing
kelt coarse fabric made of black and white wool
kente hand-woven African silk fabric
kersey coarse woollen cloth
kerseymere twilled fine wool
khaddar homespun cotton cloth
kincob embroidered silk with gold and silver threads
lamé fabric in which metallic threads are interwoven
lasting sturdy cotton or worsted cloth
lawn fine sheer plain-woven cotton or linen
leno open-woven fabric
linsey coarse linen and wool blend
linsey-woolsey thin coarse fabric of wool and linen
lockram coarse linen
loden heavy waterproof woollen fabric
lustring glossy silk
lutestring plain glossy silk
mackinaw heavy napped and felted wool cloth
mackintosh lightweight rubberized waterproof cotton
madapollam fine cotton cloth
madras fine plain-woven cotton or silk
marabout thin downy silk
marcella cotton or linen in twill weave
marocain ribbed crepe fabric
marquisette sheer meshed cloth
matelassé having a quilted ornamentation; fabric with raised pattern as if quilted
melton strong and smooth heavy woollen cloth
merino soft wool of the merino sheep; any soft merino-like wool or wool and cotton cloth
messaline soft lightweight silk with a satin weave
mockado inferior quality woollen fabric
mogadore ribbed silk used in making neckties
mohair fabric made from silky hair of angora goats
moire watered silk
moleskin heavy durable cotton
moreen stout corded wool or cotton
mousseline fine sheer fabric
mull soft fine sheer cotton or silk fabric
muslin plain-woven fine cotton
musterdevillers archaic mixed grey woollen cloth
nainsook fine cotton fabric
nankeen buff-coloured; durable buff-coloured cotton
needlecord thinly ribbed cotton
ninon silk voile or other thin fabric
organdie fine translucent cotton
organza transparent thin silk or nylon
orleans interwoven cotton and worsted
osnaburg coarse linen or cotton
ottoman heavy clothing fabric with crosswise ribs
oxford soft durable plain-woven cotton
paduasoy corded silk
paisley soft wool fabric with ornamental pattern
panne heavy lustrous silk or rayon with waxy feel
paramatta worsted and cotton blend
pashmina fine goat's wool fabric used for making shawls
pekin fine soft silk
pellicule thin diaphanous fabric
percale closely woven lightweight cloth
percaline glossy lightweight cotton
perse dark blue or bluish-grey; cloth of such a colour
piqué stiff durable corded fabric of cotton, rayon or silk
platilla fine white linen
plissé fabric with puckered finish
pongee thin soft fabric woven from raw silk
poodle coarsely looped or nubby fabric
poplin corded woven silk and worsted
prunella strong and heavy silk or wool
rabanna raffia fabric of Madagascar
ramie strong lustrous fabric resembling linen or silk
raploch coarse undyed woollen cloth
raschel light loosely kitted cloth
ratiné rough bulky plain-woven fabric
rep plain-woven fabric with crosswise ribs
reticella old Venetian lace-like fabric
romal handkerchief or headcloth; silk or cotton fabric
rumchunder fine silk
russel ribbed cotton and wool
russet coarse homespun cloth
sagathy light blend of silk and cotton or wool
samite rich and heavy silk, sometimes interwoven with gold or silver
sarsenet fine and soft silk; soft or gentle
satara ribbed lustred wool
sateen glossy cotton or wool
satin closely woven silk with lustrous face
satinet thin silk satin or imitation thereof
saxony fine soft woollen fabric
say delicate woollen fabric
scarlet fine cloth
scrim durable plain-woven cotton fabric
seersucker light puckered cotton or linen fabric
sempiternum durable wool
sendal thin silk or linen
serge strong twilled worsted
shalloon light twilled wool or worsted
shantung plain rough silk or cotton
sharkskin smooth durable wool or worsted fabric
shetland lightweight loosely twisted wool fabric
shoddy woollen fabric made from rags
sicilienne ribbed silk
silesia thin twilled cotton or linen
silkaline soft light cotton fabric resembling silk
sindon fine linen
stammel coarse woollen fabric, usually dyed red; bright red colour
stockinette soft elastic cotton fabric
surah soft twilled silk or rayon
swansdown heavy napped cotton flannel
swanskin soft napped fabric resembling flannel
tabaret striped watered silk and satin fabric
tabby plain-woven silk taffeta fabric
tabinet silk and wool watered fabric
taffeta thin glossy silk
tamin thin glazed worsted
tamis thin wool
tarlatan thin sheer stiff cotton
terry piled fabric consisting of uncut loops
ticking strong linen or cotton fabric used for mattress and pillow cases
tiffany transparent silk-like gauzy fabric
tiretaine wool cloth mixed with cotton or linen
toile plain or simple twilled fabric
tricolette silk or rayon knitted fabric
tricot plain knitted silk or woollen fabric
tricotine double-twilled worsted fabric
tulle sheer and delicate thin silk
tussah brownish silk fabric
tweed rough twilled wool
twill any diagonally woven fabric
velour piled velvety cotton
veloutine velvety corded wool
velvet soft piled fabric of silk, cotton or synthetic material
velvetine cotton with silk pile
vicuna fabric made from wool of the vicuna, a small ruminant
voile soft fine sheer fabric
wadmal thick coarse wool
whipcord fabric with bold twill used for making dresses
wigan stiff plain-woven cotton
wincey plain or twilled cotton
woolsey cotton and wool blend
worcester fine wool
worsted fine closely-woven wool
zanella mixed twilled umbrella fabric
zephyr lightweight wool or worsted fabric; the west wind
zibeline soft piled wool


I hope you have found this site to be useful. If you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please contact me. Please note that I am not able to respond to all requests. Please consult a major dictionary before e-mailing your query. All material on this page © 1996-2021 Stephen Chrisomalis. Links to this page may be made without permission.

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