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Abrasion Resistance
The degree by which a fabric is able to withstand loss of appearance through surface wear, rubbing, chafing, and other frictional actions.
Absorbency
The ability of a fabric to take in moisture. Absorbency affects many other characteristics such as skin comfort, static build-up, shrinkage, stain removal, water repellency, and wrinkle recovery.
Allen Solly Placket
A placket face set-on the inside of a garment. The shirt front itself makes up the top of the placket. Placket face constructions may include revere, clean finished and hidden fly.
Anti-Bacterial
A fabric that has been chemically treated or a fiber that is created by incorporating the anti-bacterial (anti-microbial) chemical agent into the fiber formula, making the finished fabric resistant to the growth of micro-organisms.
Anti-Static
A fiber or fabric that does not allow the build-up of static electricity to occur when the fiber or fabric experiences friction or rubbing.
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Bamboo Fabric
Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of the bamboo grass. It has been growing in popularity and is more sustainable than most textile fibers. Also, it is light and strong, has excellent wicking properties, and is to some extent antibacterial.
Banded Self Collar
A type of collar made of the same material as the shirt. The two basic kinds of this collar are the 'simulated' made of two pieces or the 'true' made of four pieces.
Baseball Shirt
(Style) Shirt typically featuring crew collar, white body, and three-quarter-length raglan sleeves in a contrasting color. Badger's Style 9633 and Style 9633H are examples of Baseball Shirts.
Base Layer
The apparel in contact with your skin. The purpose of the base layer is to keep you warm/cool and dry.
Binder
A binder is used in pigment dyeing to help the color pigment adhere to the garment. In the process the binder adds weight and thickness to the garment.
Biodegradable
A material's ability to decompose through natural processes and eventually be reabsorbed by the natural environment.
Blend
A term applied to a yarn or a fabric that is made up of more than one fiber. In blended yarns, two or more different types of staple fibers are twisted or spun together to form the yarn. Examples of a typical blended yarn or fabric is polyester/cotton.
Gildan's Style 8000 shows an example of a Blended garment.
Boatneck
An extra-wide neckline extending to or toward the shoulder seams.
Bound Side Seam
When the two fabric edges along the side of a garment are reinforced with an additional piece of narrow fabric to prevent fraying or raveling.
Jonathan Corey's Style J602 is constructed with bound side seams.
Breathability
The movement of water or water vapor from one side of the fabric to the other, caused by capillary action, wicking, chemical, or electrostatic action. Also know as moisture transport.
Bt
A toxin produced by a bacterium called bacillus thuringiensis. This bacterium is a disease of caterpillars, but it is harmless to other insects and humans.
Buckram Backing
Stiff fabric used to give shape and form to items like caps, belts, etc. Also used to stabilize embroidery, edges.
Yupoong's Style y6002 Classic Poplin Golf Cap is constructed with buckram backing.
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Carbon Footprint
A measure of the your impact on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.
Certified Organic
Textiles that are certified organic are made from raw organic materials that originate from organic cultivation, processed using sustainable textile production methods where 100% certified organic natural fibers come from inspected, toxic free organic farming in compliance with regulations for organic production.
Clean Finished Placket
Typically the interfacing of plackets are raw or edged, which means they can look ragged or uneven, particularly on light colored shirts. By cutting the interfacing in a rectangle, turning the edges under and fusing them in place, we have a straight placket with no raw edges. All that shows inside the shirt is about ¼ inch of the smooth edge.
Gildan's Style 37000 shows an example of a clean finished Placket.
Clean Finished Vents
Clean finished vents are formed by turning all raw edges under in a double fold and then stitching with a single needle. This has no functional purpose but gives a neater appearance.
Outer Banks' Style 5011 is constructed with clean finished side vents.
Color Blocking
Merchandising and/or cutting term, whereby a certain stripe or block of color ends up in the same place every time on the finish garment.
Combed Cotton
Cotton yarn that has been combed to remove short fibers, and to straighten or arrange longer fibers in parallel order.
Outer Banks' Style 5023 is 100% Combed Cotton.
Comfort Stretch
The term given to the freedom of movement experienced in the wearing of a garment that contains spandex, or has stretch engineered into a yarn through mechanical stretch construction.
Compacting
A thermo-mechanical process whereby fabric is processed through two sets of rollers along with steam heat and pressure to squeeze the threads together, thus reducing shrinkage.
Compression Fabric/Stretch
A high tenacity stretch fabric which, when in a close fitting garment, provides muscles with a firm compression fit that lessons vibrations, reduces fatigue, and keeps muscles energized. The fabric is usually made in a knit construction, using a series of gradient fibers with an open knit inner surface to create a moisture transfer environment.
Cool Max
Channeled fiber from DuPont to take moisture away from the skin, made of polyester fiber.
Cover
(Cap) The front, back and tip of a crown when it is sewn together.
Falcon's Style 27582 showing cotton twill cover.
Crew Collar
A rounded, ribbed collar cut close to the neck.
Bella's Style 5001 shows an example of crew neck.
Crocking
Crocking refers to the tendency of pigment-dyed shirt to lose some of the pigment on the surface of the shirt from regular wear and washing. Crocking gives the shirt its desired, weathered look.
Anvil's chromaZONE Style 3100 is an example of a garment with crocking.
Crop Top
A shirt style made to expose midriff.
Anvil's Style 1436 shows an example of a crop top.
Cross Stitch Buttons
Attaching a four hole button by stitching diagonally across forming an 'X'. This adds strength and stability and is aesthetically more appealing.
Crown
(Cap) The uppermost part of a cap or hat that is sewn to either a hat band, brim or sweat band. Visors do not have crowns, only front panels.
Yupoong's Style y5001 Flexfit Twill Cap with high crown.
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Denier
1. Weight per unit-length of a piece of yarn. 2. A unit of fineness for silk, rayon or nylon yarn based on a standard of 50 milligrams per 450 meters of yarn. Lower numbers represent the finer sizes and the higher numbers, the heavier yarns.
Toppers' Style 5116 Sports Bag is 600 Denier polyester.
Denim
A basic cotton or blended fabric with right-or-left-hand twill constructions. The warp is dyed blue (usually) with a white filling.
Sierra Pacific's Style 5211 and Style 3211 are examples of Denim Garments.
Digitizing
(Embroidery) Method of recreating an embroidery design through information entered into a computer. Instead of a physical act of punching paper tape, digitizing involves numerical calculations fed through an automatic machine to determine the points of embroidery stitches in a design.
Drop-Tail Hem
Style of hem where the back panel of the shirt drops lower than the front.
STORM CREEK WOMEN'S ARTICFLEEC Style 4655 is an example of a Sport Shirt with a drop-tail hem.
Dry Blend
Dry Blend is a process for powder coating manufacturing in which materials are blended without melting.
Other Gildan DryBlend styles are: 8000B, 8300, 8400, 8800, 8800B, 8900
Durability
The ability of a fabric to resist wear through continual use.
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Eco-Friendly
Also known as 'environmentally friendly' or 'nature-friendly,' eco-friendly refers to goods and services that inflict minimal harm on the environment.
Ecospun
A fleece outerwear fabric made from at least 50% materials reclaimed from recycled plastic soda pop bottles.
EcoSystem
Living things — and the physical environment in which they live — that form a complex, interconnected web of interactions and relationships.
Engineered
(stripe, pattern) A shirt cut and constructed so that the stripe pattern or insert in the body or sleeve is placed to fall in the exact same location on every shirt.
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Fastness
The quality of not fading.
Fiber-Reactive Dyes
A class of dye used on 100 percent cotton or rayon. Reactive dyes can also be applied on wool and nylon; in the latter case they are applied under weakly acidic conditions. Fiber-reactive dyes are textile dyes which form a covalent bond with the fibers of the textile, resulting in a long lasting, bright dye. One of the most expensive dyes, however it has superior fastness and brightness and is more conducive for mixing custom colors than other dyes.
Anvil's chromaZone Style 3979 is an example of a garment with fiber-reactive dyes.
Fleece
A fabric with pile or napped surface sometimes of a unit construction; commonly used in sweats.
Gildan's Style 18000 and Style 18500 are examples of Fleece.
Football Jersey
(Style) A jersey shirt with a slight V-neck, stitched yoke and one-half to three-quarter length sleeves.
Badger's Style 9481 is an example of a Football Jersey.
Front Panel
(Cap) The front section of a cap or hat to which an imprint or emblem is applied.
Yupoong's Style 6777Y used to show the front panel of a cap.
Fully Taped Neck Seam
As the collar is attached, a strip of body fabric is folded and sewn in the collar seam. The strip of body fabric is then folded down and single needle stitched to the body. This reinforces the neck or collar seam and gives a smooth, flat finish to go against the neck.
IZOD's IZOD Style 13Z0097 shows a fully taped neck seam.
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Garment Dyeing
The process of dyeing finished garments. Garment dyeing does not involve the multitude of finishing processes that piece dyeing does.
Comfort Color's Style 3333 shows a garment dyed t-shirt.
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.
Garment Dyed
A dyeing process that occurs after the garment is assembled.
GMO
GMO is an acronym for 'Genetically Modified Organism' and refers to plants, such as 'Bt Cotton,' and foods that have been engineered by insertion of DNA by humans.
GRAS
Generally Recognized as Safe.
Green
The adjective used to describe people, behaviors, products, policies, standards, processes, places, movements or ideas that promote, protect, restore or minimize damage to the environment.
Grommet
An eyelet of firm material to strengthen or protect an opening.
Anvil's Style T64G Hand towel comes with a grommet.
Gussett
Triangular insert (as in the sleeve seam) to widen and strengthen.
Liberty Bag's Style 7002 Contrast Canvas Tote is constructed with a bottom gussett.
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Heather
Blended fibers combining to create a varicolored effect; for example, heather gray.
Anvil's Style 779 is available in Heather Grey.
Henley
(style) Shirt featuring a banded neck and button placket; may be ribbed.
Anvil's Style 1202 Short Sleeve Henley.
High Crew
A crew neck cut higher than standard crew necks.
Badger's Style 1253 shows a High Crew.
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Interlock
(Knit) A fine-gauge knit fabric produced by interlocking or interknitting on a circular knit machine. Similar to a jersey except both front and back of fabric look identical.
alo's Style W1076 is constructed with an interlock knit.
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Jacquard
Woven fabrics manufactured by using the Jacquard attachment on the loom. The attachment provides versatility in designs and permits individual control of each of the warp yarns. Thus, fabrics of almost any type or complexity can be made. Brocade and damask are types of Jacquard woven fabrics.
Skins Game's Style 1002 is an example of a Jacquard Sport Shirt.
Jersey Knit
(Knit) A type of fabric with a flat appearance, knit on a circular, single-knit machine; its principal distinction is that it is not a fabric with a distinct rib.
Gildan's Style 2800 is an example of a Jersey Knit Sport Shirt.
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Lap Shirt
(Lap shoulder shirt) An infant's shirt where the back panel or body of the shirt overlaps the front panel at the neckline where the set-in sleeve starts.
Rabbit Skin's Style RS4400 Long Sleeve Lap Shirts come in three colors.
Lycra
Trademark of E.I du Pont de Nemours Co. for Spandex fiber. Offer elasticity, strength, abrasion resistance and long flex life.
Bella's Style 807 is constructed using lycra.
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Mercerization
Treatment for fabric (cotton yarn or cloth) to make it look silky or take dye better.
Microfibers
The name given to ultra-fine manufactured fibers and the name given to the technology of developing these fibers. Fibers made using microfiber technology, produce fibers which weight less than 1.0 denier. The fabrics made from these extrafine fibers provide a superior hand, a gentle drape, and incredible softness. Comparatively, microfibers are two times finer than silk, three times finer than cotton, eight times finer than wool, and one hundred times finer than a human hair. Currently, there are two types of microfibers, polyester microfibers, and rayon microfibers.
Inner Harbor's Style IH32 is an example of a garment with microfibers.
Mock Turtleneck
A shortened version of the turtleneck where the neck of the garment does not fold over.
Anvil's Style 12479 is an example of a Mock Turtleneck
Moisture Transport
The movement of water or water vapor from one side of the fabric to the other, caused by capillary action, wicking, chemical, or electrostatic action.
Mullens
The term used to describe the fabrics strength because that is the name of the test machine. This machine is used to determine the pounds per square inch of pressure needed to break the fabric. Fabric strength has a definite bearing on seam strength, needle cutting and overall longevity of a garment. Since stronger fabric does not needle cut, the mullens is very important when considering embroidery. Our minimum allowed is 70 pounds.
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Oeko-Tex
For companies in the textile and clothing industry, the Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 provides a uniform and scientific evaluation standard for the safety of textiles.
Open End Yarn
Yarn produced though open end yarn spinning. Produces better yarn uniformity and regularity. Creates a better surface or substrate for spinning.
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is cotton from non-genetically modified plants that are certified to be grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides.
Optical Brightener
A chemical used by bleachers to make the whites whiter. In shirts to be dyed, the bleacher needs to know so he can ensure that the optical brighteners are applied evenly. Otherwise, once the shirt is dyed, it may come out splotchy.
Gildan's Style 2001 uses Optical Brighteners.
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Performance Fabrics
Fabrics made for a variety of end-use applications, which provide functional qualities, such as moisture management, UV protection, anti-microbial, thermo-regulation, and wind/water resistance.
alo's Style M1005 is an example of a high performance fabric shirt.
PFD
Literally the initials stand for prepared for dyeing. It indicates that the garment has been specifically prepared for the garment-dyeing process.
Gildan's Style 2001 is a PDF garment.
Pigment Dye
A class of dye used on cotton or poly-cotton. Neon or fluorescent colors are done with pigments. Dyers also do a distressed look using pigments. Pigments have the least degree of fastness of all the dyes, but create the brightest colors. Pigment dyes will typically stay in the pastels range unless it's a neon. You can' get a really deep color with pigments.
Pill
A tangled ball of fibers that appears on the surface, as a result of wear or continued friction or rubbing on the surface of the fabric.
Pin Point Pique
A medium-weight fabric, knit with a waffle pattern from a medium count yarn combined with Spandex. Knit in a single knit fabric construction, created on multi-feed circular knitting machines.
Outer Banks' Style 5226 and Style 5227 are examples of Pin Point Pique
Pique
A knit fabric sometimes called Lacoste because that company popularized its use. It is characterized by a waffle-like appearance.
Outer Banks' Style 5226 and Style 5227 are examples of Pique Sport Shirts
Placket Shirt
A golf-style shirt featuring a slit extending down the front from the neck. The slit is usually secured with buttons.
Outer Banks' Style 2100 and Style 02400 are examples of Placket Shirts.
Plied Yarn
A twisting together of two or more single yarns in one operation.
Polyester
Man-made fiber, offering crease resistance, quick drying, shape retension, strength and minimum care.
Badger's Style 8529 Basketball jersey.
Polyester Thread Construction
Polyester thread is used for strength and durability. The exception is Prepared For Dye garments that are sewn with cotton thread so those threads dye the same as the garment pieces.
Poplin
Durable, plain weave class of fabrics having fine cross ribs. Heavier than broadcloth, but not similar.
Jonathan Corey's Style J614 is a poplin garment.
Private Label
System of garment labeling in which a manufacturer produces apparel using the customer's name or logo on the sewn-in tag.
Check out Imprints Wholesale's Exclusive Relabeling Program today!
Pullover
Type of garment (sweater, jacket, etc) that is pulled on over the head, as opposed to having a zippered or button closure.
Hanes' Style F170 Hoodie is a pullover.
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Raglan
A type of sleeve sewn in with seams slanting outward from neck to underarm.
Bella's Style 2020 shows an example of a raglan sleeve.
Reactive Dyes
Used by most mills, reactive dyes are generally used to match a color with clarity and depth. It is necessary to have a cotton thread garment when using reactive dyes as they only penetrate cotton fiber. They provide excellent washfastness.
See also Fiber Reactive Dyes
Recycled
Materials that have been taken from one product and made into a new product, such as plastic bottles broken down and turned into fiber. The recycling process generally saves energy and reduces the need to extract additional raw resources from the earth.
Liberty Bag's Style 9861 shows an example of a recycled tote.
Rib Knit
A form of knit fabric with vertical rows of knitting loops visible on both sides of the cloth. This fabric features more elasticity than jersey knit.
Bella's Style 4000 shows an example of a rib knit garment.
Ring Spun
Yarn that is produced by using a ' ring' for spinning. The process is slower and more labor-intensive than the more technologically advanced open-end spinning, and because it uses a longer fiber, results in a yarn that has a characteristic, natural unevenness. This has come to be desirable because of its association with traditional denim. Irregularities are enhanced by stonewashing. The hand is softer than open-end denim.
Anvil's Style 5190 is an example of a Ring Spun garment
Ringer
T-shirt, usually white bodied, featuring ribbed crew neck (and sleeve bands) in a contrasting color.
Anvil's Style 923 is an example of a Ringer T-shirt
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Sailcloth
Any heavy, plain-weave canvas fabric, usually made of cotton, linen, polyester, jute, nylon, etc. that is used for sails and apparel (i.e. bottomweight sportswear).
Outer Banks' Style 5510 Navigator Sailcloth Jacket.
Scoop Neck
A rounded neck, larger than a crewneck, but smaller than a boatneck.
L.A.T' Style 3580 shows an example of a scoop neck.
Self Fabric Collar
Collar comprised of the same type of piece goods used in the shirt body. The collar is made by sewing the two collar parts together with a lining in the center for support.
Badger' Style 4145 shows an example of a self fabric collar.
Set-in Sleeves
Style of sleeve that is sewn into the shoulder seam (as opposed to the neck).
Jonathan Corey' Style J627 are examples of shirts with Set-in sleeves.
Set-on Placket
Same form as a top center placket. A placket is set onto the top of the shirt front.
Shirt-Tail Bottom
Hem in the style of a men's shirt. The tail is cut or slit at the sides.
Sierra Pacific's Style 3211 is an example of a shirt with a shirt-tail bottom.
Single Knit
Cloth constructed on a circular machine with only one set of needles. Most T-shirts are single knit.
Anvil's Style 976 is an example of a single knit garment.
Singles
A name for yarn consisting of a single strand, usually used in T-shirts. Also a term to indicate how the diameter of a yarn is measured. The smaller the number, the wider the yarn. For example, 40 singles refers to the thread weight being used. Higher number means a finer thread. And that results in a tighter weave, making the shirt softer and thinner.
Smart Textiles
Textiles that can sense and react to changes in the environment, such as changes from mechanical, thermal, chemical, magnetic and other sources.
Spandex Fiber
A manufacturer elastomeric fiber that can be repeatedly stretched over 500% without breaking, and will still recover to its original length.
Bella's Style 812 is an example of a spandex garment.
Spun Yarn
A yarn made by taking a group of short staple fibers, which have been cut from the longer continuous filament fibers, and then twisting these short staple fibers together to form a single yarn, which is used for weaving or knitting fabrics.
Staple Fibers
Short fibers, typically ranging from 1/2 inch up to 18 inches long. Wool, cotton, and flax exist only as staple fibers. Manufactured staple fibers are cut to specific length form the continuous filament fiber. Usually the staple fiber is cut in length ranging from 1-1/2 inches to 8 inches long. A group of staple fibers are twisted together to form a yarn, which is then woven or knit into fabrics.
Stone Wash
A chemical or mechanical process where a dyed garment, usually black or navy, is treated with stones impregnated with potassium permanganate. The stones or pellets that are used come in all different sizes ranging from a golf ball size down to tiny particles. Through a tumbling and chemical process some of the color is bleached out, creating a splotchy look.
Sustainable
Capable of being steadily maintained without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage.
Sweep
The measurement of the bottom of a garment. Some styles are more flared at the bottom.When measuring it is known as the sweep.
Van Heusen's Style 13V0527 is an example of a garment's sweep..
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Fully Taped Neck Seam
As the collar is attached, a strip of body fabric is folded and sewn in the collar seam. The strip of body fabric is then folded down and single needle stitched to the body. This reinforces the neck or collar seam and gives a smooth, flat finish to go against the neck.
IZOD's IZOD Style 13Z0097 shows a taped neck seam.
Thermoregulation
The ability to maintain a constant temperature independent of changing environmental conditions.
Tie Dye
A method of dyeing fabric in which parts of the fabric are tied so that they will not take the dye, giving the fabric a streaked, spiral or unique look.
Gildan's Style TD001 and Style TD002 are examples of Tie Dye Garments.
Tipped Collar
A ribbed knit fashion collar with a contrast color knitted into the edge of the collar. Outer Banks' Style 2102 shows an example of a tipped collar.
Toddler
(Size) A size denotation referring, in most cases, to sizes 2-4, 5-6 and 7.
Rabbit Skin's Style 3311 long sleeve tees are available in toddler sizes.
Tone-on-Tone
(Color) A fabric printed in two tones of the same color.
Tubular Knit
Fabric knit in tube form with no side seams. Also referred to as circular knit.
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UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor)
The UPF rating indicates how effective a fabric is at blocking out solar ultraviolet radiation from reaching the skin. UPF ratings range from 15 to 50 with higher ratings indicating more effective blocking and therefore better protection for the wearer of a garment.
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Velcro
(Brand) Registered trademark name for brand of hook-and-loop fabric fasteners. Anvil's Style 166 Pigment-Dyed Twill Cap uses a Velcro strap closure.
Vents
(Side vents) Finished slits (in sides of garments)
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Waterproof
A term applied to fabrics whose pores have been closed, and therefore, will not allow water or air to pass through them.
Water Repellent
Possessing the ability to resist penetration by water.
Welt-Knit
Single-knit ribbed fabric made on a flat-bed knitting machine which produces either stripes (for cuffs) or collars.
Welted Sleeve Cuffs
Cuffs where the edge of the fabric is folded double and sewed down. Outer Banks' Style 6002 shows welted sleeve cuffs
Wickability
The ability of a fiber or fabric to disperse moisture and allow it to pass through to the surface. alo's Style W1004 is made of Bamboo which has natural inherent properties that wick moisture.
Woven
When a fabric is composed of two basic series of yarn, warp and filling.
Jonathan Corey' Style J610 is an examples of Wovens.
Wrinkle Recovery
Similar to resiliency. It is the ability of a fabric to bounce back after it has been twisted, wrinkled, or distorted in any way.
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Yarn
A continuous strand of textile fibers used to knit fabric.
Yoke
A part of garment fitted closely to the shoulders.
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50/50
50 percent cotton & 50 percent polyester fabric; also referred to as poly-cotton.
Fruit of the Loom's Style 5930 Best T shows an example of a 50/50 Garment.
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