Standard Fabric Terminology

APPLIQUÉ – Surface decoration, sewn or embroidered, or otherwise attached to the fabric.

BACK-COATING – Fabric treated with sizing on the back only to give added weight, strength and opacity.

BLEACHING – Necessary process to remove the natural and artificial impurities in fabrics to obtain clear whites for even dyeing and printing.

BOURDON STITCHING – A close, narrow row of decorative raised stitching such as a monogram, finished edge or accent.

CAMBRIC – Usually a thin, white closely -woven cotton fabric treated to give it a slight gloss. Normally used for pillow and duvet shells.

CARDING – A process of cleaning fibers by separating and laying them parallel to each other.

COMBING – A process for removing short fibers. The process enables cotton to be spun into very fine, lustrous yarns for high quality fabrics.

DAMASK – A woven cotton fabric made on a jacquard loom that has an alternating satin and matte texture. Damask fabrics are reversible.

DOBBY – Woven on a dobby loom, this fabric can be made with a dot or geometric design.

EYELET – A style of decorative fabric stitched with small cut out openings.

EASY CARE – A finishing process using resin, which gives the fabric a smooth appearance.

EMBOSSING – A pressure process using engraved rollers and heat application to produce raised or relief patterns on the surface of the fabric.

FAGOTTED – A decorative trim created by pulling out horizontal threads from a fabric and gathering the remaining cross threads into an hourglass shape.

GREIGE GOODS (pronounced “gray”) – Loom state of cloth that has not received dry and wet finishing.

GUSSET – Refers to mattress depth.

HEMSTITCHING - A decorative stitching along the stitching lines of hems and borders to create an open weave pattern.

JACQUARD – A loom as well as a type of intricate fabric woven on a jacquard loom. The loom produces elaborate cloth weaves such as tapestries, brocades, and damask fabrics.

LOCK-STITCH – A type of stitch consisting of two threads that are interlocked at short intervals. A lock-stitched terry does not pull easily.

LONG STAPLE COTTON – A classification for any cotton fibers from 1 1/8” to 2 1/2” long.

MATELASSÉ – A cotton jacquard fabric. The term refers to the type of weave. It is a triple-woven fabric. This weaving process creates the signature raised pattern/appearance.

MERCERIZATION – A wet finishing process for cotton yarn or fabric. This treatment increases cotton’s luster and strength allowing the fabric to retain dyes more readily.

MUSLIN – Cotton sheeting fabric with thread count of less than 180 threads per square inch.

NAPPED FABRICS – Cotton fabrics which have been dry finished by raising fibers on the surface to produce a fuzzy appearance. Cotton flannel is an example.

NATURAL – Undyed or unbleached, in the natural state.

OMBRE – A French term meaning shaded. A Color effect with gradual changes in shade from light to dark or one hue to another. Generally produced by arranging different tones in the warp.

OPEN END SPINNING – A basic process for pulling masses of cotton fibers straight before placing yarns on spinning frames. This process results in shorter fibers that are tightly bound together. Towels woven with this process can feel rough and look shaggy in appearance.

ORGANIC – Plants grown in fields that have not been treated with chemicals for at least 3 years.

PERCALE – Usually made with combed yarns, his closely woven cotton fabric has a thread count of 180 threads per square inch or higher.

PLISSÉ – Produced by a wet finishing treatment, this fabric has the look of woven seersucker, similar to crepe.

PILLING – Occurs as a result of fibers loosen from the fabric surface to form balls of matted fiber particles

PIQUE – A stiff, durable ribbed fabric with an embossed pattern produced by a double warp thread.

RINGSPUN – A finely tuned process to pull the longest fibers into strands in the same direction. This process forms long rope fibers before placing them parallel on the spinning frames resulting in softer and more lustrous strands.

SANFORIZED – A process to preshrink fabric. Fabrics with this trademark should never shrink more than 1%.

SATEEN – A weave construction for mercerized cotton fabrics, which produces a smooth, lustrous surface.

SATIN STITCH – A closely spaced stitch that forms a line of closely spaced loops at the edge. It is used in embroidery for purely decorative purposes.

SCALLOPED EDGE – A border that contains continuous curves finished with bourdon stitching.

SHRINKAGE – The contraction of a fiber, yarn or fabric after washing and drying. All products made of natural fibers have a tendency to shrink 4%-8%.

TERRY CLOTH – Type of cloth that has uncut loops on the pile.

THREAD COUNT – The number of yarns per square inch in a woven fabric. The higher the count, the finer the fabric.

TICKING – A very durable striped linen or cotton fabric with a twill weave. This closely woven material is primarily used for mattress and pillow coverings.

TWILL – This type of weave is characterized by the lines that are ribbed diagonally across the fabric.

WAFFLE CLOTH – A honeycomb weave usually of cotton or wool, used mainly for towels and robes.

WARP THREAD – The set of fixed threads that are set lengthwise across the fabrics.

WEFT – The crosswise threads of any woven fabric.

WOOF – The threads that cross the warp of a woven fabric; the weft.

YARN-DYED – Yarns dyed in a bundle or package before weaving into fabrics likeginghams, stripes and plaids. Also known as “color-woven”

Finding the Perfect Sheet: Percale vs Sateen

Selecting the perfect sheet can be a daunting task! With so many choices available, many people feel overwhelmed when presented with options such as brand, thread count, price, etc. One of the most misunderstood options that consumers face is the question of Percale or Sateen. The good news is that this is often the easiest question to answer when the difference between the two is fully understood. Aside from the issue of quality,which you can be assured of on our site, personal preference is the most important factor when selecting a sheet that you will be happy with. After all, luxury sheets are an investment and we want you to feel good about your selections! Please see the chart below for a simple comparison between Percale and Sateen, followed by our bestselling sheets for each option.