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3 8 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y

You searched in Glossary Terms for [C]. We found 123 matching entries.

Cable:
to twist together two or more folded yarns.
Cabotage:
the transport of goods or passengers between two points in the same country. Originally the term was used to refer to shipping but it now also covers aviation and road transport. Also commonly used as part of the term cabotage rights, which means the right of a company from one country to trade, operate aircraft or transport goods within the domestic borders of another country.
Caged yarn:
a strand of yarn enclosed within a fine knitted tube which forms a "cage" through which the inner core is visible. In many yarns, the inner strand and the "cage" are in different but complementary colours.
CAI:
compression strength after impact.
Calendered:
the term used to describe a fabric which has been passed through rollers to smooth and flatten it or confer surface glaze.
Camel:
the hair of the camel or dromedary; also used as a broad description of fawn colour.
Candela:
the SI (Système International) unit for luminous intensity.
Canvas:
a plain weave usually made from cotton or linen.
Cap plies (tyres):
additional strips of fabric covering the edges of the main reinforcement layers in radial tyres to prevent separation of the layers from each other and from the rubber matrix. In radial tyres the principal reinforcement layers have their main load
Capillary action:
a process in which liquids move along interstices between fibres. These may be manufactured with a special cross-section to enhance the process.
Caprolactam:
a chemical intermediate used in the manufacture of polyamide (nylon).
Carbon fibre:
a man-made fibre containing at least 90% of carbon obtained by controlled pyrolysis of appropriate fibres (known as precursors).
Carbon nanotube:
A nanotube made entirely of carbon. Carbon nanotubes are typically up to 100 times as strong as steel.
Carbonisation:
a chemical process for eliminating vegetable matter from animal fibres such as wool by degrading it to an easily friable (readily crumbled) condition. The process usually involves treatment with an acid followed by heating. Hydrochloric acid gas is used in the case of the dry carbonisation process while sulphuric acid solution is used in wet carbonisation.
Carded:
description of a continuous web or sliver produced by carding.
Carding:
the disentanglement, cleaning and intermixing of fibres to produce a continuous web or sliver suitable for subsequent processing. This is achieved by passing the fibres between moving pins, wires or teeth.
Cashmere:
hair with a mean diameter of 18.5 microns or less from the downy undercoat of Asiatic or selectively bred feral goats.
Caterpillar yarn:
yarn with protruding tufts which gives the appearance of a caterpillar.
Cationic dye:
a type of dye used on modified polyester, modified nylon or acrylic in order to achieve special effects, such as cross dyeing, in fabric form (see also cationic dyeable yarn (CDY)).
Cationic dyeable yarn (CDY):
a yarn dyed with cationic dye, usually made from modified polyester, modified nylon or acrylic, which is often used to achieve cross-dyed effects. Cationic dyeable yarn can be used in a pattern with regular yarn in the same fabric. The pattern becomes visible by dyeing the fabric in two baths, one for each of the types of yarn. When cationic fibre is fixed with conventional fibre, various multicoloured and cross-dye effects can be achieved from a single dye bath.
Caustic washing:
a scouring process which uses sodium hydroxide to remove non-cellulosic impurities—including hemicelluloses, mineral salts, pectin and wax—from cotton. The process yields a fabric which possesses a high and even wettability so that it can be bleached and dyed uniformly.
Cavalry twill:
a firm warp-faced cloth, woven to produce a steep twill effect.
Cellophane effect:
an effect created in a fabric which gives it the iridescent appearance of cellophane.
Cellulosic fibres:
fibres made or chemically derived from a naturally occurring cellulose raw material.
Cellulosic filament:
filaments made or chemically derived from a naturally occurring cellulose raw material.
Centinewton (cN):
a unit of force used to measure the strength of a textile yarn (see tenacity).
Centipoise:
a measure of viscosity, equal to 0.001 newton second per m2.
Centrifugal casting (composites):
in this process the reinforcing fibres and the resin are introduced into a rotating cylindrical metal mould and the speed of rotation gradually increased. The resin impregnates the reinforcement under the influence of the centrifugal
CFRP:
carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
Chafer fabric:
a fabric coated with vulcanised rubber which is wrapped around the bead section of a tyre before vulcanisation of the complete tyre. Its purpose is to maintain an abrasion-resistant layer of rubber in contact with the wheel on which the tyre is mounted.
Chainette:
a tubular cord produced on a circular knitting machine.
Challis:
a lightweight plain-weave fabric, made from cotton or wool, usually with a printed design.
Chambray:
a cotton shirting fabric woven with a coloured warp and white weft.
Changeant:
see shot.
Charmeuse:
a lightweight fabric woven with a satin weave constructed so that the warp threads cross over three or more of the backing (weft) threads. The front side of the fabric has a satin finish—which is lustrous and reflective—whereas the back has a dull finish. The fabric can be made of silk, or a synthetic substitute such as polyester.
Cheesecloth:
an open lightweight plain-weave fabric, usually made from carded cotton yarns.
Chelate:
a chemical compound whose molecules contain a closed ring of atoms, of which one is a metal atom.
Chelating agent:
a chemical compound which coordinates with a metal to form a chelate, and which is often used to trap or remove heavy metal ions.
Chelator:
substance which binds particular ions, removing them from solution.
Chemical bonding:
part of a production route for making nonwovens; binders are applied to a web which, when dried, bond the individual fibres to form a coherent sheet.
Chemical stability:
the ability of a material to resist degradation from the action of chemicals such as acids, alkalis, solvents and oils.
Chemiluminescence products:
products which glow when one liquid chemical containing special fluorescers interacts with another (an activator).
Chenille:
a yarn consisting of a cut pile which may be one or more of a variety of fibres helically positioned around axial threads that secure it. Gives a thick, soft tufty silk or worsted velvet cord or yarn typically used in embroidery and for trimmings.
Chiffon:
a very light, transparent fabric in a plain weave.
Chiné:
textiles with a mottled pattern.
Chinoiserie:
fabric designs which are derived from or which are imitations of Chinese motifs.
Chintz:
a glazed, printed, plain-weave fabric, usually made of cotton.
Chopped strand mat (composites):
a glass-fibre reinforcement consisting of short strands of fibre arranged in a random pattern and held together with a binder.
CIF:
cost, insurance and freight.
Circle lay:
trade name for rope produced in a wire-rope construction but from a fibre blend by American Manufacturing Corporation.
Circular jersey:
fabric produced on circular knitting machines. (See also circular knitting, weft knitting.)
Circular knitting:
a fabric production technique in which fabric is knitted in the form of a tube. Usually, this is subsequently slit and finished as open width fabric. However, in the case of smaller width machines, the circular knitting process is used to make body width tubes which need not be slit, thus avoiding the need for a seam and thereby increasing wearer comfort. These machines can be further modified to knit body blanks which incorporate some shaping and are separated by a draw-thread.
Ciré:
a lightweight performance fabric with a shiny surface made from synthetic fibres for use in outerwear.
Clo (or CLO):
a US unit indicating the insulation value of clothing and bedding. It is measured in kcal/m2/hr of heat exchange by radiation and convection for each degree Celsius of temperature difference between the skin and the ambient temperature. 1 clo = 1.55 tog. See also tog.
Clo value:
the amount of insulation required to keep a resting subject with a metabolism of 50 kcal/metre2/hour comfortable for an indefinite period of time at a temperature of 21ºC (70ºF).
Clogging (geotextiles):
see blinding.
Cloqué:
a compound or double fabric with a figured blister effect, produced by using yarns of different character or twist which respond in different ways to finishing treatments.
CM:
cut and make. (See also CMT.)
CMP:
cut, make and pack. A system whereby a manufacturer produces garments for a customer by cutting fabric provided by the customer, sewing the cut fabric into garments in accordance with the customers specifications and packing the garments for despatch. In general, companies operating on a CMP basis do not become involved in the design of the garment but are merely concerned with its manufacture.
CMT:
cut, make and trim. A system whereby a manufacturer produces garments for a customer by cutting fabric provided by the customer and sewing the cut fabric into garments in accordance with the customers specifications. In general, companies operating on a CMT basis do not become involved in the design of the garment but are merely concerned with its manufacture.
COD:
chemical oxygen demand. The amount of oxygen required to degrade organic compounds in an effluent stream.
Collagenous matrices:
intercellular substance in which tissue cells are embedded.
Colourway:
one of several different combinations of colours in which a given pattern is printed on items such as fabrics and wallpapers.
Combining:
another term for lamination.
Comforter:
an “over-covering” on a bed that is made with a fabric shell filled with an insulating material.
Commingled yarn:
a yarn consisting of two or more individual yarns that have been combined, usually by means of air jets.
Commission manufacturing:
a form of production whereby manufacturing is undertaken by one manufacturer, for a fee, on behalf of another manufacturer or a non-manufacturer. Typically, commission manufacturing involves the production of goods utilising materials provided by the clie
Comonomer:
one of the compounds which constitute a copolymer.
Composite (fabric):
a fabric structure, usually nonwoven, comprising several layers.
Composite (fibre reinforced):
see fibre reinforced composite.
Composite, composite material:
a product formed by intimately combining two or more discrete physical phasesusually a matrix, such as a resin, and a fibrous reinforcing component. In most cases, the combined properties of the composite are superior to those of the separate components.
Concessions:
small retail outlets which are located in an allocated area of another store, usually a department store.
Condenser card:
a roller-and-clearer type of card, as distinct from a flat card, which converts fibrous raw materials to slubbings by means of a condenser.
Condenser spun yarn:
yarn spun from slubbing.
Conduction:
the process of transferring heat or an electrical charge between two materials by direct contact.
Conjugate fibre:
a bicomponent or biconstituent fibre produced by extruding two different polymers through the same orifice.
Conjugate fibres and yarns:
see bicomponent fibres and yarns.
Conjugate yarns:
see bicomponent yarns.
Continuous filament:
see filament.
Continuous filament strand (glass):
a fibre bundle composed of many glass filaments.
Continuous strand roving (glass):
a bundle of glass filaments which are fed through a chopper gun during the spray-up process.
Conversationals:
printed patterns using depictions of people and recognisable objects.
Copolymer:
a polymer in which there are two or more repeat units.
Cord:
a term used to describe the way in which textile strands have been twisted, such as in cabled or plied yarns.
Cordelette:
a yarn in which the fibre is wound like a cord.
Corduroy:
a cut weft pile fabric in which the cut fibres form a surface of cords or ribs in the warp direction.
Core-spun yarn:
a yarn consisting of an inner core yarn surrounded by staple fibres. A corespun yarn combines the strength and/or elongation of the core thread and the characteristics of the staple fibres which form the surface. A yarn comprising a central core of yarns around which another yarn of a different composition is wrapped. An example is elastane fibre enclosed in cotton.
Core-twisted yarn:
a yarn produced by combining one fibre or filament with another during a twisting process.
Count:
a measure of linear density. (See also decitex, denier, tex.)
Countervailing duty:
an extra duty imposed on an imported product by an importing country (or group of countries, as in the case of the EU) to compensate for subsidies deemed to be illegal which are given to the manufacturer of the product in the exporting country.
Courtelle:
a brand name for acrylic fibre used by Acordis (formerly Courtaulds).
Cover factor (knitted fabrics):
(tightness factor) a number that indicates the extent to which the area of a knitted fabric is covered by yarn. It is also an indication of the relative looseness or tightness of the knitting.
Cover factor (woven fabrics):
a number that indicates the extent to which the area of a fabric is covered by one set of threads. For any woven fabric, there are two cover factors: a warp cover factor and a weft cover factor. Under the cotton system, the cover factor is the ratio of the number of threads per inch to the square root of the cotton yarn count.
Covered yarn:
a yarn made by feeding one yarn through one or more revolving spindles carrying the other (wrapping) yarn. Covered yarn may also be produced using air-jet technology.
Coverstock:
a permeable fabric used in hygiene products to cover and contain an absorbent medium.
Covert:
a warp-faced fabric, usually of a twill weave, with a characteristic mottled appearance obtained by the use of a grandrelle (two-colour twisted yarn) or mock grandrelle warp.
Cradle to cradle:
a term, adapted from the expression cradle to grave, which is used to describe a model in which processes are sustainable and considerate of life in general. In one cradle to cradle model, all materials used in industrial or commercial processes—such as metals, fibres and dyes—are seen to fall into one of two categories, namely technical nutrients and biological nutrients. Technical nutrients are non-toxic, non-harmful synthetic materials which have no negative effects on the natural environme
Crease-resist finish:
a finish, usually applied to fabrics made from cotton or other cellulosic fibres or their blends, which improves the crease recovery and smooth-drying properties of a fabric. In the process used most commonly, the fabric is impregnated with a solution of a reagent which penetrates the fibres and, after drying and curing, cross-links the fibre structure under the influence of a catalyst and heat. The crease-resistant effect is durable to washing and to normal use.
Creep:
a slow change in the physical dimensions of a material under prolonged stress.
Crêpe:
a fabric characterised by a crinkled or puckered surface.
Crêpe de chine:
a lightweight fabric, traditionally of silk, with a crinkly surface.
Crêpe yarn:
a highly twisted yarn which may be used in the production of crêpe fabrics.
Crêpon:
a crêpe fabric which is more rugged than the usual crêpe with a fluted or crinkled effect in the warp direction.
Cretonne:
a strong, printed cotton cloth which is sometimes made with a weft of cotton waste.
Crimp:
the waviness of a fibre or filament.
Crimp contraction:
the contraction in length of a previously textured yarn from the fully extended state (ie where the filaments are substantially straightened), owing to the formation of crimp in individual filaments under specified conditions of crimp development.
Crimp stability:
the ability of a textured yarn to resist the reduction of its crimp by mechanical or thermal stress.
Crimped yarn:
see textured yarn.
Crock:
a measure of the resistance of a fabric to the loss of colour due to rubbing or abrasion.
Crocking:
the loss of dye colour due to rubbing or abrasion.
Cross-dyeing:
The dyeing of a yarn or fabric containing a mixture of fibres, at least one of which is coloured separately.
Cross-lapping:
the production of a nonwoven web or batt from a fibre web by traversing it to and fro across a lattice moving at right angles to the direction of traverse.
Cross-laying:
see cross-lapping.
Cross-linking:
the creation of chemical bonds between polymer molecules to form a three-dimensional polymeric network, for example in a fibre or pigment binder.
Cross-section:
the profile of a fibre across its diameter. Most manufactured fibres can be produced with different types of cross-section. Trilobal fibres are almost triangular. Multilobal fibres are designed to give special effects. Fibres are sometimes produced
Cross-section (fibre):
the profile of a fibre across its diameter. Most manufactured fibres and yarns can be produced with different types of cross-section. Trilobal fibres and yarns are almost triangular. Multilobal fibres and yarns are designed to give special effects. Fibres are sometimes produced with a channel within their cross-section. For most melt-spun fibres, however, the most common cross-section is circular.
Cupro:
a type of cellulosic fibre obtained by the cuprammonium process.
Curcuma:
a fabric with a yellow colour similar to that produced by the curcuma spice.
Curing (chemical finishing):
a process carried out after the application of a finish to a textile fabric in which appropriate conditions are used to effect a chemical reaction. Usually, the fabric is heat treated for several minutes. However, it may be subject to higher temperatures for short times (flash curing) or to low temperatures for longer periods and at higher regain (moist curing).
Cut and sew:
a system of manufacturing in which shaped pieces are cut from a layer of fabric and stitched together to form garments. In the case of tubular knitted fabric, the cloth is either cut down one side and opened up into a flat fabric or left as a tube and cut to shape.
Cylinder bed sewing machine:
a sewing machine with a horizontal cylinder arm or post.
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