| M |
|
| Machine-washable |
A Term Denoting That A Textile Article Can Be
Washed In A Domestic Washing Machine To Remove Dirt And Other
Extraneous Substances Using An Aqueous Detergent Solution At
Elevated Temperatures.
|
| Madapolam |
A Bleached Or Dyed Plain Cotton Fabric With A
Soft Finish In Any Of A Wide Range Of Qualities Used For Ladies
Wear.
|
| Madras |
Cotton Fabric Hand-woven In The Madras Region Of
India.
|
| Madras
Plaid |
Bright Multicolored Plaids Characteristic Of
Indian Madras.
|
| Maline |
A Fine Hexagonal Open Mesh Net Similar To Tulle.
Used For Veils Millinery Trim.
|
| Mandeel |
A Kind Of Decoratively Worn Turban.
|
| Mangle |
A Machine Whose Purpose Is To Express Liquid From
Moving Textiles By Passage Through A Nip. The Textile May Be In Rope
Form Or In Open Width, And The Mangle May Consist Of Two Or More
Rollers (bowls) Running In Contact.
|
| Manila |
See Abaca.
|
| Man-made
Fibre |
A Fibre Manufactured By Man As Distinct From A
Fibre That Occurs Naturally.
|
| Mantua,
Also Manteau |
Widespread Female Dress Of The Late 17th Century.
Developed From A T-shaped Garment, Which Is First Pleated Informally
At The Shoulders And The Waist Pleats Are Controlled By A Belt.
Instead Of Cutting The Bodice And Skirt As Separate Pieces That Were
Sewn Together, Bodice And Skirt Were Cut In One Length From Shoulder
To Hem. Cut To Fall Full In Back And Front, The Garment Was Worn
Over A Corset And An Underskirt. Front Skirt Edges Were Often Pulled
To The Back And Fastened To Form A Draped Effect, The So-called
Waterfall-backdrape.
|
| Marl |
To Run Together And Draft Into One, Two Slubbings
Or Rovings Of Different Colour Or Lustre.
|
| Marl Effect
Yarn (continuous-filament) |
Two Single, Continuous-filament Yarns, Of
Different Solid Colours Or Dyeing Properties (subsequently Dyed)
Doubled Together., Also Termed Ingrain (filament Yarn)
|
| Marl Yarn
(woollen) |
A Yarn Consisting Of Two Woollen-spun Single Ends
Of Different Colours Twisted Together.
|
| Marlborough
Bucket Boot |
Thigh-high Riding Boot With Cup-shaped Wide Top,
Square Toes And Higher Heels Than The Jackboot. Made From Stiff
Leather; Fourth Quarter Of 17th Century To Beginning Of 18th
Century.
|
| Marled |
Yarns Made Up Of 2 Different Colors, Produced By
Combining Fiber Strands (rovings) Of 2 Different Colors, Or Twisting
Together 2 Yarns Of Different Colors, Or By Cross Dyeing Plied Yarns
Of 2 Different Fibers.
|
| Marocain |
A Woven Crepe Fabric With A Wavy Rib Effect In
The Weft Resulting From The Use Of High Twist Yarns. Used In Women's
Dresses, Suits.
|
| Marquisette |
Fine Lightweight Open Mesh Fabric. Used For
Curtains, Mosquito Netting, Trim For Evening Wear, Or Millinery.
|
| Mashru |
A Fabric Woven Of Silk And Cotton, The Warp Of
One Material And The Weft Of The Other. Literally, 'that Which Is In
Accordance With The Shara, Muslim Holy Law, Which Disapproves Of An
Arel Made Of Silk.
|
| Mask |
Theatrical Accessory In Ancient Times, It Was
Adopted In The 16th And 17th Century By Women, To Protect The
Wearer's Complexion And Preserve Her Incognito. See Also Vizor.
|
| Mass Stress |
A Term That Has Been Superseded By Specific
Stress.
|
| Mass-coloured |
Descriptive Of Man-made Fibres In Which Colouring
Matter (e.g., Dye Or Pigment) Has Been Incorporated Before The
Filament Is Formed.
|
| Mass-pigmented |
Descriptive Of A Form Of Mass-coloration In Which
A Pigment Is Used
|
| Matchings |
Wool That Has Been Sorted.
|
| Matelasse |
A Fancy Double Woven Or Compound Fabric That Has
The Appearance Of Being Padded, Puckered Or Quilted . It Is Usually
Woven On A Jacquard Loom. Used For Upholstery , Drapery, Vests .
Lighter Weights Are Used For Dresses And Other Apparel.
|
| Matt |
See Dull.
|
| Matte
Jersey |
Tricot With A Dull Surface Made With Fine Crepe
Yarn.
|
| Mature
Cotton |
Cotton Whose Fibre Wall Has Thickened To An
Acceptable Degree., See Also Immature Cotton, Motes
|
| Maturity |
An Important Cotton Fibre Characteristic Which
Expresses The Relative Degree Of Thickening Of Wall. It Is Sometimes
Defined As The Ratio Of The Cross-sectional Area Of The Fibre Wall
To The Area Of A Circle Having The Same Perimeter As That Of The
Fibre, Or The Ratio Of The Average Wall Thickness To The Radius Of
The Circle Having The Same Perimeter As That Of The Fibre. However,
In Practice, Measurement Of The Degree Of Wall Thickening Is Seldom
Carried Out And The Average Maturity Of A Given Sample Of Cotton Is
Estimated By One Or More Of Several Indirect Tests Which Are Often
Used To Discover The Proportion Of Fibres Having A Maturity Greater
Than Some Selected Level.
|
| Mauritius
Hemp |
A Fibre From The Leaf Of The Plant Furcraea
Gigantea., Also Termed Mauritius Fibre, See Also Fibre Types
|
| Mechanical
Stretch |
Fabrics That Have Stretch Properties But No Not
Use Spandex Or Other Stretch Yarns. The Stretch Is Usually Created
In The Finishing Process.
|
| Mechlen
Lace |
A Bobbin Lace Characterized By Delicate Florals
Outlined With A Silky Thread.
|
| Medulla |
The Central Portion Of Some Animal Fibres
Consisting Of A Series Of Cavities Formed By The Medullary Cells
Which Collapse During The Growth Process. In Some Fibres E.g., Wool
And Kemp, The Medulla Forms The Greatest Portion Of The Fibre And Is
Surrounded By A Comparatively Thin Layer Of Cortex.
|
| Melange/heather |
A Variation In Tone Or Mottled Look . May Be Done
By Mixing Fibers Or Yarn Of Different Colors Together, Printing Of
The Top Before Spinning The Yarn, Or Cross Dyeing The Fabric.
|
| Melt
Blowing |
A Process In Which A Polymer Is Melt-extruded
Through A Die Into A High-velocity Stream Of Hot Air, Which Converts
It Into Fine And Relatively Short Fibres. After Quenching By A Cold
Air Stream, The Fibres Are Collected As A Sheet On A Moving Screen.
|
| Melt
Fracture |
An Unstable Melt-spinning Condition In Which The
Surface Of The Extrudate Becomes Rough And Irregular.
|
Melt
Spinning (man-made Fibre Production)
|
Conversion Of A Molten Polymer Into Filaments By
Extrusion And Subsequent Cooling Of The Extrudate. |
| Melton |
A Heavily Felted, Tightly Woven Fabric With A
Sheared Nap Giving It A Smooth Surface. It Is Almost Always Of Wool
Or A Wool Blend. Used Mainly For Coats But Lighter Weights May Be
Used For Other Apparel.
|
| Melt-spun |
Descriptive Of Man-made Filaments Produced By
Melt-spinning.
|
| Mercerization |
(1) The Treatment Of Cellulosic Textiles In Yam
Or Fabric Form With A Concentrated Solution Of Caustic Alkali
Whereby The Fibres Are Swollen, The Strength And Dye Affinity Of The
Materials Are Increased, And The Handle Is Modified. The Process
Takes Its Name From Its Discoverer, John Mercer (1844)., The
Additional Effect Of Enhancing The Lustre By Stretching The Swollen
Materials While Wet With Caustic Alkali And Then Washing Off Was
Discovered By Horace Lowe (1889). The Modern Process Of
Mercerization Involves Both Swelling In Caustic Alkalis And
Stretching, To Enhance The Lustre, To Increase Colour Yield, To
Improve Dyeability Of Dead Cotton And To Improve The Strength Of The
Cotton. A Related Process, Liquid Ammonia Treatment Produces Some Of
The Effects Of Mercerization. In Chain Mercerizing, Shrinkage In
Fabric Width Is Allowed, Followed By Re-stretching And Washing On A
Clip-stenter. In Chainless Mercerizing, The Fabric Is Effectively
Prevented From Shrinking By Transporting Over Rotating Drums.:(2)
Hot Mercerization, The Treatment Of Cellulosic Fabric With A Hot
Concentrated Solution Of Caustic Alkali To Facilitate Uniform
Penetration Prior To Cooling And Stretching Etc., So As To Improve
The Degree Of Mercerization.
|
| Mercerized |
A Finishing Process For Cotton Using Caustic Soda
Which May Be Applied At The Yarn Or Fabric Stage Resulting In
Additional Luster, Improved Strength And An Improved Ability To Take
Dye.
|
| Merchant
Converter |
An Individual Who Or An Organization Which
Locates A Supplier And Purchases Grey Fabric, Procures Its Finishing
And Then Re-sells The Finished Fabric To Customers.
|
| Merino |
(1) Wool From Merino Sheep. The Merino Breed Of
Sheep Originated In Spain And The Wool Is Noted For Its Fineness And
Whiteness. It Was Confined To Spain Until The Late 1700's When
Merino Sheep Were Exported To, And Bred In, Many Other Countries.
Well Known Types Of Merino Are: Australian Ramboulliet, Vermont,
South African, Saxony Etc. The Word 'merino' Is Now Almost
Synonymous With 'fine Wool'., (2) A Pre-20th Century Term Applied In
France And Germany To Worsted Fabrics Produced From Yarns Using
Merino Or Other Fine Wools., (3) A Plainback Worsted Fabric
Developed In England In The 1820's. It Was Made From Fine Yarns Spun
From Merino Or Other Fine Wools Of 23 To 28 Tex For The Warp And 17
To 22 Tex For The Weft. The Stimulus For The Development Of This
Fabric Was The Availability Of Fine Machine-spun Worsted Yarn, (4)
Woollen Fabrics Made In England From Yams Produced From Wool
Reclaimed From Soft Woollen And Worsted Dress Goods., (5) A French
Shawl Made From Two-fold Warp Yam Using Merino Wool. The Weft Yarn
Is Made From Other Wool Or Silk., (6) A Fine Cotton Fabric Used As A
Dress Material In The Philippines. It Is Made From Yarns Of 13 Tex
For The Warp, And 15 To 10 Tex For The Weft With 32 Ends X 32 Picks
Per Cm.
|
| Merino |
Refers To Wool From The Merino Sheep Which
Produces A Fine, Strong Elastic Fiber Of Very High Quality . It Can
Be Washed To A Clean White Color And Has Good Felting And Spinning
Characteristics.
|
| Mesh |
A General Term For Fabric With Open Spaces
Between The Yarns. It May Be Knit , Woven Or Knotted (net) In
Construction.
|
| Mesta |
See Kenaf
|
| Metachrome
Process |
A Single-bath Method Of Dyeing In Which The Fibre
Is Treated In A Dyebath Containing A Suitable Chrome Dye Together
With A Chromate, Whereby A Dye-chromium Complex Is Formed Within The
Fibre.
|
Metal
(fibre) (generic Name)
|
A Term Used To Describe Fibres Made From Any
Metal. |
| Metallic |
A Highly Lustrous, Reflective Fabric That Has The
Appearance Of Metal. May Be Coated Or Made From Synthetic Yarns In
Metallic Colors.
|
| Metallized
Yarn |
A Yam Which Has Free Metal As A Component., Note:
There Are Several Types, The Best Known Of Which Are:, , (2) Metal
Of Narrow Strip Section, Usually Lustrous. The Metal May Be Coated
With Film Such As Viscose Cellulose Ethanoate (acetate), Butanoate
(butyrate), Or Polyester. The Film May Be Coloured. , (3) Yarns On
Which Metal Is Deposited, E.g., Chemically Or By Electric Arc, Or By
Adhesive,, (4) Multi-end Yams In Which At Least One Single Yarn Is
Metallic, (cf. Tinsel Yarn.), (5) A Gimp In Which The Helical
Covering Consists Of A Metallic Or Laminated Strip.
|
| Metameric |
Descriptive Of Objects That Exhibit Metamerism.
|
| Metamerism |
A Phenomenon Whereby The Nature Of The Colour
Difference Between Two Similarly Coloured Objects, Changes With
Change In The Spectral Distribution (characteristics) Of The
Illuminant., Note 1: Metamerism Is Most Frequently Seen When Two
Coloured Objects Match In Daylight, But Differ Markedly In Colour
When Viewed In Tungsten-filament Light. This Arises Because The
Visible Absorption Spectra Of The Two Objects Differ Significantly,
Although The Tristimulus Values In Daylight Are Identical., Note 2:
This Term Is Often Used Loosely To Describe The Behavior Of A Single
Coloured Object That Shows A Marked Change Of Colour As The
Illuminant Changes. Use Of This Term In This Way Is Incorrect: This
Effect Should Be Described As Lack Of Colour Constancy.
|
| Metier |
The Bank Of Cells Or Compartments Used In The
Dry-spinning Of Cellulose Ethanoate (cellulose Acetate)
|
| Microfiber |
Extremely Fine Synthetic Fiber Used To Produce
Soft, Lightweight Fabrics . Microfiber Is Often Defined As Fibers Of
Less Than 1 Denier Per Filament But The Term Is Used Loosely In The
Industry. May Be Polyester, Nylon, Acrylic, Rayon Or Other Fibers.
Used For Rainwear, Outerwear And Various Other Types Of Apparel.
|
| Micromattique |
Brand Of Polyester Microfiber Trademarked By Du
Pont.
|
| Micronaire
Value . |
A Measurement Of Cotton Fibre Quality Which Is A
Reflection Of Both Fineness And Maturity. Low Values Indicate Fine
And/or Immature Fibres; High Values Indicate Coarse And/or Mature
Fibres. Micronaire Value Is Determined In Practice By Measuring The
Air Permeability Of A Specified Plug Of Cotton Fibres.
|
| Milanese |
A Warp Knit Process Resulting In A Fabric With A
Fine Rib On The Face And A Diamond Effect On The Back. Used For
Women's Lingerie And Other Apparel.
|
| Mildew |
A Superficial Growth Of Certain Species Of
Fungi., Note: On Textile Materials, This May Lead To Discoloration,
Tendering, And Variation In Properties.
|
| Milled/fulled |
A Method Of Compressing , Shrinking And Felting A
Fabric Through The Use Of Moisture Heat And Mechanical Pressure.
Usually Done On Wool And Wool Blends Such As Melton. The Process
Often Obscure The Weave.
|
| Milling
(fabric Finishing) |
The Process Of Consolidating Or Compacting Woven
Or Knitted Fabrics That Usually, Although Not Exclusively Contain
Wool., Note., The Treatment, Which Is Usually Given In A Cylinder
Milling Machine Or In Milling Stocks, Produces Relative Motion
Between The Fibres Of A Fabric. That Have Been Wetted Out And
Swollen With A Liquid Of Suitable pH. Depending On The Type Of Fibre
And Structure Of The Fabric And On Variations In The Conditions Of
Milling, A Wide Range Of Effects Can Be Obtained Varying From A
Slight Alteration In Handle To A Dense Matting With Considerable
Reduction In Area.
|
| Millitex |
A Unit Of The Tex System
|
| Mini Check |
A Very Small Pattern Of Squares Or Rectangles .
May Be Yarn Dyed, Printed, Or Woven Into The Fabric. |
| Minimum-care |
See Drip-dry
|
| Mirzai |
A Kind Of Jacket, Often Understood As A 'quilted
Coat'. It Was Generally Worn Sleeveless Over A Shirt As Outer
Garment; Worn Sometimes Also Next To The Skin, Without Anything
Underneath It.
|
| Mock Leno |
A Woven Fabric Made On A Dobby Loom With An Open
Mesh Design That Simulates A Leno Weave By Interlacing And Grouping
The Warp And Weft Yarns With Spaces Between The Groups. Warp Yarns
Are Not Paired As In A True Leno Weave.
|
| Modacrylic
(fibre) (generic Name) |
Fibres Composed Of Synthetic Linear
Macromolecules Having In The Chain Between 35% And 85% (by Mass) Of
Recurring Cyanoethane (acrylonitrile) Groups.
|
| Modal
(fibre) (generic Name) |
A Term Used To Describe Fibres Of Regenerated
Cellulose Obtained By Processes Giving A High Tenacity And A High
Wet Modulus. These Fibres Must Be Able, In The Wet State, To
Withstand Without Breaking A Force Of 22.o Cn Per Tex. Under This
Force, The Elongation In The Wet State Should Not Be Greater Than
15%.
|
| Modeste |
French Word For The Outer Layer Of A Skirt. The
Underlayer Was Called Secrète.
|
| Mohair |
(1) Fibre From The Angora Goat (capra Hircus),
(2) Descriptive Of Yams Spun From Mohair.
|
| Mohair
Braid |
Any Type Of Braid Made From Mohair Yams.
|
| Moire |
A Wavy Watermark Pattern Produced By Calendering
2 Layers Of Fabric Together Or Embossing With An Engraved Roller.
This Causes The Embossed Or Crushed Parts Of The Fabric To Reflect
Light Differently . It Is Often Done On Corded Fabrics And Is Often
Used For Upholstery And Drapery.
|
| Moiré
Fabric |
A Ribbed Or Corded Fabric That Has Been Subjected
To Heat And Heavy Pressure By Rollers After Weaving So As To Present
A Rippled Appearance. The Effect Arises From Differences In
Reflection Of The Flattened And The Unaffected Parts. This Type Of
Fabric Is Also Correctly Described As Watered
|
Moisture
Content, Percentage
|
The Weight Of Moisture In A Material Expressed As
A Percentage Of The Total Weight |
| Moity Wool |
A Term Used Mainly In The Uk, For Wool Containing
Vegetable Matter (straw, Hay, Twigs, Etc.,) Picked Up By Sheep
During Grazing.
|
| Molar Mass
(polymer) |
The Average Of The Sum Of The Atomic Weights Of
The Atoms Present In The Chains Of Macromolecules In A Polymer. This
Average Will In General Depend Upon The Basis On Which Calculated,
And This Should Be Stated, E.g., It May Be Based On A Number Average
Or A Mass Average
|
| Moleskin |
A Strong, Heavy, Woven Fabric With A Short,
Smooth Nap Produced By Brushing And Shearing The Surface. Usually Of
Cotton.
|
| Molten-metal
Dyeing Process |
A Method Of Continuous Dyeing In Which Material
Is Impregnated With An Aqueous Liquid Dye And Chemicals And Then
Passed Through A Bath Of Liquid Low-melting Alloy Usually Below 100
°c
|
| Momme |
A Japanese Measurement Of Mass Equivalent To
3.76g (approximately). It Is Used To Indicate The Weight Per Unit
Area Of Silk Fabric, This Being Expressed As The Weight In Momme Of
A Length Of Degummed Fabric 22.8 M In Length And 3.8 Cm In Width.,
Note: The Length Measurements Used Are Standard Units Of Length In
The Japanese Silk Industry.
|
| Monk's
Cloth |
A Heavy, Coarse, Loosely Woven Fabric Made In A
Basket Weave . Used For Drapery, Upholstery And Other Home
Furnishings
|
| Monofilament
Yarn |
A Yam Composed Of One Filaments That Run
Essentially The Whole Length Of The Yarn. Yams Of More Than One
Filament Are Usually Referred To As Multifilament .
|
| Monomer |
A Small, Simple, Chemical Compound From Which A
Polymer Is Formed., Note: In Most Cases A Given Polymer Can Be Made
From A Variety Of Alternative Monomers. In Some Cases Two Or More
Different Monomers Are Involved In The Production Of A Polymer.
|
| Monotone |
Refers To A Design In One Color.
|
| Moquette |
A Firm Double Woven Pile Fabric Used Mainly For
Upholstery . Pile May Be Cut , Uncut Or Partially Cut.
|
| Mordant |
A Substance, Usually A Metallic Compound, Applied
To A Substrate To Form A Complex With A Dye, Which Is Retained By
The Substrate More Firmly Than The Dye Itself.
|
| Mordant Dye |
A Dye That Is Fixed With A Mordant
|
| Moshla |
A Cap, Worn Usually By Children, Covering, Apart
From The Back, The Back Of The Neck Through A Long, Suspended Flap.
|
| Moss
Crepe/pebble Crepe |
A Woven Fabric With A Characteristic Grainy
Surface And Often A Spongy Hand. Generally Made With High Twist Yarn
In A Crepe Weave. Used In Women's Suits, Dresses Etc.
|
| Mossed |
1. A Finish Usually Applied To Synthetics Which
Gives The Fabric Surface An Irregular, Mottled Appearance . 2. A
Fibrous Texture On The Surface Of Felted Woolen Fabrics.
|
| Motes
(cotton) |
There Are Two Broad Categories, (a) Fuzzy Motes,
The Largest Of This Type Of Mote Consists Of Whole Aborted Or
Immature Seed With Fuzz Fibres And Sometimes Also With Very Short
Lint Fibres, The Development Of Which Has Ceased At A Very Early
Stage. Small Fuzzy Motes Originate As Either Undeveloped Or Fully
Grown Seeds, Which Are Broken In Ginning And Disintegrate Still
Further In The Opening, Cleaning And Carding Processes., (b) Bearded
Needles. A Piece Of Seed Coat With Fairy Long Lint Fibres Attached.,
Note 1: Both Classes Of Mote Become Entangled With The Lint Cotton
And, When They Are Present In Quantity, Their Complete Elimination
Is Impossible Except By Combing., Note 2: Fuzzy And Bearded Motes
Carrying Only A Small Piece Of Barely Visible Seed-coat Are
Frequently Termed Seed-coat Neps.
|
| Mottle
(U.K.) |
See Marl
|
| Mouches |
French Word For Small Black Patches Worn On The
Face To Hide Little Blemishes. They Came Into Fashion In The Second
Half Of The 17th Century And Developed Far Into The 18th Century A
Language Of Its Own, Where They Were Exaggeratedly Used Even By Men
And Available In Diverse Shapes.
|
| Mousseline |
General Term For Crisp, Lightweight, Semi-opaque
Fabrics . May Be Made From A Variety Of Fibers.
|
| Muff |
Round Band Of Fur Or Fur Lined Cloth To Protect
The Hands From The Cold.
|
| Muga |
See Wild Silk
|
| Mughlai
Pyjama |
A Pyjama (q. V.) Of The 'mughal' Cut.
|
| Mull |
Soft, Thin, Plain Weave Fabric Usually Of Cotton
Or Silk.
|
| Multi-filament
Yarn |
A Yam Composed Of Filaments That Run Essentially
The Whole Length Of The Yarn. Yams Of One Filament Are Usually
Referred To As Monofilament .
|
| Multilobal |
Descriptive Of A Fibre Or Filament Whose
Cross-section Resembles A Polygon But Has Concave Sides And Rounded
Vertices (lobes)., Note: The Prefixes Tri- (3), Penta- (5), Hexa-
(6), Octa- (8), Etc., Are Used With The Suffix -lobal To Indicate
The Number Of Lobes.
|
| Munga |
See Wild Silk
|
| Mungo |
The Fibrous Material Made In The Woollen Trade By
Pulling Down New Or Old Hard-woven Or Milled Fabric Or Felt In Rag
Form
|
| Muslin |
A Large Group Of Plain Weave Cotton Or Cotton
Blend Fabrics. They Cover A Variety Of Weights From Light, Fine
Sheers To Heavier Sheetings. Used In Interfacings, Dresses, Shirts,
Sheets, Furniture Covers, And Many Other Applications .
|
| Muslin |
A Generic Name For A Light-weight, Open Fabric Of
Plain Or Simple Leno Weave Traditionally With A Cover Factor Of 5-
10 In The Warp And 5-9 In The Weft. Normally, Muslins Did Not Exceed
2 Oz/yd2 (68 G.m-2)). Some Of These Fabrics Are Used In The Grey
State (butter Muslin And Cheese Cloth), Whereas Others (dress
Muslins) Are Bleached And Dyed.
|
| Mutton
Cloth |
A Plain-knitted Fabric Of Loose Texture, Usually
Cotton, Made On A Multi-feeder Circular-knitting Machine.
|
