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Textile Dictionary
 
     
 
M
Word
Short description
Macaroni yarn See under Hollow-filament yarn.  
Macclesfield silk A high-textured, fairly crisp, hardwearing silk fabric made from spun silk yarn, which is twisted to give it a crêpy texture. The fabric is traditionally made in stripes or in small patterns. Used for men's ties and women's classic shirts.
Mace snag test A method for evaluating the snagging performance of a fabric in its ultimate use. A representative specimen of the fabric to be tested is mounted on a revolving drum and the spikes of a miniature mace, track at random across the sample.
Machine Barré
Feeder Variation 		A fabric defect, which manifests as a course which differs in appearance from normal courses in a fabric knitted on a multi-feeder machine. The defect is caused by one feeder not delivering the same length of yarn as the other feeders.
Machine cotton A term sometimes used in the UK for cotton thread for machine sewing.
Machine draw ratio In the drawing process, the ratio of the peripheral speed of the draw roller to that of the feed roller.
Machine engraving See Mill engraving.
Machine finishing A type of boarding finish, carried out on woven and knit fabric, in a hot chamber.
See also Boarding.
Machine-made An article that is made entirely by machine, as distinguished from handmade and hand-finished.
Machine stop
Heavy Colour 		A printing defect, which manifests as excess colour smudged in a widthways band. The defect is often caused by the stopping of a printing machine allowing more paste than normal to penetrate the fabric.
Machine tow The term used to describe, the short fibres, which have been removed from scutched long flax during the hackling process.
Machine twist The term sometimes used to describe a thread manufactured for machine sewing.
Machine washable The term used to describe a textile article that can be washed in a domestic washing machine to remove dirt and other extraneous substances using an aqueous detergent solution.
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.
Machine washable viscose fabric A viscose fabric, having reduced swelling shrinkage due to intrafibre cross-linking by a resin.
Mackinac
Mackinaw; Ski cloth; Snow cloth; Windbreaker fabric 		A strong, warm, durable, woollen fabric thoroughly felted and napped on both sides, so that no weave is apparent on the surface. Often woven in large checks and in coarse woollen yarns. Difficult to tailor, but keeps shape quiet well and does not shine. Used in cold climates for blankets, cloaks, and lumber jackets. In addition to cheaper woollen yarn, other fibres such as cotton and waste yarns may be included.
Mackinaw  Wool. Ordinary grade of wool and often has shoddy re-used or remanufactured wool mixed in.  Sometimes a cotton warp is used.  Very heavily felted and napped on both sides to conceal the weave.  Much of the fabric is in a plaid or large check design or brightly coloured, or different colours on each side.  Heavy and thick, very similar to Melton.  Named after MacKinac Island, Michigan.  Also called ski cloth or snow cloth.  Miners, lumbermen, hunters, trappers, fishermen, and cowboys use much of the fabric for jackets, mackinaws and coats. Also used for blankets, shirts, and some heavy sportswear, windbreakers.
Mackinaw Fibre: Wool. Ordinary grade of wool and often has shoddy re-used or remanufactured wool mixed in. Sometimes a cotton warp is used.
Weave: Twill or double cloth. Weave is concealed.
Characteristics: Very heavily fulled or felted and napped on both sides to conceal the weave. Much of the fabric is in a plaid or large check design or brightly coloured, or different colours on each side. Heavy and thick, very similar to Melton. Named after MacKinac Island, Michigan. Also called ski cloth or snow cloth.
Uses: Miners, lumbermen, hunters, trappers, fishermen, and cowboys use much of the fabric for jackets, mackinaws and coats. Also used for blankets, shirts, and some heavy sportswear, windbreakers.
Mackinaw See Mackinac.
Mackinaw fabric A heavy double fabric in striking coloured patterns.
Mackintosh  [Chiefly British] Raincoat.  A lightweight waterproof fabric originally of rubberised cotton.
Mackintosh See McIntosh.
Maco yarn A cotton yarn made from natural colour Egyptian staple fibre.
Macramé The term used to describe, a knotted thread work.
Macrame A coarse lace or fringe made by knotting threads or cords in a geometrical pattern.
Macrame Fibre: -
Weave: knotted lace
Characteristics: Originally made in Arabia but later made in Italy. Used to manufacture shawls and scarfs.
Uses: -
Macramé lace A Spanish knotted lace in geometric patterns, often with fringed ends. Any thread, yarn, wool or string may be used to produce fine or coarse designs. The threads are anchored to a board, which may have a paper pattern on it. Motifs may be made or complete items such as mats, bags, etc.
Macromolecule
Polymolecule; Polymer 		A large molecule formed by hooking together of many small molecular units.
Madapolam A bleached or dyed plain cotton fabric having a soft finish, made in a wide range of qualities. Used mainly for ladies wear.
Madapolam A bleached or dyed plain cotton fabric with a soft finish in any of a wide range of qualities used for ladies wear.
Madder  A moderate to strong red.
Madder 1. A fast, rich red colour natural dyestuff obtained from the roots of the Eurasian herbaceous perennial rubia tinctoria. Used to produce Turkey red on cotton and also used on wool. Now largely replaced by synthetic dyestuffs.
2. The term is also used to describe, the colour produced by madder.
Madras
Madras bleeding; Madras check; Madras cotton; Madras plaid 		A traditional, lightweight, hand-woven, soft cotton fabric made in plain-weave background, which is usually white, stripes, cords, or minute checks are used to form the pattern. The genuine Madras is guaranteed to bleed when washed, resulting in ever-changing shades. Originally exported from the Indian city of Madras (now Chennai) and hence the name. Used mainly for men’s and women’s shirts and dresses. Fancy effects are often created in satin, basket weave, or small twill repeats. White filling is used. Yarn counts range from 40s to 60s in warp and weft.
Madras A fine plain-woven shirting and dress fabric usually of cotton with varied designs (as plaid) in bright colours or in white; a light open usually cotton fabric.  Originated in Madras, India and it is a very old cloth.  Much of it has a plain coloured background with stripes, plaid, checks, or designs. Made with combed or carded yarns depending on the quality. Some are mercerised to make it lustrous and durable. Often the dyes are not fast and with each washing, colour changes take place.
Madras Cotton fabric hand-woven in the Madras region of India.
Madras Fibre: Cotton - some in rayon and silk.
Weave: Plain, also dobby or jacquard for designs.
Characteristics: Originated in Madras, India and it is a very old cloth. Much of it has a plain coloured background with stripes, plaid, checks, or designs on it. Has a high thread count and fine. Made with combed or carded yarns depending on the quality. Some are mercerised to make it lustrous and durable. Often the dyes are not fast and with each washing, colour changes take place.
Uses: Men's and women's sportswear of all kinds, dresses, separates, shirts.
Madras plaid Bright multicoloured plaids characteristic of Indian Madras.
Madras muslin A gauze fabric with an extra weft, which is bound into the gauze texture in the figured parts and cut away elsewhere. It has a fine and open gauze foundation of cotton, with figured textures and design in thick, soft, spun, weft threads. In better quality fabric, two or more different colours are introduced. An inexpensive fabric, used for saris, blouses, nightwear. Creases easily, often in border designs. Gathers and drapes well in full styles.
Madras shirting A fine, lightweight, and often colourful, cotton fabric of better quality than Madras cotton. Fabric is plain with woven stripes in satin weave, which may be in another fibre such as viscose, or in an expensive fabric, like silk. Used for men’s shirts, women’s dresses. Often a one-way stripe.
Mae west  An inflatable life jacket in the form of a collar extending down the chest worn by fliers in World War II.
Magananeric The term used to describe, a room or building where silkworms are raised.
Magazine The term used to describe, a device capable of holding many yarn packages.
Magazine creeling A special form of creel in which the tail end of one package is tied to the leading end of the next.
Magazine loom A type of automatic loom in which the loom takes the empty bobbin from the shuttle and automatically replaces it with a new, full bobbin into the same shuttle. This exchange is made without stopping the loom. In this case, the weaver is restricted to one shuttle and one colour warp yarn (called battery type). Another new type can use multiple colours in the warp. These type of looms speed production and one weaver can be made responsible for many automatic looms.
Magenta Deep purplish red.
Magic batik resist Use this product instead of wax for batik; it works the opposite of wax by turning solid when it is hot and a liquid when it is cold. It is great for doing batik with dyes that require hot water. Pour it on the fabric and then put in hot water to make solid, afterwards place in cold water to wash it out.
Magic transfer paper Developed in Germany in 1988, this paper already has thousands of professional users. It works very well and is easy to use. Just take your photo to any copy shop with a colour copier, they're everywhere these days, and photocopy your snapshot or image onto the paper. Most copiers can make negative images, so text will read correctly on the shirt. You can copy several photos onto the same sheet of paper if there is room. At home, just iron the paper face down onto the shirt, and remove the paper backing. Thereafter, you can machine wash, inside out, gently. Don't dry-clean. Great idea for kids' shirts, pillows, costumes, promotions, fundraisers, you name it. T-shirt shops with heat presses will find this to be a fast and profitable way to do custom transfers of customers' photos while they wait. Comes with complete instructions.
Magnet-roll system A method, used in some screen-printing machines, wherein squeegees (in the form of cylindrical metal rods, varying in diameter from 3 to 18 mm, placed loosely in the screen with the print paste), are moved along by means of magnetic coils under the printing blanket, which draw the print paste through the mesh of the screen.
Magyar sleeve A sleeve, which is cut integrally with the body of the garment, the two sections being joined from neck to wrist over the shoulder and from side-seam to wrist. Wedge-shaped pieces are inserted under the arm to allow freedom of movement. 
Mahogany A moderate reddish brown.
Mail cloth A well finished, heavyweight silk fabric woven in a honeycomb effect. Used for embroidery foundations.
Mail net A net made in a leno weave, which produces a mesh, which looks triangular.
Main shaft In a belt-driven sewing machine, the main shaft is attached to the driver pulley. All the movements of the mechanisms in the sewing machine are derived from the rotation of this main shaft.
Maintenance See under Fibre properties
Major defect A defect, if conspicuous by its severity or location or both on the textile material, and that would cause the material to be a second.
See also Defect
Major defects in garments See under Assortment & assessment of garment defects
Make A term used to describe, the construction of fabric.
Make through The traditional method of garment manufacture, in which one operator completely assembles one garment at a time.
Make-up Body and facial colouring; the colour and artwork used on the lips, cheeks and around the eyes. The subtle or dramatic use of rouge, mascara and lipstick -- the enhancement of the facial sculpture. The brushwork, the blending or sharpness of line and colour. The mannequin type or image as personalised by artwork.
Making-up The term used to describe, the conversion of fabrics into garments.
Mako cotton A very fine cotton spun from extra long staple Egyptian fibre.
Malabar A fabric made from Indian cotton in very bright colours; the fabric creases easily. Used almost entirely for the manufacture of handkerchiefs.
Malborough See Malborough
Malimo fabric
Stitch bonded fabric 		A fabric constructed by using three sets of yarns; (a) warp yarns, (b) weft yarns laid across the warp, and (3) a third system, which stitches them together. Technically the fabric is neither woven nor knitted. The fabric is very stable, and does not move or ‘give’. Often made in a ribbed in appearance. Mainly made from acrylic but other fibres also may be used. Used mainly for curtains, tablecloths for indoors and out, bedspreads, chair covers, etc. It is generally not used as a dress fabric. When subjected to constant wear, it is inclined to ‘pill’.
Malimo machine A new type of fabric making machine, developed in Germany. It produces fabrics at very high speeds by stitching together three sets of yarns. It lays a creel of filling yarns over a set of warp yarns and stitches them together with a third set of yarns. Used mainly as decorative fabrics for the home. Applications for apparel have been relatively limited.
Maline A fine hexagonal open mesh net similar to tulle. Used for veils millinery trim.
Malines  A fine stiff net with a hexagonal mesh that is usually made of silk or rayon and that is often used for veils; also, maline.
Malines A traditional, diaphanous, fine hexagonal open mesh lace or net fabric made in silk. Used for veils millinery trim.
Malino A strong, very long leaf fibre obtained from the aloe plant in Hawaii. Used mainly for cordage.
Maillot  Tights for dancers or gymnasts; jersey; a woman's one-piece bathing suit.
Maillot A woman's one-piece bathing suit.
Malmal See Mulmul
Maltese A fine yellow colour silk thread formerly employed in England to secure gold thread embroidery.
Maltese embroidery A needlework consisting of small tassels worked over a surface of heavy materials. Used on bedspreads and curtains.
Maltese lace A heavy lace, which looks similar to Cluny lace in appearance. It often incorporates regular wheel designs and squares. Used mainly in small areas such as corners of handkerchiefs and table linen.
Maltinté A yarn that is dyed unevenly to achieve an artificial aged effect.
Mammal A general term used in India and China for fine, plain muslins.
Mandarin collar  A narrow stand-up collar usually open in front
Mandarin collar A short, stand-up collar, adopted from the close-fitting Asian collar.
Mandeel A kind of decoratively worn turban.
Mandrel
Mandril		 In printing, a supporting steel shaft on which the engraved copper cylinder runs.
Mandrenaque A Philippine fabric made with cotton warp and palm fibre weft.
Mandril See Mandrel.
Mangle
  • A machine whose purpose is to squeeze out liquid from moving textiles by passage through a nip. The fabric may be in rope form or in open width, and the mangle may consist of two or more rollers or bowls running in contact.
  • A machine consisting of two or more squeeze rollers or bowls, often heated and used in combination with an open vat of water or some other solution in washing of fabrics, starching, back-filling, etc.
  • A machine for smoothening fabrics by employing roller pressure.
    • 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.
    Manila hemp See Abaca fibre.
    Manipulated fabric A fabric made from yarns, which are part wool (or worsted) and part cotton. The yarn is usually made from homogeneous combinations of fibres in the carding and spinning operations.
    Man-made fabrics Manufactured fabrics are usually made of filaments extruded as liquid and formed into various fibres. Because the fibre starts as a liquid, many of the fibres are coloured before they become filament, thus they are difficult to dye after the fibre is woven into a fabric.
    Man-made fabrics Made from synthesised chemical polymers (polyester, nylon) or modified transformed natural polymers (rayon).
    Man-made fibre A fibre manufactured by man as distinct from a fibre that occurs naturally.
    Man-made fibre
    Manufactured fibre    		 A fibre manufactured by man, as distinct from the naturally occurring fibres. A class name for various genera of fibres produced from fibre-forming substances, which may be natural polymer (modified or transformed naturally occurring polymers) synthetic polymer (polymers synthesised by man from simple chemical compounds) or others, viz. glasses, etc. Fibres made chemically are sometimes referred to as ‘true man-made’.
    See also First generation man-made fibre; Second generation man-made fibre; Third generation man-made fibre.
    Man-made fibre manufacture There are different basic techniques by which a man-made fibre can be produced, but all are variations of a single technique using the spinneret. Polymer is the basic substance from which the spinning solution is made. A polymer is the union of simple molecules, which are processed into a giant macromolecule. 
    See also Solvent method, Wet method, Melt method.
    Man-made filament A filament which is manufactured and which does not occur in nature.
    Man-made staple fibre A fibre of spinnable length manufactured directly or by cutting filaments.
    Mannequin
    Synonym: Mannekin; Manekin     		A three-dimensional representation of the human form, somewhat idealised and stylised, to show wearing apparel. It may be a realistic interpretation, semi realistic or abstract. Mannequins will vary in sizes and proportions depending upon type, age group, manufacturer and current fashion look.
  • Abstract mannequin: Highly stylised, usually non-featured mannequin, devoid of wig or make-up details. Though based on human measurements and proportions, the shape and sculpting is not realistic and strives instead for a decorative and non-objective effect. A female, male or child mannequin that is ageless, non-ethnic, non-specific and can be finished in a variety of decorative colours or metallics.
    		•
    Mannequin
    Articulated Form     		A form of shaped figure or structure having articulated or movable joints (elbows, wrists, knees, hips, etc.), which can be swivelled or turned in different directions. It can be repositioned into myriad human poses.
    Mannequin, Abstract A highly stylised, usually non-featured mannequin devoid of wig and/ or make-up details. Though based on human measurements and proportions, the shape and sculpting is not realistic and strives instead for a decorative and non-objective effect. A female, male or child mannequin that is ageless, non-ethnic, non-specific and can be finished in a variety of decorative colours or metallics.
    Mannequin, Articulated Forms similar to, or the life-size variations of, the wooden artist's mannequins that can be repositioned into myriad human poses. Forms or mannequins with articulated or movable joints (elbows, wrists, knees, hips, etc.), which can be swivelled or turned in different directions.
    Mannequin, Custom A mannequin that is especially sculpted to order for a particular customer. It may be a special head, which can be used on an existing line body, or it may be an all-new form, which will express a store's Image or look. It may also refer to a very individualized makeup, finish, glaze or texture.
    Mannequin, Ethnic A mannequin, which is realistically portrayed with the skin tone and body and facial physiognomy of a particular ethnic group.
    Mannequin, Headless A complete, life-like mannequin, which ends at the neck. Sometimes the neck is straight or flat cut, or it may end in a fanciful swirl. Either way, the decapitated form is a full-size, full-scale, non-personalized representation.
    Mannequin, Junior A mannequin size rather than an age. It is often posed and made-up as a young, active type of woman, but depending upon pose, make-up and wig style, the junior mannequin can be a college freshman, young executive, or sophisticated, mature lady. It wears a size 7 dress and averages about 5 ft. 8 ins. in height. Hip, bust and waist measurements will vary slightly with the manufacturer and the fashion trends.
    Mannequin, Realistic A full round sculpted form that resembles in face, pose and proportions a particular type and size woman, man or child. Not abstract.
    Mannequin, Semi-Abstract An abstract or highly stylised mannequin, which may suggest either in the sculpting or the artwork a face or semblance to a particular type of individual. Sometimes a mannequin with sculptured features but no make-up or tonal qualities.
    Manta  A square piece of cloth or blanket used in south western U.S. and Latin America usually as a cloak or shawl.
    Manteau  A loose cloak, coat, or robe.
    Manteau, also Mantua 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.
    Mantle  A loose sleeveless garment worn over other clothes, cloak.
    Mantelet  A very short cape or cloak.
    Mantilla  A light scarf worn over the head and shoulders especially by Spanish and Latin-American women; a short light cape or coat.
    Mantua  A usually loose-fitting gown especially in the 17th and 18th centuries
    Manufactured fibre See Man-made fibre
    Manufactured fibre Fibre: -
    Weave: -
    Characteristics: Its commercial use is still fairly recent. It was only one hundred years ago that Manufacture Fibres were utilised in this fashion, beginning with artificial silk in 1889. It is very flexible and versatile and can be cared for easily. It is wrinkle free, flame resistant and very comfortable.
    Uses: -
    Manufacturer’s twist A fibre, filament, yarn or cord, which has a slack twist, imparted by the manufacturer, i.e. two, four or five turns per inch.
    Maple leaf braid A woven narrow fabric similar to oak leaf braid, but with a maple leaf pattern.
    Maquiladoras The factories which process and assemble components or part-assembled goods brought from another country and return the finished products back to that country or elsewhere for final sale. These are in-bond assembly plants, which can freely import incoming goods without being liable to customs duty.
    Maquilas See Maquiladoras .
    Marabou A fabric made of marabou silk, namely a thrown silk usually dyed in the gum.
    Marabout A thin and delicate silk fabric made from twisted raw silk. Used for blouses, linings, and lampshades.
    Marble cloth Fibre: -
    Weave: -
    Characteristics: Originally made of silk and wool. Today it is produced with natural and manufactured fibres.
    Uses: -
    Marble silk A soft lightweight silk fabric with a mottled or marbled appearance; the effect is achieved by usage of multicoloured yarns or by warp printing. Used for blouses, as a lining fabric, and for lampshades.
    Marbling The idea is that you float fabric paints on the surface of a thick liquid that you prepare (called "Size"), like oil on water. The floating paints can be swirled and mixed into patterns. When you lay a treated shirt, piece of fabric or paper down on top of the paint, the paint adheres to the fabric exactly where it touches. The swirl patterns of coloured paint are transferred to the shirt or fabric. Each design is unique and can never be repeated. As a technique, it's both easy and hard. It's easy to do and great safe fun for kids. It's hard in that the more you do the better results you will get and the difference between your early designs and your later designs will be very noticeable.
    Marceline
    Merceline     		A lightweight, thin silk fabric that is almost transparent. Used for lining hats and lightweight clothes.
    Marcella waffle piqué A fancy or figured fabric having a piqué structure.
    Marena fibre See Collagen fibre.
    Marine cotton A type of cotton fabric made in Syria.
    Marine tripes A good quality English calico shirting, made with blue and white stripes of equal width.
    Mark-down Price cut.  Reduction of original pricing.
    Marker
    Lay Marker     		In garment manufacturing, the representative drawing of the final arrangement of patterns of the component parts of a garment in the form of a master plan for cutting, intended to make the best use of the material. The marker is placed on the lay prior to cutting, to determine the location of pieces of garment and to guide the cutter.
    Market A modelling term. The "market" centres on Seventh Avenue in New York and consists of all the designers and manufacturers of apparel and accessories. Going to the market indicates selecting all the items to be worn by a model for a fashion shooting.
    Market bleach A trade term used to describe, bleached, starched and calendered cotton fabrics, but not dyed or printed.
    Marking cotton A cotton embroidery thread used for outlining job; generally dyed blue or red. 
    Marking-in The process of marking around the component garment patterns with chalk or other means to indicate where fabric is to be cut. The term can also apply to marking with pencil when making paper markers.
    Marking stitch See Cross-stitch.
    Marking thread Used specially by commercial launderers for stitching their identification symbols on to textile items being cleaned. 
    Mark off 1. A fabric defect, which manifests as an undesirable transference of colour caused by contact between a dyed or printed fabric and another fabric or itself.
    2. A defect on a finished fabric, identified by a decided change where the fabric is rubbed or scratched lightly with the fingernail or other article, which does not transfer colour to the fabric. 
    Mark up In a graph paper design of a weave, if a warp end floats over the weft pick, the case of the intersection is blackened or marked with an ‘X’.
    Marl To run together and draft into one, two slubbings or rovings of different colour or lustre.
    Marlborough
    		 A very smooth French wool serge fabric having small designs. Made with hard twisted, single warp; approximately equal number of ends and picks are used per unit length.
    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.
    Marlborough bucket boot A traditional, thigh-high riding boot made from stiff leather, with cup-shaped wide top, square toes and higher heels than the jackboot.
    Marled Yarns made up of two different colours, produced by combining fibre strands (rovings) of two different colours, or twisting together two yarns of different colours, or by cross dyeing plied yarns of two different fibres.
    Marled yarn A yarn made of two twisted colours creating a mottled effect when woven or knit.
    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 effect yarn A yarn produced by twisting together two single, continuous filament yarns, of different solid colours or dyeing properties (for subsequent dyeing).
    See also Ingrain yarn.
    Marl thread
    Mottle thread    		 A thread made from two different coloured yarns by twisting them together to form a marled effect yarn.
    Marl yarn (woollen) A yarn consisting of two woollen-spun single ends of different colours twisted together.
    Marl yarn
    Mottle yarn    		 A yarn produced from a combination of two slubbings or rovings of different colour or lustre.
    Marling The operation of running together, two slubbings or rovings of different colour or lustre and drafting them into one.
    Marmot A cheap fur obtained from a small rodent. It is not used in its original state, but dyed to imitate more expensive furs, such as mink.
    Marocain A crêpe fabric with a pronounced weft-ways, wavy rib effect formed by the use of a fine close-sett warp and a highly twisted weft, picked two ‘Z’ and two ‘S’ twisted yarns. Used mainly for women’s dresses, suits.
    Marocain A ribbed crepe fabric used in women's clothing.
    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.
    Marocain Fibre: -
    Weave: -
    Characteristics: It is ribbed with a wavy look, resembling Crepe. It is made of silk, wool and manufactured fibres.
    Uses: Suits.
    Maroon A variable colour averaging a dark red.
    Marquise finish A cotton satin weave fabric, which is given a high lustre finish.
    1. A lightweight, sheer, woven fabric made in an open, loose leno construction, sometimes with spots or other designs included. The fabric is prone to shrink. Originally made from cotton, silk or wool, it is now mainly made in glassy nylon or polyester. Mainly used for curtains.
    2. A fine, lightweight warp-knitted square-hole net fabric, produced from two or three guide bars each using a full-set threading, the front bar making a chaining movement and the second and third bars laying-in so that they connect the chains or pillars generally every third course. Used for curtains, mosquito netting, trim for eveningwear, or millinery.
    See also Pillar stitch
    Marquisette   Silk, cotton, rayon, synthetics.  A sheer meshed fabric used for clothing, curtains, and mosquito nets.  Very lightweight, open, sheer, mesh fabric.  Wears very well and launders very well. Comes in white, solid colours and novelty effect.   Sometimes with a swivel dot or clip spot.
    Marquisette Fine lightweight open mesh fabric. Used for curtains, mosquito netting, trim for eveningwear, or millinery.
    Marquisette Fibre: Silk, cotton, rayon, synthetics.
    Weave: Gauze or lino.
    Characteristics: Very lightweight, open, sheer, mesh fabric. Wears very well and launders very well. Comes in white, solid colours and novelty effect. Sometimes with a swivel dot or clip spot (marquisette).
    Uses: Window curtains, dressy dress wear, such as bridal parties or after 5 wear.
    Marquisette sew-in See under Sew-in woven interfacing.
    Married fibre clump A defect consisting of a group of unopened coterminous crimped fibres. The defect occurs in converter top.
    Married yarn See Spinner’s double.
    Marseilles A double-faced cotton quilting fabric made in plain Jacquard weave, with a raised, woven pattern. Originally made in Marseille, France and hence the name. It is produced chiefly in two styles; all white, and white figures on a coloured ground. Used for bedspreads and vesting.  
    Marseilles  A firm cotton fabric that is similar to piqué.
    Marseilles Fibre: -
    Weave: -
    Characteristics: Named after its city of origin in France. It is identified by its raised woven pattern. This double-faced textile has a quilted appearance that is very elegant. Usually found in white, but occasionally other colours are used.
    Uses: -
    Marseilles weave The quilting design used in vestings and other small patterned quilted fabrics. Usually made with two sets of weft, one fine and one coarse, and one fine warp. The plain ground is composed of the fine threads; the coarse plied weft, floats to form the raised figures.
    Martinique abutilon A fine, lustrous, creamy white fibre obtained form abutilon auretum found chiefly in Martinique. It has an average length of 5 to 6 ft.
    Marvel meter An electrical device that counts the courses in a knitted fabric.
    Mashru A fabric woven with silk and cotton, the warp of one material and the weft of the other.
    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.
    Masi cloth A fabric made from the bark of the masi tree in the Fiji islands and used locally.
    Mask A theatrical accessory in ancient times, it was adopted by women, to protect the wearer’s complexion and preserve her incognito.
    See also Vizor
    Mask  A cover or partial cover for the face used for disguise.
    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 A measure of the amount of matter in an object. Mass is usually measured in grams or kilograms.
    Mass Quantity of matter in body.
    See also Weight
    Mass-colouration
    Dope dyeing; Solution dyeing; Spun dyeing; Producer dyeing      		The process of dyeing of manufactured fibres in the spinning stage itself. Significant quantities of filament are coloured by mass pigmentation methods in which heat-stable pigment particles are dispersed in the molten polymer prior to extrusion into filaments. This is a particularly suitable method for olefin fibres that are too hydrophobic to be coloured from an aqueous dye bath, but it may also be used for polyester, nylon and viscose fibres. Other colourants are dissolved in the fibre-forming polymer and remain ‘in situ’ after conversion of the polymer to filament. A further variation used for acrylic fibres is to bring the freshly extruded filament into contact with a solution of basic dye before the filament is allowed to dry out.
    Mass colouration A method of colouring man-made fibres by incorporating a dye or colourant in the spinning solution or melt before extrusion into filaments. Also known as dope-dyeing.
    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 pigmentation A type of mass colouration in which a pigment is used.
    Mass-pigmented Descriptive of a form of mass-coloration in which a pigment is used.
    Mass stress A term that has been superseded by specific stress.
    Mass stress A deprecated term.
    See preferred term Specific stress.
    Mat See Rug.
    Mat Weave See Hopsack.
    Matching 1. A process in which the amount of each colouring matter presents in a material is adjusted so that the final colour resembles that of a given sample as closely as possible. Matching can be done by eye or by using instruments that measure chromatically coordinates. 
    2. A comparison of dyed samples of textiles of nominally the same colour. Matching can be done by eye or by using instruments that measure chromatically coordinates. 
    Matchings The term used to describe, the wool that has been sorted.
    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, and vests. Lighter weights are used for dresses and other apparel.
    Matelasse  French for "cushioned or padded".  Fabric woven on jacquard or dobby loom, in double cloth weave. The pattern stands out and gives a "pouch" or "quilted" effect to the goods. Crepe yarn in double weave shrinks during finishing causing a blistering effect. In upholstery, coarse yarns cause blistering. Comes in colours, novelty effects, and some with metallic yarns.  Gives good wear and drapes well. If washable, it must be laundered with care.  It is very attractive and suits quite plain styles.
    Matelasse A silk fabric having raised woven designs, usually Jacquard, with the appearance of puckered or quilted.
    Matelasse Medium/heavyweight, luxurious, double cloth fabric with a blistered or quilted surface. Used for draperies, upholstery, evening dresses, etc.
    Matelassé A medium to heavyweight luxury fabric made in a double cloth construction to create a blistered or quilted surface. Common end-uses are upholstery, draperies, and evening dresses.
    Matelassé A rather soft, double cloth or compound fabric, which has a quilted surface effect. Made on Jacquard looms, the heavier constructions are used for coverlets, draperies, and upholstery. Lighter weight fabric use in dress goods, eveningwear, and trimming. Matelassé gives effects such as blistered, puckered, quilted or wadded depending on the cloth construction used.
    Matelassé The word means ‘quilted’ in French. A pouching or quilted effect fabric, it is a double or compound cloth, with a raised or puckered design effect on the face caused by the reaction of different shrinkages of face and back fabrics during finishing. The original type of this was quite heavy and used for coatings but lighter types are now made which are perhaps more like blister fabrics than the true matelassé and the raised effect is obtained by the use of synthetic fibre yarns which have not been heat stabilised and which contract in finishing. This enables a strong back shrinkage effect to be obtained without the use of heavy compound or double structure.
    In one type, the cloth consists of warp and weft with an extra weft, used as padding and held in place by an extra stitching warp. The raised effect is achieved by the weaves. The back of the cloth is a fine, loosely woven web of warp and weft interfacing. The fabric is often made on a dobby or Jacquard loom. The fibres used may be silk, viscose, acetate, nylon, polyester or combinations. The fabric may also contain metallic threads. Others may be made from cotton yarn and used for curtains and bedspreads.
    In Dress fabrics, the designs are usually elaborate and the fabric may be fairly stiff. Furnishing fabric is usually heavy.
    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.
    Matelassé A double cloth with a quilted appearance.
    Matelasse French for ‘cushioned or padded’.
    Fibre: Figured made on jacquard or dobby loom, in double cloth weave.
    Characteristics: The pattern stands out and gives a "pouch" or "quilted" effect to the goods. Crepe yarn in double weave shrinks during finishing causing a blistering effect. In upholstery, coarse yarns cause blistering. Comes in colours, novelty effects, and some with metallic yarns. Gives good wear and drapes well. If washable, it must be laundered with care. It is very attractive and suits quite plain styles.
    Uses: Some cotton Matelasse used for bedspreads, dresses, suits, ensembles.
    Material Synonyms are fibres, fabric, cloth and goods. Substance, units, parts of which an item is made.
    Matka An Indian fabric made of spun silk.
    Matrix The form or mould on which something is shaped. In textile printing, it is a solid steel cylinder, or one of inflatable rubber, on which rotary screens are formed.  
    Matrix See Composite.
    Matrix-fibril fibre A type of biconstituent fibre. Here the fibrils of one component are embedded in a matrix of the other.

    The individual fibrils are invariably of very restricted length and do not extend along the full length of the fibre.
    Matt fibre A term used to describe the level of delustrant incorporated into a manufactured fibre. 
    See Delustred fibre.
    Matt Textile where the normal lustre has been reduced.
    Matt See Dull.
    Matting A great variety of plaited or woven mats and similar articles made of coir fibre, jute, straw. Used floor or wall covering tablemats, etc.
    Matte jersey Tricot with a dull surface made with fine crepe yarn.
    Matte jersey Fine crepe yarns are woven to create the dull flat surface of this fabric.
    Matte jersey Tricot with a dull surface made with fine crepe yarn.
    Matte jersey Dull tricot cloth made of fine crepe yarns.
    Matt Jersey A jersey fabric of almost any weight with a dull surface due to the fact that it is knitted from crêpe yarns.
    Matter Anything that has mass and occupies space.
    Matte taslan See Taslan but with a dull finish.
    Matt weave See Basket weave.
    Mature cotton Cotton whose fibre wall has thickened to an acceptable degree. See also Immature cotton, Motes.
    Mature cotton fibre A term used in relation to cotton maturity. Fibre where a high degree of wall thickening has taken place during cotton growth.
    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.
    Maturity, cotton See Cotton maturity.
    Maturity index A relative indication of cotton fibre maturity.
    Maturity ratio A method of expressing, numerically, the maturity of a sample of cotton fibres. It is the ratio of the actual degree of the wall thickening to a standard degree of thickening equal to 0.577.
    See also Percentage maturity  
    Maud Term has now fallen into disuse, but it used to describe checked woollen travelling rugs woven in different shades of grey.
    Mauritius fibre
    Synonym: Mauritius Hemp     		A fibre from the leaf of the plant furcraea fifante.
    Mauritius hemp See Mauritius fibre.
    Mauritius hemp A fibre from the leaf of the plant furcraea gigantea, also termed Mauritius fibre, see also fibre types.
    Mauve  Moderate purple, violet, or lilac; a strong purple.
    Maxi  A long skirt, dress, or coat.
    Mayo twill See Campbell twill.
    Maypole Process A process of braiding, using a machine which is provided with three or more carriers which are driven by means of horn gears along tracks which cross at intervals enabling the yarn drawn from the carriers to interlace to form a braid.
    See McIntosh
    McIntosh
    Mackintosh     		1. A traditional waterproofed coating fabric, which was named after its inventor. A thin rubber sheet and closely woven cotton fabric joined together with an adhesive. It is no more a popular material as the rubber perished in a short time and the fabric could not ‘breathe’, resulting in condensation.
    2. Now the term has become generic to describe a waterproof coat, whatever the fabric.
    Mealy Descriptive of the appearance of a print or dyeing which shows small irregularities, rather like oatmeal, caused, e.g. by too much printing paste on the fabric from too deep an engraving, unsatisfactory fabric preparation, etc.   
    Mean deviation unevenness, U% In textiles, the average of the absolute values of the linear densities of the integrated lengths between which unevenness is measured and expressed as a percentage of the average linear density for the total length within which unevenness is measured.
    See also Unevenness, Coefficient of variation unevenness.
    Measure cuttle The cutting of a garment to individual measurements.
    Measures and weights Measures and weights usually used in textile industry.
    See table below.
    1 French inch           = 2.707cm
    1 English inch = 2.540cm
    1 Saxon inch = 2.360cm
    1 yard (36 inches) = 0.914m
    1 English pound = 453.6g
    1 English ounce = 28.35g
    1cm. = 0.3694 French inch
    1cm. = 0.3937 English inch
    1cm. = 0.4327 Saxon inch
    1m. = 1.0936yd.
    1kg. = 2.2046 English pound
    1g. = 0.0353 English ounce
    Measuring device A machine used to measure lengths of yarn or cloth as it passes through the device.
    Meaty cotton A clean cotton with good spinning quality. There is little loss or waste because of sand, leaf or short fibres.
    Mechanical bonding Part of a production route for making non-wovens; the web is cohered by using inter-fibre friction caused by physical entanglement. The entanglement can be caused by needles, high pressure water jets (hydro-entanglement) or air jets.
    Mechanical fabrics See Industrial textiles.
    Mechanical finishing The process of applying mechanical energy to textiles to impart functional and/ or aesthetic characteristics, e.g. shearing, calendering.
    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.
    Mechanical stretch See Slack mercerising.
    Mechlen lace A bobbin lace characterised by delicate florals outlined with a silky thread.
    Mechlin  A delicate bobbin lace used for dresses and millinery.
    Mechlin lace Soft, filmy lace in which even the denser decoration is filmy. Often used for bridal veils.
    Mechlin lace See under Mechlin machine.
    Mechlin machine A Leavers type of machine without a jacquard that employs a limited number of guide bars, whose movements are controlled by cams. It is used for making a special type of lace called ‘mechlin lace’. See also Lace machines.
    Medallion A single detached motif design. It may be appliquéd to a lace ground or foundation fabric.
    Medallion lace Motifs are made or cut from a piece of heavy lace and inserted into cloth. Used in lingerie, table linen.
    Med fibre A modulated animal fibre in which the diameter of the medulla is less than 60% of the diameter of the fibre.
    Medium cotton staple A term used in relation to cotton staple classes. Between 15/16 and 11/8 in.
    See also Cotton staple classes.
    Medium staple cotton Fibres 1 to 1½ in. long.
    Medium wools
  • Those wools, which average in length between long and short wools. Short wool ranges from 1 to 6 inches; and long wool is from 6 to 12 or more inches in staple length.
  • Sometimes refers to the general quality of wool and includes wool that is high 1/4 blood, 3/8 blood, and low 1/2 blood wool. 
    • 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.
    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.
    Medullated fibre An animal fibre that in its original state includes a medulla.
    Meg Monoethylene glycol, a chemical intermediate used in the manufacture of polyester.
    Meisen Plainweave lightweight Japanese silk fabric, with a blurred pattern achieved by colouring the yarns before weaving them. Used for blouses, dresses.
    Melamine A triamino derivative of triazine, which is used, as well as various melamine derivatives, for finishing textile materials.
    Another innovative use of melamine resin is in the manufacture of some new types of heat and fire resistant synthetic fibres from it. The material withstands extreme temperatures and can be manufactured into woven and non-woven fabrics, especially in blends with other fibres. Usage includes protective clothing for fire fighters and factory personnel, safety curtains for and as insulation in vehicles, etc.
    Melamine 2,4,6-Triamino-1,3,5-triazin produced from urea using either a high- or low-pressure process. In textile industry, melamine is used in production of glueing and impregnating resins, resins for paint, paper, textile and leather finishing and flame retardant and flameproofing of thermoplastics.
    Melamine fibre An excellent heat- and fire-resistant synthetic fibre made from melamine resin. The yarn made from this withstands extreme temperatures and are used for woven and non-woven fabrics, especially in blends with other fibres. Used for protective clothing for fire-fighting personnel, safety curtains, fire blockers, insulation, etc.
    Melamine formaldehyde A resin formulation used on fabric to impart crease or wrinkle resistance.
    Melamine resins Made by reacting melamine with formaldehyde; the resulting product and some of its derivatives may be used for textile finishes to give shrinkage control, wrinkle resistance, crispness, etc.
    Melange A mix of different colours of yarns knit together to create a heathered effect.
    Melange A mixture of coloured stocks.
    Mélange 1. Handmade pillow lace of silk, which shows a combination (mélange) of conventional Chantilly lace with Spanish effects in the design.
    2. French term (mélange) for mixture effects in fabrics. It is found in yarn spun from mixed stock, printed top, cloth woven from Vigoreux-printed slubbing after it has been made into yarn, and in fabrics sold as mixed or mixture goods.
    Mélange A yarn produced from coloured printed tops or slivers. It is indistinguishable from a mixture yarn in that each fibre carries more than one colour.
    Melange/ Heather A variation in tone or mottled look . May be done by mixing fibres or yarn of different colours together, printing of the top before spinning the yarn, or cross dyeing the fabric.
    Mélange printing
    Synonym: Vigoureux printing     		A printing process in which bands of thickened dyepaste, with intervening blank areas, are applied across slubbings of wool or other fibres. The slubbing is subsequently steamed, washed, and then combed to produce a very even mixture of dyed and undyed lengths of fibre.
    Mélange See under Worsted.
    Melange wool Fibres of different shades, tones, and hues are spun to make this wool.
    Mélange yarn A yarn produced by mélange printing of tops or slivers. It is distinguishable from a mixture yarn in that individual fibres carry more than one colour.
    See also Colour terms, Worsted. 
    Mélange yarn A yarn spun from tops that have been mélange-printed. 
    Meldable fibres See Heterofil fibres.
    Melded fabric A fabric consisting wholly or in part of bicomponent fibres, in which cohesion has been achieved through the selective melting of one component of the of the bicomponent fibres.
    Melighton  A heavy smooth woollen fabric with short nap.
    Melrose A double twill fabric with a silk warp and a wool warp.
    Melt blow Part of a production route for making non-wovens; extruded synthetic filaments are sucked by high pressure air jets from the die to form random length, very fine fibres which are deposited on to a belt.
    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 blown Part of a production route for making non-wovens; extruded synthetic filaments are sucked by high pressure air jets from the die to form random length, very fine fibres which are deposited on to a belt.
    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 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 dyeing Colouring of man-made fibres (yarn, tow, staple) by the use of pigments or insoluble dyes into the polymer-melt or spinning solution before extrusion. Usually colours are fast to most destructive elements.
    Melt flow index An indication of the viscosity of molten polymer. The index serves to indicate the flow characteristics of a melt under given temperature and pressure conditions.
    Melt fracture An unstable melt-spinning condition in which the surface of the extrudate becomes rough and irregular.
    Melt fracture An unstable melt-spinning condition in which the surface of the extrudate becomes rough and irregular.
    Melt method A method of manufacture of man-made fibres, in which a solid polymer is melted and forced through the tiny holes of a spinneret into cool air, which solidifies into a continuous filament.
    See also Manufacture of man-made fibres
    Melton A heavyweight, dense, compacted, and tightly woven wool or wool blend fabric used mainly for coats.
    Melton Heavyweight, closely woven woolen fabric, completely fulled ( i.e., uniforms, ) etc.
    Melton A heavily felted, hard, plain face-finished cloth used for over coatings, uniform fabrics, hunting cloth, and riding habits. Light Melton is the fabric used as "under-collar cloth" in coatings. Originated in the famous Melton Mowbray foxhunting area in Leicestershire, England, compared with its sister fabrics–kersey, beaver and woollen broadcloth–it is fulled the most, has the shortest nap which is not of the so-called laid nap, and it is dull in appearance and non-lustrous. Given double shearing in finishing to provide the close-cropped face-effect. Qualities vary considerably depending on the types of stocks used.
    Melton Firm medium weight wool fabric in a close plain weave, with a short dense non-directional nap. Is dull in appearance and comes in white and all men’s suiting colours. It used to be a coating fabric, but it is now mainly used as an aid to tailoring, because it does not fray.
    These fabrics are made from all wool, or from cotton warp and woollen weft and the weave - usually a simple twill - is completely hidden by the surface fibre which developed in finishing by milling the fabric to make it compact and then raising and cropping the surface nap. Very heavy types are made for overcoatings but lighter and cheaper types are used by tailors for lining the underside of collars. 
    Melton   Wool, sometimes combined with synthetics.  Twill or satin weave.  Thick well fulled or felted wool with a smooth surface.  Napped and very closely sheared.  Coarse Melton’s are similar to makinaws but made of finer yarns and finished with a smoother, more lustrous surface - used for "under collar cloth" in lighter weights.  Very solid cloth due to the finishing processes that completely conceal the weave.  It wears very well.  Wind resistant.  If made in tan or buff colour in a coarse quality, it is called "Box cloth".  It is classed with kersey, beaver, and broadcloth.  Originated in Melton, Mowbray, England, which is a fox hunting report in England.  It was first made as a hunting cloth.  Looks like wool felt - pressed flat.  Mostly used for men in over coating, uniform cloth of all kinds (army, navy, etc., as well as police and firemen), pea jackets, regal lively.  Used for heavy outer sports garments and coats for women.
    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.
    Melton A heavy, tick, short napped fabric without a finish press or gloss.
    Melton Fibre: Wool, sometimes combined with synthetics.
    Weave: Twill or satin weave.
    Characteristics: Thick well fulled or felted wool with a smooth surface. Napped and very closely sheared. Coarse Meltons are similar to makinaws but made of finer yarns and finished with a smoother, more lustrous surface - used for "under collar cloth" in lighter weights. Very solid cloth due to the finishing processes that completely conceal the weave. It wears very well. Wind resistant. If made in tan or buff colour in a coarse quality, it is called "Box cloth". It is classed with kersey, beaver, and broadcloth. Originated in Melton, Mowbray, England, which is a fox hunting report in England. It was first made as a hunting cloth. Looks like wool felt - pressed flat.
    Uses: Mostly used for men in overcoating, uniform cloth of all kinds (army, navy, etc., as well as police and firemen), pea jackets, and regal livery. Used for heavy outer sports garments and coats for women.
    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.
    Meltonnette A lightweight fabric, which resembles melton cloth, and is used for women’s wear.  
    Meltonnette The fibre-forming material may be rendered liquid by heating it until it melts. The molten material is extruded through a spinneret and the jets are hardened as they cool on emerging from the spinneret.
    See also Dry spinning, Wet spinning.
    Melt spinning The conversion of molten polymer into filaments by extrusion through a spinneret and subsequent cooling of the extrudate.
    Melt spinning (Man-made fibre production) Conversion of a molten polymer into filaments by extrusion and subsequent cooling of the extrudate.
    Melt-spinning (Non-wovens) A process in which the fibre-forming substance is melted and extruded into a gas or liquid, where it cools and solidifies. To form a non-woven, many fibres are created simultaneously and laid down as a web.
    Melt-spun Descriptive of man-made filaments produced by melt-spinning.
    Melusine finish A lustrous finish produced on felt hoods or bodies by brushing with selected compounds such as an acrylic resin dispersion.
    Memory A cured fabric’s ability to retain, or return to, the shape or condition it was in at the time of curing. If the sensitising chemical is set in the fabric when it is flat, the fabric will remember its flatness and will resist creases, pleats, puckering and other bending influences. If the sensitising chemical set after the fabric has been made into a garment, the fabric will remember to return to its shape as a finished garment.  
    Mending
    Synonym: darning     		The insertion of yarn into a woven fabric where the warp or weft is missing and also the correction of other faults by means of needlework e.g. stitching. This is a skilled manual needlework operation.
    Men's The term refers to designs suitable for the men's market.
    Menswear  Clothing for men.
    Merceline See Marceline.
    Mercerisation A treatment of yarns or fabrics with caustic alkali, in which fibres are swollen and stretched to increase lustre in the finished product.
    Mercerisation A process of treating a cotton yarn or fabric, in which the fabric or yarn is immersed in a caustic soda solution and later neutralised in acid. The process causes a permanent swelling of the fibre, resulting in an increased lustre on the surface of the fabric, an increased affinity for dyes, and increased strength.
    Mercerisation An industrial process used on yarn or fabrics to increase lustre as well as dye affinity.
    It can also be used (on fabrics destined for the jeanswear industry) for keeping dye on the surface of the yarns or fabrics so that dyes do not fully penetrate the fibre.
    Mercerisation (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 mercerisation 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 mercerisation. In chain mercerising, shrinkage in fabric width is allowed, followed by re-stretching and washing on a clip-stenter. In chainless mercerising, the fabric is effectively prevented from shrinking by transporting over rotating drums.
    (2) Hot mercerisation, 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 mercerisation.
    Mercerise A finishing process for combed cotton that increases the fibre’s lustre and affinity for dyes.
    Mercerised 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.
    Mercerised A finishing process for cotton using caustic soda which may be applied at the yarn or fabric stage resulting in additional lustre, improved strength and an improved ability to take dye.
    Mercerised Cotton treated with sodium hydroxide so as to shrink the fibre and increase its lustre and affinity for dye.
    Mercerised A product that has gone through a process to produce a smooth, lustrous hand.
    Mercerised finish See Mercerising
    Mercerised stripe A fabric, generally a cotton shirting or dress fabric, which contains, stripes of mercerised yarn against a background of ordinary cotton.
    Mercerised wool Wool treated with a solution of caustic soda to destroy the felting property. Because the wool scales are destroyed, the fibre sometimes is more lustrous.
    Mercerised yarns and fabrics Yarns and fabrics that dye brighter, darker shades and shades more lustrous, stronger, and more absorbent but somewhat stiffer due to immersion in cold sodium hydroxide solution while under tension, followed by neutralisation in acid.
    Mercerising A finishing process that applies caustic soda to cotton thread to improve lustre, and increase strength and receptivity to dyes.
    Mercerising Is the treatment of a cellulose fabric with a strong caustic alkali, sodium hydroxide solution is often used, where the fibres are swollen and the strength, hand and dye affinity of the material is increased or modified. This method increases lustre of the fibre.
    Mercerising A treatment for irreversibly and remarkably altering the physical characteristics and appearance of cellulosic textiles in yarn or fabric form. The process involves both swelling in a concentrated solution of caustic alkalis, under conditions of concentration and temperature, and stretching to enhance lustre, to increase dye affinity, and to improve the strength of the cotton. Mercerised yarns are used for many cotton fabrics and sewing threads. In ‘chain mercerising’, shrinkage in fabric width is allowed, followed by restretching and washing on a clip-stenter. In ‘chainless mercerising’, the fabric is effectively prevented from shrinking by transporting over rotating drums.
    See also Hot mercerising, Slack mercerising, Post mercerising, Liquid ammonia treatment.
    Mercerising A finishing process used extensively on cotton yarn and cloth consisting essentially of impregnating the material with a cold, strong, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) solution. The treatment increases the strength and affinity for dyes and, if done under tension, the lustre is greatly increased. This latter phase is now considered to be the heart of the process although not part of John Mercer's original patents, discovered by accident in 1844. Mercerisation is done in skein form, on the warp, or in the piece, either entirely or in printed effects. Best results are noted in combed yarns.
    Merchandise In textile, any finished soft goods ready for consumer purchase.
    Merchant converter See Converter.
    Merchant converter An individual or an organisation which locates a supplier and purchases grey fabric, procures its finishing and then re-sells the finished fabric to customers.
    Merino A type of wool that originates from purebred Merino sheep. The best Merino wool comes from Italy.
    Merino 1. The highest, finest and best wool obtained anywhere in the world. This fibre is used only in the best of woollen and worsted fabrics, billiard cloth, etc.
    2. In knitting underwear fabrics the term implies garments made from yarns spun with a mixture of wool, not necessarily merino in type, and cotton, all in varying blend percentages.
    Merino Wool from purebred merino sheep; the most important wool producing type of sheep, mostly from Australia and South Africa. The finest grade, soft, expensive wool fleece. Used in high quality cloth, blankets, etc., often in small quantities with other wool to reduce the price. The word Merino is now also used for a high quality woollen cloth.
    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  A soft wool or wool and cotton clothing fabric resembling cashmere.
    Merino Refers to wool from the merino sheep, which produces a fine, strong elastic fibre of very high quality. It can be washed to a clean white colour and has good felting and spinning characteristics.
    Merino Refers to wool from the merino sheep which produces a fine, strong elastic fibre of very high quality. It can be washed to a clean white colour and has good felting and spinning characteristics.
    Merino Wool from the merino sheep, with a mean fibre diameter generally of 24 microns or less.
    Merino extra-fine wool A highly refined and superbly soft yarn. Used alone or mixed with other luxurious yarns such as silk, alpaca, cashmere.
    Merino wool A soft and luxurious, resembling cashmere. This term is also used to describe the finest wools.
    Merino wool A strong, high quality wool from the fleece of the merino sheep. It has elasticity and dyes well.
    Merino wool Wool from the merino sheep, with a mean fibre diameter generally of 24 microns or less.
    Merle  A bluish or reddish grey mixed with splotches of black that is the colour of coats of some dogs.
    Mermaid This skirt hugs the body until it reaches the knees or just below and then ends in a dramatic flare.
    Merrin wool A pulled wool, obtained from decomposed remains of range merinos. It is very soft, difficult to bleach and retains creamy yellow colour after scouring.
    Merry widow  A strapless corset or bustier usually having garters attached.
    Mesh  A woven, knit, or knotted material of open texture with evenly spaced holes.
    Mesh A general term for fabric with open spaces between the yarns. It may be knit, woven or knotted (net) in construction.
    Mesh Similar to a pique knit, but with a more open texture for increased breathability. Larger knit than cool weave.
    Mesh A type of fabric characterised by its net-like open appearance, and the spaces between the yarns. Mesh is available in a variety of constructions including wovens, knits, laces, or crocheted fabrics.
    Mesh Any fabric, knitted or woven, with an open texture, fine or coarse.
    Mesh A general term for fabric with open spaces between the yarns. It may be knit , woven or knotted (net) in construction.
    Mesh
  • Netting fabrics, plain and printed, with holes from 3mm to 1cm. Some are made from cotton, others from polyester. Used for tops and vests.
  • In coated glass yarn fabrics, the number (counted units) of warp yarns (ends) and weft yarns (picks) per linear inch (25.4mm).
  • In knitting.
    See Knotted stitch, Spread loop.   
    		•
    Messaline Named after Empress Messalina, a connoisseur of this type silk. It is a lustrous, soft, silky fabric in a satin weave, usually in plain colours. It may now be polyester, acetate, triacetate as well as silk fibre. This is an expensive silk, which drapes well, and is perfect in black for special occasion dresses.
    Messaline  A soft lightweight silk dress fabric with a satin weave.
    Messaline Fibre: Silk
    Weave: -
    Characteristics: Often believed to be named after the Roman Emperor Claudius' third wife. It is very soft, lustrous and lightweight. It usually comes in solid colours.
    Uses: -
    Mess jacket  A fitted waist-length man's jacket worn especially as part of a dress uniform.
    Mesta See Kenaf.
    Meta-chrome dyeing A single-bath method of dyeing in which the fibre is treated in a dye bath containing a suitable chrome dye together with a chromate, whereby a dye-chromium complex is formed within the fibre.

    Meta-chrome dyeing
    Synonym: Mono-chrome dyeing

    		A technique of dyeing in which the mordant and the dyestuff are combined in one bath.
    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 base A flat base with perpendicular flange into which the butt rod or ankle rod fits. It is heavy enough to sit on the ground and support the mannequin in an erect position.
    Metal cloth A decorative fabric with a silk or cotton warp and gold, silver, aluminium or copper filing yarns. Used for trimmings and millinery.
    Metal complex dyes These are dyes having a coordinated metal atom in its molecule.
    Unless the term ‘metal-complex dye’ is used in direct association with a particular application class of dye, e.g., ‘metal-complex disperse dye’, ‘metal-complex reactive dye’, its use is inexact and inadvisable.
    Metal embroidered lace A lace fabric as base, usually of viscose, with embroidery worked in nylon and metal yarns.
    Metal fibre A manufactured fibre made from any metal.
    Metal fibre (Generic name) A term used to describe fibres made from any metal.
    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 colours.
    Metallic Metallic paints have or look like they have metal in them.
    Metallic  A fabric made with metallic fibre, namely a fibre or yarn made of or coated with metal.
    Metallic asbestos yarn
    Synonym: Wire-twisted yarn     		Asbestos yarn made of plain asbestos yarn twisted with very fine copper, brass or other metal wires for reinforcement.
    See Asbestos yarn.
    Metallic asbestos fibre See Wire-inserted yarn.
    Metallic cloth Any fabric, often silk, that has gold, silver, tinsel, or other metal threads interspersed throughout the design in the cloth. Lamé is a metallic fabric. Cloths of this type have a cross-rib or rep effect, are rather stiff, harsh, stately, formal, prone to tarnish, and quite durable. Ideal for evening wear, these fabrics come in many grades and qualities.
    Metallic fabric Any fabric, which contains metallic yarn. 
    Metallic fibre An inorganic fibre made from minerals and metals, blended and extruded to form fibres. The fibre is formed from a flat ribbon of metal, coated with a protective layer of plastic, which reduces tarnishing. Metal used in apparel fabric is purely decorative.
    Metallic fibre A manufactured fibre composed of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal-coated plastic, or a core completely covered by metal.
    Metallic fibre Fibre: -
    Weave: -
    Characteristics: -
    Uses: -
    Metallic fibre A manufactured fibre composed of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal-coated plastic or a core completely covered by metal.
    Metallic filaments Continuous flat monofilament produced by a combination of plastic film and metallic component so that the metallic component is protected.
    Metallic filaments are available in a wide range of tarnish-free glittering colours. Aluminium foil is the metal used and the filaments are composed of a thin strip of foil coated each side with clear plastic film which protects the aluminium from tarnish. The laminated construction gives flexibility. Special types of polyester film with reasonably high strength are produced, although the strength of normal type metallic filaments is fairly low.
    Used for their decorative effect in many types of clothing fabrics, woven, knitted and lace. They usually give a glitter effect but a more subtle effect can be obtained by use of opaque colours, which reduce the brightness of the aluminium foil. Their hardness can cause some discomfort in wear unless lined, and care is taken in dry cleaning to prevent de-lamination by unsuitable solvents.
    Metallic yarns are designated by a group of three symbols, each separated by a hyphen, setting forth the two dimensions of width, and gauge or thickness, and generic type.
    The ‘width’ of the yarn is expressed as the fraction of an inch to which the yarn has been cut, viz., 1/32, 1/64, etc.
    The ‘thickness’ or ‘gauge’ of the yarn is expressed as the sum of the thickness of the plastic film and metallic component in hundred-thousands of an inch, as a whole number, viz., 35,50,150,200, etc.
    The ‘generic type’ of the yarn is expressed on the basis of two components of the laminate - the generic name of the plastic film and the metal.
    Metallic printing A method of printing which uses a finely ground bronze or aluminium powder. Method of production is similar to pigments using suitable binders.
    Metallic staple Materials similar to the various types of metallic yarn, which has been cut to staple length for blending with other fibres in the manufacture of spun yarns. The use of metallic staple gives glittering highlights to the fabrics in which it is employed.
    Metallic yarn See Metallised yarn
    Metallised Yarn

    A yarn, which has free metal as a component. Note: There are several types, the best known of which are:
     (1) 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.
    (2) Yarns on which metal is deposited, e.g., chemically or by electric arc, or by adhesive.
    (3) Multi-end yarns in which at least one single yarn is metallic, (cf. tinsel yarn).
    (4) A gimp in which the helical covering consists of a metallic or laminated strip.

    Metallising The method of laminating an aluminium foil or metallic film between two layers or plies of polyester film, acetate butyrate, acetate or cellophane, or applying a metal film on one surface of a fabric.
    Metallo-plastic A yarn made from a synthetic or plastic material with a metallic appearance.
    Metallic yarn Metallic yarn is a fibre, that is all metallic, no core or no wrap, completely metallic.
    Metalline A highly lustrous fabric in metallic colours. Woven with silk or cotton warp with the brilliant metallic colour in the rayon filling. Made in imitation of metallic fabric.
    Metallizable dye A dye capable of forming a dye-metal complex either in substance or on substrate.
    See also Metal-complex dyes
    Metallised fabric A textile fabric on which metal has been deposited, e.g. chemically, or by electric arc or by lamination using adhesive.
    Metallised yarn
    Synonym: Metallic yarn     		A yarn, which has free metal as a component. There are several types; some of the best known among them are:
  • Yarns in which separate metal fibres or filaments are included. 
  • Metal of narrow strip section, usually lustrous.
    See Flat metal yarn.
  • Metal of narrow strip section, coated or laminated with film such as viscose, cellulose acetate, butyrate, or polyester. The film may be coloured.
  • Yarns on which metal is attached to or deposited on the fibres, e.g. chemically, by electric arc, or by adhesive.
    See also Tinsel yarn.  
  • Multi-end yarns in which at least one single yarn is metallic.
    See also Tinsel yarn.  
  • A gimp in which the helical covering consists of a lustrous narrow metal strip.
    • Metallised yarn A yarn which has free metal as a component. Note: there are several types, the best known of which are: (1) 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. (2) yarns on which metal is deposited, e.g., chemically or by electric arc, or by adhesive. (3) multi-end yams in which at least one single yarn is metallic, (cf. Tinsel yarn). (4) a gimp in which the helical covering consists of a metallic or laminated strip.
    Metallised yarn Metallised yarn is that is wrapped with another fibre, such as nylon. For the FTC requirement, we must separate this type of yarn into metallic and nylon, but for customers they classify this type of yarn as metallised yarn.
    Metal sensitivity The propensity of a dye to produce an abnormal colour on a textile material when in the presence of certain metal ions.
    Metal thread fabrics There are a few fabrics, for example silk from the East, which have real silver or gold threads woven into them. The problem with these is that the thread tarnishes, so the fabric or garment is usually kept in tissue paper to slow this process down.
    See also Lamè jersey
    Metameric Descriptive of objects that exhibit metamerism.
    Metameric Descriptive of objects that exhibit metamerism.
    Metameric match A match that is judged to be satisfactory under a particular illuminant but not under illuminant of different spectral composition.
    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 behaviour 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.
    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.
    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.
    Metamerism  A metamerism occurs when the colour standard and the submit do not match under all lighting conditions. This means that a solid colour fabric
    when viewed under two different lights in a commercial light box, will appear to cast two different colours. The correct technical definition for metamerism is a conditional match that is, two or more samples match for one observer under one light source, but not under a different light source for that same observer.
    Metaphos Sodium Hexametaphosphate. This chemical is used to make print mix with sodium alginate flow better. It is also added to water as a softener and to increase absorption of dye.
    Methenamine pill test Used to test flame resistance of tents, carpets, and rugs.
    Methocelulouse Also known as Methocel, Methylcel and Methyl Cellulose, it is used for marbling instead of Carageenan. It works as a synthetic thickener used with water to create the medium that paints float on. Once mixed, it can last up to 4 months. It is less likely to go bad than Carageenan in hot humid environments.
    Metier A spinning device used in producing man-made fibres. The bank of cells or compartments and associated equipment used in the dry spinning of fibres, i.e. cellulose acetate and cellulose triacetate.
    Metier The bank of cells or compartments used in the dry-spinning of cellulose ethanoate (cellulose acetate).
    Metlon A variety of metallic yarns manufactured by Metal Film Co.
    Metric count The number of metres of yarn per gram, it is an indirect yarn numbering system.
    MFA Multi-Fibre Arrangement - a special protocol agreed by members of GATT as derogation from normal GATT rules. The MFA, which ran from 1974 to 1994, permitted members to establish quotas restricting textile and clothing trade which applied to specific supplying countries. Normal GATT rules insist that all Gatt parties are to be treated equally (see MFN). On January 1, 1995, the MFA was superseded by the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC).
    MFN Most Favoured Nation: a basic principle of GATT, which requires countries to treat imports from one Gatt member no less favourably than imports from another Gatt member.
    Micro cord A very fine wale cord.
    Microcrystalline wax A petroleum based synthetic beeswax, which produces less crackle than other waxes. This is mixed with paraffin to soften it for batik. Also known as sticky wax.
    Microfibre A fibre or filament of linear density approximately 1.0dtex or less.
    Microfibre Extremely fine synthetic fibre used to produce soft, lightweight fabrics. Microfibre is often defined as fibres of less than 1 denier per filament but the term is used loosely in the industry. May be polyester, nylon, acrylic, rayon or other fibres. Used for rainwear, outerwear and various other types of apparel.
    Microfibre A resilient fibre, which is finer than silk, lightweight and breathable.
    Microfibre This fabric is tightly woven from a very fine poly thread and has a sueded finish for a luxurious, soft feel. Microfibre fabric is naturally water repellent due to its construction process and when specially treated, can also be waterproof.
    Microfibre A fibre or filament with a linear density approximately below 1 decitex. Some commercial fibres or filaments as coarse as 1.3 decitex are classified as microfibres by their producers (see also microfilament).
    Microfibre Extremely fine synthetic fibre used to produce soft, lightweight fabrics. Microfibre is often defined as fibres of less than 1 denier per filament but the term is used loosely in the industry. May be polyester, nylon, acrylic, rayon or other fibres. Used for rainwear, outerwear and various other types of apparel.
    Microfibres The name given to ultra-fine manufactured fibres and the name given to the technology of developing these fibres. Fibres made using micro fibre technology produce fibres, which weigh less than 1.0 denier. The fabrics made from these extra-fine fibres provide a superior hand, a gentle drape, and incredible softness. Comparatively, micro fibres 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 four types of micro fibres being produced. These include acrylic micro fibres, nylon micro fibres, polyester micro fibres, and rayon micro fibres.
    Microfibre batting A textile filling material containing fibres, such as polyester or olefin, which have a diameter of less than 10 µm.
    Microfilament A continuous filament with a linear density approximately below 1 decitex. Some commercial filaments as coarse as 1.3 decitex are classified as microfilaments by their producers (see also microfibre).
    Micro fleece A high density, anti-pilling fleece made of knit micro-fibres that are brushed less than a regular fleece garment. It has a high capacity for warmth without the weight.
    Micrograph
    Synonym: Photomicrograph     		A photograph of an enlarged microscopic image.
    Micromattique Brand of polyester microfibre trademarked by DuPont.
    Micro-mini  A very short miniskirt.
    Micron A unit of measurement equal to 1000th part of a millimetre. It is an abbreviation for micrometre.
    Micron (Micrometre) One millionth of a metre.
    Micronaire method A means of measuring the fineness of a fibre. This is done by finding the resistance of a staple to a flow of air forced through it.
    Micronaire reading A relative measurement of fibre fineness derived from the porous plug airflow method.
    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.
    Micronaire value A measurement of cotton fibre quality. The micronaire value is a function of fibre fineness and maturity: low values indicate fine and/ or immature fibres, whereas high values indicate coarse and/ or mature fibres. The micronaire value is determined in practice by measuring the resistance to airflow of a specified mass of fibres (in the form of a “plug”) confined in a chamber of a specified volume.
    Microstretching The use of inter-meshing, driven, corrugated rollers for the incremental extension of the weft yarns of woven fabrics. When applied immediately before the cross-linking of lightweight cotton fabrics, weft tensile strength loss is minimised.
    Micro-stripe An ultra-fine stripe that is knit into the fabric.
    Microwave heating The use of high frequency dielectric energy, of 300 to 350Mhz to raise the temperature of polar materials, e.g. water. A microwave oven provides a method of heating textiles rapidly and uniformly without overheating surface fibres. On the industrial scale RF heating is used more widely. 
    Micro yarn A yarn consisting of several microfilaments.
    Mi-cuit silk A silk which has been partially degummed to a degree about halfway between complete, ‘bright’, and souple, or part, boiling-off. It is not a fixed degree, and varies in proportion to the lustre desired. Derived from the French, means ‘half baked’.
    Middling The term used to describe the basic cotton grade when cotton fibres are graded based on their staple lengths. Middling is the middle or basic grade and is the grade upon which grades are organised.
    See also Cotton classing, Cotton grading
    Middy twill A durable right-hand or left-hand twill cotton fabric, either mercerised or plain. Used for middy blouses, uniforms, and children’s wear. Sometimes applied to lightweight drill or jean.
    Mid-neck girth A term related to garment sizing. In body measurements, the circumference of the neck approximately 25mm above the neck base.
    Mid-thigh girth A term related to garment sizing.  In body measurements, the circumference of the upper leg between the hip and the knee.
    Mignonette A knitted silk or viscose fabric used for underwear. Finer than tricot. 
    Migration The non-uniform movement and distribution of dyes, pigments, finishes or other materials from one part of a material to another; movement between fibres within a substrate or between substrates due to capillary forces.
    See also Transfer
    Migration The movement of an added substance, e.g. a dye, pigment, cross-linking agent or alkali, from one part of a textile material to another.
    Migration The movement of dye of a coloured fabric from one area to another, which causes a non-uniformity of the shade.
    Milan A fine, closely woven straw used for fine qualities of millenery made in Milan, Italy.
    Milanaise Narrow braid or corded fabric in which the cord effect is produced by leno weaving. One end is made to cross another coarse end in an alternate crossed and open shed sequence.
    Milanese
  • In knitteds, a warp knitted fabric usually made with a full set of warp threads (i.e. containing twice as many threads as there are wales in the fabric. It is a highly run-resistant fabric. The threads are continuously divided into two equal warp sheets, one set of which traverses to the right continuously and the other set to the left, so that any particular thread traverses the full width of the fabric and, on reaching the selvedge, is transferred to the other set. The manner of traversing the threads may be either silk lap or cotton lap.
  • In wovens, a low quality cotton fabric of about 17x14tex with approximately 30 ends x 38 picks per cm.
    • Milanese A special type of warp knit. Fine fabric made from filament yarn, having fine rib-like stitches on the face. The fabric is stable and has excellent drapability. This cloth is in very limited production, having been largely replaced by tricot.
    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.
    Milanese knitted fabrics They can be made on either springboard or latch needles. There are two warps or thread systems with the warps being moved continually during manufacture in a lateral movement to the needle bed. The warps move always in the opposite direction with the full-threading or colour arrangement to produce a run proof fabric and in which the fabric shows "biased plaid effects." Industry Standard is a one-inch measure that is usually agreed upon to serve as the gauge. Milanese fabrics are known for their high gauge, light weight, fineness in texture, and appeal in hand.
    Milanese warp-knitting machine A warp-knitting machine using either bearded or latch needles arranged in either a straight-bar or circular formation. The special loop-forming process results in a two-bar fabric constructed from two non-returning atlas lapping motions working in opposition. 
    Milano rib A weft-knitted rib-based fabric. Each complete repeat of the structure consist of three components knitted in sequence to give one row of 1x1 rib (a) and one row of plain tubular knitting (b) in which, the two component parts usually being similar. The appearance and characteristics of the fabrics are related to the ratio the course lengths of (a) and (b).
    See also Half-milano rib.    
    Milan point A needle-point tape lace with a picot edge. Once hand-made, but the simplicity of the design is easy to imitate by machine.
    Milan straw A fine, closely woven straw used in fine quality women's hats, made in Milan, Italy. Imitation must be clearly described as such.
    Mildew In textile materials the development of unsightly growths of certain species of fungi and accompanying unpleasant, musty odours on it when it is exposed to conditions favouring such growths. This may lead to discoloration, tendering, and variations in dyeing properties. 
    Mildew A superficial growth of certain species of fungi. Note: on textile materials, this may lead to discoloration, tendering, and variation in properties.
    Mildew-resistant A fabric treated with chemicals, to impart resistance to the development mildew in it.
    See also Mildew
    Mildew-resistant Treating textiles to make them impervious to mildew and mold; it is possible now to determine the amount of degradation or damage on a degree principle.
    Military braid A plain, flat braid usually made from continuous filament yarn.
    Milium A trade name of a fabric, which is insulated by applying aluminium flakes to its back. The fibre of the fabric may be cotton, acetate, viscose, nylon and polyester. The insulation keeps out cold in winter and heat in summer. Once a common coat lining, it is now mainly confined to curtain lining.
    Milky Resembling milk in colour.
    Mill 1. In printing, a small cylinder of softened steel on which the pattern is raised in relief (by pressure and acid) from contact with a previously engraved die.
    2. A factory unit in which textile yarns are spun, woven or knit.
    3. A business concern engaged in the manufacture of textiles.
    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.
    Millboard A thick piece of cardboard placed between the folds of fabric during pressing.
    Middy A loosely fitting blouse with a sailor collar worn by women and children.
    Midi  A dress, skirt, or coat that usually extends to the mid-calf.
    Mildew A superficial growth of certain species of fungi. Note: on textile materials, this may lead to discoloration, tendering, and variation in properties.
    Midnight blue  A deep blackish blue.
    Mid profile A cap with a slope height in between that of a High Profile and Low Profile. It is most often structured with buckram.
    Midriff  A woman's garment that exposes the midriff.
    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 obscures the weave.
    Milled The term used to describe a woven fabric that has been subjected to fulling or felting.
    Mill effect A special appearance and hand produced on the surface of a fabric, by subjecting it to abrading.
    Mill ends The term used to describe, short lengths of fabric or mill remnants.
    Mill engraving
    Machine engraving     		A mechanical process of engraving a print cylinder; the design is pressed out by means pressure from the raised surface of a mill.
    Mill fibre consumption The amount of fibre, natural or synthetic, that is utilised by a textile mill during production.
    Mill finish The finish given on a brand new fabric as it comes from the mill.
    Mill-finished fabric The term used to describe, yarn dyed, cotton fabric requiring no wet finishing after weaving. 
    Migration When colour spreads away from the application area.
    Millinery  Women’s apparel for the head.
    Millinery felt A fabric made by interlocking of fibres. The fibre stock is submitted to heat, moisture, water and pressure. Fibres used are fur, wool and cotton blends.
    Millinery hair A very sheer braid used for transparent hats; best grades are lustrous and have good body.
    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.
    Milling A method of consolidating or compacting woven or knitted fabrics that usually, although not exclusively contain wool or other animal fibres. The process often obscures the weave and depending on the type of fibre, the 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. The process includes compressing, shrinking and felting of the fabric through the use of moisture heat and mechanical pressure.
    Milling acid dye An acid dye of good fastness to acid or alkaline milling.
    Milling shrinkage
    Felting shrinkage     		Because of the well known difficulties in washing, many wool fabrics are not intended to be washed but even so some degree of felting can take place.
    Felting is produced by the combined effect of heat, moisture and movement on a mass of wool fibres. Heat and moisture make the fibres swollen and soft and flexible. In this condition they readily move when the mass is agitated. A dominant characteristic of the wool fibre is the scaly surface, which varies accordingly to quality. Soft fine wools are covered with scales and the scale-tips project giving a serrated edge to the fibre. The tips project in the same direction and this has a ratchet effect, i.e. it allows movement in one direction only.

    directional frictional effect of projecting scale tips
    Movement in the opposite direction is prevented by the protruding scale tips and the fibres catch and tangle with each other as they attempt to move back. This one-way movement causes a mass of fibres to gradually become denser as felting proceeds with a consequent reduction in volume. Felting is progressive and shrinkage will occur as long as felting conditions operate so that pre-shrinking, as for cotton, is completely ineffective.
    The common-sense washing instructions for wool, i.e. lukewarm water, mild soap, minimum of rubbing and squeezing are designed to minimise felting and to delay its onset.
    The basic principle of ant-felting treatment is of modifying the surface scale structure to allow two-way fibre movement.
    Millitex A unit of the tex system.
    Mill run
  • A yarn or fabric that has not been graded.
  • A yarn or fabric from which inferior product bas not been removed, consequently, goods are not up to a standard quality. They are generally seconds.
    		•
    Milsoft Highly concentrated liquid textile softener, which restores the soft feel (hand), that dyeing sometimes removes. Also prevents needle cutting on cotton knits. Much more concentrated than conventional fabric softeners. After dyeing, washing and rinsing add 1/4 cup to a washing machine load, (or 1 teaspoon per gallon). Wash 10 minutes in hottest water and rinse in warm water.
    Mill waste Waste from various machines that card, spin, and weave textile fabrics.
    Mill wrinkle See Crease.
    Mineral colours Actually they are not true dyes but are precipitated oxides or insoluble salts of chromium, iron, lead or manganese. Dull in appearance these colours are much used to colour awnings and comparable fabrics.
    Mineral dyes Colours produced on cotton by the precipitation of coloured mineral compounds on the fibre. Most have excellent fastness properties but with very limited shade range.
    Mineral fibre A group of fibres obtained from minerals. Asbestos, glass and metals fibres are examples.
    Mineral wool A web or batt of manufactured, inorganic fibres used for thermal or acoustic insulation.   
    Mineral silicate fibres These are included in various commonly used fibre groupings. They are inorganic fibres and mineral fibres. Their resistance to high temperature puts put them into high-temperature fibre classification. Terms, which indicates that they are silicates of natural origin, as distinct from silicates, which are made synthetically, say, like glass.
    Mini check A very small pattern of squares or rectangles . May be yarn dyed, printed, or woven into the fabric.
    Mini-grain A two-coloured ingrain filament yarn in which one colour predominates.
    Minimum-care See Easy-care.
    Minimum-care See Drip-dry.
    Miniskirt  A woman's short skirt with the hemline several inches above the knee.
    Miniver  A white fur worn originally by medieval nobles and used chiefly for robes of state.
    Mink A very distinctive long pale brown fur from an animal, which can be ranch bred or wild. There are also Chinese mink or Kolinsky mink, a creamy beige fur which is often dyed; Jap mink, which is yellow; and Mutation mink, which is of unusual colourings, e.g. silvery blue and black. Mink is luxurious and hardwearing. It is often used for hats and to a lesser extent for coats. Prohibitively expensive.
    Minor defect Defect, which would not cause the textile material to be a second either because of severity or location.
    See also Defect.
    Minor defects in garments See under Assortment & assessment of garment defects.
    Miralene Polyester fibre, crinkle or bouclé type yarn. 
    Miralon A bulking process, which can be applied to nylon yarn. The bulking makes the fibre warmer, as air is introduced, and also softer to the feel. 
    Mirror-effect yarns A type of filament yarn in which a heavy white yarn serves as a core, wrapped with fine dyed singles. Colour is diffused through the yarn.
    Mirror velvet Velvet produced in the normal way, but with a pattern made by pressing the pile flat in different directions and giving a shimmery or mirror effect.
    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.
    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.
    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.
    Miscibility The ability of one liquid to mix with (dissolve in) another liquid.
    Miss, Missy A female mannequin that wears a size 8 and varies in height from 5 ft. 8 ins. to 6 ft. tall. There is a great variety of interpretation in the Missy group and depending upon the manufacturer, the pose, make-up and wig, the Missy can be the young college type, active sportswoman, career woman, super-sophisticate or grandest lady at the ball. The Missy mannequin can be personalised to represent the store image.
    Miss-clip See Scalloped selvedge.
    Miss-draw See Wrong draw .
    Misses A modelling term. The ideal model for this category wears even sizes (6-8-10), is slim in build and is closer to high fashion in height than a junior. Ages usually appear to be between twenty-two and twenty-five.
    Miss-pick
    Synonym: Wrong pick     		Fabric defect. A pick not properly interlaced, which causes a break in the weave pattern. Weft yarn picks which have not gone all the way through the shed of the loom when weaving. The pick may have been left out altogether, or a short or long portion of the pick may have been deposited in the shed. Caused chiefly by mechanical defects such as weft yarn running out of the bobbin, breakage of the yarn, not interlacing with the warp yarn, poor action by the picker stick, etc.
    See also Double pick.
    Miss-print Fabric defect, in printed fabric. Colours or patterns, or both, either missed, or partially missed, or incorrectly positioned relative to each other.
    Compare Misregister.
    Miss-register Fabric defect, in printing. Colours or patterns not correctly positioned.
    Compare Misprint.
    Missile See under Shuttleless looms.
    Missile loom
    Synonyms: Gripper loom, Gripper-shuttle loom, Dummy-shuttle loom, and Projectile loom     		One type of shuttleless loom. The free end of the weft is attached to a missile which is projected from one side of the loom to the other; once launched it moves freely, no longer in contact with the picking- mechanism, and thus, like a shuttle, is not a normal engineering component, so that looms employing this method must be reckoned as imperfect machines.
    See also Shuttleless looms.
    Missing end See End out.
    Missing pick See Broken pick.
    Missing yarn Fabric defect,in circular knit fabric, caused by one end of yarn missing from feed and the machine continues to run.   
    Miss-knit Fabric defect, in knitted fabrics. A deviation from the designated knitting pattern.
    Miss-stitch
    Synonym: Float stitch, Welt stitch     		A knitted stitch done purposely for a desired effect. Formed when the needle holds the old loop and does not receive new yarn. It connects two loops of the same course that are not in adjacent wales.
    Miss-stitch A weft knit stitch sometimes used for design; may be referred to as a float stitch or a welt stitch.
    Miss-stitch Also known as a "float-stitch" or a "welt-stitch." It is made in knitting when the needle holds the old loop and does not receive a new yarn; that is a needle is held in a non-working position as the yarn is fed or guided to the needles that are working.
    Mistral The name given to a crêpe-effect worsted cloth. Twisted warp and weft yarns are used.
    Miterfolds (Label) Are normally used in jerseys, bathrobes and outerwear and add functionality to the label by allowing it to be used as a hanger for the garment.
    Mitt  A woman's glove that leaves the fingers uncovered; mitten.
    Mitten  A covering for the hand and wrist having a separate section for the thumb only.
    Miter A liturgical headdress worn by bishops and abbots (Also mitre).
    Mixed end
    Wrong end     		A fabric defect, which manifests as a yarn differing from that normally being used in the fabric, such as incorrect twist, number of plies, wrong colour, or from wrong yarn lot. In woven and warp-knitted fabrics the defect appears as a vertical line running warpways and in weft-knitted fabrics, as a horizontal stripe running across the fabric and repeated at regular intervals.  
    Mixed-fibre piece-dyeing The process of piece-dyeing a fabric containing mixtures of fibres, which dye differently. There are several methods used.
    See Union dyeing; Reserved dyeing; Cross dyeing
    Mixed filling
    Synonym: Change-in filling, Discoloured pick, Filling band, Shade bar, Wrong colour pick     		Fabric defect, major, in woven fabrics. A weft yarn differing from that normally being used in the fabric or caused by a bobbin of lightweight yarn used in weft. Will appear as a distinct shade change.
    See also Filling band.
    Compare Barré.
    Mixed warp ends Fabric defect. These come from ends of varying thickness or plies. Attributed to mixed yarn spools during the warp dressing operation.
    Mixed weft Fabric defect. An unintentional mixing or two or more lots of yarns. This may lead to the formation of weft bars.
    Mixed yarn Fabric defect, major, in warp knit fabric. Resulting from wrong fibre yarn (or wrong size yarn) placed on the warp. Fabric could appear as thick end or different colour, if fibres have different affinity for dye.
    Mixed fabric See Mixture fabric.
    Mixing Blending of quantities of fibres from several lots to produce a uniform result. In textile operations this term means the use of one kind of fibre, while the term blending is generally used for dissimilar fibres, colours, etc. This distinction does not follow in the words mixture and blends.
    Mixture 1. YARN. A yarn spun from blends of different materials, colour, lustre, which are mixed prior to the first spinning process. Each fibre is one colour only, as distinguished from melange yarn, which has more than one colour printed on it during the top or sliver stage.
    2. FABRIC. A fabric made of mixture yarn, in warp/ or weft, and fabric with two or more different types of fibre.
    Mixture fabric A fabric made of mixture yarn, in warp and/ or weft, and fabric with two or more different types of fibres.
    See Mixture yarn, Blended fabric
    Mixture fabric The fabric composed of a mixture of yarns made from different types of fibres, i.e. use of two or more different types of fibres in a fabric, each fibre being spun into a separate yarn, e.g. a cheap blazer cloth could be made having a cotton warp and a wool weft; it is therefore a mixture of wool and cotton.
    There are basic reasons why mixtures of yarns of different type are used, and the reasons can apply in combination as well as separately; for economy (to reduce the cost of a fabric by the use of a cheap yarn type mixed with a more expensive yarn type), for combination properties (to effect a compromise where no one yarn type is ideal by combining two or more yarn types each contribut-ing something to the whole) and for decorative or colour effect (some yarn types have a distinctive appearance, lustre or texture, and yarn types vary in their affinity for dye. Yarn types can be com-bined to give certain decorative textural or color effects arising from the differences referred to. Also called Mixed fabric. See also Blend fabrics.
    Mixture yarn A yarn spun from blends of different materials, colour, lustre, which are mixed prior to the first spinning process. Each fibre is one colour only, as distinguished from mélange yarn, which has more than one colour printed on it during the top or sliver stage.
    Mixture yarn
    Synonym: Ingrain yarn     		A yarn made from fibres of two or more colours blended together.
    Mixture Crêpe A crêpe fabric made with different fibre in warp and weft.
    Mixture fabric
    Synonym: Mixed fabric     		The fabric composed of a mixture of yarns made from different types of fibres, i.e. use of two or more different types of fibres in a fabric, each fibre being spun into a separate yarn, e.g. a cheap blazer cloth could be made having a cotton warp and a wool weft; it is therefore a mixture of wool and cotton.
    There are basic reasons why mixtures of yarns of different type are used, and the reasons can apply in combination as well as separately; for economy (to reduce the cost of a fabric by the use of a cheap yarn type mixed with a more expensive yarn type), for combination properties (to effect a compromise where no one yarn type is ideal by combining two or more yarn types each contributing something to the whole) and for decorative or colour effect (some yarn types have a distinctive appearance, lustre or texture, and yarn types vary in their affinity for dye. Yarn types can be combined to give certain decorative textural or colour effects arising from the differences referred to.
    See also Blended fabric.
    Mixture A fabric woven of variously coloured threads.
    Mixture See under Worsted.
    Mixture yarn See under Colour terms, Worsted.  
    Mixture ingrain See under Worsted
    Mobcap A woman's fancy indoor cap made with a high full crown and often tied under the chin.
    Mocca An embroidery term to designate the entire open eyelet covered with spider-like stitches.
    Moccasin  A soft leather heel-less shoe or boot with the sole brought up the sides of the foot and over the toes where it is joined with a puckered seam to a U-shaped piece lying on top of the foot; a regular shoe having a seam on the forepart of the vamp imitating the seam of a moccasin.
    Mocha A dark chocolate-brown colour.
    Mocha leather Fine, soft sheepskin leather from Africa and the Middle East.
    Mock
  • Imitation.
  • To be opposed. Two ends that lift opposite to each other are described as mocking, e.g. in plain weave, adjacent ends mock in plain order. 
    • Mock cake A package of yarn produced by winding onto a collapsible mandrel or former, which is subsequently removed.
    Mock-chenille yarn A type of fancy yarn. A doubled corkscrew yarn. It is made by doubling together two or more unbalanced corkscrew yarns in the reverse direction with sufficient twist to form a balanced structure.    
    Mock crêpes A group of fabrics in which the crêpe effect has been obtained through other methods than the use of crêpe twist yarns; these include design, weave or finish. Alternate warp ends of different twists will also produce a crêpe effect and are used sometimes in cotton and rayon fabrics.
    Mock dyeing Process of heat stabilisation of yarns. Yarns are package dyed (water, pressure, temperature) but without any dyes or chemicals in the bath.
    Mock fashioning An imitation of the fashion marks of fully-fashioned hosiery made on circular knitted hose; consists of tuck-like stitches made in the calf of the stockings.
    Mock-flat-felled seam See Double welt seam
    Mock french seam A complex seam formed on the inside of the object with raw edges enclosed and no stitching rows visible on the face side; similar in appearance to the French seam but constructed differently.
    A mock French seam is made by (1) placing two pieces of fabric with face sides together, (2) stitching on the 15 mm seamline, (3) trimming both seam allowances to 12 mm, (4) clipping or notching as appropriate, 3 mm on any curved edges in order to lie flat upon completion, (5) pressing open the seam, (6) then pressing under 6 mm of each of the seam allowances toward each other, matching, the folded edges, and (7) stitching together the two seam allowances 15 mm from the folded edges.
    Compare French seam. 
    Mock gauze See Perforated weave.
    Mock grandrelle A single yarn with a grandrelle effect, spun from rovings of different colours. 
    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.
    Mock leno A weave in which the warp yarns remain parallel but form open warp stripes by programmed interlacing of warp and weft yarns simulating a leno appearance.
    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.
    Mock linking A use of random linking where linking is normally used, such as collar attachment, the intention being to make the seam appear to have been linked while gaining a faster speed along with a certain amount of de-skilling.
    Mock romaine Imitation except in that the combination twist yarns occur only in the warp, with the weft consisting of a single ply viscose twist yarn.
    See also Romaine. 
    Mock-safety stitch A type of overedge stitch, which has an appearance similar to that of a safety stitch on the top surface of the material but has a common looper thread joining the two rows of stitching, which can be seen underneath the fabric.
    Mock seam Hose, knitted in tubular form, but seamed up the back to imitate seam in fully-fashioned stocking. Mock fashion marks are often put on the back to make the imitation look better.
    Mock space weaving machine A multi-tier weaving machine for narrow fabrics. In this, all pieces being woven in any one row are so spaced as to lie immediately above or below the landings of those in a vertically adjacent row.
    Mock-twist yarn An imitation ply spiral yarn, it is a fancy single yarn produced by feeding two different coloured rovings into the spinning frame. The resultant single yarn resembles a two-ply yarn made of two different coloured single yarns and gives a mottled effect. Similar to double-and-twist yarn, but the colours are not as sharply or regularly outlined.
    Mock voile A plain weave cotton fabric, woven from hard-twisted single yarns (instead of two-fold), and woven with one thread per dent.   
    Modacrylic A manufactured fibre in which the fibre-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of less than 85 percent but at least 35 percent by weight of acrylonitrile units. Registered trademarks include Elura, SEF (Monsanto); Verel
    East-man).
    Modacrylic Type: Man made, polymer
    FTC definition: A manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of less than 85% but at least 35% by weight of acrylonitrile units. (-CH2CH [CN] -) x
    Abrasion resistance: Good
    Absorbency: Low absorbency, quick drying
    Appearance/ Hand: Soft, resilient
    Biological resistance: Resistant to moths and mildew
    Care: Usually may be washed or dry-cleaned. Shrinks and melts under hot iron
    Drape: Good
    Dyeability: Good, easy to dye
    Flammability: Naturally flame retardant
    Pilling resistance: fair
    Shrinkage: Low shrinkage, good shape retention
    Static resistance: Subject to static buildup
    Strength: Fair to good, does not lose strength when wet
    Uses: Apparel: Deep-pile coats, trims and linings, simulated fur, children's sleepwear, Fleece, knit-pile fabric backings, non-wovens. Home Furnishings: Awnings, blankets, carpets, flame-resistant draperies and curtains, scatter rugs. Other: Stuffed toys.
    Modacrylic fibre A manufactured fibre similar to acrylic in characteristics and end-uses. Modacrylics have a higher resistance to chemicals and combustion than acrylic, but also have a lower safe ironing temperature and a higher specific gravity than acrylic.
    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.
    Modacrylic fibre A manufactured fibre in which the fibre-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of less than 85% but at least 35% by weight of acrylonitrile units, except fibres qualifying under Anidex and Rubber, 2.
    These are ‘modified’ acrylic fibres. Fibres are very similar, in general characteristics, to acrylic fibres, in that they have a warm handle and bulk well. Its outstanding property is flame resistance and in this respect it is superior to ordinary acrylic fibres. Used for fur fabrics, warm textured nightwear fabrics, particularly for children where safety from fire risk is absolutely essential. Washing properties are similar to those for acrylic fibres, but with particular attention to heat, as this is even more sensitive than acrylic fibres.
    Modal Fibre Generic name for regenerated cellulose fibres obtained by processes giving a high tenacity and a high wet modulus; the term ‘polynosic’ being used for those with the highest wet modulus. In handle and appearance the fibre is somewhat similar to a good quality mercerised cotton. 
    See Polynosic.
    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 22.0 cm per tex. Under this force, the elongation in the wet state should not be greater than 15%.
    Mode See Fashion.
    Model The original garment made up from a design. The original sample.
    Modeste French word for the outer layer of a skirt. The underlayer was called secrète.
    Modified acetate fibres Stretching the fibres followed by a treatment with an alkali. 
    Modified cellulose fibre Cotton fibres that have not been treated with caustic soda to change their chemical and physical properties so that the fibres, which have been modified in this way will have increased strength, better affinity for dye, and increased lustre.
    Modified continuous filament yarn This broad general classification refers principally to man-made fibre yarns, such as stretch yarns, textured yarns, bulk yarns.
    Modified rayon Rayon filaments or fibres, composed of principally of regenerated cellulose, into which are incorporated other non-regenerated cellulose fibre-forming materials such as casein or other proteins. This effect changes in the dyeing qualities of the rayon filaments or fibres.
    Modified staple fibre Rayon staple that has been treated to give it wool-like characteristics. A more desirable term is animalised viscose rayon fibres.
    Modified viscose fibre
    Synonym: Animalised viscose fibre     		Viscose staple that has been treated to give it the wool-like characteristics. 
    See Animalising.
    Modified yarns See Textured yarn, Loafted
    Modified worsted system
    Synonym: Parallel worsted system    		 A worsted system for spinning man-made fibres which relies on pin control of fibres during sliver weight reduction, but which bypasses the system of combing required with wool to remove noil.
    Modulus
  • Initial linear relationships between stress and strain as observed from the stress-strain curve of a fibre. Relates to fibre stiffness, hence drapability and hand of fabrics.
  • Measure of elasticity or stretch in textile fabrics. In swimwear and foundation garments, stretch and recovery are very important properties.
    • Modulus The measure of elasticity or stretch in fabrics. Important in swimsuit and girdle field where stretch and recovery are basic attributes.
    Mogador The name was of the silk fabric used for men’s cravats, but it is now used for an acetate fabric resembling faille. It is still mainly used for men’s ties.
    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.
    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  A fabric having a wavy watered appearance.  Fairly stiff with body in most cases.  It is produced by passing the fabric between engraved cylinders, which press the design into the material, causing the crushed and uncrushed parts to reflect the light differently.  The pattern is not permanent, except on acetate rayon.
    Moire Fibre: Silk, rayon, cotton.
    Weave: Plain or crosswise rib.
    Characteristics: Has a watermarked finish. Fairly stiff with body in most cases. It is produced by passing the fabric between engraved cylinders, which press the design into the material, causing the crushed and uncrushed parts to reflect the light differently. The pattern is not permanent, except on acetate rayon.
    Uses: After 5 wear, formals, dresses and coats, draperies, bedspreads.
    Moiré A finish given to fabric created by passing the fabric between engraved cylinders, which press the design into the material. The result causes the crushed and uncrushed parts to reflect light differently.
    Moiré base cloth A faille cloth with a finish made with engraved rollers, which create crushed and uncrushed areas, called "Water-Marked."
    Moiré fabric
    Synonym: Watered fabric, Watermark 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. The finish is not necessarily permanent.
    Moiré A rippled effect created by applying heat and heavy pressure by means of rollers on a ribbed or corded fabric.
    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.
    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.
    Moiré fabrics Fabrics, especially rib fabrics that have a wavy or watered effect created during passage through calender. A moiré finish is characterised by a soft lustre and an optical effect, which is created by interference between light rays reflected from the crushed and uncrushed parts of the fabric. Two layers of identical fabric are placed face to face and then subjected to heat and pressure whereby a pattern of parallel lines formed by the weft yarns of each fabric is impressed upon the weft yarns of the opposing fabric.
    Moiré fault An undesirable shaded effect produced when the weave pattern of one fabric is accidentally impressed on to the face of another fabric, usually under heat and pressure during processing, e.g. beam dyeing, etc.
    Moiré A corded fabric usually made from silk or one of the manufactured fibres, which has a distinctive watermarked wavy pattern on the face of the fabric.
    Moiré finish A watered or rippled appearance on the surface of a fabric. The effect is obtained by passing two layers of a rib or cord fabric between heavy heated rollers or by passing the fabric between suitably engraved calender rollers. Originally developed for silk fabrics, good results can be obtained on cotton and man-made fibre fabrics. There are many styles of moiré finish.
    Moiré taffeta Taffeta weave fabric made from silk or synthetic fibres and then embossed with a moiré pattern. The embossing may or may not be permanent depending on the fibre and the processing.
    See Taffeta, Moiré fabric
    Moire taffeta Taffeta with moire or watermark design. See Taffeta
    Moire taffeta Rayon or silk taffeta fabric with moiré pattern. In acetate, moire can be fused so it is permanent.
    Moirette A plain woven cotton fabric, with a predominance of warp or weft, creating lines across or down the fabric respectively with a moiré finish. Polished cotton is used.
    Moiré, Watermarked A finish given cotton, silk, acetate, rayon, nylon, etc. where bright-and-dim effects are observed. This popular finish is achieved by passing the fabric between engraved rollers which press the particular motif into the goods causing the crushed and the uncrushed parts to reflect light differently.
    Moist curing Curing treatment for longer times at low temperatures and higher regain.
    See also Curing, Flash curing
    Moisture Water absorbed, adsorbed or resorbed by a material.
    See also Water
    Moisture as-is A deprecated term.
    See the preferred term Moisture content
    Moisture as received Deprecated term.
    See Moisture content
    Moisture content The ratio of the moisture in a material to the total moist mass. The ratio is usually expressed as a percentage and is calculated as follows:
    See Table: ‘Physical characteristics of man-made and natural fibres’.
    Moisture content That percent by weight of moisture found in a textile product when it is dried to constant weight in an oven heated to 230° F.
    Moisture content, Percentage The weight of moisture in a material expressed as a percentage of the total weight.
    Moisture content, Percentage The weight of moisture in a material expressed as a percentage of the total weight.
    Moisture content The percent by weight of moisture found in a fabric after it is dried to constant weight in an oven at 230º F.
    Moisture equilibrium The condition reached by a material when it no longer takes up moisture from, or gives up moisture to, the surrounding atmosphere.
    Compare Moisture-free
    Moisture-free
    Synonym: Zero moisture     		A descriptive term for:
  • a material that has been exposed to a flow of desiccated air at a specified temperature until there is no further significant change in mass, or
  • a material that has been treated by a distillation process using a suitable solvent.
    Compare Moisture equilibrium  
    • Moisture management (In textiles & garments) The process by which moisture is moved away from the skin and dispersed through a fabric to its outer surface. From here, moisture can evaporate, leaving both the skin and garment dry.
    Moisture pick-up The mass of absorbed and adsorbed water that is held by material, compared to the mass of the dried material.
    Compare Moisture content, Moisture regain
    Moisture regain The amount of water a completely dry fibre will absorb from the air at a standard condition of 70°F and a relative humidity of 65%. Expressed as a % of the dry fibre weight.
    Moisture regain The percent by weight of moisture gained by an oven dried textile product in a standard atmosphere of 65% relative humidity at 70 F.
    Moisture regain
    Synonym: Regain     		The amount of water resorbed by a dried material at specified equilibrium conditions of temperature and humidity, compared to the mass of the dried material. The ratio of the mass of moisture in a material to the oven-dry mass. The ratio is usually expressed as a percentage and is calculated as follows:
      Also see Commercial moisture regain and Standard moisture regain.
    Compare Moisture pick-up
    Fibre % of regain*
    Cotton, raw 8.5
    Cotton, mercerised 8.5 - 10.3
    Flax 12.0
    Hemp 12.0
    Jute 13.7
    Ramie 6.0
    Silk 11.0
    Wool 13.6 - 16.0
    Acetate 6.5
    Triacetate 3.2 - 3.5
    Acrylic 1.5 - 2.5
    Glass 0.0
    Modacrylic 0.4 - 4.0
    Nylon 3.5 - 5.0
    Olefin 0.0 - 0.1
    Polyester 0.4
    Rayon 10.7 - 16.0
    Saran 0.0 - 0.1
    Spandex 0.3 - 1.2
    *Percentage of regain at standard conditions of 20° C (70° F) and 65 % relative humidity.
    Moisture regain The percentage of moisture in a textile material brought into equilibrium with a standard atmosphere after partial drying, calculated as a percentage of the moisture-free weight.
    Moisture regain A physical property of thread. All fibres exposed to the atmosphere, pick up some moisture. Moisture regain is expressed as a percentage of the ‘oven-dry weight’, which is a constant weight obtained by drying at a temperature of 105-110ºC.
    Moisture regain in the standard atmosphere The mass of water in any form, which a material contains when, after preconditioning, it comes into equilibrium with the standard atmosphere, determined using prescribed methods and expressed as a percentage of the dried material.
    Moisture transport The movement of water from one side of a fabric to the other, caused by capillary action, wicking, chemical or electrostatic action.
    Moisture Vapour Transmission (MVT) The passage of water vapour, usually perspiration, through a fabric or membrane.
    Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate (MVTR) The speed at which a given volume of water vapour passes through a fabric.
    Moisture, Wet-basis Deprecated term. See the more acceptable Moisture content
    Moity wool Wool containing vegetable matters like straw, hay, twigs, etc., picked up by sheep while grazing. 
    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.
    Mold and mildew-resistant-finished fabrics Cellulosic fabrics that have reduced growth rates of mildew and molds (increased resistance to destruction by these microorganisms) due to the presence of chemicals.
    Molded fabric A fabric made of thermoplastic fibres that have heat and pressure applied to it to change the molecular structure of the fibres and to stabilise the shape. This process of molding may be used on flat fabrics as well as on pile surfaces. Molded fabrics retain their shape permanently; heat, washing, wear and moisture have no effect. Used for slipcovers, upholstery, transportation cloth, swimwear, brassieres, shoes and gloves.
    Molecular orientation The preferred direction of linear molecules in the structure of fibres. In man-made fibres the orientation is usually parallel to the fibre axis as a result of extrusion, stretching, or drawing. In natural fibres the predominant direction is determined during growth, e.g. a helix around the fibre axis in cotton.
    Unoriented structures are those in which orientation is absent. Disoriented structures are those in which orientation has been reduced or eliminated as a result of a disrupting treatment.
    Molecule The smallest particle of an element or compound capable of a stable, independent existence.
    Moleskin A strong, heavy, woven fabric with a short, smooth nap produced by brushing and shearing the surface. Usually of cotton.
    Moleskin A heavy durable cotton fabric with a short thick velvety nap on one side.  A garment of moleskin, namely a durable cotton with a velvety nap on one side [Usually used in plural]
    Moleskin Strong, fine cotton fabric lightly napped and sheared on the wrong side. Once only a cloth for protective clothing, particularly dungarees and trousers, because of its durability and additional warmth on the inside, but other fibres such as worsted may be used to produce good quality cloth for men’s suits, and it is also made as a lining fabric. The term now refers to any cloth with a short mole-like nap.
    Moleskin 1. Heavy sateen weave fabric made on a 5-end or an 8-end satin construction with the use of heavy, soft-spun filling in order to provide for a good napped surface effect. Supposed to simulate the fur of a mole. Carded cotton yarn is used and the fabric is napped and sheared to provide what is actually a suede-effect.
    2. A type of cotton goods "fleece-lined" and having a soft, thick nap. Used as underwear in cold climates and in lining for the so-called sheep-skin-lined coats.
    Moleskin A strong, heavy, woven fabric with a short, smooth nap produced by brushing and shearing the surface. Usually of cotton.
    Molleton A heavy reversible fabric with napping on both sides; originally made in wool.
    Molten-metal dyeing 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.   
    Momie cloth See Mummy cloth
    Momme A Japanese unit of weight equivalent to 3.75 grams (approximately), used to describe weight of silk fabrics; the higher the momme, the heavier the fabric.
    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.
    Monagum A modified starch gum used to mix with household bleach. It is used as a thickener for discharge colour printing with bleach.
    Monkey fur A longhair fur used in small amounts, mainly as trimming. It can be cut and made into fur fringe.
    Monk's cloth A coarse heavy fabric in 4 X 4 basket weave made originally of worsted and used for monk's habits, but now chiefly of cotton or linen and used for draperies. Quite heavy, due to construction. It is difficult to sew or manipulate as the yarns have a tendency to slide, stretch and fray. May sag in time depending on the compactness of the weave. It can also be made in other basket weaves. Quite rough in texture.
    Monk's cloth A heavy, coarse, loosely woven fabric made in a basket weave. Used for drapery, upholstery and other home furnishings.
    Monk's cloth Fibre: Wool, cotton, linen, silk, rayon, or synthetics.
    Weave: 4 x 4 basket weave.
    Characteristics: Quite heavy, due to construction. It is difficult to sew or manipulate as the yarns have a tendency to slide, stretch and fray. May sag in time depending on the compactness of the weave. It can also be made in other basket weaves. Quite rough in texture.
    Uses: Draperies, all types of upholstery and house furnishings. Also used for coats and suits for women and sports coats for men.
    Monk's cloth See Abbot cloth
    Monochromatic Art containing different values and intensities of only a single hue (colour).
    Monochrome dyeing See Meta-chrome dyeing
    Monocord A bonded continuous filament nylon or polyester thread with a small amount of twist. Monocord threads are used on furniture, shoes, and heavy-duty applications because of their strength and abrasion resistance. Fine sizes of monocord threads are used for blind stitch operations on tailored garments.
    Monofil See Monofilament
    Monofilament;
    Monofil    		 A single large filament of a manufactured fibre usually made in higher than denier 14, from fibres such as acetate, rayon, nylon, polyester, acrylic, etc.
    Monofilament A single filament thread resembling fishing line. It is extruded with a specific diameter. Monofilaments are typically used in blind stitch operations because the thread is translucent and blends in with many colours.
    Monofilament A single continuous strand of a manufactured fibre.
    Monofilament yarn A yarn composed of one filaments that run essentially the whole length of the yarn. Yarns of more than one filament are usually referred to as multifilament
    Monofilament yarn A single filament of a manufactured fibre which can function as a yarn in commercial textile operations i.e. it is strong and flexible enough to be knitted, woven, or braided, etc. Monofilament is usually spun singularly, rather than extruded as a group of filaments through a spinneret and spun into a yarn; they may be of various cross-sections, such as to suggest horsehair, straw, hair, etc. End-uses include hosiery and sewing thread.
    Monogenetic dye A dye that can produce only one colour when applied to yarn or fabric.
    Monomer A small, simple, chemical compound from which a polymer may be formed. In most cases a given polymer is produced 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 colour.
    Monotone The term used to describe, a design in one colour.
    Monotone tweed A mixture-effect tweed made from yarns in different shades of the same colour.
    Monovoltine silk The silk produced by monovoltine silkworm, which produces one generation per year
    Montagnac Fibre: -
    Weave: Twill.
    Characteristics: This luxurious textile is soft and lustrous. It is mainly created with Cashmere or Camel hair.
    Uses: Overcoating.
    Montagnac fabric A curly woollen fabric with an astrakhan-like pile, produced by cutting some of the weft floats and leaving others uncut. It is subsequently brushed to form a very warm and durable fabric.
    Montero A round hunter's cap with ear flaps
    Moquette An upholstery fabric having a velvety pile.
    Moquette A firm double woven pile fabric used mainly for upholstery. Pile may be cut, uncut or partially cut.
    Moqutte A heavy, durable, double woven pile fabric used mainly for upholstery; the piles may be cut, uncut or partially cut. The pile may be worsted, mohair or nylon, while the backing can be wool or cotton. The main advantage is that, although a pile cloth, it does not become flattened by pressure of regular usage. Very popular, hardwearing furnishing fabric, used for covering chairs, upholstery, curtains and drapes, tablecloths, etc.
    Moratronic A patterned double- knit fabric made on a Moratronic knitting machine, which specialises in producing larger patterns than a conventional Jacquard knitting machine.
    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
    Drug     		An substance, often in the form of a metallic oxide, which has affinity for the fabric and an attraction for the colouring matter and so in combining with them it forms an insoluble colour lake complex on the fabric which is retained by the substrate more firmly than the dye itself.
    Mordant A chemical substance such as tannic acid, that fixes dyes to cells, tissues, or textiles or other materials. It is commonly a metal salt.
    Mordant dye A dye that is fixed with a mordant.
    Mordant dyes A group of dyes, which are fixed on the fabric with a mordant. The dyes are applied to the fibre in conjunction with a metal salt; a mordant. The dye-metal complex possesses greater fastness than the dye alone. But, basic dyes, which are applied by means of mordant, and some direct dyes, requiring a metallic salt treatment to obtain full fastness, are conventionally excluded from the mordant group. Mordant dyes are suitable for cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, and polyester fibres, but the usage is now declining. They are suitable for cotton, linen, viscose rayon, and cuprammonium rayon fibres, but now obsolete.
    Mordanting
    Mordant Printing     		A process of impregnating textiles with a mordant, usually a salt or acid, to fasten the dyestuff, which is applied before or after mordanting. The mordant is sometimes also applied at the same time as the dyestuff.
    Mordant printing See Mordanting
    Moreen
    Morine     		A repp cloth, woven with a coarse cotton weft and a fine cotton warp, the cloth having a moiré finish.
    Moreen A strong fabric of wool, wool and cotton, or cotton with a plain glossy or moiré finish.
    Morindone A natural dyestuff of vegetable origin, obtained from various species of morinda. The orange-red crystalline dye is extracted from the root bark.
    Morine See Moreen
    Morion A high-crested helmet with no visor
    Morocco leather The term now refers to leather that has been tanned chemically; although it once referred to leather from Morocco only.
    Mortar board A fine silk or cotton canvas used as a base for embroidery.
    Mosaic canvas A fine silk or cotton canvas used as a base for embroidery.
    Moscow A heavy weight, overcoating fabric of the shaggy, napped type, used as winterwear. The fabric gives warmth and somewhat resembles heavy Shetland cloth. There are many types and grades, ranging from very cheap quality to highly expensive.
       
    Moshla A cap, worn usually by children, covering apart from the back, the back of the neck through a long, suspended flap.
    Mosquito net See Bobbin net
    Moss cord See Crêpe cord
    Moss crêpe A fabric made with a moss crêpe weave and S- and Z-twist moss crêpe yarns in warp and weft, made in acetate, cotton, wool, polyester or viscose. This fabric has a characteristic spongy handle. Various combinations of (i) moss crêpe weave with other yarn and (ii) moss crêpe yarns with other weaves are possible. All the resulting fabrics have some but not all the characteristics of true moss crêpes.
    Moss crepe Mossy crepe or sand crepe (trade mark). Has a fine moss effect created by plain weave or small Dobby. Made with a spun-rayon warp and a filament rayon filling. T he two-ply warp yarn is very coarse and bulkier than the filling. Mostly made in rayon and synthetics but some in silk.
    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.
    Moss crêpe weave A crêpe weave with a repeat in the warp and weft directions relatively large compared with that of many other crêpe weaves.
    Moss crêpe yarn A two-ply yarn made by doubling a normal-twist yarn with a high-twist yarn, all twists being in the same direction ('S' or 'Z').
    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.
    Moss finish A fibrous structure produced by heavily fulling woollen fabrics, although the weave remains distinctly visible.
    Moss green A variable colour averaging a mod yellow-green.
    Moss yarn A coarse woollen yarn with a fuzzy surface. Used for embroidery.
    Motes
  • Impurities in cotton consisting of tiny specks of cottonseed, or sometimes a whole, immature, undeveloped small cottonseed.
  • Black spots in yarn or cloth due to pres-ence of these impurities.
    • Motes (Cotton) There are two broad categories, (a) Fuzzy motes. The largest of this type of mote con-sists 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.
    Motif The theme or dominant recurring visual element in an artistic composition.
    Motley A woollen fabric of mixed colours made in England between the 14th and 17th centuries. A garment made of motley fabric, namely a woollen fabric of mixed colours made in England between the 14th and 17th centuries, especially the characteristic dress of the professional fool
    Motely See also Mixture
    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.
    Mote trash See under Trash
    Mother of Pearl logo buttons Buttons made from Mother of Pearl, with a logo inscribed on them.
    Mother hubbard A loose usually shapeless dress
    Moth-proofing The treatment of wool fabrics with repellents to make them less susceptible to cloth moths.
    Moth repellent The process of applying special chemical compounds on fabrics, garments, and also on upholstery, carpets, etc., to impart them the ability to resist attack by moths, carpet beetles and other insects.
    Moth repellent Chemical treatment of wool to make it impervious to moth attack. There are several processes used and they seem to differ in resistance to dry cleaning and laundering treatments.
    Motion mark Fabric defect. A bar, seen in woven fabric, which usually shades away to normal fabric at both its edges. It owes its appearance to a change in pick spacing, and may repeat at regular intervals throughout an appreciable length or even the whole length of the piece. It is usually caused due to some mechanical fault on the loom. Bars of this type associated with the take-up or let-off motions are also referred to as motion marks.
    Moth resistant finish Chemically imparted resistance to damage by the larvae of the clothes moth and carpet beetle. Mothproofing of garments, knitting yarns, blankets and carpets is now more generally practiced.
    Moth-resistant-finished fabrics Wool fabrics that have increased resistance to destruction by moth larvae due to the presence of mothproofing agents.
    Motif A design, repeat, pattern or figure used to give a certain effect in a fabric.
    Mottle (U.K.) See Marl
    Mottled fabric Fabric defect, may be considered major or minor. A term used to describe faulty printing, dyeing or finishing, where a colour does not apply evenly on the fabric and appear as blotched, cloudy or mottled. Most often the cause is the slippage or inaccuracy in a roller setting.
    See also Cloudy goods
    Mottle thread See Marled thread
    Mottle yarn See Marled yarn
    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.
    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.
    Moufflin A double-faced thick coating fabric, which is soft and has an open, airy surface. The yarns used are mainly wool, or wool mixed with acrylic or mohair and used for coats and capes.
    Moulding The application of heat and/ or pressure to fabric on a pre-shaped mould, to shape a garment or garment parts.
    Moulinage A French word, which means 'to throw silk'. See also Throwing
    Moulinée A French term for ply yarns made of variously coloured strands. Used for dress fabrics and suiting.
    Mountain cork A variety of asbestos.
    Mountain flesh A flexible variety of asbestos.
    Mountain leather A variety of asbestos consisting of naturally felted asbestos fibres.
    Mourning crêpe Any cloth made with a crêpe weave and dull finish used for mourning purposes.
    Mousseline The French word literally means muslin, but now it is used to describe a better quality wool or silk fabric of this nature. See also Silk mousseline, Wool mousseline, Cotton mousseline
    Mousseline General term for crisp, lightweight, semi-opaque fabrics. May be made from a variety of fibres.
    Mousseline A fine sheer fabric (as of rayon) that re-sembles muslin.
    Mousseline General term for crisp, lightweight, semi-opaque fabrics. May be made from a variety of fibres.
    Mousseline de Soie A silk muslin having a crisp finish. Sheer, open, and lightweight. It is something like chiffon but with a crisp finish produced by sizing. It does not wear well and it does not launder.
    Mousseline de Soie Literal meaning is 'muslin of silk' It is a silk organdie, plain woven, chiffon-weight fabric with slight stiffness.
    Mousseline de Soie Fibre: Silk.
    Weave: Plain.
    Characteristics: It is silk muslin. Sheer, open, and lightweight. It is something like chiffon but with a crisp finish produced by sizing. It does not wear well and it does not launder.
    Uses: Evening wear, and bridal wear. Trimmings. Also used in millinery as a backing.
    Mouse Skin See Duvetyne
    Mouth In zippers, the opening in a slider that receives the chain.
    Mouth width In zippers, the measurement between the slider flanges at the point where they bear against the shoulders of the interlocked elements or at the outermost edges of the bead if the bead extends beyond the elements.
    Mouton A short to medium length fur with dense pile; the trade name for processed, sheared sheep. Usually dyed beaver colour, or dark brown, beige, grey, and occasionally red, green and blue. It has very good wearing qualities and judged by density of pile, softness, and pliability of pelt. Used for sports, business and school wear.
    Movable retainer In zippers, a movable or sliding device performing a similar function to that of the fixed retainer, the purpose being to permit separation of the two stringers from the bottom, without the necessity of opening the zipper from the top. The device is not removable from the bottom of the zipper.
    Move number
    Synonym: Step number     		The number of picks by which the interlacing of a warp thread in a weave moves upwards relative to the warp thread on its immediate left. Move number can be used to describe weaves.
    Mozambique A lightweight, open weave gauze fabric made with combed cotton warp and mohair warp in fancy plaids, checks, openwork patterns, etc.
    Mordant dyes A mordant is a substance used in dyeing to apply or fix colouring matter to a fibre, yarn or fabric, especially a metallic compound such as an oxide, which combines with the fibre and organic dye and forms an insoluble colour compound or take in the fibre. Also known as Mordant-acid dyes or chrome dyes, they are closely related to acid dyes. Results are dull when compared with those from acid dyes. Exceptionally fast on wool and other animal fibres. Much used as well on carpeting, nylon, and silk.
    Mcd/m2 Millicandela per m2. The candela is the SI (Systéme International) unit for luminous intensity.
    Mock leno A woven structure which imitates the appearance of leno weaves, i.e. it has an open structure.
    Modacrylic Fibre: - Weave: - Characteristics: It is very resilient and soft. It retains its shape and is resistant to chemicals, flames and abrasion. Uses: -
    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.
    Modacrylic fibre A manufactured fibre in which the fibre-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of less than 84% but at least 50% by weight of acrylonitrile units. (-CH2CH[CN]-) x. Modacrylic fibres are made from resins that are copolymers (combinations) of acrylonitrile and other materials, such as vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride or vinyl bromide. Modacrylic fibres are either dry spun or wet spun. Modacrylic Fibre have characteristics of soft, resilient, easy to dye to bright shades, abrasion resistant, flame resistant, quick drying, resistant to acids and alkalies, shape retentive. It can be made to fabrics like fleece, knit-pile backing or nonwoven fabrics. It is suitable for making garment like deep-pile coats, trims and linings, simulated fur, wigs and hair pieces, children's sleepwear, career apparel. Fake furs are often made out of this fibre.
    Modal A type of cellulosic fibre having improved strength and modulus when wet.
    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 22.0 cn per tex. Under this force, the elongation in the wet state should not be greater than 15%.
    Modal fibre A trademarked brand of rayon, which absorbs less moisture. They have a great ability to retain shape and a high breaking strength.
    Modeste French word for the outer layer of a skirt. The under layer was called Secrète.
    Modulus A measure of the ability of a fibre to resist extension. Normally measured as the ratio of the stress (or load) applied on a yarn or filament to the elongation (strain) resulting from the application of that stress.
    Mohair From the Angora goat. Some has cotton warp and mohair filling (sometimes called brilliantine). Imitation mohair made from wool or a blend. Plain or twill or knitted. Angora goat is one of the oldest animals known to man. It is 2 1/2 times as strong as wool. Goats are raised in S.Africa, Western Asia, turkey, and neighbouring countries. Some are in the U.S.A. Fabric is smooth, glossy, and wiry. Has long wavy hair. Also made in a pile fabric of cut and uncut loops similar to frieze with a cotton and wool back and mohair pattern. - Similar to alpaca.
    Mohair (1) Fibre from the Angora goat (capra hircus),
    (2) Descriptive of yams spun from Mohair.
    Mohair Fibre: From the Angora goat. Some has cotton warp and mohair filling (sometimes called brilliantine). Imitation mohair made from wool or a blend. Weave: Plain or twill or knitted. Characteristics: Angora goat is one of the oldest animals known to man. It is 2 1/2 times as strong as wool. Goats are raised in South Africa, Western Asia, turkey, and neighbouring countries. Some are in the U.S.A. Fabric is smooth, glossy, and wiry. Has long wavy hair. Also made in a pile fabric of cut and uncut loops similar to frieze with a cotton and wool back and mohair pattern. Similar to alpaca. Uses: Linings, pile fabrics, suitings, upholstery fabrics, braids, dress materials, felt hats, and sweaters.
    Mohair See Angora Wool
    Mohair braid Any type of braid made from Mohair yams.
    Mohair braid Any type of braid made from, usually, gnapped mohair yarns. Typically dyed black and used on uniform caps.
    Mohair fibre Hair from the long silky wool of the Angora goat. It is often used for plush and durable upholstery fabric.
    Mohair suiting Mohair yarn can be combined with worsted yarn, or woven alone, to produce a very lightweight, shiny, attractive suiting fabric. Used for men's lightweight suits, dinner jackets, etc.
    Mohair wool fabric Thick, spongy, open fabric, in plain weave, with a very hairy texture. Its composition is usually 70% mohair and 30% wool. It is used for warm, lightweight lined coats, but is best for simple wrap-over jackets, sleeveless waistcoats, etc., which are unlined, and is excellent for shawls and stoles. It is soft and may 'seat'.
    Moleskin A thick cotton fabric, originally uncut corduroy having a very high weft sett, which is piece-dyed and given a smooth raised finish to simulate the fur of a mole.
    Monoethylene Glycol A chemical intermediate used in the manufacture of polyester.
    Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) A chemical intermediate used in the manufacture of polyester.
    Monofilament yarn A yarn consisting of a single filament
    Monarch train See Cathedral train
    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.
    Mould (Composites) A shaped former used to fabricate an article from a liquid or semi-solid under the effect of heat or pressure. Also used to describe the process of making the article in a mould.
    Mouliné ; A type of two-colour twist yarn, which gives a mottled effect in fabric.
    Mousseline A general term for very fine, semi-opaque fabrics-finer than muslins-made of silk, wool, or cotton.
    Mousy Greyish brown.
    Mozzetta A short cape with a small ornamental hood worn over the rochet by Roman Catholic prelates
    Mpa (Megapascal) The pressure produced by a force of 1 Newton applied, uniformly distributed, over an area of 1 mm2.
    MSW Municipal solid waste.
    Mullen burst The measured hydraulic bursting strength of a textile.
    Multi-filament yarn A yarn made up of more than one filament.
    Mughlai pyjama A pyjama (q. v.) of the 'Mughal' cut.
    Muff An unsupported cross-wound package in the shape of a lady's muff. Each muff has a piece of stockinette threaded through the centre and brought round each end to enclose. Yarns are conveniently dyed in this form. See also Mock cake
    Muff A warm tubular covering for the hands
    Muff Round band of fur or fur lined cloth to pro-tect the hands from the cold.
    Muff dyeing Skeins of yarns are wound on reels and steam-bulked to form packages called muffs. Muffs are dyed in a horizontal machine at around 140ºC. Dyed yarn is then unwound. See also Chromatic dyeing
    Muffler A scarf worn around the neck
    Muga See wild silk.
    Muga silk
    Synonym: Assam silk, Munga silk    		 This silk is obtained from a species of Indian moth, and is a wild silk producing a rough surfaced lightweight fabric.
    Mughlai pyjama A pyjama (q. V.) Of the 'Mughal' cut.
    Mukluk A sealskin or reindeer-skin boot worn by Eskimos; a boot often of duck with a soft leather sole and worn over several pairs of socks
    Mulberry A dark purple or purplish black.
    Mulberry silk Mulberry is a hardy perennial tree. Silk obtained from those silkworms, bombyx mori, which feed on the mulberry leaves are called mulberry silk. These are made into fine fabrics, such as georgette.
    Mule A shoe or slipper without quarter or heel strap [Compare scuff]
    Mule spinning A system of yarn spinning, using a 'mule' machine. The machine draws out and twists a length of yarn, then winds it up in the form of a cop, repeating the cycle several times a minute. This gives an extremely fine cotton yarn, but it is a slower process than ring spinning.
    Mule spinning This complex machine, which can spin as many as 1,400 years at the one time, has an intermittent motion. It draws out and twists a length of yarn, then winds it on to a cop, bobbin or tube, repeating the cycle several times each minute. Used to considerable extent for spinning wool but only to a limited extent, in this country, for cotton and then for fine counts or waste yarns. See Ring spinning
    Mule twist A cotton yarn spun on a mule spinning frame, as distinguished from cotton yarn spun on a ring spinning frame. It is usually softer or more lofty than ring spun yarn.
    Mull A fabric type of lightweight cotton voile, which was once a dress fabric but is now almost entirely confined to use as an underlining fabric, and for experimenting in draping styles, e.g. toils. Is also used for Eastern turbans.
    Mull A very fine soft spun cotton yarn is used for the warp and weft. The fabric is bleached and given a soft finish. It is used for dresses, veils, and turbans. Swiss mull has 80s to 100s warp and weft yarns sett at 100 to 120 ends and picks per inch.
    Mull A soft fine sheer fabric of cotton, silk, or rayon.
    Mull Soft, thin, plain weave fabric usually of cotton or silk.
    Mull Soft, thin, plain weave fabric usually of cotton or silk.
    Mullen bursting test A test that measures the ability of a knit fabric to resist rupture by pressure exerted by an inflated diaphragm.
    Mulmul Original term for mull, derived from the Indian and Persian term ‘malmal’. Now used for Mull or Muslin.
    Mul muslin A fine white muslin, which receives no sizing. Used for dresses.
    Multi-axial fabric A warp-knitted construction in which, substantially straight, additional threads are inserted vertically (warp), horizontally (weft) and diagonally throughout the complete width and length of the fabric.
    Multi-component fabric A fabric in which at least two layers of material are sealed together by an adhesive or other process.
    Multi-filament A type of thread made from several plies of continuous filament that have been twisted together.
    Multi-filament A term applied to manmade yarns having many fine filaments. For example, 150-denier yarn with 40 filaments would be considered a standard filament count yarn in that denier size, but 150-denier yarn, with say 90 filaments, would be considered a multifilament yarn.
    Multi-filament yarn Yarn consisting of more than one fine filament, usually 60 or more.
    See Continuous filament yarn
    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.
    Multi-level pile In pile yarn floor covering, pile in which some tuft legs are substantially longer than others.
    Multi-lobal filaments Man-made fibres and filaments are usually produced with a circular cross-section, but fibres are now available with trilobal cross-sections, octalobal cross-sections, etc. The physical and chemical characteristics are the same as the standard yarn, but the multilobal structure gives a unique highlight and sparkle effect to the fabrics produced from these yarns. Prints applied to both woven and knitted fabric have a good clarity and definition.
    Other variations in cross-sections have included the production of flat ribbon-like filaments, used as decorative yarns and artificial grass.
    Multi-lobal 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.
    Multi-purpose dye
    Union Dye     		Certain dyes for multipurpose uses and on various fibres.
    Multi-phase loom A loom in which two or more weaving cycles, phased differently, operate concurrently to insert weft in the same warp.
    Multi-piece weaving machine A narrow-fabric weaving machine equipped for the simultaneous weaving of two or more pieces.
    Multiple fabric Double, triple or even quadruple cloth bound together during weaving by interlacing the warp and weft of the individual cloths. These have broad applications, particularly industrial.
    Multiple fabric Any cloth made of two or more distinct cloths bound or stitched together in the weaving–double, triple, quadruple, etc.
    Multiple length staple fibres Man-made staple fibres that are two or more times the nominal cut fibre length.
    Compare Overlength staple fibres
    Multiple wound Filament yarn consisting of two or more filaments.
    Multi-plex yarns A generic identification for filament ply yarns composed of singles with varied kinds of texturing.
    Multi-process yarn A generic identification for filament yarns that have been subjected to at least two texturing techniques.
    See also Single process yarn
    Multi-step zigzag A machine zigzag pattern of stitching in which each zigzag is formed of a number of straight stitches rather than of a single stitch as in a standard zigzag pattern.
    Multi-thread chain stitches See Interlock stitches
    Multi-voltine silk See Polyvoltine silk
    Mummy Mummy is a common miss spelling of the word Momme.
    Mummy canvas Canvas similar to mummy cloth, but with a coarse mesh and an irregular, rather than crêpy, surface. Used for embroidery.
    See Mummy cloth
    Mummy Cloth
    Synonym: Grannie cloth, Momie cloth    		 Fabric with a crinkled surface like crêpe, but made with non-crêpe yarns and woven on a dobby loom. It can be bleached, dyed or printed. The fibres include silk warp and woollen weft or cotton with silk. The fabric lacks lustre, and has been a traditional mourning fabric, but is not much used now. The name is also used for the fine linen fabric used in ancient Egypt for wrapping mummies. 
    Munga See Wild silk
    Munga silk See Muga silk
    Munga silk See Muga 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.
    Mungo fabric
    Synonym: shoddy     		Cheap, poor quality wool fabric made from mill wastes. Because of this the fibre staple is short and it does not wear well. Colours are often poor and drab. Not used for clothes, but may be used for some types of stage costume.
    Mungo yarn Waste yarn from woollen mills, which is mixed with other yarn, such as cotton, to produce cheap cloth for specialist use such as backing fibre.
    See also Re-manufactured wool
    Mungo A type of remanufactured wool. Fibres obtained by shredding ‘hard’ rags, i.e. closely woven or thick heavily milled fabrics. See also Remanufacture wool.
    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.
    Musette A small knapsack; also, a similar bag with one shoulder strap [Called also musette bag]
    Mushroom fastener A fastener comprising two tapes, both being pile fabrics. One tape has monofilament pile ends that have been severed with the aid of heat, thus providing molten mushroom shaped pile ends and the other tape is usually from a knitted fabric with loop pile. On offering one tape to the other, a secure closure is obtained which can be opened by peeling from either end.
    See also Touch and close fastener
    Muskrat Characteristics: Mostly found in North America. The thick blue-grey, which resembles the beaver's, has fibres that are extremely fine.
    Uses: Primarily used by the fur industry.
    Muslin
    Diaper cloth     		The term used to describe a wide variety of inexpensive, soft, stiff finished, open plain weave or simple leno weave fabric made mainly in cotton or cotton blends. It includes a variety of weights from light, fine sheers to heavier sheetings. Muslin as a dress fabric is rarely used, mainly due to susceptibility to severe creasing and shrinking problems. It is also difficult to cut straight, as the weave is so open and movable. Some of these fabrics are used in the grey, whereas others meant for dress fabrics are bleached and dyed. In its unfinished form, it has a speckled effect from the trash content i.e. foreign matter such as twigs, leaves, etc. The unfinished variety is commonly used in fashion design to make trial garments for preliminary fit and also as pressing cloth, interfacing, etc. When finished, the fabric is soft and used for bed sheets, furniture coverings, etc.
    Muslin grey goods are finished in fabrics such batiste, cambric, chintz, cretonne, lawn, long cloth, mercerised goods, plain muslin, nainsook, organdy, percaline, schreinered finish, etc. The plain fabric may be ornamented with cords, crammed stripes, spots and other designs in extra warp or weft.
    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.m2). Some of these fabrics are used in the grey state (butter muslin and cheese cloth), whereas others (dress muslins) are bleached and dyed.
    Muslin A plain-woven sheer to coarse cotton fabric.
    Muslin A sheer to coarse plain woven cotton fabric. Muslin comes in "natural" colour or is dyed.
    Muslinette 1. A coarse muslin, usually sized.
    2. In England, a trade term for a heavy muslin fabric used for dresses, sometimes striped and satin finished.
    Muslin sheet A term used to describe, bed sheeting, a plain weave fabric with not fewer than 180 yarns/in2.   
    Musquash Fur from the coat of the muskrat. Long, downy, grey fur with darker brown, but is often dyed to various colours, including pale honey.
    Mussiness A fabric defect, which manifests as surface distortion, characterized by undesirable unevenness due to many minor deformations.
    Mustard A dark to moderate yellow.
    Mutka A coarse, silk fabric made in Punjab, India. Generally green. Used mainly for loincloths
    Mutton cloth  A plain-knitted fabric of loose texture, usually cotton, made on a multi-feeder circular-knitting machine.
    Mylar
    A polyester film used to cover a metallic yarn.
    Mysore silk A fine, soft Indian silk dress material; very popular. Usually made in plain, dyed or prints, generally with floral designs.
     
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