Here is a list of definitions for terms that I have used in my web site. Simply click on the term to go back to the place where it appears in the text.

• Calendering--The process whereby the fabric is passed between two rollers which apply a large amount of pressure to the fabric. The result is similar to ironing--the fabric comes out smooth.
• Cooling Wheel--A large device that holds the polyester as it comes out of the vacuum. The fabric is then exposed to air and allowed to cool down and harden.
• Crimping--The process that bends, waves, twists, or curls the fiber along ists length to give them more dimension.
• Delusterant--A chemical that is added to a viscose fiber solution that takes away the shine or gloss from the fiber.
• Denier--One of the standard units of measurement for fibers; particularly used for man-made fibers. It is the weight in grams of 9000 meters of any linear material.
• Draping--How a fabric hangs on a form. If a fabric has good draping qualities, it will hang down and conform to the shape of the form that it is on. Conversely, a fabric without much drape will stand away from the form and appear rigid.
• Drawing Out--The process of pulling a fiber out in order to decrease the diameter.
• Durability--The ability of a textile to retain its physical integrity under conditions of mechanical stress for a reasonable period of time. (Fiber Science by Kathryn L. Hatch.)
• Elasticity--The ability of a textile to return to its orginal dimensions after being stressed or elongated. (Fiber Science by Kathryn L. Hatch.)
• Embossing--The process of creating a raised design or motif on a fabric by passing it between two engraved rollers with high pressure.
• Ester--Any of a class of organic compounds corresponding to the inorganic salts formed from an acid by the replacement of hydrogen by an alkyl radical. (Webster's II: New Riverside University Dictionary)
• Fiber--A small, elongated structure with a very small diameter.
• Filament--A fine or thinly spun thread or fiber.
• Finishing Process--The steps and processes that take the woven or knitted fabric from the raw or griege stage into the final stage where it is ready to be sold to consumers. Examples of finishing processes are dyes, chemical finishes, prints, bleaching, calendering, tentering, singeing, and scouring, to name a few.
• Hand--The way that a fabric feels to the touch. A good hand means that the fabric is pleasing to touch and often means that it is soft and supple.
• Hydrophobic--Water repellent or resistant.
• Microfiber--A fiber with an extremely small diameter. In the case of polyester, .9 denier polyester is considered to be a microfiber.
• Monomer--A single molecule that can be bound to others to form polymers.
• Pilling--Bunches or balls of fiber that are held to the surface of the fabric by one or more fibers; considered to be a negative quality of fabrics.
• Polymerization--The bonding together of monomers to form polymers.
• Resin Finish--After the fabric is made, a coat of resin is applied to the surface of the fabric. Later, when the fabric is pressed, it will permanently retain the shape that it was pressed into.
• Singeing--The process of removing protruding fibers from a fabric by quickly passing them over a flame or by clipping them. The result is a smooth fabric surface, and a reduced tendancy to pill.
• Spinneret--A device with several small holes through which viscose fiber solutions pass to become shaped into fibers.
• Spinning--The process of creating a fiber by passing it through a spinneret
• Staples--Short fibers ranging from .75 to 18 inches long. All natural fibers except for silk are staple fibers.
• Tenacity--Stress expressed as force per linear density. Refers to the overall strength of a fiber.