Fabric Glossary: Terms Starting with D

Damask

Damask is a jacquard-woven fabric characterized by a firm, glossy surface and intricate patterns. It is similar to brocade but typically flatter and reversible, meaning the design appears the same on both the front and back. Damask is usually monochromatic, with the pattern and background created through contrasting weaves—commonly warp satin and weft sateen. It can be made from silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers. Traditional damask patterns often feature floral motifs, fruits, animals, and other ornamental designs. (See also: Double Damask.)

Deadstock

Deadstock is unused, whole fabric stock that was never sold or used.

Denim

Denim is a durable, warp-faced twill weave fabric most commonly made from cotton but also available in other fibers, including silk. Cotton denim is sturdy and tough, while silk denim is softer and more luxurious. Denim varies in weight from lightweight and midweight (suitable for shirting) to heavyweight (ideal for jeans).

Designer

In the fashion industry, a designer is responsible for conceptualizing and planning the look of upcoming seasonal collections. This role involves creating sketches and technical plans that define the structural and aesthetic properties of the designs.

Detergent

A detergent is a cleaning agent, either soap-based or synthetic, used to emulsify or suspend insoluble substances such as dirt, oils, grease, and stains, facilitating their removal from fabrics, dishes, or other surfaces.

Devoré (Devoré)

Devore is a fabric treatment technique that creates semi-transparent patterns on velvet or satin by chemically burning away parts of the pile or mixed fibers. This produces a distinctive pattern of sheer and solid areas, often used for decorative effects.

Donegal Tweed

Donegal tweed is a woolen fabric known for its characteristic small, colorful flecks or slubs that create a heathered appearance. Originally handwoven by Irish artisans in County Donegal, Ireland, it is now predominantly machine-made.

Dotted Swiss

See Swiss Dot.

Double Damask

Double damask is similar to single damask but differs in weaving technique. It is not necessarily double the weight or fabric thickness but involves a more complex weave structure.

Double Georgette

Double georgette is a matte-finish fabric similar to georgette but denser and less sheer. It is available in various weights and can be made from silk, polyester, or synthetic fibers.

Double Knit

Double knit fabric is produced on a double-needle knitting machine, resulting in a fabric that is identical on both sides and approximately twice as thick as single knit fabrics. It is stable, firm, and resistant to wrinkling, making it suitable for heavier garments such as bottoms. Double knits can be made from cotton, rayon, polyester, synthetics, silk, or blends, often incorporating spandex for stretch. Ponte knit is a popular type of double knit.

Double Sided

Also known as double-faced fabrics, double-sided textiles have two right sides and no wrong side. Unlike double-layer or double-woven fabrics, double-sided fabrics are a single layer. They can be woven from silk, cotton, polyester, or synthetics.

Double Sided Charmeuse Satin

This fabric features charmeuse satin weave on both sides, resulting in two right sides and no wrong side. Also called double-faced charmeuse satin, it is available in various weights and made from silk, polyester, or synthetic fibers.

Double Sided Duchesse Satin

Also known as double-faced duchesse satin, this fabric is woven so that both sides are right sides with no wrong side. It is available in silk, polyester, and synthetic fibers.

Doup (Doupe)

Also called leno weave, doup is an open, gauze-like weave that allows light and air to pass freely. It is commonly used for onion or potato bags, firewood sacks, and mosquito netting.

Doupion (Doupioni, Douppioni)

Silk doupion fabric is characterized by slubbed or bumpy threads in the weft, resulting from two silk cocoons spinning together without separation. It is a crisp fabric with varying degrees of slubbing depending on the weave. Traditionally made from silk, polyester imitations are now common. Doupion can be woven with different colored threads, embroidered, and embellished with beads, sequins, or imitation pearls.

Down

Down is the fine, soft, fluffy underfeathers of waterfowl such as ducks and geese. It is a lightweight thermal insulator and padding material.

Drape

Drape describes how a fabric falls or hangs under its own weight, forming folds or waves. Drapability is assessed by holding the fabric along the weft to observe how the warp threads fall, as well as by examining the bias, which is often used in garment construction.

Drapery

Drapery fabrics are textiles used in home furnishings such as curtains, wall hangings, and pillows. They can be made from natural fibers like silk or manmade fibers.

Drill

Drill is a heavy twill weave fabric similar to denim, known for durability. Originally made from cotton, it is now also produced with synthetic fibers. Drill is commonly used for uniforms, casual wear, furniture upholstery, cushions, and sails.

Drop Stitch

Drop stitch is a knitting technique used to create ribbed effects, primarily in jersey and rib fabrics, for both design and structural purposes.

Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning is a fabric and garment cleaning process that uses organic solvents instead of water. Unlike water-based cleaning ("wet cleaning"), dry cleaning involves soaking items in solvents that do not wet the fabric. Different fibers require specific solvents to avoid damage. Today, many consumers prefer machine-washable fabrics for ease of care.

Duchesse

Duchesse is a heavy, stiff, luxurious satin weave fabric used for evening gowns, wedding dresses, suits, shoes, home décor, and accessories. It can be made from silk, polyester, synthetics, or blends. Duchesse is often misspelled as Duchess which refers to the wife or widow of a duke.

Duck

Duck is a heavy, plain-weave fabric often referred to as canvas. Made from cotton or synthetic fibers, duck is highly durable and used for hammocks, floor and wall coverings, equipment covers, heavy-duty bags, boat covers, workwear, and tents.

Dye Lot (Dyelot)

A dye lot is a batch record identifying fabric or yarn dyed in the same vat under consistent conditions. Variations in temperature, dyeing time, or other factors can cause shade differences between dye lots, sometimes only visible after garment construction or washing. When purchasing fabric or yarn for a project, it is important to buy from the same dye lot to ensure color consistency. Dye lot variations also apply to wallpaper, drapes, carpets, flooring, and tiles. Natural fibers like silk, linen, and cotton are especially prone to dye lot differences due to natural crop variations.

Dyeing of Textiles

Dyeing is the process of applying dyes or pigments to fibers, yarns, or fabrics. The dye molecules bond to the fibers through various methods, with bond strength depending on the dye and fiber type. Different dye classes are used for different fibers and production stages:

  • Yarn Dyeing

    Dyeing yarns before weaving to preserve fabric finish, texture, and hand. Common for silk taffeta, duchesse, shantung, and doupioni.

  • Direct Dyes

    Also called substantive dyes, these water-soluble dyes adhere to fibers by nonionic forces and are applied from hot dye baths.

  • Disperse Dyes

    Water-insoluble dyes used primarily for polyester and other synthetics.

  • Garment Dyeing

    Dyeing completed garments rather than fabric, often softening the finished product.

  • Mordant Dyes

    Substances used to fix dyes on fabrics; largely obsolete due to modern direct dyes.

  • Solution Dyeing

    Also called dope or spun dyeing, where color pigments are added to the polymer solution before fiber formation, resulting in color throughout the fiber. This method is limited to synthetic fibers.

  • Vat Dyeing

    Dyeing in large vats using water-insoluble dyes.