Fabric Glossary: Terms Starting with M
Madras
Madras is a lightweight plain-weave cotton fabric characterized by colorful woven checks, stripes, or plaid patterns. It is traditionally associated with bright, vibrant designs.
Man-made (Manmade) Fibers
Also known as synthetic fibers, man-made fibers are produced through chemical processes rather than natural sources. They include materials such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, and spandex.
Marquisette
Marquisette is a lightweight, open-mesh fabric made using a leno or doup weave, which provides excellent stability. It can be produced from various fibers including silk, cotton, rayon, nylon, wool, polyester, and blends. Marquisette is commonly used for curtains and apparel.
Matelassé (Matelasse)
Matelassé is a fabric woven on a jacquard loom that creates a quilted, padded, blistered, or puckered effect depending on the construction. It can be made from any fiber, including silk. Heavier weights are suitable for draperies and upholstery, while lightweight to midweight versions are ideal for apparel.
Material
A broad term in the textile industry that encompasses all fiber-based substances and products, including yarns, fabrics, and finished textile goods. It refers to any raw or processed fiber used in the production of textiles, whether natural, synthetic, or blended.
Matte
Matte describes a fabric surface that is dull and lacks shine or gloss.
Melange (Mélange)
Melange has two meanings in textiles:
- A type of handmade silk lace combining Chantilly lace with Spanish design influences.
- A woven fabric effect created by blending or flocking fibers of different colors, producing a heathered or mixed appearance. Melange fabrics can be woven in various weights and weaves for shirting, suiting, and coating.
Melton
Melton is a heavy, thick, plain-faced fabric with a felt-like matte finish. Typically made from wool woven in a twill weave, it undergoes double shearing during finishing to create a close-cropped surface. Melton is wind- and weather-resistant, commonly used for heavy outerwear, coats, hats, and blankets. Lighter weights are used for jacket collar linings, vests, and work shirts.
Mercerizing
Mercerizing is a finishing process applied to yarns, threads, and fabrics - mainly cotton and flax - that enhances dye uptake, imparts luster, and increases tear strength. The process involves treating the material with a cold, strong sodium hydroxide solution followed by washing. When done under tension, mercerizing significantly increases fabric sheen.
Memory Foam
Memory foam is a polyurethane-based material combined with chemicals that give it softness and “bounce-back” or viscoelastic properties. These properties affect comfort in mattresses and other products. Variations include gel memory foam, which incorporates gel particles to reduce trapped heat, speed recovery, and enhance softness. Some gel foams also include additives like activated charcoal, aloe vera, or green tea extract for odor control and aromatherapy benefits.
Merino Wool
Merino wool is considered one of the finest and softest wools, sourced from Merino sheep - a breed historically significant to Spain’s economy. The fibers have a diameter generally less than 22 microns (human hair ranges from 50 to 100 microns). Merino wool’s unique scale structure provides natural water resistance and easy care. Garments made from Merino wool offer breathability, moisture-wicking, thermoregulation, odor resistance, insulation, and wind/water resistance.
Mesh
Mesh fabrics are woven or knitted textiles with an open texture. They vary in texture from fine to coarse and can range in thickness.
Metallic Fabric
Metallic fabrics incorporate metal threads such as gold, silver, or tinsel woven throughout the design. Silk fibers are often blended with metallic threads, as silk’s natural shimmer complements the metallic effect.
Milanese Knit
Also known as Milano knit, this warp-knit fabric uses two sets of warp yarns - one moving downward to the left and the other downward to the right - creating a diamond pattern on the back and a fine ribbed texture on the surface.
Mill
A mill is a company or facility that manufactures fabrics and fabric products. Typically, mills require minimum production runs of 5,000 to 10,000 yards for a fabric style.
Microfiber
Microfiber is a synthetic fiber finer than one denier, with a diameter less than ten micrometers. It is usually made from polyester, polyamide, or blends including polypropylene. Studies show that washing microfiber products releases tiny fibers into wastewater, which can enter the environment and food chain. Research is ongoing to understand and mitigate microfiber pollution.
Microfleece
Microfleece is a lightweight, thin synthetic fabric made from polyethylene terephthalate or polyester microfiber blends. It is also known as polar fleece.
Mikado
Mikado is a type of twill weave fabric made from silk, polyester, or synthetic blends. It ranges from midweight to heavyweight and is similar to zibeline fabric. Mikado is popular for dresses, formalwear, and wedding gowns.
Millinery
Millinery is the craft or business of designing, making, and selling hats.
Mineral Fibers
Mineral fibers are fibrous materials produced by spinning or drawing molten minerals, glass, rock, stone, or slag. They are used as fillers in thermal insulation, soundproofing, filtration, hydroponic growth media, and fireproofing.
Minky (Minkee)
Minky is a synthetic knitted plush fabric known for its softness and warmth.
Modal
Modal is a type of rayon made from high-quality cellulose. It is often blended with other fibers such as cotton or spandex.
Mohair
Mohair is a soft, fine yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. Mohair fabrics have a lustrous sheen and are durable and resilient. They provide insulation in winter and moisture-wicking properties for summer comfort. Mohair is often blended with wool or alpaca to improve shape retention. Fibers from young Angora goats are used for garments, while coarser fibers from mature goats are used for carpets, rugs, and heavy outerwear. Mohair is naturally fire-resistant.
Moiré (Morié)
Moiré refers to a watermark or wavy ripple pattern pressed into fabrics such as silk, cotton, wool, or synthetics through a finishing process called calendering. It can also be created by varying warp and weft tension during weaving, known as watered silk.
Moleskin
Moleskin is a heavy cotton fabric with a sateen weave and a napped or sheared surface that creates a soft, short pile resembling suede. Originally designed to simulate mole fur, it is durable, wind-resistant, and moisture-resistant, commonly used for jackets and jeans.
Momme
Momme (pronounced “mom-ee”) is a Japanese unit of weight used for paper, cultured pearls, and silk fabric. In silk, a higher momme number indicates a heavier fabric.
- 6 to 18 momme: lightweight silk
- 19 to 35 momme: midweight silk
- 40 momme and above: heavyweight silk
One momme equals approximately 4.34 grams per square meter of silk fabric. For example, 8 momme is roughly 1 ounce. Differences of 2 to 3 momme are subtle and often difficult to distinguish by feel.
Monk’s Cloth
Monk’s cloth is a coarse 4/4 basket weave fabric usually made from cotton but sometimes from linen or synthetics. Historically made from wool or flax, it was once used for monks’ clothing. Today, it is popular for embroidery and cross-stitch projects, used to make blankets, throws, bags, purses, table runners, placemats, and clothing.
Monofilament
Monofilament is a single, large filament or strand of man-made fiber.
Mood Board
In fashion, a mood board is a visual presentation that captures the creative vision for a product or collection. It includes images, fabric samples, colors, objects, and text to convey the style, tone, aesthetic, and target market, guiding the design team’s efforts.
Motif
In fabrics and lace, a motif is a decorative design or pattern. Examples include embroidered, beaded, crocheted, or lace appliqués. In lace, motifs are often cut from larger pieces and applied to netting. In printed fabrics, motifs are distinctive repeating patterns.
Mulberry Silk
Mulberry silk is produced by the domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori, which feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves. It is the highest quality silk known for its softness, sheen, and strength.