Fabric Glossary: Terms Starting with T

Tabinet

Please see Poplin.

Tactel

A brand name for a type of nylon fiber known for its softness, durability, and moisture-wicking properties.

Taffeta

Taffeta is a tightly woven plain weave fabric made from various fibers, including silk and synthetics. It is available in lightweight, midweight, and heavyweight varieties. Characterized by a crisp, papery feel and usually a sheen on the surface, taffeta’s texture varies depending on dyeing methods: yarn-dyed taffeta (where threads are dyed before weaving) is stiff and crisp, while piece-dyed taffeta (dyed after weaving) has a softer hand with slight stiffness. Some taffetas feature a subtle ribbed effect and belong to the grosgrain family, such as faille taffeta.

Tapestry

Vintage tapestry was a handwoven ornamental fabric considered an art form, depicting subjects like hunting, military scenes, millefleur, and landscapes. These were woven on upright looms and styles varied by region and century. Modern tapestry fabrics are machine-made on jacquard looms from various fibers, including silk, and come in a range of weights suitable for upholstery.

Tartan

Tartan is a woven or printed pattern consisting of colored bars or stripes crossing at right angles, creating a distinctive cross-barred effect. It can be made from wool, silk, cotton, synthetics, and in various weights. In Scotland, tartans often have official registered names representing clans or communities. Natural woven tartans may not pattern match perfectly due to loom tension variations during weaving. The American term for tartan is plaid.

Teddy Bear Fabric

See Plush.

Teflon

A trademarked brand name for a chemical coating that provides fabrics with stain, water, and soil resistance.

Tencel

A trademarked brand name for lyocell fiber, a sustainable, biodegradable fiber made from wood pulp known for its softness and breathability.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strength is the maximum stress a woven fabric can withstand before breaking, elongating, or rupturing. It is measured in pounds per square inch and varies depending on whether the fabric is wet or dry. Testing methods include grab tests and strip tests. Warp and weft directions can differ in strength.

Tertiary Colors

Tertiary colors are formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color, resulting in hues such as yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green, and yellow-green.

Terry Cloth

Also known as terry toweling, terry cloth is woven on a dobby loom and features uncut loops on both sides, allowing high water absorption. Primarily made from cotton, it can be blended with synthetics. French terry is a knitted variant with loops on one side and a flat surface on the other, used mainly in apparel and often blended with stretch fibers.

Textile

Textile refers to any fabric, material, cloth, carpeting, or geotextile. Textiles can be woven, non-woven, knitted, needled, crocheted, felted, bonded, knotted, braided, or entangled. Some textiles are finished products, while others serve as raw materials.

Textured

Textured fabrics have a surface that is not smooth, created by fiber type, weaving, knitting, or finishing methods. Textures include furry, fuzzy, soft, cuddly, shiny, glossy, sleek, matte, dull, crisp, smooth, rough, sheer, delicate, bulky, nubby, and pebbly.

Textured - Original

Created by fiber and weave (e.g., handwoven silk, waffle georgette silk).

Textured - Supplementary

Added by attaching threads or fabrics post-weaving (e.g., embroidered or hand-painted silk).

Textured - Treated

Created by finishing processes after weaving (e.g., sueded or crinkle silk).

Thai Silk

Thai silk is a plain weave silk fabric with slight slubs in the weft, similar to shantung silk. It is woven in various weights and has a luster and crispness comparable to yarn-dyed silk shantung and taffeta.

Thread

Thread is a group of fibers twisted together, thicker than yarn, used for sewing, embroidery, and attaching embellishments like beads and sequins. Threads can be made from any fiber and finished in various ways. The thread strength should generally be less than the fabric strength to prevent seam damage under stress. Mercerized cotton thread is ideal for sewing silk, offering a sheen similar to silk. Silk thread is strong but best reserved for bead attachment. Thread density is measured by gauge; higher numbers indicate finer threads.

Thread Count

Thread count refers to the number of yarns (warp ends and filling picks) per square inch in woven fabrics. In knits, it refers to the number of wales or ribs and courses per square inch.

Ticking

Ticking is a tightly woven cotton or linen fabric, often in a duck weave, traditionally striped in blue and white. It is durable and used for mattresses, pillows, quilts, upholstery, cushions, curtains, sportswear, institutional fabrics, and work clothes. Some tickings are down-proof to prevent feathers from poking through.

Tie-dyed

Tie-dye is a dyeing technique involving folding, twisting, pleating, or crumpling fabric, then binding it with rubber bands before dyeing to create patterns.

Tint

In color theory, a tint is a pure color mixed with white, lightening the color without adding gray. Tints are paler versions of the original hue.

Tissu

French term for all textile fabrics and materials.

Tissue

Tissue fabrics are lightweight, thin woven textiles such as batiste, crepe, gauze, organza, satin organza, chiffon, or voile. Heavier tissue fabrics include damask, brocade, and jacquards with metallic threads. Tissue can also refer to elaborate figurative motifs.

Toile

Toile refers to a heavy plain or twill weave canvas fabric made from cotton or linen, often printed with French pastoral scenes featuring people, animals, trees, and flowers.

Tone

In color theory, a tone is a hue mixed with gray, reducing its intensity without changing its basic color.

Triacetate

Triacetate in textiles is a semi-synthetic fiber made from cellulose acetate, primarily derived from renewable plant-based sources like sustainably managed wood pulp. It is an improved form of acetate fiber and may be blended with other fibers.

Triacetate fabric is known for its crisp, firm texture and excellent shape retention. It resists shrinking and wrinkles, making it popular for garments that require easy care, such as drip-dry clothing, skirts, slacks, and tablecloths.

Tricot

Tricot is a warp-knit fabric known for its smooth surface and elasticity.

Tropical Cloth

Tropical cloth is any lightweight fabric with an open weave and high-twist yarns, suitable for warm climates. It can be made from wool, silk, cotton, linen, or synthetics.

Tulle

Tulle is a six-sided mesh fabric produced on a bobbinet machine and serves as the base for machine-made lace.

Tussah

Tussah is a type of wild silk produced by silkworms that feed on oak and other trees, rather than the mulberry leaves consumed by domesticated silkworms. Tussah is considered wild or raw silk and is known for its coarser texture, natural golden or tan color, and less uniform fibers compared to cultivated silk. Tussah silk fibers are shorter and thicker, which gives the fabric a more textured, rustic appearance.

Tweed

Tweed encompasses various woolen fabrics traditionally woven in Scotland and Ireland, named by region, function, or sheep breed. Tweeds have rough or soft finishes, are moisture-resistant and durable, and are popular for outerwear. Common patterns include chevron, check, houndstooth, and herringbone twills. Tweeds are also made worldwide with other fibers. Silk tweed combines silk fibers with colored flecks typical of woolen tweeds.

Twill Weave

Twill weave is one of the three fundamental weaves (along with plain and satin). It features diagonal woven lines, typically at a 45-degree angle, but variations exist. Twills drape well depending on fabric weight. Variants include left-hand twill, right-hand twill, and broken twill. Even-sided twills show the diagonal on both sides, while uneven and warp-face twills emphasize warp yarns on the surface (e.g., gabardine, denim). Right-hand twills angle up to the right and include silk and wool twills; left-hand twills angle left and are usually cotton, with exceptions.

Twist, Twisting

Twisting staple fibers together creates a strand called “singles.” This process is part of spinning.