Fabric

How it is used

The most basic word in the industry. Designers source, choose and test fabrics; buyers ask about fabric composition, weight and price per metre. Typical adjectives are woven, knitted, stretch, lightweight, heavyweight, sustainable and recycled.

Example sentences

1. The mill can send us three fabric options for the summer dresses by Friday.

2. This fabric creases too easily; can we try a version with some polyester in it?

3. Please confirm the fabric price per metre before we finalise the costing.

Common collocations

• fabric supplier
• fabric composition
• fabric weight
• source a fabric
• fabric swatch

Related terms

• fibreA very thin, long strand of natural or man-made material that is spun into yarn to make fabric, such as cotton, wool, polyester or viscose.
• yarnA continuous thread made by twisting fibres together, which is then woven or knitted into fabric.
• wovenMade by crossing two sets of yarns at right angles on a loom, which usually gives a firm fabric with little natural stretch, like denim or poplin.
• knitMade from yarn formed into rows of connected loops, which makes the fabric naturally stretchy, as in T-shirts, sweatshirts and jumpers.
• compositionThe fibres a fabric or garment is made of and their percentages, for example 60% cotton, 40% polyester.

More terms: Fibres & Fabrics

• cotton
• polyester
• GSM
• denim
• jersey
• elastane
• viscose
• linen
• wool
• silk