Weaves & fabric constructions

Basic weave with long, unbroken weft or warp floats producing a lustrous, smooth surface.

Very heavy plain-weave fabric from cotton, linen or polyester; historically for sails, today for workwear and tents.

Denim woven on old shuttle looms in a narrow width (~76 cm / 30 in) with a self-finished edge — visible as a coloured line (usually red) in the trouser cuff; cult status in the raw-denim scene.

Plain-weave silk fabric with irregular weft slubs — crisp, softly lustrous and full of natural texture.

Plain-weave wild silk with irregularly thick weft yarns — matte-lustrous with characteristic slub texture.

Very fine semi-transparent single jersey from filament yarn; light, fluid, often for summer tops.

Single-face plain knit; the lightest and most economical jersey, classic T-shirt fabric.

Single jersey from slub yarn with irregular thickenings; creates a lively vintage look.

Firmly woven longitudinal edge of a fabric that prevents the warp from unravelling.

Very fine corduroy with 16–21 wales per 10 cm — softer drape and more modern look than wide-wale cord.

Historically important dense blend fabric (traditionally linen warp / cotton weft) with one- or two-sided napped surface — warm, soft and durable.

Very fine, lightweight plain-weave fabric (60-100 g/m2) of long-staple cotton or linen, classic for blouses, handkerchiefs and baby wear.

Firm woven fabric with pronounced lengthwise ribs but no pile — looks like corduroy without the nap.

Fine cross-rep fabric with silk or wool warp and cotton or wool weft — slightly elastic, with visible ribs.

Very densely woven cotton fabric in plain weave — smooth, almost lustrous, the classic business shirting.

Heavy figured Jacquard fabric with supplementary weft threads — often gold or silver lamella — making the motif look embroidered.

Steep-twill whipcord with pronounced diagonal rib, traditionally used for uniforms, riding suits and durable workwear.

Woven or knitted fabric from two or more different fibre types; combines the properties of the constituent fibres.

Soft brushed cotton fabric in plain or twill weave — warm, absorbent and comfortable on the skin.

Softly napped cotton fabric in twill or plain weave — 140–200 gsm, a classic for shirts, bedding and pyjamas.

Fine, densely woven plain-weave fabric of combed cotton, classically for shirts and linings.

Heavy plain-weave fabric from thick yarns; high tear strength, robust, dimensionally stable.

Very steep, doubled twill with clear paired diagonal ribs — extremely durable, classic for riding and uniform trousers.

Plain weave with dyed warp and white weft, producing a mottled denim-like look without twill diagonal.

Light satin fabric with a highly twisted crepe weft — glossy face, matt back, soft drape.

Robust, slightly napped woollen fabric from Cheviot sheep wool with a grainy heathered look — a tweed relative for jackets and coats.

Very fine, transparent plain weave from crepe yarns; airy, softly draping, classic for eveningwear.

Densely woven cotton plain-weave fabric with a high-gloss, calendered surface — often floral-printed.

Densely woven cotton fabric (110-160 g/m2) with a high-gloss finish achieved by friction or calender pressing, often featuring floral prints.

The characteristic gloss of chintz is created by calendering with wax, resin or starch under high pressure — smooth, dirt-repellent, but sensitive to washing.

Fine, dense crepe fabric with a smooth warp and crepe weft — soft silk sheen and flowing drape.

Heavy cross-ribbed crepe with a coarser weft than warp — firm-handed, full-bodied and shape-holding.

Heavy rib fabric with clearly visible wide horizontal ribs — typical for coat, suit and interior fabrics.

Fine twill fabric from pure or blended cashmere yarn — the standard weave for premium winter coats and jackets.

Knit fabric produced as endless tubular material on circular knitting machines; standard production for jersey, interlock, pique.

Single-colour figured fabric alternating warp and weft satin to reveal motifs through lustre contrast alone.

Sturdy 3/1 cotton twill with indigo-dyed warp and white weft; the classic jean fabric.

Two parallel woven layers joined at spot points — voluminous, warm and reversible.

Heavy, dense warp-faced satin of silk or filament — lustrous, structured, classic for bridal and eveningwear.

Silk fabric with an irregular, slubby weft yarn spun from double cocoons — brightly lustrous, slightly crisp and typical for bridal and formalwear as well as premium home textiles.

Plain weave alternating coloured and white warp threads, producing a heathered tone from a distance.

Number of warp and weft threads per unit length (cm or inch); a measure of fabric fineness and density.

Basic weave with diagonal rib; one thread jumps over several opposing threads with offset binding points.

Taffeta with a warp-printed pattern producing softly blurred, watercolour-like motifs.

Plain weave with dense construction and crisp, lustrous surface; classic evening and lining fabric.

Narrow woven ribbons in taffeta or satin weave — standard for labelling, bows, edging and decorative trims.

Yarn-dyed check woven from symmetric colour stripes in warp and weft, originally clan identification.

Fine cotton or linen fabric with a monochrome print — usually pastoral scenes — named after the manufactory in Jouy-en-Josas near Paris.

Warp-knit fabric from filament yarns with smooth face; stable, stretchy, classic for sportswear and lingerie.

International term for twill weave; in trade usually for fine, smooth twill fabrics (cotton twill, polyester twill).

Heavy canvas in twill weave (280-450 g/m²) — extremely durable, a classic workwear base.

Cross-rep fabric with flat, wide horizontal ribs — softer and coarser-ribbed than grosgrain.

Knit fabric produced on flatbed knitting machines; allows shape knitting (fully-fashioned) for sweaters and cardigans.

Full linen is 100 % flax; half linen by definition contains at least 40 % linen in the weft and cotton in the warp.

Two-tone broken check with characteristic 'toothed' edges — the finer variant of classic hahnentritt.

Zigzag twill weave in which the diagonal direction reverses regularly, creating a bone-like pattern.

Two-colour check with characteristic broken corners, produced by a 2/2 twill with 4:4 colour repeat.

English term for herringbone twill, particularly in the context of British suiting and tweeds.

Relief piqué fabric with honeycomb-shaped cells — highly absorbent, airy and voluminous.

Soft-hand woven fabric brushed on one or both sides that visually resembles classic fleece but is made on a loom.

Longitudinal yarn of a woven fabric, held parallel under tension on the loom.

Yarn inserted transversely through the warp shed; combined with the warp it forms the woven fabric.

Relief-like weave construction with three-dimensional square depressions — highly absorbent and airy.

Steep twill with prominent single diagonal ribs — harder and crisper than gabardine.

Dense worsted fabric in a steep 63° twill — smooth, wind- and rain-resistant, classic for trench coats.

Light, grainy crepe fabric in plain weave, with alternating S- and Z-twist yarns — matt, sandy-hand, flowing.

Combined check pattern of fine pepita and larger stripe checks, often overlaid with a coloured overcheck.

Ribbons in rib weave with heavy weft and fine warp — recognisable by fine transverse ribs; matt, robust, resistant to curling when tied, a classic trim on hats, blazer edges and medals.

Union fabric of cotton warp and linen weft — at least 40 % linen content, classic for table and bed linen.

Double-face rib-based knit; smooth on both sides, dimensionally stable, non-rolling.

Fabric woven or knitted on a Jacquard machine where each warp thread is lifted individually, allowing complex figurative patterns.

Plain single-knit fabric with smooth face; stretchy, soft, classic T-shirt fabric.

Coarse, fulled woollen fabric with a dense, water-repellent surface — an Alpine classic for coats, jackets and traditional wear.

Light, yarn-dyed check fabric of Indian cotton with typically colourful and often asymmetric checks.

Fine, lighter canvas variant with a typical weight of around 180–260 g/m² — plain weave with a dense, robust hand but more wearable than classic duck canvas.

Heavy, tightly woven satin in silk (or silk/synthetic blend) — the go-to fabric for structured bridal gowns.

Finely structured pique knit with very small waffle grid; a dressier polo look than standard pique.

Rep fabric with a wavy, water-like pattern reflex produced by calendering two fabric layers under pressure.

Loosely woven, semi-transparent plain-weave fabric of fine cotton yarns — soft, absorbent and breathable.

Very fine, evenly parallel stripes — a classic pattern for suit and shirt fabrics.

Symmetrical double plain weave in which two or more warp and weft yarns interlace like a basket — visible squared appearance and softer drape than plain weave.

Derived plain weave with grouped warp and weft threads producing a cube- or basket-like pattern.

Small two-colour check pattern in twill weave — the finer relative of houndstooth.

Densely plain-woven, matte cotton fabric with a typical thread count of 180 – 220 per inch — cool, crisp hand for bed linen and shirts.

Fine variant of Oxford cloth using equally thin yarns in warp and weft, producing a uniformly dotted surface.

Knit fabric with waffle-like textured surface; the classic polo shirt fabric.

Light polyester plain-weave fabric; classic shell for windbreakers, sport and rain jackets.

Twill weave in polyester; light, dimensionally stable, crease-resistant; classic for blouses, uniforms and linings.

Fine, light plain-weave fabric originally from wild silk; today mostly as synthetic pongee in sport and lining segment.

Fine plain weave with pronounced weft rib created by a thicker weft yarn; classic shirting fabric.

Very soft, lightweight plain-weave fine cotton — historically used for baby wear, lingerie and bias tape.

Very fine, stiff, transparent plain-weave fabric of high-twist filament yarns — crisp and shimmering.

Rib-like woven or knitted fabric with pronounced transverse ribs; elegant drape.

Heavy plain-weave rib with pronounced widthways cords — the woven counterpart to knitted ottoman.

Heavy, densely woven Oxford fabric in twill or reinforced basketweave from polyester or polyamide filament, typically 300–600 den and coated — standard for backpacks, workwear jackets and outdoor bags.

Basket weave (2/2 plain) with dyed warp and white weft; grainy, robust shirting.

Heavy, usually deep-black silk rib fabric with a matte surface — classic for mourning dress and clerical vestments.

Smallest repeating unit of a weave, print or knit pattern.

Thick, napped woollen fabric with a nubby, bouclé-like surface - a classic coat and jacket cloth.

Plain weave with pronounced ribbing produced by heavier weft or warp threads.

Plain weave with grid-integrated reinforcement threads that prevent tears from spreading.

Plain or panama weave with reinforcing yarns woven in on a grid of about 5–8 mm — small tears cannot propagate.

Finer, more formal oxford variant with a dense diamond-look pattern and subtle sheen — suitable for business shirts.

Premium two-ply poplin with very fine thread count (100/2 and finer) — the standard for premium business shirts.

Warp-pile fabric with cut pile — classically woven as two layers simultaneously on a double loom and slit apart in the middle, so that both webs carry a dense soft pile.

Ultra-fluid viscose fabric with a jersey look — great drape, cooling, ideal for blouses, dresses and summer shirts.

Light, semi-transparent plain-weave fabric of high-twist yarns — airy and fine for blouses and curtains.