Raymond Style Guide

Sack Dress, Also Robe À La Francaise	Mid- To Second Half Of 18th Century Dress That Was Made With A Box Pleated Back "watteau"-pleats) Falling Loosely From Just Below The Shoulder To The Floor.
Sack Gown / Robe Volante / Andrienne	A Loose Dress Flaring Out At The Bottom, The Back Attached To The Neckband With Gathers At First, Then With Pleats. It Was Worn From About 1704 To About 1730-35.
Sacking	A General Name Applied To Coarse Fabrics Used Chiefly For The Making Of Bags Or Sacks. They Are Often Made Of Jute, Hemp, Flax Or Polyolefin, And The Number Of Threads Per Centimetre May Vary From 2 To Over 12.
Sadri	A Sleeveless Jacket Worn Over A Shirt Or Kurta, Alike By Men And Women. The Name Of This Popular Garment Derives Possibly From Aura, 'the Upper Part Of The Human Breast'.
Sailcloth	Originally A Tightly Woven Cotton Or Linen Canvas Used In The Manufacture Of Ship And Yacht Sails. It Is Now More Common For These Fabrics To Be Manufactured From Nylon For Spinnakers, And Polyester Or Aramid For Foresails And Mainsails. Newer Developments Include Laminated Constructions Which Give Greater Dimensional Stability.
Salt Figure	See Hottenroth Number
Salt Sensitivity	(1) The Extent To Which The Dyeing Properties Of A Dye Are Affected By The Addition Of A Neutral Electrolyte To The Dyebath. Note: This Term Is Usually Only Applied In The Dyeing Of Cellulosic Fibres. (2) The Susceptibility Of Coloured Material To Change In Colour When Spotted With Aqueous Solutions Of Neutral Electrolytes.
Salwatishalwar	A Pajama Like Garment For The Lower Part Of The Body, Baggy And Wide At The Top, And Not So Tight Around The Legs And Ankles. Worn Mostly By Women, But Also By Men In Some Parts Of India, Especially In The Northwest.
Sanded	A Finishing Process That Brings The Fabric In Contact With Sandpaper Or Another Abrasive Material. This May Be Done To Raise Surface Fiber, Impart A Peached Or Sueded Hand Or To Create A Surface Effect.
Sandwashed	A Finishing Process In Which The Fabric Is Washed With Sand Or Another Abrasive Material To Produce A Soft, Sueded Hand And A Faded Appearance.
Sanforized	A Trademarked Finishing Process Which Compresses The Fabric To Reduce Its Residual Shrinkage To Not More Than 1 Percent.
Sansevieria	A Fibre Obtained From The Leaves Of Various Species Of Plants Of The Genus Sansevieria. Also Known As 'bow-string Hemp'.
Saran (fibre) (US)	A Term Used To Describe Manufactured Fibres In Which The Fibre-forming Substance Is Any Long-chain Synthetic Polymer Composed Of At Least 80% By Weight Of 1,1-dichloroethene (vinylidene Chloride) Units. The Iso Generic Name Is Chlorofibre
Sash	In The 60s And 70s Of The 17th Century A Broad, Loosely Knotted Sash Was Often Worn Around The Hips Over The Coat By Men. Usually Made Of Silk And The Edges Decorated With Tassled Fringes.
Sateen	A Smooth, Strong, Lustrous Satin Weave Fabric Made With Cotton Or Other Spun Yarns . In A Warp Face Satin, The Most Common, The Filling Yarns Cross Over One And Under Several Warp Yarns, Thus Mainly The Warp Yarns Are Visible On The Face. In A Filling Face Satin, The Filling Yarns Cross Under One And Over Several Warp Yarns Thus The Mainly The Filling Yarns Are Visible On The Face.
Satin	A Smooth Strong, Lustrous Satin Weave Fabric Made With Silk Or Manufactured Filament Yarns . In A Warp Face Satin, The Most Common, The Filling Yarns Cross Over One And Under Several Warp Yarns, Thus Mainly The Warp Yarns Are Visible On The Face. In A Filling Face Satin, The Filling Yarns Cross Under One And Over Several Warp Yarns Thus The Mainly The Filling Yarns Are Visible On The Face . Some Satins Have A Filament Yarn Face And Spun Yarn Back.
Satin Stripe	Stripes In A Fabric Formed By A Satin Weave, Often Alternating With Sheer Plain Weave Stripes.
Satin-back Crepe	See Crepe-back Satin.
Saturation Bonding	A Method Of Making Nonwoven Fabrics In Which A Fibre Web Or Batt Is Treated By Overall Application Of An Adhesive In Liquid Form. (see Also Adhesive-bonded Nonwoven Fabric.)
Saxony	1. A Soft, Heavy Luxurious, Napped Fabric Made From Fine Merino Wool Originally From Saxony, Germany. Used For Coats 2. A Soft Tweed Fabric Of Fine Wool. Used For Sport Coats.
Saxony	A High-quality Fabric, Made Of Wool Of 60s Quality Or Finer, Spun On The Woollen System.
Scale Margins	The External Margins Of Cuticular Scales. The Distance Between Scale Margins Is Described As Close, Near, Distant, Or A Combination Of These Such As Near To Distant.
Scale Patterns	The Pattern Formed By The Scale Margins. Most Scale Patterns Are Waved, Although Not All To The Same Extent. Patterns May Described As Regular, Irregular Or Streaked. A Regular Waved Pattern Is One In Which The Waves Are Of Almost Equal Wavelength And Equal Amplitude; An Irregular Wave Pattern Is One In Which The Waves Are Of Unequal Wavelength And Amplitude. A Streaked Wave Is One In Which The Waves Are Interrupted By Steeply Inclined Scale Margins. The Term Waved Is Frequently Used In Conjunction With Another Adjective E.g., Waved Crenate Margins. Other Scale-patterns Are:- Chevron. A Waved Pattern. In Single Chevron Either The Troughs Or Crests Are Narrow And V-shaped. In Double Chevron Both The Trough And Crests Are V-shaped. Crenate. Margins Which Are 'notched', I.e. Have Fairly Shallow Indentations But Sharp Peaks. Mosaic. A Pattern Composed Of A Number Of Units; This Type Is Divided Into Regular In Which The Units Are Approximately The Same Size And Irregular In Which The Units Of The Mosaic Are Of Different Sizes. Pectinate Comb-like Margins. This Type Is Subdivided Into Coarse Pectinate, Which The 'teeth' Are Large And Wide , And Lanceolate In Which The 'teeth' Are Long And Narrow. Petal. Patterns In Which The Scales Have The Appearance Of Over-lapping Flower Petal. This Type Is Divided Into Irregular Petal And Diamond Petal. Rippled. Margins Having Indentations, The Troughs And Peaks Being Deeper But More Rounded Than In The Crenate Type.
Scalloped	A Series Of Semicircular Curves Along The Edge Of A Fabric. Used As Decorative Edge For Skirts, Curtains.
Scenic	Refers To Print Motifs With A Landscape Theme.
Scented	Fabric That Is Purposely Impregnated With A Chemical That Gives It An Aroma Able To Withstand Multiple Washings.
Schappe Silk	Originally, Yarn Spun From Fibre Degummed By Schapping, But Nowadays The Term Increasingly Used As A Generic Alternative To Spun Silk. Note: The Change In Meaning Reflects The Greatly Decreased Use Of Fermentation Processes For Degumming,
Schappe-spun	Originally Used To Describe A Silk Yarn From Fibre Degummed By The Schapping Process, But Now Used Both In The U.K., And Elsewhere In Europe As A Term Synonymous With Silk-spun.
Schapping	A European Method Of Degumming Applied To Silk Waste, Which Removes Part Of The Gum By A Fermentation Process. Up To 10% Of Gum May Remain On The Fibre.
Schiffli Embroidery	Embroidery Done On Fabric Using A Schiffli Machine. Capable Of Intricate Designs.
Schiffli Lace	A Lace Made With A Schiffli Embroidery Machine By Embroidering The Design On A Net Ground. The Ground May Be Kept Or Later Burned Away.
Schreiner	(1) Descriptive Of A Calender With Two Or Three Bowls In Which One (the Middle One In A Three-bowl Calender) Is Of Highly Polished Steel Engraved With Very Fine Parallel Lines (grooves) Running At An Angle Of Approximately 20° To Either The Horizontal Or The Vertical. (2) (finish) Descriptive Of A Finish Obtained By Passing A Fabric Through A Schreiner Calender. The Object Of The Process Is To Enhance The Lustre Of The Fabric. (3) (bowl) The Engraved Bowl Of A Schreiner Calender. Note 1.. The Number Of Lines On The Bowl May Vary From 5-24 Per Millimetre, But Is Usually In The Range 9-14. Note 2: The Angle Of Inclination Of The Lines Is Chosen To Ensure Good Cover Of The Fabric, E.g., A Low Inclination Of 15-20° Is Recommended For Weft Sateen Fabrics. Optimum Effects Are Obtained When The Lines Slightly Cross The Direction Of The Surface Yarn Twist. Note 3: In Use, The Engraved Bowl Is Heated, Usually To 60-120°c For Finishing Cotton Fabrics.
Scotchguard	A Water Repellent And Oil Repellent Finish Trademarked By 3m Company.
Scouring	The Treatment Of Textile Materials In Aqueous Or Other Solutions In Order To Remove Natural Waxes, Proteins And Other Constituents, As Well As Dirt, Oil And Other Impurities. Note: The Treatment Varies With The Type Of Fibre. Cotton And Flax Goods Are Normally Scoured At The Boil Or Under Pressure With Sodium Hydroxide (caustic Soda) Or With Lime Followed By Sodium Carbonate (soda Ash) Or With A Mixture Of Sodium Hydroxide (caustic Soda) And Sodium Carbonate (soda Ash); Wool Goods With Aqueous Solutions Of Sodium Carbonate (soda Ash) Or Soap Or Both Temperatures Not Exceeding 50°c, Or Substantially Neutral Liquors Containing A Synthetic Detergent In The Presence Of An Inorganic Salt; Viscose Rayon With Soap And Sodium Carbonate (soda Ash) At Or Below The Boil; Cellulose Ethanoate (acetate) With Soap And Sodium Carbonate (soda Ash) Liquors Of Relatively Low Alkalinity And At Temperatures Below The Boil To Prevent Alkaline Hydrolysis Of The Ethanoate (acetate);nylon, Etc., With Soap And Sodium Carbonate (soda Ash) Or Ammonia Below The Boil, Although Special Cases Neutral Or Acidic Liquors May Be Used.
Screen Printing	A Design Reproduction Process, Developed From Stencilling, In Which Print Paste Is Forced Through Unblocked Areas Of A Mesh, In Contact With The Substrate. The Mesh May Be A Woven Fabric Or A Fine Screen, Flat Or Cylindrical (rotary Screen). Pressure Is Applied To The Paste By A Squeegee (blade Roller), Which Is Moved When The Screen Is Stationary Or Stationary When The Rotary Screen Is Rotating.
Scrim	A Lightweight Open Weave Fabric Usually Of Cotton. Used For Curtains Or As A Base For Needlework , Lamination Or Carpeting.
Scrim	A General Term, Irrespective Of Structure, For A Lightweight Basecloth Included In A Nonwoven Fabric
Scroll A Design Dominated By Fanciful Curves.
Scroop	A Rustling Noise And A Characteristic 'dry' Handle When A Material Is Compressed By Hand. Scroop Is Usually Associated With Silk But Also Produced In Certain Man-made Cellulosic Fibres, Yarns, Or Fabrics By Suitable Finishing Treatments. It Is Probably Associated With A High Coefficient Of Static Friction Relative To The Dynamic Coefficient.
Scutcher	A Machine For Continuously Opening Fabric Which Has Previously Been In Rope Form.
Scutching (cotton)	An Operation In Which Cotton Is Opened Mechanically, Cleaned And Formed Into A Continuous Lap
Scutching (flax)	The Operation Of Separating The Woody Part Of Deseeded Or Retted Flax Straw From The Fibre.
Sea Island Cotton	The Exceptionally Fine, Long-staple Types Of Cotton Grown In The West Indies
Seam Line	Is The Line Which Indicates Where The Seam Should Be Stitched - Or It Is Plainly The Stitching Line Of Any Garment.
Secondary Cellulose Acetate	An Ester Formed From Cellulose And Ethanoic Acid (acetic Acid) Used To Make Acetate Fibres. Note: Purified Cellulose Is Ethanoylated (acetylated) By Ethanoic Anhydride (acetic Anhydride) In The Presence Of A Catalyst (such As Sulphuric Acid Or Perchloric Acid) In A Solvent Such As Dichloromethane (methylene Chloride) Or Ethanoic Acid. The Reaction Proceeds Until Primary Cellulose Acetate Containing 60% Of Combined Ethanoic Acid Is Formed. Secondary Cellulose Acetate Is Formed From The Primary Acetate By Partial Hydolysis. It Is Obtained By Adding Water In Excess Of That Required To React With The Residual Ethanoic Anhydride, Which Thus Allows The Hydrolysis To Take Place.
Secrète	French Word For Under Layer Of A Skirt. Two Layers Were Always Worn, Even When The Outer Layer Modeste Was Closed In Front.
See Also Atactic Polymer, Isotactic Polymer
See Also Stretch Fabric.
Seed Cotton	Cotton Which Has Been Harvested But Not Ginned, So That The Fibre Is Still Attached To The Seed.
Seed Hair	Fibres Growing From The Surface Of Seeds Or From The Inner Surfaces Of Fruit Cases Or Pods. Such Fibre (seed Hairs) Are Formed By The Marked Elongation Of Epidermal Cells. Note. From A Botanical Aspect, Cotton Is A Seed Hair, Since It Is An Outgrowth In The Form Of Single Cells From The Epidermis Or Outer Skin Of Cotton Seeds. In This Respect, Cotton Differs From Fine Vegetable Fibres, Which Are Composed Of A Number Of Plant Cells, Usually Joined And Cemented Together To Form A Bundle And Often Occurring In The Stems (e.g., Flax) Or Leaves (e.g., Sisal) Of Plants Or Shrubs. Nevertheless, In Commerce And Industry, It Is Customary To Refer To Cotton As Vegetable Fibre. Calotropis (akund) And Asclepias (milkweed) Are Other Examples Of Hair Growing On Seeds, Whereas Eriodendron (java Kapok) Grows On The Inner Surface And The Placenta Of Seed Pods.
Seersucker	A Lightweight Fabric With Puckered Stripes Made By Weaving With Some Of The Warp Yarns Tight And Some Loose . The Loose Warp Threads Become Crinkled. Frequently Made In Yarn Dye Stripes And Plaids. Often Made Of Cotton Or A Cotton Blend But Can Be In A Variety Of Fibers . Used For Summer Clothing.
Selvedge ( USA Selvage) Widening	A Method Of Shaping A Garment Panel By Introducing Additional Needles At One Or Both Selvedges In A Sequence Designed To Increase The Width.
Semi Bleached	Fabric That Has Been Lightly Or Partially Bleached.
Semi-dull	Refers To Fabric From Manufactured Yarn That Has Been Delustered To Reduce But Not Completely Eliminate The Shine.
Semi-worsted Spun	A Term Applied To Yarn Spun From Sliver Produced By Carding And Gilling In Which The Fibres Are Substantially Parallel, The Carded Sliver Not Having Been Condensed Or Combed. Alternatively, The Yarn May Be Produced From A Roving. Note: The Above Definition Is Descriptive Of Processing Technique And Not Of The Fibre Content.
Sequestering Agent	A Chemical Capable Of Reacting With Metallic Ions So That They Become Part Of A Complex Anion. The Principle Is Used To Extract Calcium Ions From Hard Water, Iron Ii And Copper Ions From Peroxide Bleach Liquors And Various Metallic Ions From Dyebaths, By Forming A Water-soluble Complex In Which The Metal Is Held In A Non-ionizable Form
Sequins	A Small, Flat, Reflective Disk With A Hole For Attaching To The Fabric For Decorative Purposes. May Be Of Metal Plastic Or Shell.
Serge	A Smooth Faced 2x2 Twill Weave Fabric. Traditionally Of Wool But May Be Of Other Fibers. Used For Trousers, Suitings.
Serpentaux	Women's Hairstyle, With Almost Straight Hair Hanging Down, It Followed The Coiffure En Bouffons During The Reign Of Louis Xiii.
Sett; Set	(1) A Term Used To Indicate The Density Of Ends Or Picks Or Both In A Woven Fabric, Usually Expressed As The Number Of Threads Per Centimetre. The State Of The Fabric At The Time Should Be Described E.g. Loomstate Or Finished. (2) Synonym For Count Of Reed. (3) The Term May Be Used In Such Phrases As High Sett, Closely Sett Etc., Where A High End Or Pick Density Is Indicated.
Setting	The Process Of Conferring Stability Of Form Upon Fibres, Yarns, Or Fabrics, Usually By Means Of Successive Heating And Cooling In Moist Or Dry Conditions. Note: The Term Is Sometimes Used In Conjunction With A Description Of The Particular Characteristics To Be Stabilized (e.g., Twist Setting, Crimp Setting) Or Of The Setting Medium (e.g., Heat Setting, Steam Setting).
S-finish	A Finish Produced On Triethanoate (cellulose Triacetate) Textiles By Surface Saponification.
Shaft	The Finer And Proximal Portion Of A Guard Hair.
Shafty Wool	Strong, Dense And Well Grown Wool With Good Length And Spinning Characteristics
Shahtoosh	The Hair Of The Tiberian Antelope (pantholops Hogsoni), Locally Called Chiru. The UN List This Animal Under The Convention Of International Irade In Endangered Species, Appendix 1, I.e. Giving It Highest Protection. The Only Way To Collect The Wool Is To Kill The Antelope!
Shaker	A Heavy 1x1 Rib Knit.
Shantung	A Plain Weave Fabric With Slubbed Yarns Or An Uneven Ribbed Surface Texture. Originally Of Silk But Now May Be Of Cotton Or Man Made Fibers.
Shantung	A Plain-weave Silk Dress Fabric Exhibiting Random Yam Irregularities Resulting From The Use Of Yarn Spun From Wild (tussah) Silk.
Shantung-type Yarn	An Irregular Yarn Made From Fibres Other Than Natural Silk To Imitate The Yarn Used For Making Shantung.
Shaping; Weft Knitting	Descriptive Of The Process Used To Shape A Knitted Product During Knitting By Changing The Number Of Stitches Per Course, Wale, Or Unit Area In The Fabric. The Various Methods Which May Be Used Separately Or In Combination Are:
Sharara	A Kind Of Loose, Trailing Pajama (q. V.) Worn By Women.
Sharkskin	1. A Woven Fabric With The Yarns In Both Warp And Filling Alternating White And Color Giving It A Salt And Pepper Look. Used For Suitings . Usually A 2x2 Twill Weave But May Also Be Plain Weave. 2. A Crisp Fabric With A Pebbly Surface And A Dull Luster Usually Of Filament Yarn Such As Acetate Or Triacetate . Often Found In Pure White. Uses For Uniforms, Tennis Clothes.
Shear	(1) To Cut The Fleece From A Sheep. (2) To Cut A Nap Or Pile To Uniform Length Or Height (also Called Crop). (3) To Cut Loose Fibres Or Yam From The Surface Of A Fabric After Weaving (also Called Crop).
Sheared	A Finishing Process In Which The Fibers On The Surface Of The Fabric Are Mechanically Trimmed To Create An Even Nap. Often Follows Brushing Of The Fabric. Done On Fleeces, Moleskins, Pile Fabrics, Wools.
Sheer	A Thin, Fine , Semi Transparent Fabric.
Sheeting	A Plain Weave Fabric With Even Or Close To Even Thread Counts In Warp And Weft . Often Of Cotton. Carded Yarn Versions Are Used For Inexpensive Apparel, Furniture Covers And As A Base For Laminates. Finer Yarns And Higher Counts May Be Used For Bed Sheets.
Sherpa/berber	A Heavy Fabric With Clumped Pile Resembling The Fleece Of A Sheep. Used For Outerwear Trim And Lining.
Sherwani	A Coat Like Garment, Worn By Men Close To The Body, Of Knee-length, And Opening In Front With Button-fastenings. Related To The Achkan (q.v.); Especially Popular At The Hyderabad Court And In Aligarh.
Shetland	A Soft Shaggy Wool Tweed Fabric . Originally Referred To Only Wool From The Shetland Islands In Scotland But Now Refers To Any Wool Fabric With Similar Characteristics . May Be Woven Or Knit . Used For Overcoats, Sportcoats, Sweaters.
Shield	The Wider And Flattened Portion Of A Guard Hair. In Many Guard Hairs The Fine Shaft Widens Out Into A Flattened Shield, The Proportion Of Shaft To Shield Varying In Different Types Of Fibres.
Shiny	Refers To Fabric Having A Surface With A High Reflectance Of Light.
Shives (flax)	Short Pieces Of Woody Waste Beaten From Straw During Scutching.
Shivey Wool	Wool That Contains Small Particles Of Vegetable Matter Other Than Burrs
Shoddy	(1) Fibrous Material Made In The Woollen Trade By Pulling Down New Or Old Knitted Or Loosely Woven Fabric In Rag Form. (see Also Mungo And Note The Distinction.) (2) Droppings From Woollen Cards Consisting Of Very Short Fibres That May Be Heavily Charged With Oil And Dirt.
Shrinkage	The Reduction In Length (or Width) Of A Fibre, Yam, Or Fabric. It May Be Induced By, E.g., Wetting, Steaming, Alkali Treatment, Wet Processing As In Laundering, Or Dry Heat.
Shrink-resistant Finish	A Treatment Applied To A Textile Material To Make It Shrink-resistant
Shrink-resistant; Shrink-resisting; Shrink-resist	Descriptive Of Textile Materials That Exhibit Dimensional Stability Conforming To Specified Standards Based On Tests Designed To Simulate Normal Conditions Of Usage. Note: This Property May Be An Inherent Property Of The Textile Material Or May Be Conferred By Physical Or Chemical Processes Or Both.
Shuttle (lace Machines)	(1) (schiffli Embroidery Machine) A Boat-shaped Yam-package Holder Travelling In A Slide In Such A Manner That It Passes Through The Loop Formed In The Needle Thread Thus Forming The Back Thread Of The Lock Stitch. (2) (lace Furnishing Machine) A Term Used In Scotland For The Carriage
Siddo Rags	Rags Consisting Of Interlinings From Garments. The Best Types Are Produced From Fabrics Made From Yams Of Hair, Or Blends Of Hair With Wool, Made On The Worsted System.
Sidha Paijama	Pajama (q.v.) With A Straight Cut.
Sighting Colour	See Fugitive Tint
Silhouette	Dark-shaded Profile Portrait Outline Of Any Garment.
Silk	The Fibroin Fibre Forming The Cocoons Produced By Silkworms.
Silk Noil	A Fabric Produced From Silk Waste Fibers That Are Too Short For Producing Spun Silk.
Silk Noils	Fibres Extracted During Silk Dressing Or Combing That Are Too Short For Producing Spun Silk. These Fibres Are Usually Spun On The Condenser System To Produce What Are Known As 'silk-noil Yams'.
Silk Waste	The Fibres Remaining After Drawing Off, Reeling, Or Throwing Nett Silk, And Fibres Obtained From Damaged Or Unreelable Cocoons.
Silk, Wild	See Wild Silk
Silk-like	Refers To Fabric Having A Hand That Suggests The Feel Of Silk.
Silk-spun	A Term Applied To Staple Yam Produced By Dressing Or Combing And Spinning On Machinery Originally Designed For Processing Waste Silk Into Yam (see Spun Silk). Note: Whenever The Term Silk-spun Is Used, It Is Qualified By The Name Of The Fibre And Fibres From Which The Material Is Made
Silver Coated	A Fabric With A Silver Colored Coating . Used In Outerwear.
Singe	To Remove, By Burning Against A Hot Plate, In A Flame, Or By Infra-red Radiation, Unwanted Surface Hairs Or Filaments. The Operation Is Usually Performed As A Preliminary To Bleaching And Finishing.
Single Yarn	A Thread Produced By One Unit Of A Spinning Machine Of A Silk Reel.
Sinkage	(1) Loss Of Weight In Wool Cleansing, Usually Expressed As A Percentage. (2) Unaccounted Or 'invisible' Loss Of Weight In Processing, Usually Expressed As A Percentage.
Sisal	A Pale Cream Fibre Obtained From The Leaf Of The Sisal Plant (agave Sisalana Perrine).the Fibre From Other Agave Plants, And Particularly From Henequen (agave Fourcroydes Lemaire) Resembles Sisal Very Closely And Indeed Is Sometimes Also Termed 'sisal'.
Size	A Gelatinous Film-forming Substance, In Solution Or Dispersion, Applied Normally To Warps Sometimes To Wefts, Generally Before Weaving. Note 1: The Main Types Are Carbohydrates And Their Derivatives, Gelatin, And Animal Glues, Although Other Substances, Such As Linseed Oil, Poly(acrylic Acid), And Poly(vinyl Alcohol) Are Also Used Note 2: The Objects Of Sizing Prior To Weaving Are To Protect The Yarns From Abrasion In Healds And Reed And Against Each Other; To Strengthen Them; And By The Addition Of Oils And Fats, To Lubricate Them.
Skein	See Hank
Skein Sizing	See Hank Sizing
Skin Wool	Wool Removed From The Skins Of Slaughtered Sheep . Note: There Are Three Methods Of Removal. (a) Lime-steeping, (b) Sweating (by Bacterial Action), And (c) Painting With, For Example, Sodium Sulphide.
Skirting (wool)	(1) The Removal Of Wool Different From The Main Bulk From The Edges Of A Fleece. See Also Wool Classing (2 ) A Wool Sorting Term For Stained Parts Of The Fleece Such As The Legs And The Whole Edge Of The Fleece.
Slashings	Small Openings Made In A Garment, Showing The Lining. Slashings (crevés, Chiquetades) Were Made In Garments, Shoes And Gloves.
Slay	Also Sley . That Oscillating Part Of A Weaving Machine, Positioned Between The Healds And The Fell Of The Cloth, Which Carries The Reed.
Slinky	A Market Term For A Shiny, Drapey Knit Fabric Of Synthetic Fiber With Fine Ribs.
Slipe	Lime-steeped Wools
Sliver	An Assembly Fibres In Continuous Form Without Twist.
Slope	Loose Clothes Tunics, Smocks, Trousers
Slub	A Short Abnormally Thick Place In A Yarn.
Slubbed	Refers To Fabric Using Yarn With Uneven Areas, I.e. With A Thick And Thin Appearance Occurring At Irregular Intervals.
Slubbing	The Name Given, Individually Or Collectively, To Relatively Thick Fibrous Strands, And Also To Strips Of Web From A Condenser Card That Have Been Consolidated Into A Circular Cross-section By Rubbing.
Slurry Steeping	A Process In The Manufacture Of Viscose Rayon In Which A Pulp Is Dispersed In A Solution Of Sodium Hydroxide (caustic Soda) In The Preparation Of Alkali-cellulose.
Smooth	Refers To Fabric With An Even Surface With Little Surface Hair Or Texture.
Smooth-drying	See Drip-dry
Soft	Having A Gentle, Pliable, Supple, Hand.
Softening	The Application Of A Chemical Agent And/or Mechanical Process, E.g., Calendering, To Impart To Fabrics A Soft Handle And Frequently A Smooth Appearance. A Number Of Chemical Softening Agents Also Confer A Fullness Of Handle.
Soil Release	Any One Of A Class Of Textile Finishes That Make It Possible To Remove Stains From Fabrics By Ordinary Domestic Washing.
Solid	Having A Single Even Color.
Solitaire	Narrow Black Ribbon Fashionable In The 18th Century From About 1725 Onwards. It Was Tied To The Wig, Then Brought Around To The Front Of The Neck And Fastened, Usually In A Bow, Over The Stock.
Solvent Bonding	A Method Of Making Nonwoven Fabrics In Which A Solvent Is Used To Soften The Fibre Surfaces In A Web Or Batt And Hence Cause Bonding.
Solvent Dyeing	Dyeing Carried Out From A Continuous Non-aqueous Phase.,note. Water May Be Added To Assist The Dyeing Process.
Solvent Finishing	The Treatment Of Textile Materials With Reagents, Other Than Dyes, Dissolved In Organic Solvents.
Solvent Scouring	The Treatment Of Fabrics In Organic Solvent Media To Remove Impurities Such As Lubricating Oils And Spin Finishes.
Soupling	A Softening Process Applied To Continuous-filament Silk Yarns That Are To Be Dyed 'in The Gum'. The Yarns Are Treated In Warm Soap Solution And Softened In An Acid Tartrate Bath. Such Treatments Normally Remove Some Of The Gum, To Leave 10-15% On The Fibre
Sour	To Treat Textile Materials In A Bath Of Dilute Acid.
Space Dyed	Sections Of The Yarn Are Dyed In Different Colors Resulting In A Fabric With A Multi-color Effect.
Spandex (fibre) (us)	A Term Used To Describe Manufactured Fibres In Which The Fibre-forming Substance Is A Long-chain Synthetic Polymer Comprised Of At Least 85% Of A Segmented Polyurethane. The Iso Generic Name Is Elastane
Spanish Blonde Lace	Usually A Large Floral Handmade Bobbin Lace Sewn To A Net Ground And Outlined In A Heavy Thread. Commonly Cream Color But Also May Be White Or Black.
Sparkle	A Fabric That Uses A Yarn, Usually Nylon With A High Reflectance Of Light.
Specific Length	A Count Of The Number Of Unit Lengths Per Unit Mass Of Linear Textile Material.
Specific Stress (formerly Mass-stress)	The Ratio Of Force To The Linear Density. This Ratio Is Equal To The Stress Per Unit Density And Is Expressed As Mn/dtex Or N/tex.
Spin Stretch Ratio	In Man-made Filament Extrusion, The Ratio Of Take-up Or Haul-off Speed To The Average Speed Of The Spinning Fluid As It Leaves The Spinneret. Note: The Terms Draw-down And Extrusion Ratio Are Also Commonly Used. Spinneret; Spinnerette (1) (man-made Fibres) A Nozzle Or Plate Provided With Fine Holes Or Slits Through Which A Fibre-forming Solution Or Melt Is Extruded In The Manufacture Of Man-made Fibres. (2) (entomology) The Small Orifices, On The Lower Lip Of The Silkworm And At The Rear Of The Abdomen Of The Spider, Through Which Thread-forming Material Is Extruded In The Formation Of A Cocoon, Web Or Other Filamentous Structure.
Spin-drawing	A Process For Spinning Partially Or Highly Oriented Filaments In Which Most Of The Orientation Is Introduced Between The First Forwarding Device And The Take-up, I.e., Spinning And Drawing Are Integrated Sequential Stages
Spin-draw-texturing	A Process For Making Textured Yarns In Which Spinning, Drawing And Texturing Stages Are Integrated Sequentially On A Single Machine.
Spinning	The Present Participle Of The Verb 'to Spin' Used Verbally, Adjectivally, Or As A Noun, Meaning Process Or The Processes Used In The Production Of Yarns Or Filaments. Note 1: The Term May Apply To: (i) The Drafting And, Where Appropriate, The Insertion Of Twist In Natural Or Staple Man-made Fibres To Form A Yarn; (ii) The Extrusion Of Filaments By Spiders Or Silkworms; Or (iii) The Production Of Filaments From Glass, Metals, Fibre-forming Polymers Or Ceramics. Note 2: In The Spinning Of Man-made Filaments, Fibre-forming Substances In The Plastic Or Molten State, Or In Solution, Are Forced Through The Holes Of A Spinneret Or Die At A Controlled Rate. There Are Five General Methods Of Spinning Man-made Filaments, But Combinations Of These Methods May Be Used (see Dispersion Spinning, Dry Spinning, Melt Spinning, Reaction Spinning, And Wet Spinning) Note3: In The Bast And Leaf-fibre Industries, The Terms 'wet Spinning' And 'dry Spinning' Refer To The Spinning Of Fibres Into Yarns In The Wet State And In The Dry State Respectively.
Spinning Bath	A Coagulating Bath Into Which A Solution Or Dispersion Of A Fibre-forming Polymer Is Extruded During The Processes Of Wet-spinning Or Dispersion Spinning Respectively.
Spinning Frame	A Machine Consisting Of A Number Of Spinning Positions For Converting Slivers, Slubbings, Or Roving Into Yarn.
Spinning Pump	A Small Pump, Usually Of The Gear-wheel Type, Used To Provide A Uniform Flow Of A Spinning Solution Or Molten Polymer To A Spinning Jet.
Spinning Solution	A Solution Of Fibre-forming Polymer As Prepared For Extrusion Through A Spinneret. Note: A Spinning Solution Is Often Referred To As Dope, A Term Historically Associated With Cellulose Ethanoate (cellulose Acetate) Solutions As Varnishes.
Split Film	A Yarn Produced By The Process Of Fibrillation.
Spongy	Having A Surface That Can Be Compressed But Recovers.
Spray Bonding	A Method Of Making Nonwoven Fabrics In Which Droplets Of Adhesive Are Sprayed On To The Fibre Web Or Batt
Spray Dyeing	Application Of Colorant To A Substrate Using A Spray Gun With The Object Of Producing Ombre Effects.
Spray Print	Color Is Applied To The Fabric By Spraying Dye On The Surface With A Compressed Air Gun. Multiple Colors Maybe Applied By Using A Different Stencil For Each Color. Ombre Or Tie Dye Effects May Be Achieved.
Sprit (flax)	Small Pieces Of Woody Epidermal Tissue Adhering Firmly To Flax Fibre Strands.
Spun Silk	(1) Yarn Produced By Dressing Or Combing Processes From Silk Waste That Has Been 'boiled Off' To Remove The Gum. (2) Descriptive Of Fabrics Produced From Spun Silk.
Spun Yarn	Commonly Used To Describe A Yarn That Consists Of Staple Fibres Held Together (usually) By Twist.
Spunbonded	A Method Of Producing Nonwoven Fabric In A Continuous Process. Polymer Is Extruded Through A Spinneret And The Resulting Filaments Are Cooled And Laid Down In A Web Along A Continuous Conveyor Belt . The Web Is Then Bonded By Heat, Pressure Or Adhesives To Form The Fabric.
Spunlaced	A Method Of Producing A Nonwoven Fabric By Mechanically Entangling The Fibers With High Pressure Water Jets . Also Called Hydroentangled Fabric.
Spunlaid Fabric	A Nonwoven Fabric Made By The Extrusion Of Filaments That Are Laid Down In The Form Of A Web And Bonded.
Spur Leather	A Butterfly Shaped Piece Of Leather That Was Stitched Across The Instep Of Soft, Crumpling Leather Boots To Hold The Gold Or Silver Rowel Spurs. First Half Of 17th Century, "cavalier"-style.
Staining	(1) An Undesirable Local Discoloration. (2) In Fastness Testing Of Coloured Textiles; The Transfer Of Colorant From The Test Material To Adjacent Materials
Standard Atmosphere For Testing	(a) Standard Temperate Atmosphere: An Atmosphere At The Prevailing Barometric Pressure With Relative Humidity Of 65% And A Temperature Of 20°c (68°f). (b) Standard Tropical Atmosphere: An Atmosphere At The Prevailing Barometric Pressure With A Relative Humidity Of 65% And A Temperature Of 27°c (81 °f) .
Standard Condition For Physical Testing	A Textile Material Is In Standard Condition (or Is 'conditioned') For Physical Testing When, After Having Been Dried To Approximately Constant Weight In An Atmosphere With A Relative Humidity Not Higher Than 10%, It Has Been Kept In The Standard Atmosphere For Testing Until It Has Reached Equilibrium.
Staple	A Lock Or Tuft Of Fibres Of Uniform Properties And Hence A Lock Of Tuft Prepared To Demonstrate Fibre Length. In Bulk, A Mass Of Fibres Having A Certain Homogeneity Of Properties, Usually Length. Used As A Verb, To Bring Fibres To A Certain Uniformity Of Properties, Usually Length, E.g. By Sorting Wool Or By Cutting Filaments.
Staple Fibre (man-made)	Man-made Fibres Of Predetermined Short Lengths.
Staple Length	A Quantity By Which A Sample Of Fibrous Raw Material Is Characterized As Regards Its Technically Most Important Fibre Length. Note: The Staple Length Of Wool Is Usually Taken As The Length Of The Longer Fibres In A Hand Prepared Tuft Or 'staple' In Its Naturally Crimped And Wavy Condition (see Crimp). With Cotton, On The Other Hand, The Staple Length Corresponds Very Closely To The Modal Or Most Frequent Length Of The Fibres When Measured In A Straightened Condition.
Starch	A Carbohydrate Component Extracted From Certain Plants And Used In Sizing And Finishing. Its Use In These Operations Depends On Its Adhesive Or Film-forming Properties. Steeping (1) (general) The Treatment Of Textile Material In A Bath Of Liquid, Usually, Although Not Necessarily, Without Agitation. The Term Is Also Applied To Processes Whereby The Materials Are Impregnated With A Liquor, Highly Squeezed, And Then Allowed To Lie. (2) In Rayon Manufacture, The Process Of Immersing The Dissolving Pulp In A Solution Of Sodium Hydroxide (caustic Soda) Of Mercerizing Strength (17-20%). The Purpose Of This Treatment Is Twofold: (a) To Produce Alkali-cellulose, And (b) To Remove Soluble Impurities From The Pulp. The Operation Is Controlled By Time And Temperature. (3) The Process Of Retting Flax Straw By Immersion In An Aqueous Liquor.
Steeple Crown Hat	Having A High Pointed Crown And Flat Brim, And Fashionable In The First Half Of The 17th Century.
Steinkirk, Also Steenkerk	Long Cravat, Often Tipped With A Fringe Or Lace, Worn With One End Tucked Through The Buttonhole Or Pinned With A Brooch At The Coat-front Or Waistcoat. Women Tucked Their Cravat Into Their Corset Laces. Fashionable Among Men And Also For Women For Several Decades At The End Of The 17th Century And Until The Mid-18th Century. The Name Is Said To Come From The Battle Of Steinkirk In Holland In 1692, When French Soldiers Were In Too Much Of A Hurry To Tie Their Cravats Properly Before Going Out To Fight, But This May Be Doubted, Because Apparently This Fashion Was Already Occasionally Seen Earlier.
Stenter; Tenter	An Open-width Fabric-finishing Machine In Which The Selvedges Of A Textile Fabric Are Held By A Pair Of Endless Travelling Chains Maintaining Weft Tension. Note 1: Attachment May Be By Pins (pin Stenter) Or Clips (clip Stenter). Note 2.. Such Machines Are Used For: (a) Drying, (b) Heat-setting Of Thermoplastic Material, (c) Fixation Of Chemical Finishes.
Sticky Cotton	Cotton That Sticks To Roller Surfaces, Especially At A Card Or Drawframe, Causing Difficulties In Processing Or Even Making The Material Impossible To Process Without Special Precautions. Causes Of Cotton Fibre Stickiness Range From Contamination With Cotton Seed Oil Or The Pesticides And Defoliants Used During Cotton Growing, To The Presence Of Bacteria And Fungi Or Of Different Types Of Sugars. The Best Known Cause Of Sticky Cotton Is Honeydew .
Stippled	A Method Of Producing A Shading Or Watercolor Effect By Applying Color To The Fabric In Small Dots During Printing. The Degree Of Shading Is Determined By The Size And Frequency Of The Dots.
Stitch Holding (shaping)	A Method Of Shaping A Knitted Product By Changing The Number Of Loops In Individual Wales By Continuing To Knit On Certain Needles Whilst Knitting Is Stopped And The Stitches Held On Other Needles For A Given Number Of Courses. It Is Possible To Start To Knit Again And Join The Held Stitches Into A Continuation Of The Fabric.
Stitch Holding (shaping)	A Method Of Shaping A Knitted Product By Changing The Number Of Loops In Individual Wales By Continuing To Knit On Certain Needles Whilst Knitting Is Stopped And The Stitches Held On Other Needles For A Given Number Of Courses. It Is Possible To Start To Knit Again And Join The Held Stitches Into A Continuation Of The Fabric.
Stitch Length (knitting)	The Length Of Yarn In A Knitted Loop
Stitch Shaped	A Garment Shaped Wholly Or Partially By Change Of Stitch Length, Or Structure, Or Both.
Stitch Shaped	A Garment Shaped Wholly Or Partially By Change Of Stitch Length, Or Structure, Or Both.
Stitch Transfer	A Method Of Shaping A Garment Panel On A Flat Knitting Machine By Transferring Selvedge Loops From One Needle Bed To The Other In A Sequence Designed To Increase Or Decrease The Width Of The Fabric Over A Given Number Of Courses. Shetland (1) Original Usage: A Yarn Spun By Hand In The Shetland Islands From The Wool Of Sheep Bred And Reared In These Islands. (2) Common Usage: A Yam, Spun On The Woollen System From 100% New Wool, Of A Quality Capable Of Imparting To A Fabric The Handle Attributed To The Products Formerly Made Exclusively From The Shetland Breed Of Sheep. (3) Current Trade Usage: (as Recognised By The International Wool Textile Organisation) Where The Term Shetland Is Qualified By The Adjective 'genuine', 'pure', 'real', Or Any Similar Description, Implies That The Wool Actually Originated In The Shetland Islands.
Stitch Transfer	A Method Of Shaping A Garment Panel On A Flat Knitting Machine By Transferring Selvedge Loops From One Needle Bed To The Other In A Sequence Designed To Increase Or Decrease The Width Of The Fabric Over A Given Number Of Courses.
Stock	High-stiffened Collar, Covered With Linen Or Black Satin And Fastened At The Back Of The Neck By Strings Or Stock Buckles. A Piece Of Material Simulating A Cravat Was Often Sewn Onto The Front Of The Stock. First Introduced As Military Costume At The Beginning Of The 18th Century, And Highly Fashionable For The Rest Of That Century.
Stock Dyed	Refers To The Dyeing Of Staple Fiber Before It Is Spun Into Yarn. A Common Method For Woolen Fabrics.
Stockinette	A Term Sometimes Used For Soft, Plain Stitch, Knit Jersey Used For Underwear & Other Apparel.
Stoddard Solvent
Stomacher	In Female Garments A V-shaped Section At The Front Of A Boned, Stiffened Under Bodice. The Stomacher Filled In The Upper Part Of The Gown.
Stonewashed	A Process Of Washing The Fabric With Pebbles To Alter The Hand And Produce Fading Of The Color.
Stoving	Bleaching Of Wool, Silk, Hair, Or Other Proteinaceous Materials In A Moist Condition With Sulphur Dioxide In An Enclosed Chamber. (wet Stoving Is The Treatment Of A Material With A Solution Of A Sulphite Or Bisulphite.)
Strand	(1) A Single Two-fold Or Multi-fold Yarn Used As A Component Of A Folded Or Cabled Construction. (2) Linear Textile Material Generally.
Straw, Yarn	Extruded Monofilament Yarns That Have The Cross-section And Appearance Of Natural Straw.
Stretch 2 Way	Refers To A Woven Or Knit Fabric With Elastic Properties In Both Directions, Usually The Result Of Using Spandex Yarn.
Stretch Fabric	A Fabric Characterized By A Capacity For Stretch And Recovery From Stretch. Note: The Term Is Used For Materials With Greater Extension And Recovery Properties Than Traditional Woven Or Knitted Structures From Conventional Yarns And Implies The Use Of Stretch Yarns, Elastomeric Threads, Or Finishing Treatments. Such Fabrics May Have Different Degrees Of Extensibility And Recovery Specified For Particular Uses.
Stretch In Warp	Refers To A Woven Fabric With Elastic Properties In The Warp Direction Only, Usually The Result Of Using Spandex Yarn In The Warp.
Stretch In Weft	Refers To A Woven Fabric With Elastic Properties In The Weft ( Filling) Direction Only, Usually The Result Of Using Spandex Yarn In The Weft.
Stretch Knit	Refers To Any Knit Fabric With Elastic Properties Usually The Result Of Using Spandex Yarn.
Stretch Lace	Refers To A Lace Fabric With Elastic Properties, Usually The Result Of Using Spandex Yarn.
Stretch Spinning	A Process Of Spinning Whereby The Filaments Are Substantially Stretched At Some Stage Between Spinning (extrusion) And Collection. The Term Is Applied Specifically To A Process Involving Substantial Stretch In Order To Provide High-tenacity Yam.
Stretch Yarn	Yarn Capable Of A Pronounced Degree Of Stretch And Recovery From Stretch.
Striated	Refers To Fabric Purposely Given A Narrow, Linear, Streaked Color Effect .
Strick.	A Small Bunch Of Flax Straws Of Scutched Flax, Or Hackled Flax, Of A Size That Can Be Held In The Hand. Note: In The Jute Section Of The Textile Industry, The Corresponding Term Is Strike Which Refers To A Bunch Of Jute Similar To A 'head' But Smaller, Usually 1 To 2 Kg
Stripe	A Design Dominated By Lines Or Bands Of Contrasting Color Or Texture.
Stripping	Destroying Or Removing Dye Or Finish From A Fibre.
Strusa	See Frisons
Stuffer Box	A Crimping Device Consisting Of A Confined Space Into Which A Tow, A Converted Tow, A Sliver, A Yarn Or A Similar Assembly Of Filaments Or Fibres Is Injected By Feed Rollers Or Other Means Such As A Fluid Jet And In Which The Fibre Assembly Is Packed And Compressed So That The Individual Filaments Or Fibres Buckle And Fold.
S-twist	See Twist Direction
Sublimation Printing	A Form Of Transfer Printing Employing Dyes That Sublime Readily And Have Substantivity For The Substrate To Which They Are Applied.
Substantivity	The Attraction Between A Substrate And A Dye Or Other Substance Under The Precise Conditions Of Test Whereby The Latter Is Selectively Extracted From The Application Medium By The Substrate.
Suede Cloth/faux Suede	A Fabric With A Short Nap And A Soft Finish That Suggests Animal Suede.
Sueded	Having A Hand That Suggests The Soft Supple Feel Of Real Suede Leather.
Suint	Excretion From Sweat Glands Of Sheep, Which Is Deposited On Wool Fibres.
Suithana	Pajama Like Garment, Worn Mostly By Women; Wide At Top And Comfortably Roomy Around The Legs And Ankles. Possibly From Sanskrit Svasthana, Mentioned In The Harshacharita.
Sulphur Dye	A Water-insoluble Dye, Containing Sulphur Both As An Integral Part Of The Chromophore And In Attached Polysulphide Chains, Normally Applied In The Alkaline Soluble Reduced (ieuco) Form From A Sodium Sulphide Solution And Subsequently Oxidized To The Insoluble Form In The Fibre.
Sunn	A Bast Fibre Obtained From The Plant Crotolaria Juncea.
Superfine Wool	A General Term For The Best And Finest Quality Of Wool With A Diameter Of 15-18 Microns.
Supple	Having A Soft, Flexible, Luxurious Hand.
Supplex Brand	A Du Pont Brand Of Filament Nylon Fiber.
Surah	A Soft Twill Fabric Of Silk Or Synthetic Filament Fiber. Used For Scarves, Ties, Blouses.
Suralisurwal	A Breeches-like Garment For The Lower Part Of The Body, Tight Around The Legs. Worn Mostly In Nepal And Contiguous Areas.
Surface Decoration	Ornamenting The Surface Of A Fabric Or Garment (e.g. Embroidery Etc.)
Surfactant	An Agent, Soluble Or Dispersible In A Liquid, Which Reduces The Surface Tension Of The Liquid. (a Contraction Of 'surface-active Agent'.)
Suri	See Alpaca Fibre
Swatch; Sample Swatch	Fabric For Display, Test, Or Record Purposes, In The Form Of A Single Sample Or An Assembly Of Small Samples, The Latter Being Sometimes Called A Bunch.
Swealing	(1) Migration Of Dye Into The Angles Of Folds And Creases During Fabric Drying. (2) Partial Transfer Of Colour, Dirt Or Grease Into The Surrounding Fabric, Caused By Unsatisfactory Removal Of Stains By Hand From A Fabric When Using An Aqueous Or Solvent Treatment.
Swell Ratio	In Man-made Fibre Extrusion, The Ratio Of The Maximum Diameter Of The Extrudate As The Solution Or Melt Emerges From The Spinneret To The Orifice Diameter. It Is Sometimes Known As Die Swell .
Swelling Agent	A Substance That Causes The Total Liquid Imbibition Of A Fibre To Increase. Note: A Swelling Agent May Be Used In A Dyebath Or A Printing Paste To Promote Coloration By Accelerating The Diffusion Of Dyes Into A Fibre.
Syndet	A Detergent That Is Not A Soap. (a Contraction Of 'synthetic Detergent'.)
Syndiotactic Polymer	A Linear Polymer Containing Asymmetrically-substituted Carbon Atoms In The Repeating Unit Of The Main Chain, A Planar Projection Of Whose Structure Has The Same Substituents Situated Alternately On Either Side Of The Main Chain
Syntan	A Name For Synthetic Tanning Agents.
Synthetic Fibre	A Man-made Fibre Produced From A Polymer Built Up By Man From Chemical Elements Or Compounds, In Contrast To Fibres Made By Man From Naturally Occurring Fibre-forming Polymers.