Raised in the Andes Mountains, the fleeces are usually obtained after a two year growth. The fiber diameter is about 1/800 inches. The fiber is lustrous, soft to touch, strong, wavy; the fleece will weigh about 10 pounds. Fine alpaca is from 4 1/2 inches to 8 inches in length; medium alpaca is 5 l/2 […]

These terms are used to designate the length of the woven cloth as it comes from the loom in the gray goods state or in the finished length in the trade. Men’s and women’s wear cloth in the woolen and worsted trade will range anywhere from a 50 yard piece to a 100 yard length. The most popular cut […]

The hair is combed from goats reared in China. The goats are strong and active, in the high uplands of Central Asia. The fleece on the goat is open, with long, relatively coarse hair. The underhair or duvet, however, is sleek, very soft, warm and almost silky. The white hair is most highly valued. The […]

Soft fiber obtained from the seed pod of the cotton plant. Was first known in India about 3000 B.C., and was considered very rare and precious. Today it is one of America’s greatest crops, and is spun into yarn and thread, woven and knitted into fabrics. Different types of cotton have different fiber lengths. Usually, […]

One of the world’s most important cottons, grown mainly in the Nile Valley, and noted for its long staple and high quality.

A felt cloth is made with no system of threads, but is constructed by an interlocking of the fibers of stock to be used. There is a woven felt cloth, however – papermakers’ felt cloth – that is used in ,the newspaper presses and is made of the best wool obtainable. The nature of the […]

This type of woven material is also known as fulled or milled cloth. Felting, fulling or milling is the process resorted to in order to give woven cloth a thick, compact, substantial feel, finish, and appearance. The construction of the goods is covered up and not seen when the cloth is examined. Napping and shearing […]

An individual strand, sometimes referred to as a filament. It is a slender, fine diameter, single strand. Several fibers may be combined to ready them for spinning, weaving and knitting purposes. A fiber usually has a rather definite set length.

Strong lustrous yarn or fabric of smooth-surfaced flax fibers. Can be either plain weave or a damask weave for table linens. Used for wearing apparel, household articles, fancy work. Handkerchief Linen – Sheer, fine linen in plain weave. Irish Linen — Fine, lightweight linen made in Ireland; often still made by hand. Spun Linen – […]

An individual strand that is indefinite in length. An example is silk, which may run from 300 to 1400, 1600 and even 1900 yards in length. Filaments are finer in diameter than fibers. A fiber or filament is the smallest unit in any type of cloth.