LEARN AND UNDERSTAND FASHION TERMS AND WORDS WITH OUR A-Z GLOSSARY OF FASHION INDUSTRY TERMINOLOGY AND PHRASES.

Treatment done on fabric to fade colour using bleach solution.

An artisan is a skilled maker who makes products by hand with an exceptional manual dexterity and tacit knowledge.

Refers to no colour, just means black or white.

Wooden or plastic-handled metal spike used to puncture small holes through pattern card, paper or fabric

Garment/design similar to another original design but having some characteristic changes.

An atelier is the private workshop or studio of a professional artist in the fine or decorative arts or an architect, where a principal master and a number of assistants, students, and apprentices can work together producing fine art or visual art released under the master's name or supervision.

Cutting shapes from textile fabrics and attaching them to another fabric or garment in order to decorate the base material. The ornamental fabrics are most often sewn to the base fabric, but may also be attached with adhesive. Quilts are frequently made with Appliqué patterns, and fabric artists and fashion designers often use this technique.

Seam allowance (sometimes called inlays) is the area between the fabric edge and the stitching line on two (or more) pieces of material being sewn together. Seam allowances can range from 1⁄4 inch wide to as much as several inches.

Generic name for man made textile fibres.

Label or instruction added to a pattern to indicate grain line, piece name, season, cut ratio, internal features and fabric used.

A hand technique for decorating textiles in which parts of the fabric are covered with wax. The fabric is immersed in a dyebath and only the unwaxed area absorbs the dye. The wax is removed. If the design requires another color, wax is applied again to the area to be protected against the dye, and the fabric is placed in the dye again to add the new color. This can be repeated as often as the artisan wishes. The fabric produced by this method in Indonesia is made in traditional designs and colors, and the name batik is an Indonesian word. These designs are often imitated in machine prints for Western fashions.

Bias is the diagonal direction of a woven fabric. Unless woven from stretch yarns, fabrics stretch more in the bias direction than in the length or width. Designers can take advantage of this stretch by manipulating the fabric so that the bias areas fall in ways that cause the designs to fit the body more closely or drape into soft folds. Designer Madeline Vionnet (active 1912 to 1940) was renown for her bias designs.

The thread that comes up from the bottom and meets the thread from the spool to form the stitch. Bobbins need to be wound up and inserted properly into a sewing machine.

A design or pattern that is seen along the border / edge of a fabric.

Sewing term for reversing stitch on sewing machine. Used to secure threads at the beginning and ending of seams. Also called "staying a seam" or "stay."

A method of joining facings and/or linings to the outer fabric of a garment by sewing them face to face in the form of a bag and then turning the garment to the right side.

Group of stitches used to reinforce specific areas on a garment.

Custom made to order garment. Bespoke by sizing, fabrication and decoration.

A column of fabric at the front of a shirt or garment that holds buttons and buttonholes.

In fashion production terms, "body" can refer to a specific size or measurement used as a standard for creating garments. Garment manufacturers typically create patterns and samples in a specific body size or shape, which is used as a template for producing the same garment in different sizes.

A pleat made by making two folds in a piece of fabric, their edges facing in different directions.

Edge finishing where a strip of fabric incases / covers an edge.

The diagonal line or cut of the material (to obtain a true bias the material should be folded at 45° to the selvage). When a garment is bias cut it can give a soft clinging or flowing effect.

A machine or hand stitch where the hem is almost invisible from the face side of the fabric.

See notches

A basic pattern shape that represents an area of the body, usually the torso (body block), arms (sleeve block) or legs (trouser block).

Rectangular band that is sewn to the neckline of a garment and lifts the collar.

A method using yarn and a hooked needle to make a garment, fabric or lace.

Computer Aided Design- used as a conceptual tool to design and develop products

Enclosed tunnel-usually meant for a drawstring.

Unbleached raw cotton fabric used to test garment designs.

An abbreviation for “Center Back” normally used to annotate patterns.

CMT is the abbreviation for Cut Make Trim. Cut: Cutting of garment patterns from fabric role. 
Make: Stitching the complete garment with necessary trims.

A mandatory label found in all clothes that denotes at least one method of caring for that garment/fabric type.

The line of fabric perpendicular to the selvage edge of the fabric.

An abbreviation for “Center Front” normally used to annotate patterns.

Adds stability to seams and finishes raw edges on inside of garment.

Knit fabrics that are laid out and cut like a woven fabric, instead of being full-fashioned.

V-shaped tuck that is sewn into a garment in order to shape the fabric so that the garment fits the rounded parts of the body. Darts are most often found at the bustline, the back shoulder, the waistline, and the hipline.

A defect is a shortcoming that is beyond the defined specifications or construction requirements. A defect might be related to specifications (variation of measurement), related to raw material quality (fabric and trims used in the garment), shade variation, stitching defects, construction defects or performance defects. Defects are typically classified as "critical", "major" or "minor".

The fluid way that the fabric hangs in a garment.

Digitally tracing the outline of a pattern piece to render the shape as computer mapping data.

Process in which fabric is artificially aged or worn.

Print lighter colours onto dark background fabrics by removing the Inks dye in the garment.

Clothing or fabric that has never been worn, often from previous seasons and never to be reproduced again.

The amount of extra “room” included in the garment for purposes of comfort, movement or appearance.

Embellishments are a value addition to a garment that impart aesthetics to the garment making it visually engaging. Embellishments could be done on a garment panel (before sewing) or on a stitched garment. Various types of embroidery, print, bows, cord, or rhinestones are embellishments on a garment.

Extra layer of material sewn to the inside of a garment for strength and/or edge finishing.

Seaming method to get the flattest seam- panels are run though a flatlock machine and stitched together edge to edge.

Volume added to a garment by pivoting or the insertion of a separate panel.

Interfacing material with an adhesive side used to stiffen or support internal sections of a garment.

A flat sketch is the technical representation of a garment illustrating the design requirements to the manufacturer. It is neatly sketched with basic solid lines such that visual guidelines can be clearly followed. Typically, a solid line on a flat sketch represents a seam line and a dashed line represents stitching. Since a flat sketch forms an essential part of the techpack, some of the key points to consider while making it are: Include all details and don't omit any parts of the sketch. Include views of both front and back. If needed, add sketches to show small parts or inside of the garment.

Consists of a glue printed onto the fabric and then foil is applied for a mirror finish.

A way of gathering the fabric to create fullness in the fabric, such as ruffles. It is a technique for shortening the length of a strip of fabric, so that the longer piece can be attached to the shorter piece.

Proportionately increasing or decreasing the dimensions of parts of a product according to the size ranges intended for production.

A special thread used for button hole stitching.

Lines marked on a pattern which should be placed parallel to the Selvage.

A piece of fabric inserted to strengthen or enlarge an area of a garment.

Silver flakes are suspended in a plastisol ink to create this sparkle effect.

A place / store that specialises in sewing notions like buttons, zippers etc.

Extended section of the garment body that is folded up to create a finished edge to the garment body.

Bottom edge of the garment body.

In the fashion world, a fashion house is a name used for a company dealing in fashion.

Material used to stiffen/strengthen a fabric.  Usually sandwiched between two fabrics.

The inner seam of the trouser legs.

Extra fabric enclosed between a main fabric and lining providing additional weight or warmth.

ISO STITCHING is an International standard of stitches categorised by numbers.

Single knit fabric, with a distinct smooth side and rough side. Normally referring to products made from Cotton.

Single front patch pocket with openings at both sides.

Fabric created by interlocking loops of yarn.

Colour swatches sent to a customer by the dyer or printer for approval.

Constructed fabric panel that connects the collar and front opening of a jacket or shirt and gives a finished appearance; also used for strength and support.

Lead-time is the period between the confirmation of an order to the manufacturer and the dispatch of the order to the buyer. The period comprises waiting time before or after actual manufacturing and throughput time. The different lead-time referred to in an apparel-manufacturing unit are - customer lead time ( time between order confirmation and order fulfilment), material lead time (time order placement with a supplier and receiving in-house), production lead time (time taken for manufacturing the garment), delivery lead time (time between order receipt and merchandise being shipped out of the factory)

Document of products with images and information. Used to show buyers and retail stores latest product. This will include information like wholesale pricing, recommended retail pricing and manufacturing detail.

A book with all the photographs representing the full clothing line of a designer to present to the buyers.

Clothing that is designed for comfort and relaxation at home. Lounge wear can include a range of garments, such as loose-fitting pants, soft knit tops, cozy sweaters, and comfortable dresses.

Lounge wear is typically made from soft, breathable fabrics that are comfortable to wear for extended periods, such as cotton, jersey, and fleece. The design may feature relaxed silhouettes and casual styling, with features such as elastic waistbands, drawstring closures, and oversized shapes.

A line is defined as a group of operators under the control of one production supervisor. In the sewing line, a number of sewing machines (including different types of sewing machines and non-sewing equipment) are placed in a line according to the process sequence requirement. Sewing lines have different arrangement of the workstations. Garment bundles are loaded at one end of the line and moved from one workstation to another, and finally stitched garments come out from the line. There are multiple sewing lines in an apparel manufacturing unit.

A protective layer of fabric in the inside of a garment.

The amount added to the cost of a product to cover overhead and profit.

The minimum quantity that a vendor requires in order to contract their goods or services.

Gridded paper onto which patterns are traced, for fabric to be cut out.

A term used in fashion to describe an outfit or ensemble that is made up of a single color or hue. A monotone outfit can be created using different shades, tones, and textures of the same color, or it can be made up of pieces that are all the exact same shade.

Similar to glitter, but smaller particles suspended in the ink.

A plain weave fabric made from bleached or unbleached carded yams which varies in weight, from fine to heavy, and in texture from soft to coarse. Typically used for early stages of sampling.

A design used in a pattern/print/embroidery etc; usually found recurring.

Protective band of tape or fabric sewn at the inside of a neck seam for a more comfortable feel to the garment.

Small incisions made to indicate a position when aligning patterns, seams, hems, CF and CB.

A special ink additive for printing onto technical or waterproof fabrics.

Off-cut waste refers to fabric pieces that are left over during production after garments have been cut out. Off-cuts may range in size, from small cutting scraps that are often mixed with leftover yarns to larger pieces of about half a meter.

This refers to the style in which colour graduates from light to dark.

Plotting refers to printing a natural-size patterns and markers made in any CAD system. Productivity in cutting section increases compared to conventional marker planning system primarily due to the elimination of manually drawing around the patterns, which is replaced by the plotter.

A list prepared by the shipper that lists the quantity and kinds of items being shipped.

A patch pocket is a type of pocket commonly found on clothing, bags, and accessories. It is made by sewing a separate piece of fabric onto the outside of a garment, creating a pouch-like pocket that sits on top of the material.

Patch pockets can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and may have flaps, zippers, or other closures to keep items secure. They are often found on casual clothing items, such as denim jackets, cargo pants, and work shirts, but can also be used on more formal garments, such as blazers and dress shirts.

A paper or computer model for each piece of a product. Used as a guide to construct a product.

A full size working model of a new product or new version of an existing product used as a basis for later production stages.

A surface effect on a fabric formed by tufts or loops of yarn, introduced into the fabric.

Covered cord that forms a raised edge along seams; used to stabilize seams, outline garment components, and absorb wear and abrasion that would otherwise degrade seams.

A legal, binding contract between a buyer and a supplier.

A type of fold in the fabric created by doubling the material back on itself and securing it in place. When ironed, they create a sharp crease.

Fabric band that encases a slit or opening at the neck or centre front of a garment and holds a closer of buttons or zips.

Pantone colours refer to a colour reference system developed by the company Pantone INC that standardises the colours in the CMYK process. The Pantone colours correspond exactly to the inks and dyes used to colour the fabric by various industries, basically for printing purposes and manufacture of coloured fabric.

An additive to plastisol inks which raises the print off the garment, creating a 3D feel.

Large-scale paper printer that plots digitised patterns.

Good colour opacity onto dark garments and clear graphic detail with plasticized texture.

Quality control refers to the process of maintaining given standards of the product such that they meet the intended requirements and achieve customer satisfaction. The primary purpose of quality control is to maintain control by evaluating the performance during operations, comparing it to the goal, and acting on the difference. A quality control checklist is used in the production floor to assess the product quality by being unbiased.

The art of making a quilt – a decorative piece of bedding or wall hanging made from small pieces of fabric sewn together in batted layers.

Sleeve that runs from collar to hem for ease of movement.

Cut edge without any finishing the hem or such.

Stretchy knit fabric that appears the same on both sides.  More stretch than a jersey knit. Normally used on sweaters, hoodies, joggers and more.

Garments that can be reversed and used from both sides. The seam allowances will be hidden with clever construction methods.

Ready To Wear, this is the term for factory made clothing in standardised sizes.

An exact replica of what will be purchased and shipped to retailers.

Sleeve that runs from the shoulder to hem.

A method of fabric printing that involves a digital printer that prints designs onto heat transfer paper that can then be applied to garments or fabric.

Subdivisions of society that influence fashion. The attitude and beliefs of the subculture are reflected in their clothing. hip-hop, rock, punk and alternative are such subcultures.

Pre-production samples that are used to check the accuracy of all sizes to be produced in an order.

Process of obtain goods and/or services from a manufacturer either domestically or globally.

A document that contains a sketch of the garment design and garment construction details is called specification sheet or spec sheet or simply garment spec. A designer makes the spec sheet to communicate design detailing and how the garment to be constructed. A spec sheet includes measurements of point of measures (POM) of the apparel product/design. These details (specs) should be stated with minimum words. The numbers of units of measurements with plus-or-minus tolerance limits with reference to the aesthetic features that control quality standard need to be clearly mentioned in a spec sheet. Sometimes spec sheet may be corrected after sample development and checking the sample fitting on live model or on the dress-form.

SKU is the short for 'Stock Keeping Unit'. It is an alphanumeric code assigned to inventory that allows the manufacturer and buyer to track their stock/ product in inventory, and measure product sales. Another term associated with SKU is the SKU planning frequency. This relates to how frequently a firm plans production as a reaction to changes in forecast or in order demand. The frequency can be monthly, biweekly, weekly, or daily.

The bottom edge of garment around the whole body.

The finished edge of the fabric. Normally part of the design of Japanese Denim.

This is the width of the fabric beyond the seam line. The standard seam allowance is normally 1.5cm.

A skilled professional who specializes in sewing and garment construction. A seamstress typically has extensive knowledge of fabrics, patterns, and sewing techniques, and may work in a variety of settings, including fashion design, manufacturing, alterations, and custom tailoring.

They may be responsible for a range of tasks, such as measuring and cutting fabrics, sewing seams and hems, attaching zippers and buttons, and adding decorative embellishments to garments. They may also make alterations to clothing to improve the fit or make repairs to damaged items.

Can make any color of plastisol have a suede feel.

Stitching that shows on the face side of fabric either for structural or aesthetic reasons.

Material used for decoration or extra function of a product.

The production of made to measure/custom garments.

A trim card has all approved garment trims and accessories on a sheet/card attached. In the production floor, supervisors follow the trim card as a guide for identifying the right trims.

An allowable variance from the approved final spec measurements.

A toile, also known as a muslin, is a type of test garment or prototype that is made before creating a final version of a garment. It is typically made from inexpensive fabric and is used to test the fit and design of a garment before cutting and sewing the final version from more expensive fabrics. Toiles can help designers and manufacturers identify any fit issues or design flaws early in the process, allowing them to make adjustments and improvements before creating the final product.

This is the creative reuse of old clothes and fabrics by changing certain design elements.

Stitching that appears on the underside of a garment that causes the top fabric to roll slightly over and hide the seam edge.

Functional clothing that serves a practical purpose e.g raincoat protecting from rain or fisherman vest with multiple pockets used for storage.

This is Value Added Tax which is a fee that is incurred by some countries for you to sell and ship goods internationally. Either you or the customer will be responsible for paying these fees.

Vertical slit in the back or side back hem seams of coats or jackets that allows body movement when the garment is worn.

A fibrous material used for filling items such as quilts. Can also be known as batting or filler.

Warp and weft are the technical names of the yarns in a fabric. Woven fabrics are made of two sets of yarns - warp yarns and weft yarns. The yarn lies parallel to the fabric edge (selvage) is called the warp and the yarn lies perpendicular to the fabric edges is called weft yarns. During fabric formation, first warp yarns are drawn from a warper beam and the loom shed is formed. The weft yarns are interlaced by passing it through warp yarns shed from one edge to another one by one.

Band of faced fabric attached to the top of trousers to give finish and support or inserted in a jacket as a design feature to denote the waist level.

An abbreviation for the term “Waist Band”

Fabric composed of two yarns running in perpendicular directions woven together.

Threads or yarns are dyed before woven or knit (ex. Plaid, check, stripe)

Fitted part of a garment- usually at the top of a garment (shoulder/hip)