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Glossary Of Fabric Terms [28]

W Wadmal Coarse, dense, usually undyed wool fabric woven in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, and the Orkney, Faroe and Shetland Islands from the Middle Ages into the 18th century. Wadmal was accepted as currency in Sweden, Iceland, Shetland, and Ireland, and exchange rates defined the equivalent of various grades of wadmal in silver and in cows
Waffle Cloth Also known as honeycomb fabric, it is the type of fabric which is usually cotton or microfibre, woven in a way which makes it very absorbent. The waffle weave also allows air to flow through the towel so that it dries quickly. Waffle fabric is used for cleaning surfaces in industry. The surface of the fabric is textured rather like a culinary waffle, hence the name. This texture gives more surface area for absorption and cleaning than a normal flat surface.
Warmth to weight ratio A measurement used to evaluate the effectiveness of an insulated product in relation to weather conditions and the environment.
Warp Threads on a loom over and under which other threads (the weft) are passed to make cloth.
Warp Beam A roller, located at the back of a loom, on which the warp ends are wound in preparation for weaving.
Warp Knitting A family of knitting methods in which the yarn zigzags along the length of the fabric, i.e., following adjacent columns of knitting, rather than a single row. For comparison, knitting across the width of the fabric is called weft knitting. Since warp knitting requires that the number of separate strands of yarn equals the number of stitches in a row, warp knitting is almost always done by machine rather than by hand.
Washability The property of being washed without deterioration.
Water repellent Not easily penetrated by water, especially as a result of being treated for such a purpose with a surface coating.
Waterproof A garment, especially a coat, that keeps out water.
Wear Test One of the fabric testing methods. Its purpose is to help the textile industry and apparel industry monitor quality.
Weatherometer testing Laboratory machine that uses accelerated weathering techniques to analyze durability, weather-resistance, and other properties of a building material or coating.
Weave Any of the patterns or methods for interlacing the threads of woven fabrics.
Weaving Production of fabric by interlacing two sets of yarns so that they cross each other, normally at right angles, usually accomplished with a hand- or power-operated loom.
Webbing A strong fabric woven as a flat strip or tube of varying width and fibres often used in place of rope. It is a versatile component used in climbing, slacklining, furniture manufacturing, automobile safety, auto racing, towing, parachuting, military apparel, load securing, and many other fields. Originally made of cotton or flax, most modern webbing is made of synthetic fibers such as nylon, polypropylene or polyester.
Weft Crosswise thread on a loom that is passed over and under the warp threads to make cloth.
Weft Insertion Any one of the various methods, shuttle, rapier, water jet, etc., for making a pick during weaving.
Whipcord Strong worsted or cotton fabric made of hard-twisted yarns with a diagonal cord or rib. Whipcord is usually found in durable outdoor clothing (typically pants, sometimes jackets). Whipcord should not be confused with corduroy. Whipcord has a hard smooth finish with diagonal ribs. Corduroy is fuzzy with vertical ribs.
Width The distance of a fabric piece from edge to edge when laid flat on a surface without tension.
Wigan Cotton material coated with latex rubber. Its name has been derived from Wigan, the name of a town in Greater Manchester, England.
Wilton Carpet Carpets manufactured at Wilton, England. Carpet industry began in 1741, but it decreased during the 20th century.
Winding is the process of transferring yarn or thread from one type of package to another.
Windstopper Fabric laminate made by W. L. Gore & Associates. It is similar to Gore-Tex, except that it is only windproof and breathable, not waterproof.
Woof The other name for "weft", that is crosswise thread on a loom that is passed over and under the warp threads to make cloth.
Wool Wool is the fiber derived from the hair of domesticated animals, usually sheep.
Wool Crepe A woolen crepe, more specifically the type of a fabric which has a distinctively crisp, crimped appearance. Almost exclusively dyed black and used in mourning dress.
Woolen Woolen or woollen is the name of a yarn and cloth usually made from wool.
Worsted wool High-quality type of wool yarn, the fabric made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from Worstead, a village in the English county of Norfolk.
Woven Fabric Woven fabric is a textile formed by weaving. It is produced on a loom, and made of many threads woven on a warp and a weft. Woven fabric only stretches diagonally on the bias directions (between the warp and weft directions), unless the threads used are elastic. Woven fabric cloth usually frays at the edges, unless techniques are used to counter it, such as the use of pinking shears or hemming.