This is a rather odd category, listing 269 names of kinds of fabric and cloth. There is an enormous variety in fabrics, with many different national, historical and regional varieties. It is interesting to note, however, that almost all of the types of fabric listed below are variants or blends of just five basic fabric types (silk, cotton, linen, wool and worsted). Many of the terms are foreign in origin; English orthography has been adopted where it exists.
| Word | Definition |
|---|
| aba | garment of camel or goat hair; camel or goat-hair fabric |
| aerophane | thin crinkled semi-transparent fabric |
| alepine | mixed wool and silk or mohair and cotton fabric |
| alpaca | fine wool made from alpaca hair |
| angora | silk-like fabric made from wool of angora goats |
| ardass | fine silk |
| armure | twilled woollen or silk fabric |
| arrasene | embroidery fabric of wool and silk |
| atlas | rich satin fabric |
| baft | cheap coarse cotton fabric |
| bagging | coarse fabric for making bags or sacks |
| baize | coarse napped cotton or wool fabric |
| balbriggan | knitted cotton fabric |
| baldachin | rich embroidered silk and gold fabric |
| balzarine | light cotton dress material |
| barathea | pebbly silk or worsted fabric with broken rib weave |
| barege | gauzy fabric of silk, cotton, wool, or worsted |
| barracan | fine silk cloth |
| barras | coarse linen fabric |
| barrateen | some kind of fabric |
| batiste | fine soft sheer fabric of plain weave |
| bayadere | fabric with horizontal stripes in strongly contrasting colours |
| beaupers | linen fabric used for flags |
| bengaline | crosswise ribbed fabric |
| bombazine | twilled silk and worsted fabric |
| borato | thin fabric |
| bouclé | fabric of uneven looped yarn |
| brilliantine | light lustrous cotton and worsted fabric |
| broadcloth | dense twilled wool or worsted fabric |
| brocade | rich silk fabric with raised patterns |
| buckram | stiff-finished cotton or linen used for linings of garments |
| bump | coarse cotton fabric |
| bunting | light loosely woven fabric used for flags |
| burdet | cotton fabric |
| burlap | coarse plain-woven jute or hemp fabric |
| burnet | dark brown; dark woollen cloth |
| burrel | coarse russet cloth |
| calamanco | satin twilled woollen fabric |
| calico | plain white cotton |
| camaca | fine silk fabric |
| cambresine | fine linen fabric |
| cambric | fine thin white cotton or linen fabric |
| camlet | strong waterproof silk or wool fabric |
| caneva | fancy woollen fabric made to resemble canvas |
| canque | Chinese cotton fabric |
| cashmere | soft twilled fabric made of fine goat's wool |
| cashmerette | soft imitation of cashmere |
| cassimere | closely woven twilled cloth of fine wool |
| cendal | silk fabric resembling taffeta |
| challis | soft lightweight silk, wool or cotton fabric |
| chambray | lightweight fabric with coloured warp and white filling |
| chamois | cotton fabric made in imitation of chamois leather |
| charmante | silk fabric with a crepe back |
| charmeuse | soft and satiny silk fabric |
| chenille | velvety silk, wool or cotton fabric with protruding pile |
| cheviot | coarse heavy plain or twilled wool or worsted |
| chiffon | sheer silk fabric |
| chino | strong twilled cotton cloth |
| chintz | glazed printed cotton fabric |
| cire | fabric with a glazed finish |
| cloque | fabric with an embossed design |
| coburg | thin single-twilled worsted fabric with cotton or silk |
| cordovan | soft goatskin leather |
| corduroy | durable cotton piled fabric with vertical ribs |
| crash | coarse drapery and towelling fabric |
| crepe | light crinkled fabric |
| crepon | heavy crepe fabric with lengthwise crinkles |
| cretonne | heavy cotton or linen cloth |
| crin | horsehair fabric |
| crinoline | stiff flax or cotton fabric |
| cubica | fine unglazed fabric resembling shalloon |
| cypress | silk or cotton gauze fabric, usually black |
| damask | fine lustrous fabric with flat patterns and a satin weave |
| delaine | light fabric of wool or mixed wool and cotton |
| denim | firm and durable twilled cotton |
| dimity | sheer and stout white cotton |
| domett | plain cotton-wool blend |
| dornick | stout linen |
| dowlas | coarse linen |
| drabbet | coarse linen |
| drap-de-Berry | old woollen cloth |
| dreadnought | heavy woollen cloth |
| drill | durable twilled cotton |
| droguet | ribbed woollen dress fabric |
| drugget | coarse durable wool fabric |
| ducape | plain-woven stout silk fabric |
| duck | durable closely woven cotton fabric |
| duffel | fabric of thick, low-quality woolen cloth |
| dungaree | heavy coarse durable twilled cotton, usually coloured |
| dupion | coarse silk |
| duroy | coarse woollen |
| duvetyn | smooth lustrous velvety fabric |
| ecarlate | fine woollen cloth, usually dyed scarlet |
| éolienne | fine silk and wool |
| etamine | light open-mesh cotton or worsted |
| eyelet | small hole in fabric to allow passage of a cord; cotton fabric with small holes |
| faille | shiny closely woven silk, cotton or rayon fabric |
| farandine | silk and wool cloth |
| filoselle | coarse floss silk |
| flannel | light woollen fabric |
| foulard | soft lightweight plain-woven or twilled silk fabric |
| foulé | light woollen fulled cloth |
| frieze | rough heavy woollen cloth |
| fuji | plain spun silk fabric |
| fustian | coarse twilled cotton |
| gabardine | closely woven cotton or wool twill |
| galatea | striped cotton |
| gambroon | twilled worsted and cloth |
| gazar | silk organza fabric |
| genappe | smooth worsted yarn |
| georgette | thin silk |
| gingham | striped cotton cloth |
| grenadine | thin silk |
| grogram | coarse loosely woven silk fabric |
| grosgrain | heavy close-woven corded silk |
| gulix | kind of fine linen |
| harn | coarse linen |
| herringbone | twilled fabric woven in rows of parallel sloping lines |
| hodden | coarse undyed woollen cloth |
| holland | coarse plain-woven cotton or linen |
| hopsack | rough-surfaced loose fabric |
| houndstooth | fabric with an irregular checked pattern |
| huckaback | absorbent cotton or linen used for towels |
| jaconet | stout cotton cloth |
| jacquard | intricately-woven variegated fabric; loom for making jacquard |
| jaspe | cotton or rayon cloth with shaded effect |
| jean | durable twilled cotton material |
| jersey | plain weft-knitted fabric of wool, cotton, nylon or silk |
| kalamkari | fabric coloured by repeated dyeing |
| kelt | coarse fabric made of black and white wool |
| kente | hand-woven African silk fabric |
| kersey | coarse woollen cloth |
| kerseymere | twilled fine wool |
| khaddar | homespun cotton cloth |
| kincob | embroidered silk with gold and silver threads |
| lamé | fabric in which metallic threads are interwoven |
| lasting | sturdy cotton or worsted cloth |
| lawn | fine sheer plain-woven cotton or linen |
| leno | open-woven fabric |
| linsey | coarse linen and wool blend |
| linsey-woolsey | thin coarse fabric of wool and linen |
| lockram | coarse linen |
| loden | heavy waterproof woollen fabric |
| lustring | glossy silk |
| lutestring | plain glossy silk |
| mackinaw | heavy napped and felted wool cloth |
| mackintosh | lightweight rubberized waterproof cotton |
| madapollam | fine cotton cloth |
| madras | fine plain-woven cotton or silk |
| marabout | thin downy silk |
| marcella | cotton or linen in twill weave |
| marocain | ribbed crepe fabric |
| marquisette | sheer meshed cloth |
| matelassé | having a quilted ornamentation; fabric with raised pattern as if quilted |
| melton | strong and smooth heavy woollen cloth |
| merino | soft wool of the merino sheep; any soft merino-like wool or wool and cotton cloth |
| messaline | soft lightweight silk with a satin weave |
| mockado | inferior quality woollen fabric |
| mogadore | ribbed silk used in making neckties |
| mohair | fabric made from silky hair of angora goats |
| moire | watered silk |
| moleskin | heavy durable cotton |
| moreen | stout corded wool or cotton |
| mousseline | fine sheer fabric |
| mull | soft fine sheer cotton or silk fabric |
| muslin | plain-woven fine cotton |
| musterdevillers | archaic mixed grey woollen cloth |
| nainsook | fine cotton fabric |
| nankeen | buff-coloured; durable buff-coloured cotton |
| needlecord | thinly ribbed cotton |
| ninon | silk voile or other thin fabric |
| organdie | fine translucent cotton |
| organza | transparent thin silk or nylon |
| orleans | interwoven cotton and worsted |
| osnaburg | coarse linen or cotton |
| ottoman | heavy clothing fabric with crosswise ribs |
| oxford | soft durable plain-woven cotton |
| paduasoy | corded silk |
| paisley | soft wool fabric with ornamental pattern |
| panne | heavy lustrous silk or rayon with waxy feel |
| paramatta | worsted and cotton blend |
| pashmina | fine goat's wool fabric used for making shawls |
| pekin | fine soft silk |
| pellicule | thin diaphanous fabric |
| percale | closely woven lightweight cloth |
| percaline | glossy lightweight cotton |
| perse | dark blue or bluish-grey; cloth of such a colour |
| piqué | stiff durable corded fabric of cotton, rayon or silk |
| platilla | fine white linen |
| plissé | fabric with puckered finish |
| pongee | thin soft fabric woven from raw silk |
| poodle | coarsely looped or nubby fabric |
| poplin | corded woven silk and worsted |
| prunella | strong and heavy silk or wool |
| rabanna | raffia fabric of Madagascar |
| ramie | strong lustrous fabric resembling linen or silk |
| raploch | coarse undyed woollen cloth |
| raschel | light loosely kitted cloth |
| ratiné | rough bulky plain-woven fabric |
| rep | plain-woven fabric with crosswise ribs |
| reticella | old Venetian lace-like fabric |
| romal | handkerchief or headcloth; silk or cotton fabric |
| rumchunder | fine silk |
| russel | ribbed cotton and wool |
| russet | coarse homespun cloth |
| sagathy | light blend of silk and cotton or wool |
| samite | rich and heavy silk, sometimes interwoven with gold or silver |
| sarsenet | fine and soft silk; soft or gentle |
| satara | ribbed lustred wool |
| sateen | glossy cotton or wool |
| satin | closely woven silk with lustrous face |
| satinet | thin silk satin or imitation thereof |
| saxony | fine soft woollen fabric |
| say | delicate woollen fabric |
| scarlet | fine cloth |
| scrim | durable plain-woven cotton fabric |
| seersucker | light puckered cotton or linen fabric |
| sempiternum | durable wool |
| sendal | thin silk or linen |
| serge | strong twilled worsted |
| shalloon | light twilled wool or worsted |
| shantung | plain rough silk or cotton |
| sharkskin | smooth durable wool or worsted fabric |
| shetland | lightweight loosely twisted wool fabric |
| shoddy | woollen fabric made from rags |
| sicilienne | ribbed silk |
| silesia | thin twilled cotton or linen |
| silkaline | soft light cotton fabric resembling silk |
| sindon | fine linen |
| stammel | coarse woollen fabric, usually dyed red; bright red colour |
| stockinette | soft elastic cotton fabric |
| surah | soft twilled silk or rayon |
| swansdown | heavy napped cotton flannel |
| swanskin | soft napped fabric resembling flannel |
| tabaret | striped watered silk and satin fabric |
| tabby | plain-woven silk taffeta fabric |
| tabinet | silk and wool watered fabric |
| taffeta | thin glossy silk |
| tamin | thin glazed worsted |
| tamis | thin wool |
| tarlatan | thin sheer stiff cotton |
| terry | piled fabric consisting of uncut loops |
| ticking | strong linen or cotton fabric used for mattress and pillow cases |
| tiffany | transparent silk-like gauzy fabric |
| tiretaine | wool cloth mixed with cotton or linen |
| toile | plain or simple twilled fabric |
| tricolette | silk or rayon knitted fabric |
| tricot | plain knitted silk or woollen fabric |
| tricotine | double-twilled worsted fabric |
| tulle | sheer and delicate thin silk |
| tussah | brownish silk fabric |
| tweed | rough twilled wool |
| twill | any diagonally woven fabric |
| velour | piled velvety cotton |
| veloutine | velvety corded wool |
| velvet | soft piled fabric of silk, cotton or synthetic material |
| velvetine | cotton with silk pile |
| vicuna | fabric made from wool of the vicuna, a small ruminant |
| voile | soft fine sheer fabric |
| wadmal | thick coarse wool |
| whipcord | fabric with bold twill used for making dresses |
| wigan | stiff plain-woven cotton |
| wincey | plain or twilled cotton |
| woolsey | cotton and wool blend |
| worcester | fine wool |
| worsted | fine closely-woven wool |
| zanella | mixed twilled umbrella fabric |
| zephyr | lightweight wool or worsted fabric; the west wind |
| zibeline | soft piled wool |