Sarongs and Rewards and Capital One

Hope you're having a great summer.

Wow to my surprise when I was checking my credit card website I came across
this beautiful picture of a woman wearing a sarong. You know sarongs are
famous when your bank reward program features a sarong on its home page.

As most of you already know...the sarong is quickly becoming the modern
symbol for escaping to paradise!

Get the look of this sarong...check out our solid Yellow Sarong here at
http://www.1worldsarongs.com/sarong-kd-solid-yellow.html.

1 World Sarongs and First for Women reunite again!

1 World Sarongs is excited and honored that First for Women selected us again for their 6/6/2011 issue.

Our beautiful hand painted embroidered floral sarong is shown in the traditional sarong dress style.

 

Don’t miss out on this lightweight gorgeous sarong. http://www.1worldsarongs.com/sarong-kd-emb-floral-10.html

Indonesian Batik Sarongs From 1 World Sarongs

You’ll love our new selection of "Indonesian Batik Print Cotton Sarongs". They are very soft to the touch with wonderful unique patterns and high quality cotton. These cotton sarongs are fantastic in so many ways...that’s why you’ll find Indonesians wearing their cotton sarongs every day. Plus, there is plenty of material to wrap yourself in too. These traditionally "Earth Toned" sarongs are originating from Java and Bali and are one of a kind "BATIK" style prints. They come in a large variety, (we are talking thousands of designs) and chances are there are no repeated patterns. That’s why we offer these as an assortment only. We're told that these sarongs are pre-owned which means they have already gone through the tough stage of breaking them in. To ensure the proper quality and designs, we select each sarong by hand. We choose the cotton sarongs based upon their design, quality and feel. After we select the sarong, it is thoroughly checked for defects and laundered. Please keep in mind that these sarongs are handmade. Therefore there will be variations in size color and design. Sarongs measures approximately 92" x 39" inches (2.38 x 1 meters) on fringeless cotton. Note, sarongs like these have many uses and can be used as a table cover, light blanket, material for making clothing, beach blanket, baby carrier, sheet or whatever your heart desires. To get more info about Indonesian Batik, click this link: Batik. Price is per sarong.

Re: Sarong Fabric?

Hi Maren,

Thanks so much for your question about our sarongs fabrics.

This is a question we hear quite often. To answer you question about the sarong fabric: "it varies".

Most of our sarongs are the lightweight top quality sarong rayon fabric with a thread count of 70/42 or 68/38.

These are denoted with a KD in the code. Such as SARONG-KD-SOLID-BLACK. Most of our sarongs are the lightweight sarong fabric and can be found throughout our website. Or you can do a search here:

http://www.1worldsarongs.com/kesabcowde.htm

Our other sarong fabric that we carry are the rayon fabric with a thread count of 80/60 which is a top quality heavier weight but still light enough to everyday wear. This sarong fabric has a PT in the code. For example SARONG-PT-DRAGON

We use rayon, first cause it drapes well. Second cause it breathes great. Third cause it feels wonderful and finally, it is affordable to most everyone. You can find some of our heavyweight sarongs by doing a search here:

http://www.1worldsarongs.com/pe1co.html

The sheerness of the fabric depends mostly on three things. First, the thread count (how thick the fabric is), secondly the color of the fabric (black sarongs are less sheer then white sarongs) and finally how bright is the light source. In general a lightweight sarong will in white will be more sheer and see through then say a black lightweight sarong. If you have a red bikini on and wear a white heavyweight sarong you will still be able to see the bikini, but just not as much.

For your question about cotton, yes we do have cotton sarongs. We usually offer the traditional Indonesian sarongs in cotton found at this link:

http://www.1worldsarongs.com/cottonsarongs.html

Cotton doesn't really drape well and is a higher cost so it's not the choice of fabric for sarongs. Cotton can be somewhat more durable and gives a feeling of breath ability but in our experience the rayon seems to flow and breath better.

Also we have a limited amount of Polyester sarongs. But because polyester is made from petroleum we try to stay away from it. The world has enough problems caused by petroleum. We don't need to encourage more consumption of this fabric.

Soon we will be offering silk sarongs. Of course silk sarongs are more expensive but silk sarongs offer the best of all worlds. Silk sarongs are lightweight, breathable, drape, travel well, and are durable. Silk sarongs are also the most environmentally friendly or "green". The silk worm being the source of silk, and it's food being leaves. Plus silk sarongs feel the best. We'll be looking forward to having a silk sarong section just as soon as we design and find the right ones for our customers.

http://www.1worldsarongs.com/sarong-silk.html

I hope that helps shed some light on the subject :-)

Terry

1 World Sarongs

California, USA & Bali, Indonesia

P.S. See our how to tie a sarongs instructions here at: http://www.1worldsarongs.com/howtotiesarong.html

On Tue, Apr 12, 2011 at 12:28 PM, Maren M <mxxxxx@yahoocom> wrote:

To whom it may concern,

I fell in love with sarongs a long time ago, but have only ever purchased them in person. So, I have just a few questions. First, how sheer are the sarongs? Can you easily see what's underneath when standing in the sun? Second, do you carry any sarongs that are 100% cotton? And finally, is there a well explained, pictured instruction sheet for wrapping?

Sincerely,

Maren M

Sarongs for Men

Did you know that sarongs have been worn around the world by men for centuries? Believe it or not, men have worn sarong-like garments throughout the ages. For instance, kilts have been worn in Scotland and Ireland for hundreds of years. The Roman soldiers wore skirt-like garments into battle and the citizens adorned themselves with sarong-like wraps called “togas”. Polynesian men have worn sarongs for centuries, calling them pareos or lava lava’s or sulus. Today, we find it unusual to see a man in the West wearing a sarong, but in reality, men wear sarongs daily buy the millions around the world. Here in the West in countries like the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and Europe, men are discovering that the sarong is the ultimate men’s apparel.

However, there are a lot of stigmas about men wearing sarongs in the media. Men are programmed from an early age that guys aren’t supposed to wear sarongs or skirts. Sarongs are for women and you’re less of a man if you put on a sarong. Well that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact it takes more of a man to wear a sarong and to stand up to any ridicule one may encounter. Guys who wear sarongs are stronger and more independent than men who are fearful of what others may think. So be a man, grab your sarong and be free!

As a man wearing a sarong you have the right to:

• Freedom of movement
  
• Comfort
• Manliness

Men who wear sarongs will tell you that sarongs are the most comfortable garment a guy can wear. Women will tell you that a man in a sarong is extremely sexy, to put it mildly. Plus, it makes sense for a man to wear a sarong. Just think about it, men have a lot more anatomy in certain places and a need to have some freedom without restriction if you catch our drift ;-)

Sarongs are perfect in hotter temperatures as well. That's why you'll see men wearing sarongs throughout most of Southeast Asia and Polynesia, where sarongs are worn by men as their daily attire. At 1 World Sarongs you'll find great quality sarongs for men at great prices with lots of designs to choose from. Sarongs have been worn by men for centuries, don't be fooled by the mass media and social programming, men’s sarongs are the ultimate garment for a guy today. Be a part of the men’s sarong revolution and get your sarong on!

Congratulations to Our Photo Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Kristi on winning our 1 World Sarong photo contest.

“I host an annual luau to which everyone comes dressed in Hawaiian garb, we eat Hawaiian food, listen to luau music, etc. I recently had a large luau at my house (70-75 people) and I wore a sarong from 1WorldSarongs.com. It was lovely and comfortable.”

If you would like a chance to win 5 FREE SARONGS just Wrap, Pose, Submit!

http://www.1worldsarongs.com/freesarongs.html

1 World Sarongs Featured in First for Women Magazine

Cover-ups That Make You Happy!

Check out our lovely sarongs featured in First for Women Magazine August
16th, 2010 edition.
It is great to see sarongs growing in popularity and becoming a fashion
staple for the beach. Even movie stars like Denise Richards won't go to the
beach without a sarong now.

Check out our new editions at http://www.1worldsarongs.com/sarongs2010.html

Red Sarongs and Aston Martin Giveaway

1 World Sarongs supplied our Embroidered Red Sarongs for the Aston Martin give away contest at the Horseshoe Casino in Mississippi. The whole idea was to have the ladies wear our Embroidered Red Sarongs, but one of the sarongs had the words Aston Martin hidden in it. The contestants would then have to choose the lady with the Aston Martin sarong in order to win the car. This was a fun and unique way to give away a luxury car using sarongs!

Sarongs, beautiful models and a free Aston Martin...

Perfect combination for cruising to the beach :-)

How to Protect Yourself from Viruses - Trojans - Malwares etc.

Greetings Friends,

 

We all use our computers to go onto the web for research. Harmless right?  Wrong!

 

The other day when searching for how to train a dog,  a malicious software attached itself to my computer.  This malicious software, virus or malware whatever they are calling it, immediately corrupted my computer causing it to become unresponsive and unusable within seconds (my avg antivirus program to recognize it but didn’t stop it).  This all happened by simply going to Google…researching how to train a dog and then clicking on what appeared to be a harmless website.   This is my first infected computer in many many years and came as a big surprise.

 

Without going into too many technical details here’s how to protect yourself from unwanted loss of data and hours and hours of frustration:

 

1.     

Get a good anti-virus program:

a.     

I would recommend a program called nod32 by www.eset.com (credit to my buddy Chris for saving me hours of downtime). This program saved me big time.  I was able to remove the hard  drive from my computer attach it to another computer via an external usb drive and then scan it for viruses which it found 20 and then removed them all thanks to Nod32 anti-virus software. Cost is around $50 for two years I believe.

2.     

Upgrade to Windows 7 or Vista (Aumonts good recommendation)

a.     

Win 7 or Vista have built in “user controls” that ask anytime a program wants to install itself to your computer, thereby limiting your exposure to unwanted software.  Win XP does not.  Cost is ?...  it’s probably over $100 not sure but can find out at www.microsoft.com

3.     

Use a backup software solution and set a back up schedule:

a.     

I’m using Acronis true image for home www.acronis.com which is probably one of the best that I’ve seen and really easy to use as well.  Basically, get a big hard drive, usb external 1tb from Buy.com http://www.buy.com/retail/usersearchresults.asp?querytype=home&qu=fantom&qxt=home&display=col

Then back up your data to that drive… making a drive image and boot discs in case you need to recover the hard drive.  Acronis…cost?   An external 1terabyte backup hard drive cost on sale around $80

 

If you have any questions let me know…

 

Hope that helps!

 

Ter

 

 

Sarong Fabrics: Rayon, Cotton, Polyester or Silk: PART 1 RAYON

We know that having a breathable sarong or clothing fabric in the hotter temperatures is very important. We couldn't agree more. You want to feel relaxed and comfortable in your sarong and clothes from 1 World Sarongs. So let's take a look at our sarong fabric options.
What are the fabric choices for sarongs you may ask? Sarongs come in basically four different fabrics; rayon sarongs, cotton sarongs, polyester sarongs and silk sarongs. We often hear the question, "What is the difference between a rayon sarong, cotton sarong, polyester sarong or a silk sarong?". Before I answer, let me give you a little background about 1 World Sarongs. We are proud to be the #1 supplier of sarongs on the internet. We've had the pleasure of adorning tens of thousands of customers with our beautiful sarongs and clothing over the last ten years while maintaining a 99.9% customer satisfaction rating. We've sold hundreds of thousands of sarongs around the globe; from Papua New Guinea to Puerto Rico, from Hawaii to Mexico. We've shipped our sarongs and clothing pretty much everywhere in the world. Even Alaska! Why would you need a sarong in Alaska is a question we are still trying to figure out?
First, let's take a look at the most popular sarong fabric today, "rayon". Rayon was the first man made fabric invented back in the late 1800's and since has quickly become one of the most popular and versatile fabrics in the world today. Its lasting popularity is due to six main characteristics; touch-ability, breath-ability, drape-ability, dye-ability, durability and cost-ability. Currently, rayon is produced all over the planet from Germany to China and comes from various sources in a variety of forms. For our purpose we are focusing on the rayon made from cellulostic materials or in simple terms “plants and trees”. That's because the vast number of sarongs that are produced in the world are made in Indonesia (population 300 million), where rayon is easily acquired (usually from India). It's also where sarongs are the most universal form of clothing and utilized as an all around garment by both men, women and children. Traditionally, Indonesians wore cotton sarongs over the last few centuries. Especially since cotton was grown in Indonesia and it was long lasting and durable. However, with the since rayon has become more available in the market it has become the first choice when manufacturing sarongs and clothing (although most of the higher end batik and machine print batik patterned sarongs are still made from either cotton or silk). Rayon sarongs are less expensive than cotton or silk sarongs, thus making them more attractive for local markets as well as export to overseas destinations. You can find rayon sarongs anywhere from Jamaica to Hawaii, and most are made in Indonesia. But the real reason is that rayon is an amazing fabric that is extremely breathable, has a flowey drape and is durable. Making the perfect fabric for sarongs and summer clothing. Let's listen to what Dr. Smith has to say.
According to Joyce A. Smith Ph.D. at the Ohio State University (see attached document pg 2) …"Rayon's cellulosic base contributes many properties similar to those of cotton or other natural cellulosic fibers. Rayon is moisture absorbent (more so than cotton), breathable, comfortable to wear, and easily dyed in vivid colors. It does not build up static electricity, nor will it pill unless the fabric is made from short, low-twist yarns. Rayon is comfortable, soft to the skin, and has moderate dry strength and abrasion resistance." (http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5538.pdf)
On a more personal note, I've worn rayon sarongs many times in Indonesia and here in the States. I can tell you that rayon is really comfortable and surprisingly breathable. You won't want to put anything else on but your rayon sarong when staying in the hot temps. Especially after coming out of the pool or after a cool shower. Rayon sarongs are extremely nice to wear. Make sure to go for the #1 heavy weight rayon or the "Pertama" http://www.1worldsarongs.com/pe1co.html collection as we call it. These Pertama sarongs are really smooth to the touch and top quality.
On an environmental note…one of the biggest rayon manufacturers is making rayon more green by recycling the chemicals it uses to make the rayon and using fast growing and renewable resources:
http://www.tencel.at/index.php?id=38&L=1
Watch this YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/user/lenzingvideos
An interesting quote about the impact of Lenzing's rayon on the environment:
"Rayon, modal and lyocell are produced from renewable cellulosic plants such as beech trees, pine trees and bamboo. All three fibers are biodegradable. Specifically, Lenzing Viscose and Lenzing Modal are produced from sustainably harvested beech trees and Tencel from sustainably harvested eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus grows quickly and without irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers or genetic manipulation; it can also be planted on marginal land that cannot be used for food crops. The fiber yield per acre from the trees used in the Lenzing fibers is up to ten times higher than that of cotton. Also, cotton needs up to 20 times more water."
Ultimately, the environmental impact has a lot to do with how we wash our sarongs and clothing. How much water we use, the amount of detergent and the amount of fabric softeners etc.
I think we can say that rayon is a great fabric for sarongs or any clothing for the hotter temps. It is breathable, silky and durable. We've had some of our sarongs over 10 years and they are in great condition with the colors still bright and vivid.
Some people believe cotton is a more breathable fabric than rayon and that rayon feels more like a polyester plastic fabric… but that is far from the truth. In part 2 of Sarongs from Rayon, Cotton, Poly or Silk we'll explore cotton as a fabric choice for sarongs.
By the way I have a picture of me wearing a sarong at Uluwatu temple on the beautiful island of Bali. That day was pretty windy but we had a great time just walking around. The other picture is of me getting a lesson in how to tie a sarong from a local Balinese shop clerk up in Ubud. That was fun!
Ok, up next … Cotton Sarongs.
Terry
1 World Sarongs

RE: QUESTION ABOUT SARONGS AS A SARONG DRESS

Hi Kim,

Thanks very much for your question about tying a sarong as a sarong dress.

When sizing a sarong for being tied as a sarong dress we’ll need to consider the width rather than the length. Sarongs have a width of approximately 44 inches and 66 inches in length. The width of a sarong is the key factor when tying a sarong as a sarong dress. The wider the bust area and the larger the diameter of one’s neck the more material or wider the sarong will need to be. For the average woman 44 inches is sufficient for creating the sarong dress with a neck knot tie. Alternately, for larger body types, we can tie the sarong around the bust area without going around the neck. It’s almost the same to tie a sarong as a sarong skirt on the hip. Making a knot in front to have a strapless sarong dress. See the image below or check out our link here:

http://www.1worldsarongs.com/saastrdr.html

The key is to have fun with it and be creative. Sarongs can be a girl’s best friend so give them a whirl and tie one on.

Sometimes you can even incorporate a sarong tie / buckle. These are handy to keep your sarong tied on. Click on this link to see the available selection:

http://www.1worldsarongs.com/sarongties3.html

Hope that helps!

Terry

From: Kim Y

Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 7:23 AM
To: customerservice@1worldsarongs.com
Subject: question...

I found your site and would like to order a couple sarongs but am unsure of size and would appreciate your help. The sarongs would be gifts for women who would likely wear them as a dress rather than simply a long skirt. They are about a size 12.

If I correctly read your information, a regular sized sarong might not work well for a dress? If not what size would I order?

Thanks very much.

Sarah Q. "Kim"

Family News

LATEST NEWS

We are very thankful for all of your support. In fact this is our 9th holiday season and at the same time it’s our 1st holiday season with our newest addition. We are thrilled to announce the birth of our little baby Olivia. She is a gorgeous baby girl and was born September 12th 2009 weighing in at a healthy 7 lbs. Olivia is such a sweet darling and is already speaking...her first word was “Aloha”. We think she may even want to join the 1 World Sarongs family biz too…she timed her arrival perfectly…born on a Saturday morning in just a short hours and then she had us back to work by Monday afternoon! We didn’t miss a work day! LOL! Anyway...we are very happy to share the news of our little darling with you.

So cheers to you for being our customer and giving us the opportunity to be of service to you and helping us to provide a living to our families.

1 World Sarongs Featured in First Magazine

Wow what a surprise when First magazine called us and said they wanted to
feature our sarongs in their August 2009 issue.

We have been featured in other magazines before but we were surprised and
quite pleased to see a full spread on page 6 featuring one of our most
beautiful sarongs.

As you can imagine this was delightful and made an instant hit of pretty our
Turquoise sarong with beaded fringe, embroidery and sequins!
http://www.1worldsarongs.com/sarong-kd-emb-solid-turquiose-1.html

Who knows...maybe Vogue or Cosmo next???

Terry

HOW TO CARE FOR A SARONG - 5 EASY STEPS

How to care for your sarongs is a question we hear quite often.

So, I asked Nancy J., who is one of our long time 1 World Sarongs customers (8 years) and has bought literally hundreds if not thousands of sarongs from us and therefore an expert in caring for sarongs. Nancy turns our sarongs into beautiful outfits. She's an independent seamstress / fashion designer who creates marvelous caftans / ponchos from our sarongs to sell to specialty boutiques in New Mexico.

Nancy called to place an order the other day(knowing we're getting our delivery and to get first dibs), as she does every few months, so I figured this was the perfect time to pick her brain and ask about how she cares for her sarongs.

So here's what she said:

1. Unfold your sarong and shake it out a little
2. Load into your washer machine (Nancy does up to eight sarongs at a time)
3. Set your washer to cold water rinse - with medium water level - NO need for detergent
4. When washer is finished take sarongs and shake out a little and separate them
5. Load into dryer with a fabric softener - delicate setting - for 30 minutes
6. After 30 minutes clean the lint filter and then run dryer for another 10 minutes
7. Take sarongs out of dryer and spread them out on a bed or flat surface (Nancy folds them in half)
8. Then run your hands over them to get any wrinkles out

Notes:

Make sure to take your sarongs out of the dryer right away so they don't wrinkle.

If you do decide to iron your sarongs make sure you set your iron on a very low setting.

Note, this is for the care of rayon sarongs and of course cotton or silk or poly should be handled differently. (We'll cover those at another time)

The advantage to washing this way is the dryer will set the colors of your sarongs so you don't have to worry about the colors running.

Wasn't that simple?

Ok, you got us...that was eight steps ;-) just checking to see if your paying attention :-P

This method applies to our lovely clothing too. So just use the same methods to care for your sundresses and other items from 1 World Sarongs.

Have an idea on how to care for your sarongs / clothing?

A different method?

A better way to do it?

Why not leave us your comments or suggestions?

Hope you're having a wonderful summer,

Terry

LOVE IS THE ANSWER

1 World Sarongs is on Facebook!

We're on Facebook now...heck who's not on FB? Last we heard there was 165 million people, yes millions and millions of people are now on FB...

It's amazing!

Join us there and become a fan of 1 World Sarongs!

Here's our link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/1-World-Sarongs/63505057651

Join our new group "I LOVE SARONGS" for people who love wearing sarongs!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=51106709031

You need to be a member of Facebook so sign up...It's fun anyway!

1 WORLD SARONGS - NEW FOR 2009

Happy New Year 2009!

How was your holiday season?

Hope you had a safe and joyful time with your family, friends and coworkers.

Well, we sure had a busy time the last few months.

We have all kinds of new items coming up.

You're going to love them! They are all beautiful!

We've outdone ourselves again, if we may say so!

You know what they, "A picture is worth a thousand words!"

So we'll just let the pictures speak for themselves. Here's a few pictures just to give you a small taste of what's coming down the pipe.

We hope to have everything posted to our site and orderable within the next few weeks.

Stay tuned and keep an eye on 1 World Sarongs - New Arrivals

How to Tie a Sarong / Pareo coming soon!

Here's a sneak preview of our new How to Tie a Sarong / Pareo Video that we will be releasing soon!

Stay tuned... ;-)

"Beautiful Dancers, Great Festival and Rainbow"

"Aloooooha!!!" is Leilani's greeting to the audience...the audience replies "Aloooooha"!!!! back and then the beautiful ladies start dancing to the sweet sounds of the South Pacific at the Irvine Global Village Festival. Wathcing Leilani and her halau or dance group (Halau Hula Ka Lehua O Ka La'Akea and Aloha Polynesian Dancers) perform, was like being transported back 100 years and waking up to a soft breeze on Oahu or something. Hawaii comes to Irvine, California.

It was great. You always know when you're enjoying yourself because the time goes by so fast and without effort.

It was funny watching the kids too! They were so cute trying to copy the dancers.

All and all what a fun time and we even had a rainbow to start us off!

Check out the pictures of Angel doing a Tahitian Poi Ball Dance with our very own White Tattoo Sarong / Pareo ;-) Leilani and her halau are regular customers of 1 World Sarongs and we're excited to see her group grow.

For more pics click here Polynesian Dancers in Irvine

Watch the video too...a picture is worth a thousand words...so what is a video worth? (Please excuse shaky camera...forgot the tripod) :-)

Mahaloooo!

Fabric Types and Content

If you're like us, you like to know what your fabric is made of and where it comes from...

Here's a list of all the different types of fabrics and their compositions.

Fabric Content Glossary:

Acrylic

A synthetic fiber with a soft wool-like hand. It is machine washable, dries quickly and is often wrinkle resistant.

Angora

The hair of the Angora goat, also known as angora mohair. Angora may also refer to the fur of the Angora rabbit. The FTC requires any clothing containing Angora rabbit hair to be labeled as such on each garment.

Barathea

A soft fabric consisting of silk and cotton, silk and wool or all wool, woven with top-quality two-ply yarns.

Batiste
A lightweight, plain-weave fabric, semi-sheer and usually made of cotton or cotton blends.

Bedford

A lengthwise ribbed weave that resembles corduroy. Fibers may be wool, worsted, cotton, silk and rayon.

Bi-stretch

A blend of polyester, rayon and spandex that is woven in a way that allows the fabric to stretch in both a horizontal and vertical direction (referred to as two-way stretch). It has non-clingy properties, is soft next to the skin and is machine washable.

Broadcloth

A plain-weave, tightly woven fabric that is characterized by a slight ridge effect in one direction, usually the filling. The most common broadcloth is made from cotton or cotton/polyester blends.

Brocade

A heavy, exquisite jacquard-type fabric with an all-over floral design or raised pattern.

Canvas

A strong, durable, closely woven cotton fabric often used for raincoats, handbags and boots.

Cashmere

A luxury natural fiber with a very soft hand found from the soft fleecy undergrowth of the Kashmir goat, found in Tibet, Mongolia, China, Iraq, Iran and India. It is most commonly used in sweaters, shawls, suits and outerwear.

Chambray

A plain woven fabric that incorporates a colored warp (often blue) and white filling yarns. It can be made from cotton, silk or manufactured fibers but is most commonly cotton.

Charmeuse

The trade name of silk and silk-like fabrics that are characterized by a shiny, soft, satin-like appearance.

Chenille

A fabric whose name comes from the French word for "caterpillar," characterized by soft, fuzzy yarns standing out around a velvety cord.

Chiffon

A soft silk that is a plain woven, lightweight and sheer fabric containing highly twisted filaments of yard. The fabric is used for scarves and evening gowns but can also be made from rayon and other synthetic fibers.

Chintz

A printed and glazed cotton fabric usually of bright colors.

Cotton

A natural fiber that grows in the seed pod of the cotton plant. Fibers are typically half an inch to two inches long. The longest staple fibers, such as the Pima and Egyptian cottons, which have staple fibers longer than one and a half inches, generate the highest quality cotton fabrics.

Cotton Gauze

A lightweight and comfortable fabric that is sheer and open with a plain weave.

Cotton Poplin

A lightweight and durable cotton with a plain weave that has a texture similar to canvas. Also known as cotton broadcloth.

Cotton Voile

A type of cotton created with high-twist yarns in a high yarn-count construction. It is crisp, is lightweight and has a semi-transparent plain weave; it is similar in appearance to organdy and organza.

Combed Cotton

A fabric with a silk-like hand.

Coolmax®

The DuPont trademark for polyester. A specific process at the fiber-making stage helps wick away moisture from the body, keeping it cool and comfortable.

Corduroy

A medium to heavyweight fabric, usually made of cotton or a cotton blend, utilizing a cut-pile weave construction. Most commonly used for jackets, pants and skirts.

Crepe

A fabric with a crinkly, crimped or grained surface. It is used to describe all kinds of fabrics—wool, cotton, silk, rayon, synthetics and blend.

Crepe de Chine

A high-quality, lightweight crepe generally made of silk.

Crinkle Silk

Silk that is chemically treated or mechanically altered to give it a crinkled or pleated effect. (Also known as plissé—pronounced plee-say.)

Cross-dyed Linen

A type of linen with vivid, two-dimensional color. The cross-dyed effect is created when two (one colored and one white) strands of linen are "crossed" in opposite directions during the weaving process.

Damask

Fabric with floral or geometric prints that has been woven on a jacquard loom. A damask pattern is flat and reversible. It is similar to brocade but has a flatter surface texture.

Denim

A twill-weave cotton-like fabric made with different colored yarns in the warp and the weft. The twill construction allows for one color to dominate on the surface of the fabric.

Dupioni

A plain-weave silk that is characterized by irregular-sized, thick fibers that are spread out at intervals throughout the fabric. Dupioni is similar to Shantung.

Duchess Satin

Commonly used for wedding and formal gowns, this fabric is a heavy, shiny, rich-looking satin weave fabric.

Faille

A glossy, soft, finely ribbed, silk-like woven fabric made from cotton, silk or manufactured fibers. Traditionally used for women's dresses, suits and coats.

Faille Crepe

A dressy, double-faced fabric made with high-twist poly crepe yarns.

Faux Fur

Artificial fur made from synthetic material.

Felt

A non-woven fabric made from wool, hair or fur, and sometimes in combination with certain manufactured fibers, where the fibers are locked together in a process utilizing heat, moisture and pressure to form a compact material.

Flannel

A fabric made in tightly woven twill or a plain weave that is warm, soft and finished with a light napping.

Fleece

A synthetic knit fabric that has pile on one or both sides.

Foulard

A lightweight, lustrous twill fabric, usually with a small, repeating printed design. Originally imported from India, it is popular for neckties and scarves.

French Terry

A circular knit fabric with a looped pile back and smooth face.

Gabardine

A fabric with a slight diagonal line on the right side. It is tightly woven, twilled and worsted. Wool gabardine is known as a year-round fabric for business suiting.

Gauze

A thin, sheer plain-weave fabric made from cotton, wool, silk, rayon or other synthetic fibers.

Georgette

A sheer, lightweight plain-weave fabric with a fine crepe surface, often made of silk or from such synthetic fibers as polyester.

Gingham

A medium-weight, yarn-dyed, plain-weave fabric with a plaid or check pattern made of pure or blended cotton.

Gossamer Rayon

This high-quality, semi-sheer, ultra-light rayon with a crinkly texture originates from Japan. A heat process is used to set the crinkles into this fabric. Washable unless otherwise noted.

Hopsack

A loosely woven coarse fabric of cotton or wool.

Interlock Knit

A type of cut and sewn knit fabric characterized by the interconnecting of the knit stitches. It usually has stretch across the grain.

Iridescent Silk

A silk fabric that changes color as it is moved in the light. This effect is created by weaving together different colors.

Jersey Fabric

Fabric created by consistently interlooping yarns in the jersey stitch to produce a smooth, flat face and a more textured but uniform back.

Knit

Fabric made from only one set of yarns, all running in the same direction. Some knits have their yarns running along the length of the fabric, while others have their yarns running across the width of the fabric. Knit fabrics are held together by looping the yarns around each other. Knitting creates ridges in the resulting fabric. Wales are the ridges that run lengthwise in the fabric; courses run crosswise.

Linen

A fabric made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen fabrics are much stronger than cottons and are very cool and absorbent. Linen wrinkles very easily, unless blended with synthetic fabrics.

Lycra®

The DuPont trademark for its spandex fiber. Any time you see this fiber listed on a label, expect comfort, movement and shape retention that won't wash away.

Lyocell

A synthetic fiber with a similar hand and drape to rayon made of regenerated cellulose (plant fiber). Lyocell is stronger and more durable than Rayon, however, and takes color well. Additionally, it is fairly wrinkle-resistant and absorbs moisture well.

Madras

Imported from India, a lightweight, plain-weave, cotton fabric that has a striped, plaid or checked pattern. It is often used for shirts and dresses.

Matte Jersey

Dull, flat knit fabric made of high-quality crepe yarn.

Merino Wool

A type of high-quality wool that is made from the fleece of purebred merino sheep. It is strong, is elastic and takes dye well.

Mesh

A woven, knit, lace or crocheted fabric characterized by its net-like open appearance and the spaces between the yarns.

Microfleece

An extremely lightweight and soft synthetic knit fabric that has pile on one or both sides.

Mohair

Hair fibers from the Angora goat. Often used for sweaters, coats, suits and scarves.

Nubuck

A leather with a soft, velvety surface. This type of surface is created by buffing and brushing. Nubuck is produced using the grain (outer) side, which gives it added strength and durability.

Nylon

A synthetic fiber which is fast drying, strong, elastic and washable. It is known for its strength and resilience. Nylon has superior abrasion resistance and high flexibility.

Organza

A crisp, sheer, lightweight plain-weave fabric with a medium to high yarn count made of silk, rayon, nylon or polyester. Used primarily in evening and wedding gowns.

Ottoman

A tightly woven, plain-weave, ribbed fabric with a hard, slightly lustered surface. Often used in coats, suits, dresses, upholstery and draperies.

Oxford

A fine, soft, lightweight cotton woven or blended with manufactured fibers in a two-by-one basket-weave variation of the plain-weave construction.

Percale

A medium-weight, plain-weave, low to medium count (180 to 250 threads per square inch) cotton-like fabric. Can be used in sheets, blouses and dresses.

Pima Cotton

A soft, high-quality and medium staple-length type of American-bred Egyptian cotton.

Pinpoint Oxford

A high-quality, lightweight, soft, cotton-like fabric with small two-by-one basket-weave repeats. It has a smooth surface and is often used for shirts.

Piqué

A knitted cotton fabric with a waffle (or diamond-shaped) pattern.

Pointelle

A very feminine, delicate-looking rib knit fabric made with a pattern of openings.

Polyester

A category of synthetic fibers that are lightweight, strong, quick drying and resistant to creases, stretching, abrasion and shrinkage.

Poplin

A durable, plain-weave fabric made of silk, cotton, synthetic fibers, wool or blends. It is similar to broadcloth but with a heavier rib and weight.

Rayon

A synthetic fiber made from cellulose, derived from wood pulp, cotton linters or other vegetable matter, which is soft, is highly absorbent, has a lustrous appearance and has a good drape.

Ribbed Velour

A soft combination of cotton, nylon and spandex.

Rip-stop Nylon

A lightweight, wind resistant and water resistant plain-weave fabric. Often used in active sportswear and outdoor apparel.

Satin

A fabric utilizing a satin weave construction to achieve a lustrous surface. It is predominantly used for evening and wedding apparel.

Seersucker

A cotton fabric with permanent woven crinkled stripes. It launders well and generally does not need to be ironed.

Shantung

A medium-weight, plain-weave and silk-like fabric characterized by a ribbed effect, resulting from slubbed yarns used in the warp or filling direction. (“Slub” means the yarns are uneven or nubby.) It is primarily used for dresses and is similar to Dupioni silk.

Shearling

The skin and wool of a shearling (a year-old sheep that has been sheared once) or a newly sheared sheep or lamb that is removed and then tanned.

Silk

Obtained from the cocoons of certain species of caterpillars. Known as one of the finest textiles, silk is strong, soft and absorbent and has a brilliant sheen.

Soft-ribbed Cotton

A fine-ribbed cotton knit using altering wales.

Spandex

A manufactured elastomeric fiber that can be repeatedly stretched over 500% without breaking and will still return to its original shape. Lycra® is the name for DuPont-brand spandex.

Suede

Leather that has been buffed with an emery wheel on the flesh side to raise a slight nap. It usually has a good drape and soft hand.

Taffeta

A lustrous, medium-weight, plain-weave fabric with a slight ribbed appearance in the filling (crosswise) direction. Often used for formal wear.

Tactel®

A soft yet durable nylon fiber trademarked by DuPont. It is extremely easy to wash, allows the skin to breathe and easily regains its shape. Primarily used for active sportswear.

Terry

A woven fabric, usually cotton, with loop pile on one or both sides.

Tissue Linen

Thin, sheer, lightweight linen often used for blouses.

Toile

A light- or medium-weight, plain-weave, fine and cotton-type fabric, usually with one colored, printed scenic design. Used primarily for home furnishings and clothing.

Tulle

A lightweight, extremely fine, machine-made netting, usually with a hexagon-shaped mesh effect. Often used on gowns and veils.

Tweed

A medium- to heavyweight woolen, twill-weave fabric that is characterized by colored stubby yarns. Often used for coats and suits.

Twill

Fabric that shows a distinct diagonal wale on the face (e.g., denim, gabardine, tricotine).

Velour

A medium-weight, soft, plush, closely woven fabric with a thick pile. It can be made using either a plain-weave or a satin-weave construction.

Velvet

A medium-weight, luxurious, cut-pile constructed fabric in which the cut pile stands up very straight. It has a rich and soft texture.

Velveteen

A cotton cut-pile weave fabric, utilizing extra fill yarn construction, with either a twill- or a plain-weave back. It lacks the sheen and drape of velvet. Often used for jackets, pants and shirts.

Viscose

A manufactured fiber made of regenerated cellulose. It is soft and absorbent and has a good drape.

Voile

A lightweight, sheer fabric with a crisp, wiry hand. Voile can be made of cotton, silk, rayon or acetate.

Wool

Fiber or fabric made from the fleece of sheep or lambs. However, the term "wool" can also apply to all animal hairs, including cashmere and angora, alpaca, vicuna, llama and camel.