Cotton Fabric Key Terms

Learn all of the right cotton fabric key terms

By Nikki Wheeler

An important part of the process of introducing cotton fabrics to your business is learning to use the right cotton fabric key terms and technical jargon. Using the right cotton fabric terms is essential for communicating clearly with suppliers, customers and employees.

There are many facets to cotton fabric, and different forms of the natural fiber might be used in a wide variety of industries, including industrial cotton fabrics, personal products and retail. Understanding the following cotton fabrics key terms will provide direction in the search for the right cotton fabrics for your business.

Cotton fabric weight

The weight of cotton fabric means the density of the fabric or the number of fibers woven into the fabric. It is measured by weight per square yard or meter and is classified as lightweight, medium weight or heavyweight.
Try: Find a list describing cotton fabrics and their different weights at Waechter's Fine Fabrics.

Organic cotton fabric

Organic cotton is processed from organically grown cotton plants and kept completely natural throughout the process, avoiding all chemical treatments and dyes. It is increasingly used for clothing and personal products.
Try: Visit the cotton industry's website, Cotton Incorporated, to read all about environmentally-friendly, organic cotton.

Cotton fabric blends

Cotton fabric is sometimes blended with other fibers by twisting them together during the weaving process. This produces a fabric that has qualities not natural to cotton such as stretch, durability or anti-wrinkle.
Try: Have a look through the various cotton blends at Robert Kaufman Fabrics, including bamboo, polyester and Lycra blends.

Cotton knit

Cotton knit fabric is lightweight, soft and stretchy cotton fabric that is commonly used in fashion for pieces such as t-shirts.
Try: Denver Fabrics offers a guide about cotton knit fabrics, their variations and how best to use them.

Vintage cotton fabric

Vintage cotton fabric is pre-1980 original fabric that usually somes in prints that evoke the styles of the time, and is usually quite popular for independent clothing designers and interior decorators.
Try: See some great examples of vintage retro cotton fabric dating as far back as the 1920s at Revival Fabrics.

Cotton fabric weave

The weave of a fabric indicates how the fabric is woven together on a loom. Some of the ways that cotton can be woven include twill, jacquard, seersucker and chambray.
Try: Have a look at a comprehensive list of the possible weaves of cotton fabrics at Fabrics.net.