A
Adidas Hat Clip - a conveniently portable ball marker clips right to a
cap or visor for golfers to mark their ball location when the ball
has to be moved for instance to clear the path for another
golfer.
Air mesh - a
mesh that has multiple layers to allow air to pass through the
fabric.
Airjet yarn - cotton and polyester garments which provide for a
virtually "pill free" look, wash after wash.
Allen Solley placket - a one-piece placket that's hidden after being sewn.
This process utilizes the existing fabric for the outside placket
face. This is an upscale placket type.
ANSI - the
American National Standards Institute establishes guidelines for
safety; styles specifically meant to promote safety and visibility
often are held to ANSI standards
Award jacket - a
baseball-style jacket with contrasting striped trim.
Anatomically correct straps -
Straps on a golf bag that are designed to
fit the shape of a person's shoulders for maximum
comfort.
B
Ballistic nylon - a thick, durable, synthetic nylon fabric.
Banded self collar - a type of collar made of the same material as the
shirt. The two basic kinds of this collar are the simulated, made
of two pieces, or the true, made of four pieces.
Bar Tacks - a
type of reinforcement stitching used in clothing to make sewn
products stronger
Baseball shirt - a shirt style that features a crew collar, white body,
and three-quarter-length raglan sleeves in a contrasting
color.
Basket weave - a
variation of the plain weave in which two or more threads are woven
side by side to resemble a "basket" look. Fabrics have a loose
construction and loose appearance.
Bedford Cord - a
heavy fabric with a lengthwise ribbed weave, resembles
corduroy
Besom pocket - reinforced top seam found on the pockets of golf
shirts. This reinforced top seam keeps the pocket in shape and more
durable.
Bi-Swing Shoulder - a generous fit across the shoulder for ease of
movement
Binding - a
strip of material sewn or attached over or along the edge of
something for protection, reinforcement or
ornamentation.
Blanks - undecorated items or apparel; also refers to "blank"
goods.
Breeze Knit - garment-washed cool knit. By garment washing, the cool
knit gets a softer hand and reduced shrinkage.
Brim - a sun
screen that goes all the way around a hat. An example would be a
tennis hat.
Broadcloth - a
close plain-weave fabric made of cotton, rayon or a blend of cotton
or rayon with polyester.
Buckram backing - stiff fabric used to give shape and form to items like
caps, belts, etc. Also used to stabilize embroidery
edges.
Burnout - usually a blended fabric (cotton/poly for instance)
treated with a chemical to slightly dissolve one fiber in the
cloth. The result is a sheer, lacy design often giving the fabric a
vintage, worn-in feel. Because of this process, each garment is
unique, and similar to tie-dyed or pigment-dyed fabric, there is
often variations in the design and color. Examples of burnout tees
are Canvas style 3601 and Bella style B8601.
C
Cabretta leather - a leather made from the skins of sheep that grow hair
rather than wool, tougher than other sheepskins and used chiefly
for gloves and shoes
Calendaring - essentially an ironing process that adds sheen to the
fabric by the use of heavy rollers (or calendars), pressure and
steam heat.
Canvas - strong,
firm, heavyweight, and closely woven fabric. Usually made of
cotton.
Cap sleeve - a
very short sleeve that hangs over the shoulder but does not extend
beyond the armhole on the underside, often used for ladies' fashion
tees such as Anvil style 1441 or Bella style 8705
Chambray - a
plain weave fabric, usually of cotton or rayon, or a blend of
these.
Chino Cotton - A
coarse twilled cotton fabric used for uniforms and sometimes work
or sports clothes.
Clean-finished placket - typically the interfacings of plackets are raw or
edged, which means they can look ragged or uneven, particularly on
light-colored shirts. By cutting the interfacing in a rectangle,
turning the edges under and fusing them in place, there is a
straight placket with no raw edges. All that shows inside the shirt
is the smooth edge.
ClimaCool - a
registered adidas term used to describe products made of fabric
that withstand wind and rain, and keep moisture off the body and in
the atmosphere
Coach's jacket - style of jacket, comparable to a basic windbreaker,
with fold-over collar and slash pockets.
Color blocking - merchandising and/or cutting term whereby a certain
type or block of colors ends up in the same place every time on the
finished garment.
Combed cotton - cotton yarn that has been combed to remove short
fibers and to straighten or arrange longer fibers in parallel
order.
Combing - a
secondary cleansing process performed to remove additional
impurities from the staple fibers after carding. This is a better,
more refined cotton than carding.
Compacting - process that compacts the space between fabric fiber
pockets. This will prevent cotton shrinkage. Comprehension straps -
straps which securely hold the inner contents of a
bag.
Compression molded - a solid, pre-formed molded panel that is created using
compression.
Constructed - a
constructed cap has buckram backing.
Cool knit - a
variation of pique that results in a different texture and surface
appearance. It resembles a "waffle" pattern.
Cotton sheeting - plain-weave cotton fabric, usually prelaundered, used
for fashion sportswear. It's wrinkled to create crinkle
cotton.
Crestable panels - panels that are available for custom
branding.
Crew collar - a
rounded, ribbed collar cut loose to the neck.
Crinkle cotton - wrinkled or puckered cotton obtained by cloth,
construction or finishing. It is prelaundered and made from cotton
finishing.
Crop top - a
shirt style made to expose the midriff.
Cross cut - fabric knit on a pique machine, which is altered
slightly to provide a unique stitch. The face of the fabric is
two-toned, which gives it a dimensional, textured look and feel.
The garment stitching will have a horizontal appearance rather than
a vertical one.
Cross grain - this term is used for heavyweight fleece fabric. The
fabric is sewn between ribs or panels on the side part of the
garment for extra thickness and durability.
Crown - the
upper-most part of the cap of a hat that is sewn to either a
hatband, brim or sweat band.
CVC - chief
value cotton; used in some blends of t-shirts for a fine, smooth
feel
D
Dazzle - a
lightweight fabric that easily allows the body to receive
ventilation during physical activity. Dazzle fabric is
distinguished by the pattern of tiny holes in the weave of the
material. Often made of synthetic fibers as well as
cotton/synthetic blends, the look of dazzle wear is usually
somewhat sleek and shiny.
Debossed silicone - a stamped, soft silicone process versus a raised mold;
this material is often used for colored bracelets
Denier - a scale
for the density (largely related to thickness) of fibers in fabric.
The higher the shown as denier, the thicker the fiber. For example,
mesh athletic wear such as Badger's style B8529 use a lighter fiber
(70 denier) for comfort and ease of movement, while UltraClub's
Classic Briefcase style U1011 is made with thicker fibers (600
denier) for a stiffer fabric for durability and shape
retention.
Denim - a basic
or cotton or blended fabric with right- or left-hand twill
constructions. The wrap is usually dyed blue with a white
filing.
Divot Repair Tool - a useful tool for any golfer, this item is used to
replace and mend any divots created in the grass with the swing of
a club
Double-needle - a double row of stitching at the seam.
Draw cord - a
cord or ribbon run through a hem or casing and pulled to tighten or
close an opening or drawstring.
Drop seam - a
seam that is cut and lays below the shoulder of the
garment.
Drop tail - a
design feature found in upscale products where the back of the
garment is longer than the front, sometimes referred to as an
"elongated" back.
DWR - a special
finishing process to enhance longevity and effectiveness of water
resistance (Durable Water Resistant)
E
Egyptian Cotton - Cultivated in Egypt's Nile River Valley, this cotton
is considered the best cotton in the world. The particular growing
season gives the cotton the longest and strongest fibers, making it
ideal for weaving into smooth, strong yarn. Commonly used in
high-end towels and linens.
End on end - a
weave in which the warp yarn (the yarn running lengthwise)
alternates between two colors.
Enzyme wash - washing process that uses a cellulose-based solution
to obtain garments that appear to have been stonewashed or acid
washed. The solution physically degrades the surface of the cotton
fiber. The appearance and hand of the garment are identical to
stonewashed and acid washed garments. However, the fabric surface
is not damaged to the extent of a stonewashed or acid washed
garment.
EVA molded - a
type of foam with softness and flexibility that yet can be
processed like other thermoplastics. The material has good barrier
properties, low-temperature toughness, stress-crack resistance,
hot-melt adhesive waterproof properties and resistance to UV
radiation for maximum durability.
Eyelets - small
holes generally finished with stitches or brass
grommets
F
Fabric memory - a term used for cotton fabric. When washing
instructions are followed, it will always come back looking as if
it were brand new.
Face yarn - the
exterior yarn of a fleece garment.
50/50 - 50
percent cotton/50 percent polyester fabric; also referred to as
"polycotton".
Fleece - a
fabric with a pile or napped surface, sometimes of a unit
construction; commonly used in sweats.
Football jersey - a jersey shirt with a slight v-neck, stitched yoke and
one-half-length to three-quarter-length sleeves.
Fused lining - a
lining that is fused to the two outer plies with solvent, heat and
pressure. It's used to stabilize or stiffen parts of a garment,
such as a pocket or collar.
G
Gabardine - a
firm hard-finish durable fabric, twilled with diagonal
ribbon
Garment wash - process of industrially washing garments after they
have been manufactured to remove sizing; it also softens and
pre-shrinks.
Grommet - an
eyelet of firm material to strengthen or protect an
opening.
Gusset - triangular inserts in sleeve seams to widen and
strengthen.
H
Hand - quality
or characteristic of fabrics perceived by sense of touch, e.g.
softness, firmness, drapeability, fineness (i.e. its tactile
qualities).
Hanger appeal - a retail term meaning very marketable or very
appealing to a retail market; as in "looks appealing on the
hanger"
Heat-seal label - tagless labels; the information displayed on a label
is heat stamped or printed onto the garment to avoid an itchy
attached label. (Badger, adidas and UltraClub are three examples of
brands that do this)
Heather - a yarn
that is spun using pre-dyed fibers. These fibers are blended
together to give a particular look. (For example, black and white
may be blended together to create a gray heathered yarn.) The term,
heather, may also be used to describe the fabric made from
heathered yarns.
Heavyweight - fabric heavier than 10 ounces per linear yard, equal
to 1.60 yield. Standard weight in the industry is 8 ounces (2.0
yield) or lighter.
Henley style - shirt featuring a banded neck and button placket; may
be ribbed.
Herringbone - a
decorative pattern of rows of slanted parallel lines alternating
direction row by row.
High cotton - type of cotton fabric that results in a soft hand.
Therefore, it has little or no lint and a tighter knit, which makes
for ideal screen printing.
High profile - determines the look of a cap. A high-profile cap's
arch begins at 3 inches.
Honeycomb pique - a knit fabric that is characterized by a wider
waffle-like appearance, which actually allows the wearer more
comfort.
Hydrophilic or Hydrophilic finish -
hydrophilic fibers absorb water easily,
often used in moisture-management styles to aid in wicking and
quick evaporation of perspiration
I
Indigo dyeing - indigo dye is a substance taken from the indigo plant.
There are many chemical imitation indigo dyes. Indigo dye color can
only be achieved through a process of dyeing where yarn is dipped
into a dye bath and is then allowed to oxidize. The number of dips
determines the depth of the indigo color-the more dips, the darker
the color.
Interlock - a
fine-gauge knit fabric produced by interlocking or interlocking
stitches on a circular knit machine. Similar to a jersey, except
both front and back of fabric look identical. Interlock is a
variation of rib knit construction. The fabric is extremely soft,
firm and absorbent.
J
Jacquard knit - dyed yarn knit on sophisticated equipment to produce a
desired pattern and/or texture.
Jaspe pique - two color yarns create subtle tone variations on the
surface of the fabric. This will allow exceptional embroidery
surfaces.
Jersey - a type
of fabric with a flat appearance, knit on a circular, single-knit
machine; its principal distinction is that it is not a fabric with
a distinct rib.
K
Kasha-lining - a
lining principally for jackets featuring cotton flannel, napped
face and imitation chambray back.
L
Lisle - high-quality cotton yarn made by plying yarns spun
from long, combed staple.
Locker loop - a
self-fabric loop sewn into the center of the back yoke seam for a
functional styling detail.
Logo - an
artistic interpretation of a company's sign or symbol. These
figures can be copyrighted or trademarked. Permission is needed for
duplication.
Low profile - determines the look of a cap. A low-profile cap's arch
begins at 2 to 3 inches.
M
MAG pockets - magnetic access pockets.
Marbled - a
texture that involves a body color with contrasting highlight
flecks on the surface. These flecks give the garment a heather-like
appearance.
Mercerization - a process that eliminates all of the small "hairs" of
yarn, which adds to its luster. This yarn is then additionally run
through a caustic solution, which further smoothes and adds gloss
to the yarn surface by burning off additional fabric
hairs.
Microfiber - very fine fibers, which give a unique appearance and
soft hand. Microfiber fabrics are generally lightweight, resilient
and resist wrinkling. They have a luxurious drape and the body
retains its shape and resists pilling. They are also very strong
and durable.
Mock turtleneck - a shortened version of the turtleneck where the neck
of the garment does not fold over.
Moisture wicking - Moisture-wicking fabric actually draws moisture from
perspiration away from the skin to the surface of the garment where
it can evaporate more quickly and easily. Moisture-wicking styles,
such as the UltraClub Cool & Dry line, are ideal not just for
athletes and teams, but also for general wear because they help
keep the wearers feeling fresh and dry
N
Nailhead woven - consists of a solid background and color and little
pinheads' (or small nailheads) of fabric spaced at regular (and
very small) intervals. The effect of this pattern is that the
background color tends to overshadow the nailhead
pattern.
Neoprene - a
synthetic rubber that is resistant to oils and aging
NuBlend fleece - a three-end fleece made of 50% cotton and 50%
polyester with an anti-pilling surface.
Nubuk - a
synthetic leather with its finished surface buffed to a slight nap
or suede-like appearance.
O
One-ply yarn - one strand of thread is used to form the yarn that is
woven into terry loops.
Open-end yarn - a process that eliminates some manufacturing steps
needed for ring-spun yarn. This cost-saving process is passed on to
the garments produced.
Ounces per sq. yd - a measurement of fabric weight, a weight that
customers usually ask for when making a comparison to competitive
brands.
Oxford - soft,
somewhat porous, cotton shirting weave that creates a soft, nubby
texture.
P
Peach finish - a
soft hand (feel) usually obtained by sanding the fabric lightly; it
can be achieved with chemical or laundry abrasion.
Peruvian Pima Cotton - Peruvian Pima Cotton is often referred to as the
"cashmere of cotton" the softest, smoothest, "silkiest" fabric you
can wear. Shrinkage standard for Peruvian Pima fabrics is a maximum
of 5 x 5 if the garment is washed following directions on the
label.
PET recycled polyester - P.E.T. (polyethylene terephthalate) refers to a
specific type of plastic often used in plastic bottles. In a 7-step
process, bottles are reclaimed and made into polyester fabric. This
fabric is used, for instance, in Anvil's style 450.
PFD - prepare
for dyeing. It indicates that the garment has been specifically
prepared for the garment-dyeing process.
Piece dying - fabrics that are dyed solid colors after they have
been woven or knitted, but before they are sewn into a
garment.
Pigment dyeing - a class of dye used on cotton or poly/cotton. Neon or
fluorescent colors are done with pigments. Dyers also do a
distressed look using pigments. Pigments have the least degree of
fastness of all the dyes, but create the brightest colors. Pigment
dyes will typically stay in the pastel range unless it's neon. You
cannot deepen color with a pigment.
Pima cotton - high-quality yarn made by plying yarns spun from long
combed staple.
Pinpoint oxford - two fine yarns that are wrapped together for a fine
and luxurious hand.
Piping - a
narrow tube of fabric, sometimes enclosing a cord, used for
trimming seams and edges as an added fashion detail.
Pique - a knit
fabric that is characterized by its waffle-like
appearance.
Placket - the
construction that forms the opening in the front of the shirt,
allowing the wearer to put it on and take it off with
ease.
Plain weave - simplest, most common of all basic weaves. The surface
provides a smooth surface for printing.
Polar fleece - knitted using 100% fine denier polyester yarns. The
pile is napped on the front and back to promote a very soft hand
with exceptional loft. This is a fine denier knit that also allows
the fabric to dry quickly.
Polynosic - a
type of microfiber that is a blend of polyester and rayon fibers
and having a soft finish.
Poplin - a
medium-to-heavyweight unbalanced plain weave. It is a spun yarn
fabric that is usually piece dyed.
Powder dyeing - process that allows polyester to blend with cotton to
give a garment a dyed appearance. Powder dyed garments ensure
consistent color, wash after wash.
Preshrunk - fabrics that are preshrunk (usually cotton) are more
likely to retain their shape and size because, before the garment
is manufactured, the fabric is subjected to a shrinking process to
reduce the amount of shrinking during laundering
PrintPro - fleece fabric construction with a two-end yarn system
that allows for an increase in the amount of stitches per square
yard.
PU construction - a synthetic split leather with a layer of polyurethane
applied to the surface and then embossed.
Q
Quarter turned - an additional manufacturing process where the mill
rotates 1/4 of a turn to put a crease on the side of the product
rather then the front of the product.
R
Raglan - a
raglan sleeve is stitched under the arm and in two parallel lines
leading from the armpit to the neck; it makes for ease of arm
movement.
Ramie - a
strong, staple fiber of cellulose yielded by the inner bark of the
ramie plant. It's often used as a less expensive substitute for
linen or cotton, and is usually blended with cotton, flax or
silk.
Reactive dye - special dye used on a garment which produces, when the
label's wash instructions are followed, a more set-in color
tone.
Reflective - polished surface for reflecting light
Resin treatment - the addition of thermosetting resins applied in the
finishing process, used to control the shrinkage of a fabric and
add durable press characteristics.
Reverse weave - a popular fabric in athletic sweatshirts; for example,
many Champion sweatshirts are made with the grain of the fabric
running sideways instead of vertically, and includes side panels to
help maintain its shape and fight shrinking
Rib - a stretchy
fabric normally used for trim. This stitch is formed by two sets of
needles at right angles to each other. The face of the fabric
appears to be the same as the backside.
Ring-spun yarn - yarn that is reproduced on ring frame equipment. This
yarn produces a softer hand when knit.
Ringer tee - a
shirt, usually white bodied, featuring ribbed crew neck and sleeve
bands in a contrasting color.
S
Sand Wash - the
process of washing fabric or garment with sand to soften and
distress the look of the fabric
Sandwich hat - a
hat where there is contrasting trim between the upper and lower
part of the visor.
Scoop neck - a
rounded neck, larger than a crewneck, but smaller than a
boatneck.
Seamless collar - a collar that is knit in a circle and is set in
circular. There are no joining seams on the collar, found in
better-made t-shirts.
Set-in sleeve - a style of sleeve that is sewn into the shoulder, as
opposed to the neck.
Sheared - refers
to the towel's finish. A sheared surface is created clipping the
loops on one side of the towel. Sheared terry is often referred to
as having a velour finish. The shearing process creates a plush and
smooth finish, which is great for printing or embroidery. The
weight of the fabric has a big impact on the overall appearance of
the shear. A heavier weight fabric enhances the velour appearance
because there is more material to shear.
Shearling - Traditionally a sheepskin shorn close for a uniform
length of wool fibers; a synthetic production of similar fabric for
added moisture-wicking properties for year-round
comfort.
Sheeting - a
plain-weave cotton fabric usually made of carded
yarns.
Sherpa - a
knitted terry fabric that has been brushed and washed to raise the
fibers for a fluffy, plush feel. The thick terry loops stay soft
and absorbent over time.
Shoddy - clippings of extra fabric from the production of tees
is gathered, sorted by color, then processed into a pulpy material
called shoddy. This material is then respun into yarn and used to
create recycled apparel.
Side seams - seams that join the front and back together. This
feature is not found on T-shirts and some placket
shirts.
Single-needle - a stitch, requiring a single needle and thread,
characterized by its straight-line pathway. A single-needle
shoulder seam has been finished with a visible row of stitching,
single needle, for additional reinforcement and
fashion.
Solera polyester - polyester derived from corn, an eco-friendly
material
Sonic weld logos - A type of logo treatment, where the graphic is applied
without the use of stitches. A direct injection of material is
applied to the fabric to create the logo.
Spandasol - an
additive placed in printing ink to allow the dried ink design to
stretch with the fabric (should be added to ink when printing on
"burn-out" styles like Canvas 3601)
Staff bag - a
style of bag used on the PGA Tour and other professional
tours.
Standard Athletic Team Colors -
standards for all primary team colors to
better control uniform standards; used to ensure consistency across
product lines
Staple - the
actual length of a cotton fiber.
Stonewash - a
finishing process that creates a distressed appearance, including a
softer texture, puckering at the seams and slight wrinkling.
Garments are tumbled together with stones (usually pumice stones)
in larger washers. This process is usually applied to indigo-dyed
denim garments. Different sizes of stones can be used and length of
washing time can be varied to achieve different
effects.
Sublimation transfer - method of subliming a dye pattern, through the use of
heat, onto polyester fabric from a paper carrier.
Sueded fleece - a very smooth and luxurious fleece that is made with
an 80/20 cotton and polyester blend; a unique finishing process
wherein the fabric is gently "sanded," which causes the fleece to
become very soft.
T
Taffeta - a
crisp plain-woven lustrous fabric of various fibers used especially
for women's clothing
Taping - a
design feature whereby a piece of fabric is used to cleanly cover a
seam. The term is used when referring to shoulder-to-shoulder
taping.
Taslan - 100%
nylon fabrication with a water-resistant coating that has been
woven as a twill and washed to provide a soft hand.
Tencel - a fiber
made from wood pulp. Tencel gives fabric a very soft, smooth and
luxurious hand.
Thermoplastic - a plastic that is soft and pliable when heated without
any change of the inherent properties.
Tipping - a dyed
stripe in a contrasting color, often around the collar or sleeve
hems of a polo to add a unique accent to the shirt's
fashion.
Tour Preferred - TaylorMade's top level product.
TPR rubber - a
specific form of rubber used on logos.
Triblend - a
fabric made from 3 types of material (e.g. Bella
B8413)
Tricot - a plain
warp-knitted fabric of nylon, wool, rayon, silk, or cotton with a
close elastic knit. Often used in athletic jerseys or as a lining
material.
Tubular knit - a
golf shirt style with no side seams. The bottom is rounded all
around.
Twill - characterized by a diagonal rib. Twill weaves are used
to produce a strong, durable, firm fabric.
Two-ply yarn - two strands of thread are used to form the yarn that
is woven into terry loops.
U
Unconstructed - an unconstructed cap has a relaxed fit without
backing. It fits closely to the wearer's head.
UPF - ultraviolet protection factor; refers to the amount of
UV rays blocked by the fabric with a rating of UPF 50 blocking 100%
of UVA and UVB rays. UPF and SPF ratings are not
interchangeable.
V
W
Waterproofness - the ability of fabric to withstand penetration by
water. Conventional waterproof fabrics are generally coated with
chemicals or laminated with a film that closes the pores in fabric.
(See waterproof/breathable).
Waterproof/breathable - ability to keep water from penetrating but permits
water vapor to pass through. There are over 200 fabrics of this
type available today, offering a varied combination of
waterproofness and water vapor permeability.
Water repellency - the ability to resist penetration by water. Not as
rigorous a standard as waterproofness. Water repellent fabrics
cause water to bead up on their surfaces while allowing insensible
perspiration to pass through. Water beads up and rolls off a
water-repellent fabric.
Water resistant - a treatment to fabric that actually allows water to
"bead" and fall off a garment.
Weather resistant - a loose term referring primarily to a fabric's
wind-resistant and water-repellent properties. Water-resistant
fabrics are those that resist the penetration of water. The greater
the force of impact as the water hits the fabric surface, the
greater the likelihood that it will penetrate the
fabric.
Welt cuffs - cuffs on short sleeve garments formed from a single
ply of ribbed fabric with a finished edge. Fabric for welt cuffs is
knit in a bolder stitch construction than that of standard 1 x 1
ribs.
Window pane - a
checkered, plaid like pattern that is characterized by having
vertical and horizontal lines that intersect, creating the
appearance of a window pane.
WindPro - tested
perforated umbrellas.
Woven - fabric
constructed by the interlacing of two or more sets of yarns at
right angles to each other.
Wrinkle-free - the basic process for imparting the wrinkle free
finish into fabric involves applying a resin into the fabric,
drying and curing at extremely high temperatures to the desired
dimension, scouring to remove any residual chemicals, and final
drying. The application and curing of wrinkle-free may occur before
or after the garments are produced. "Precured wrinkle-free" means
that the finish has been applied to the fabric before the garment
has been manufactured. Because the "postcure wrinkle-free" means
that the finish has been applied after the garment has been
manufactured and because the "postcure wrinkle-free" process is set
into the final, pressed garment, it is more popular.
X
Y
Yoke - contoured
portion of a garment, usually at the shoulder or hip.
Z