Fashion Lexicon

The language of the supply chain, from yarn to shelf.

Fashion has a vocabulary most people outside the industry never see — and most people inside it only half-learn from one corner of the chain. This is the terminology I actually use, organized the way a garment is actually made: fiber, fabric, color, construction, trim, show, business, and the sustainability questions that now run through all of it.

Built from 20+ years across design, tech packs and Made in Italy production — not copied from a textbook.

323terms defined
10categories
A–Zplain, no jargon-on-jargon
01
Category 1 of 10

Yarns & Fibers

Natural Fibers — Plant-Based

Cotton
The most widely used natural fiber, harvested from the cotton plant's seed pod. Breathable, absorbent, and versatile, but quality varies enormously by staple length and origin (Egyptian, Pima, Supima are long-staple, premium grades).
Organic Cotton
Cotton grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, under certified farming standards (GOTS, OCS). Costs more, requires paper-trail certification through the whole supply chain — not a claim you can make without documentation.
BCI Cotton (Better Cotton Initiative)
Cotton grown under Better Cotton standards for water use, pesticide reduction, and farmer labor conditions. A step below fully organic, but the mainstream sustainability baseline most large brands now require.
Linen
Made from the flax plant's stem fibers. Strong, highly breathable, wrinkles easily by nature — the wrinkle is a feature buyers expect, not a defect to correct.
Hemp
A bast fiber from the hemp plant, similar to linen in hand but more durable and increasingly used for its low water/pesticide footprint.
Jute
A coarse, inexpensive bast fiber, used mainly for bags, packaging, and rustic textiles rather than apparel.
Ramie
A bast fiber similar to linen, with high luster and strength, often blended with cotton to reduce shrinkage and add crispness.
Sisal
A stiff, coarse fiber from the agave plant, used for rope, rugs, and structural/technical applications — not garment fabric.
Kapok
A lightweight, silky fiber from the kapok tree's seed pods, used mainly as fill (pillows, insulation) rather than spun into yarn.

Natural Fibers — Animal-Based

Wool
Fiber from sheep fleece, prized for warmth, elasticity, and natural crimp. Quality is graded by micron count — finer micron, softer and more expensive.
Merino Wool
Wool from the Merino sheep breed, fine-micron (typically under 24), soft enough for next-to-skin wear — the benchmark for premium knitwear.
Cashmere
Fine undercoat fiber combed (not shorn) from cashmere goats. Extremely soft and warm-for-weight; each goat yields only a small amount per year, which is why genuine cashmere is never cheap.
Mohair
Fiber from the Angora goat (not to be confused with Angora rabbit fiber). Lustrous, resilient, often used for its sheen and texture in blends.
Angora
Fine, fluffy fiber from the Angora rabbit. Extremely soft and warm but weak on its own — almost always blended with wool or nylon for strength.
Alpaca
Fiber from the alpaca, softer and warmer than sheep's wool with a silkier hand, naturally available in a range of undyed colors.
Camel Hair
Fine undercoat fiber from the Bactrian camel, warm and soft, traditionally used in coating fabrics.
Vicuña
The rarest and most expensive natural fiber, from a wild South American camelid. Protected by law, hand-collected in limited quantity — the reference point for "ultra-luxury" material.
Silk
The only natural fiber that occurs as a continuous filament, produced by silkworms. Strong for its weight, naturally lustrous, with excellent drape.
Mulberry Silk
Silk from silkworms fed exclusively on mulberry leaves — the finest, most uniform silk grade, used in high-end apparel.
Wild/Tussah Silk
Silk from wild (non-farmed) silkworms with varied diets, producing a coarser, more textured, often naturally tan-colored fiber than mulberry silk.

Man-Made — Regenerated / Semi-Synthetic (Cellulosic)

Viscose / Rayon
A cellulosic fiber made from wood pulp, chemically processed into filament. Drapes like silk at a fraction of the cost, but weak when wet and prone to shrinkage without proper finishing.
Modal
A refined viscose variant with higher wet strength and better shrink resistance, common in soft knitwear and underwear.
Lyocell (Tencel)
A cellulosic fiber produced with a closed-loop solvent process that recovers over 99% of the chemicals used — the more sustainable evolution of viscose, with better durability.
Cupro
A cellulosic fiber made from cotton linter waste, dissolved and regenerated. Silk-like drape and breathability, often used for linings.
Acetate
A cellulosic fiber, fast-drying and less absorbent than other cellulosics, commonly used for linings and taffeta-type fabrics for its crispness and sheen.
Triacetate
A more heat-stable, wrinkle-resistant variant of acetate, better suited to pleating and garments needing shape retention.

Man-Made — Synthetic (Petroleum-Based)

Polyester
The most widely produced synthetic fiber worldwide. Strong, wrinkle-resistant, quick-drying, and cheap — the default fiber of fast fashion and technical wear alike.
Nylon / Polyamide
A synthetic fiber known for exceptional strength, elasticity, and abrasion resistance — the standard for activewear, outerwear shells, and hosiery.
Acrylic
A synthetic fiber engineered to mimic wool's warmth and bulk at a lower cost and lighter weight, but with less durability and a tendency to pill.
Spandex / Elastane / Lycra
A synthetic fiber capable of stretching several times its length and recovering shape. Almost never used alone — blended in small percentages (2–8%) to add stretch to woven or knit fabrics. "Lycra" is a brand name for spandex, not a separate fiber.
Polypropylene
A lightweight, moisture-wicking synthetic fiber, resistant to staining and mildew, common in technical base layers and non-woven applications.

Recycled & Innovative Fibers

Recycled Polyester (rPET)
Polyester fiber produced from recycled plastic (commonly PET bottles) instead of virgin petroleum. Performance is comparable to virgin polyester; increasingly a documentation requirement, not just a marketing claim.
Recycled Nylon
Nylon regenerated from pre-consumer waste (fabric scraps, fishing nets) or post-consumer plastic — same logic as rPET, applied to polyamide.
Recycled Cotton
Fiber reclaimed from pre-consumer cutting waste or post-consumer garments, mechanically shredded and respun. Shorter staple length than virgin cotton, usually blended to maintain yarn strength.
Bio-Based Fibers
An emerging category of materials derived from renewable non-petroleum sources (e.g., mushroom mycelium, pineapple leaf fiber, orange peel cellulose) — mostly still niche, but increasingly requested by brands testing alternatives to leather and synthetics.

Yarn Construction & Spinning

Spinning
The process of drawing and twisting fibers into continuous yarn, or extruding synthetic polymer into filament. The method used shapes the yarn's strength, uniformity, and cost.
Ring Spinning
The traditional, higher-cost spinning method producing strong, fine, smooth yarn — the standard for premium cotton fabrics.
Open-End (Rotor) Spinning
A faster, lower-cost spinning method producing bulkier, less uniform yarn — common in mid-market and heavier fabrics like denim.
Worsted Yarn
Yarn spun from long, combed, parallel-aligned fibers, producing a smooth, fine, strong result — used in tailoring-grade wool fabrics.
Woolen Yarn
Yarn spun from shorter, carded (not combed) fibers, producing a bulkier, fuzzier, warmer result — used in tweeds and heavier knitwear.
Carding
A mechanical process that disentangles and aligns fibers into a loose web before spinning, removing debris but not fully aligning fibers (as combing does).
Combing
An additional step after carding that removes short fibers and fully aligns the remaining long ones — produces finer, stronger, more expensive yarn.
Filament Yarn
Yarn made from one or more continuous filament strands (silk, or extruded synthetics), naturally smooth and strong without the need for twisting short fibers together.
Staple Yarn
Yarn spun from short fibers (natural, or synthetic fiber cut to staple length) twisted together — the twist itself is what gives the yarn its integrity.
Ply
The number of single spun yarns twisted together to form the final yarn (2-ply, 4-ply). More plies generally add strength and sometimes weight — relevant for both fabric yarns and sewing thread specs.
Twist (S-twist / Z-twist)
The direction fibers are twisted during spinning. S-twist and Z-twist yarns behave differently in weaving and knitting, and mixing directions unintentionally can cause fabric skew.
Texturizing
A process applied to synthetic filament yarn to add crimp, bulk, stretch, or a more natural hand — common on polyester engineered to mimic wool or cotton.
Core-Spun Yarn
A yarn built around a central filament core (often spandex) wrapped with staple fiber — the standard construction for stretch woven fabrics like stretch denim.
Slub Yarn
Yarn deliberately spun with irregular thick-and-thin sections for a textured, artisanal surface effect — common in casualwear and denim.
Melange Yarn
Yarn spun from a blend of differently colored fibers, producing a heathered, mottled color effect rather than a flat, solid shade.
Space-Dyed Yarn
Yarn dyed in multiple colors at intervals along its length before knitting or weaving, creating stripe or mottled patterns without a separate printing step.

Yarn Properties & Measurement

Denier
A unit measuring yarn/filament thickness by weight per fixed length. Lower denier means finer yarn, higher denier means heavier — used constantly in trims, linings, and technical fabric specs.
Dtex (Decitex)
The metric equivalent of denier, measuring grams per 10,000 meters of yarn — more common outside the U.S.
Tex
Another metric yarn-weight unit, measuring grams per 1,000 meters — used mainly in technical and industrial textile specs.
Yarn Count (Ne / Nm)
Systems expressing yarn fineness by length per unit weight rather than weight per length (opposite logic to denier/tex) — Ne (English cotton count) and Nm (metric count) are the two most common.
Micron
The unit measuring fiber diameter, especially in wool (Merino typically runs 15–24 microns). Lower micron means finer, softer fiber — and usually a higher price.
Tenacity
A fiber or yarn's strength relative to its thickness — the property that determines how much stress a yarn can take before breaking.
Elongation
How much a fiber or yarn stretches before breaking, expressed as a percentage of its original length — critical for predicting seam and fabric behavior under stress.
Moisture Regain
The percentage of moisture a fiber absorbs from the air under standard conditions — affects comfort, dyeing behavior, and why fiber weight is always quoted at a standard humidity for fair trading.
Blend Ratio
The percentage composition of a yarn or fabric made from multiple fiber types (e.g., 80% cotton / 20% polyester). Belongs in every BOM as an exact figure — "mixed fibers" is not a specification.
02
Category 2 of 10

Fabrics & Textiles

Weave Structures

Plain Weave
The simplest, tightest weave: warp and weft cross in a straight over-under pattern. Strong, stable, low-cost to produce — the base of poplin, canvas, and chambray.
Twill
A weave with a diagonal rib pattern, created by offsetting each weft pass by one warp thread. More drape and abrasion resistance than plain weave — the structure behind denim, gabardine, and chino.
Satin / Sateen
A weave where the yarn floats over several threads before interlacing, producing a smooth, lustrous surface. Satin uses filament yarn (silk, polyester); sateen is the same structure in cotton.
Jacquard
A weave produced on a loom capable of controlling each warp thread individually, creating complex woven-in patterns (brocade, damask) rather than printed ones.
Dobby
A weave with small, geometric woven-in patterns, produced on a simpler loom mechanism than jacquard — common in shirting fabrics.
Pique
A weave (or knit) with a raised, textured surface pattern, most recognizable on polo shirts.
Herringbone
A twill variation where the diagonal direction reverses at regular intervals, forming a V-shaped, chevron-like pattern.
Houndstooth
A woven check pattern with a broken, jagged shape, traditionally in wool — a design classic, not a fiber or weave type in itself.
Canvas
A heavy, tightly woven plain-weave fabric, valued for durability — used in outerwear, bags, and workwear.
Poplin
A fine, tightly woven plain-weave fabric with a subtle crosswise rib, standard for dress shirts.
Oxford
A basketweave-style cotton shirting fabric, slightly textured and more casual than poplin.
Gabardine
A tightly woven twill, firm and durable with a slight diagonal rib — the classic trench coat and tailoring fabric.
Denim
A sturdy cotton twill, traditionally warp-dyed indigo and left undyed on the weft, which is why it fades unevenly with wear.
Chambray
A lightweight plain weave using a colored warp and white weft, giving a denim-like look without denim's weight.
Seersucker
A fabric woven with alternating tension to create a permanent puckered stripe — stays away from the skin, making it a warm-weather staple.
Ripstop
A fabric woven with reinforcing threads at intervals in a grid pattern, stopping tears from spreading — standard in technical outerwear.
Ottoman / Rep
A weave with pronounced horizontal ribs, heavier than poplin, used for structured outerwear and formalwear.

Knit Structures

Jersey
The most basic knit structure, single-layer, stretchy in all directions — the fabric of T-shirts.
Rib Knit
A knit with alternating vertical columns of stitches, giving strong widthwise stretch and recovery — used for cuffs, collars, and fitted knitwear.
Interlock
A double-knit structure combining two rib knits, producing a smooth, stable fabric on both sides with less stretch than single jersey.
Pique Knit
A textured knit with a small honeycomb-like surface pattern — the polo shirt fabric.
Fleece
A knit brushed on one or both sides to raise a soft, insulating nap.
Terry (Terry Cloth)
A knit or woven fabric with uncut loop piles on the surface, highly absorbent — the towel and robe fabric.
French Terry
A knit with loops on the inside face and a smooth jersey face outside — lighter than fleece, common in sweatshirts.
Ponte
A double-knit fabric, dense and stable with minimal stretch recovery loss — used for structured knitwear and dresses that need to hold shape.
Jacquard Knit
A knit produced with a patterning mechanism similar to woven jacquard, creating knitted-in motifs rather than printed ones.
Cable Knit
A knit with a raised, twisted rope-like pattern, created by crossing stitches over each other — a classic sweater texture.
Waffle Knit
A knit with a grid of raised squares, trapping air for warmth while staying lightweight.

Fabric Properties & Construction

Warp
The set of yarns held under tension lengthwise on a loom, through which the weft is woven — determines the fabric's lengthwise stability.
Weft
The yarn woven crosswise, over and under the warp — also called filling.
Selvedge / Selvage
The tightly finished, self-edge of a woven fabric that prevents unraveling, running along both lengthwise edges — a marker of fabric width and, in denim, of loom quality.
GSM (Grams per Square Meter)
The standard unit for fabric weight — essential in every fabric spec, since "medium weight" means nothing without a number.
Grain
The direction of yarns in a woven fabric (straight grain follows the warp) — pattern pieces are cut on grain unless a bias effect is intended, or fit and drape go wrong.
Bias
The diagonal (ideally 45°) direction across a woven fabric's grain, where stretch and drape are greatest — bias-cut garments drape closer to the body.
Drape
How a fabric falls and moves on the body or off a flat surface — determined by fiber, weave/knit structure, and weight.
Hand (Hand Feel)
The tactile quality of a fabric — soft, crisp, dry, slippery — a qualitative spec that still needs to be described precisely in a tech pack, not left to "feels nice."
Nap
The raised fiber surface on fabrics like velvet, corduroy, or fleece. Nap fabrics must be cut with all pattern pieces facing the same direction, or shading will differ panel to panel.
Pile
Yarn loops or cut ends standing up from a base fabric (velvet, terry, corduroy) — nap is the effect, pile is the structure that creates it.
Loft
The thickness and springiness of a fabric or fill, especially insulation — higher loft generally means more trapped air and warmth per weight.
Opacity
How much a fabric shows what's underneath — a spec that matters for linings, and one of the most common QC failure points on light-colored bottoms.
Stretch & Recovery
How much a fabric elongates under tension (stretch) and how well it returns to its original shape after (recovery) — two different specs that both need testing, since a fabric can stretch well but recover poorly.
Shrinkage
The percentage a fabric contracts after washing or heat exposure — always tested and factored into pattern grading before cutting, not discovered after delivery.
Colorfastness
A fabric's ability to retain color under washing, light, rubbing, or perspiration, without bleeding or fading — tested with standardized methods before bulk approval.
Crocking
The transfer of color from a fabric onto another surface through rubbing — common on dark, unfinished dyed fabrics, and a frequent AQL failure point.
Pilling
Small balls of tangled fiber forming on a fabric's surface from friction — more common on synthetic and blended knits, tested with standardized abrasion methods.

Specialty & Technical Fabrics

Non-Woven
Fabric formed by bonding or felting fibers directly, without weaving or knitting — used for interlining, medical, and disposable applications.
Bonded Fabric
Two or more fabric layers laminated together (e.g., face fabric plus fleece backing) to combine properties in one material.
Laminate
A fabric fused with a membrane or film layer for waterproofing or windproofing — the structure behind technical outerwear.
Coated Fabric
Fabric with a surface coating (PU, PVC, wax) applied for water resistance, sheen, or structure.
Mesh
An open, net-like knit or woven structure, valued for ventilation in activewear and technical apparel.
Tulle
A fine, lightweight net fabric, typically nylon or silk, used for veils, tutus, and structural volume.
Lace
An openwork fabric formed by looping, twisting, or knotting threads into patterns — either machine-made (Chantilly, Guipure) or hand-made.
Felt
A non-woven fabric made by matting fibers (usually wool) together with heat, moisture, and pressure — no weave or knit structure at all.
Quilting
Stitching (or bonding) two fabric layers together with padding in between, creating a raised, textured, insulating structure.
Interlining / Interfacing
A supporting fabric layer inserted between the outer fabric and lining (or fused to a single layer) to add structure, stiffness, or shape retention — collars and cuffs rely on it entirely.
Fusible
An interlining with a heat-activated adhesive backing, bonded to fabric with an iron or press rather than sewn — faster to apply, but the wrong temperature ruins the face fabric.
03
Category 3 of 10

Dyeing, Printing & Finishing

Dyeing Methods

Fiber Dyeing
Dyeing raw fiber before it's spun into yarn — produces the most uniform, color-fast result, used for high-end melange and space-dyed effects.
Yarn Dyeing
Dyeing yarn before weaving or knitting — the method behind stripes, checks, and any pattern created by the fabric structure itself rather than printing.
Piece Dyeing
Dyeing fabric after weaving or knitting but before garment construction — the most common and cost-efficient method for solid-color fabrics.
Garment Dyeing
Dyeing the finished, constructed garment rather than the fabric — gives a softer, "lived-in" look and lets brands hold undyed stock and dye to order closer to season.
Solution Dyeing
Adding pigment to synthetic polymer before it's extruded into fiber, rather than dyeing afterward — produces exceptional colorfastness (used in outdoor/marine textiles) since the color is inside the fiber, not on it.
Overdyeing
Applying a second dye color on top of an already-dyed fabric or garment, creating layered, complex tones rather than a flat color.
Tie-Dye
A resist-dyeing technique where fabric is twisted, folded, or bound before dyeing, so the bound areas resist color and create irregular patterns.
Ombré
A dyeing effect that gradates from one shade to another (usually light to dark) across the fabric or garment.

Dye Types

Reactive Dye
A dye that forms a chemical bond with the fiber (mainly cellulosics like cotton), giving excellent wash-fastness — the standard for quality cotton dyeing.
Disperse Dye
A dye formulated for synthetic fibers like polyester, which don't absorb water-based dyes the way natural fibers do.
Acid Dye
A dye used on protein fibers (wool, silk) and nylon, applied in an acidic bath.
Vat Dye
A dye class (including natural indigo) that's insoluble until chemically reduced for application, then re-oxidized to lock in color — known for very high colorfastness, used in denim.
Pigment Dye
Color applied to the fabric's surface rather than bonding into the fiber — produces a soft, faded, vintage look, common on casualwear, but with lower wash-fastness than reactive or vat dyeing.

Printing

Screen Printing
Printing that pushes ink through a mesh stencil onto fabric, one color/screen at a time — durable, cost-effective for simple designs and larger runs.
Digital Printing
Printing designs directly onto fabric with inkjet technology, allowing unlimited colors and complexity without screens — better suited to smaller runs and photorealistic designs.
Sublimation Printing
A digital printing method where dye is transferred to synthetic fabric via heat, turning directly from solid to gas and bonding into the fiber — vivid color, works only on synthetics (mainly polyester).
Block Printing
A traditional hand technique using carved blocks dipped in dye and stamped onto fabric — labor-intensive, used for artisanal and heritage textiles.
Discharge Printing
A technique that removes (bleaches out) color from an already-dyed fabric in a pattern, sometimes replacing it with new color — gives a soft hand unlike pigment printing, which sits on top of the fabric.
Devoré / Burnout Printing
A technique using chemicals to dissolve one fiber in a blended fabric (e.g., dissolving cotton from a cotton-silk blend), leaving a semi-transparent pattern where it was removed.

Washes & Finishes

Enzyme Wash
A finishing wash using natural enzymes to soften fabric and create a worn, faded look — reduces pilling and is considered gentler than chemical alternatives.
Stone Wash
A finishing process using pumice stones (or enzymes as a modern substitute) tumbled with garments to create a faded, worn-in, softened effect — a denim signature.
Acid Wash
A more aggressive stone wash using chlorine-soaked pumice, producing high-contrast, marbled fading.
Sand Wash
A gentle mechanical wash producing a soft, slightly hazy surface, often used on silk and synthetics to reduce sheen.
Silicone Wash
A finishing wash applying a silicone softener, giving fabric a smooth, slippery, luxurious hand.
Mercerization
A chemical treatment (typically caustic soda) applied to cotton yarn or fabric that increases luster, strength, and dye uptake — the process behind higher-end cotton's characteristic sheen.
Sanforization
A mechanical pre-shrinking process applied to woven fabric (especially denim) before cutting, so the finished garment shrinks minimally after purchase.
Calendering
Passing fabric through heated rollers under pressure to flatten, smooth, or add sheen to the surface.
Brushing / Peaching
A mechanical finishing process that lightly abrades the fabric surface to raise a soft, fine nap — the "peach skin" hand on many synthetics.
Water-Repellent Finish (DWR)
Durable Water Repellent — a surface treatment causing water to bead and roll off fabric rather than soak in — different from (and less complete than) a waterproof laminate or coating.
Anti-Pilling Finish
A chemical or mechanical treatment reducing a fabric's tendency to form pills under friction — common on synthetic and blended knitwear.
Laser Finishing
A digital technology that ages or patterns fabric (especially denim) by burning away surface dye with a laser, replacing manual scraping, sanding, and chemical washes. Faster, more precise, and significantly lower in water and chemical use.
Embossing
Pressing a raised or engraved pattern into fabric surface using heat and pressure, without adding ink or dye.
04
Category 4 of 10

Pattern, Fit & Construction

Pattern Making

Block / Sloper
The foundational pattern shape for a body type and size, built from standard measurements with no design details or seam allowances — the base every new style pattern is developed from.
Pattern
The template, developed from a block, that includes design details, seam allowances, and construction markings — what actually gets cut in fabric.
First Pattern
The initial trial pattern created for the first sample of a new style, before any fit corrections.
Toile / Muslin
A trial garment made in inexpensive fabric (traditionally muslin) to test fit and construction before committing to the real fabric.
Draping
Developing a pattern by shaping and pinning fabric directly on a dress form or body, rather than drafting flat on paper — common for asymmetric or fluid designs.
Flat Pattern
Developing a pattern by drafting measurements and shapes on paper or CAD, rather than draping on a form.
Grading
Scaling a base pattern up or down across a full size range while keeping proportions correct — poor grading is why a style fits perfectly in sample size and wrong everywhere else.
Graded Nest
The complete set of graded patterns for all sizes, layered on top of each other to visually check grading accuracy before production approval.
Seam Allowance
The extra fabric width added beyond the finished seam line, needed to sew pieces together — must be specified consistently, since factories and pattern makers can default to different standards.
Notches
Small marks cut into a pattern's edge to indicate matching points between pieces, or seam allowance width — critical for correct assembly, especially on curved seams.
Dart
A folded, stitched wedge of fabric that removes excess width and shapes flat fabric to a three-dimensional body contour (bust, waist).
Ease
The extra room built into a pattern beyond exact body measurements, for movement and comfort — distinct from "fitting ease" (minimum needed to move) and "design ease" (added for style).
Cutting Line
The outer line on a pattern piece, including seam allowance, along which fabric is actually cut.

Fit & Sizing

Fit Model
A person whose body matches a brand's target size specifications, used to physically test fit at each stage — not a runway model, but the reference the entire size range is built around.
Fit Session
The scheduled check of how a garment performs on a body or dress form: movement, proportion, comfort — where 3D predictions get confirmed or corrected against physical reality.
Sample Size
The single size a collection is developed and shown in before grading — usually a mid-range size chosen to represent the target customer.
Size Chart
The full set of body and/or garment measurements corresponding to each size in a brand's range — the reference every spec sheet and grading rule is built from.
Point of Measure (POM)
A specific, named measurement location on a spec sheet (chest width, sleeve length, etc.) with a target value and tolerance — the individual data points that make up a complete spec sheet.
Tolerance
The acceptable range of variance allowed around a target measurement or spec — without stated tolerances, "correct" and "wrong" have no defined boundary.
Silhouette
The overall outline and shape of a garment — the first, most visible read of a design before any construction detail is seen.

Construction & Sewing

Seam
The line where two or more fabric pieces are joined by stitching.
Flat-Felled Seam
A strong, enclosed seam where raw edges are folded and stitched flat against the fabric, visible as two parallel stitch lines — the classic jeans seam.
French Seam
A seam that encloses raw edges entirely inside a double-stitched fold, leaving a clean finish on both sides — common on fine, lightweight, or sheer fabrics.
Overlock / Serge
A stitch type that trims and binds a raw fabric edge simultaneously, preventing fraying — the standard edge finish on most knitwear.
Understitching
Stitching that secures seam allowances to the underside of a facing or lining, keeping it from rolling to the outside.
Topstitching
Visible stitching sewn on the outside of a garment, functional (reinforcing) or purely decorative.
Bagging Out
Sewing garment pieces together with right sides facing inward, then turning the assembly right-side out through a gap — common for collars, cuffs, and facings.
Hem
The finished edge of a garment (bottom, sleeve) folded and stitched to prevent fraying and set the final length.
Facing
A fabric piece sewn to an edge (neckline, armhole) and folded inward, finishing the raw edge without a full lining.
Yoke
A shaped panel at the shoulder or waist that a garment's fullness is gathered or attached into — both structural and stylistic.
Pleat
A fold of fabric stitched or pressed in place, adding controlled fullness or shaping.
Gusset
A small fabric piece inserted into a seam (underarm, crotch) to add ease of movement without changing the overall pattern shape.
Godet
A triangular fabric piece inserted into a seam to add flare and volume, typically toward a hem.

Garment Features

Neckline
The shape cut around the neck opening (crew, V-neck, boat neck, scoop) — one of the fastest ways to change a garment's overall look without altering the rest of the pattern.
Sleeve
The garment section covering the arm — set-in, raglan, and dolman are the three basic construction types, each with different fit and mobility implications.
Collar
The fabric piece attached around the neckline, standing or folding over — structure depends entirely on the interfacing/interlining underneath.
Cuff
The finished band at the end of a sleeve, often reinforced with interfacing for shape retention.
Placket
The finished fabric strip along an opening (button front, sleeve) that reinforces and conceals the closure.
Vent
A slit at a hem (jacket back, sleeve) allowing movement without straining the seam.
Pocket
Functional or decorative fabric construction attached to or set into a garment — patch, welt, and besom are the three main construction families, each with very different cost and difficulty.
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Category 5 of 10

Trims, Notions & Hardware

Closures

Button
The most common garment closure, passed through a buttonhole — specified by material, diameter, hole count, and finish in every trim sheet.
Snap
A two-part closure that clicks together under pressure, without a hole or stitching visible — common on outerwear and childrenswear for speed and durability.
Hook and Eye
A small metal closure pairing a hook with a loop, used where a button or zip would be visible or bulky (waistbands, bra backs).
Zipper
A closure using interlocking teeth or coil drawn together by a slider. Specified by type (coil, metal tooth, invisible), gauge, length, and puller style — one of the most frequently mis-specified trims in a BOM.
Invisible Zipper
A zipper construction where the teeth are hidden behind the tape, sewn to be nearly undetectable from the garment's right side — standard on fitted dresses and skirts.
Hook-and-Loop (Velcro)
A two-sided fastening tape (hooks on one side, loops on the other) that grips on contact — Velcro is a brand name, not the generic term.
Toggle
A closure using a bar-shaped piece passed through a loop, common on duffle coats and outerwear for both function and visual character.
Drawcord
A cord threaded through a channel (waistband, hood) and cinched to adjust fit, typically finished with an aglet or cord-end.
Buckle
A closure or adjustment hardware piece that a strap or belt threads through and locks in place.

Labels & Packaging

Main Label
The label carrying brand name and logo, typically sewn at the neckline — the first thing a customer sees inside a garment.
Care Label
The label carrying legally required washing, drying, and care instructions — accuracy here is a compliance issue, not just a courtesy.
Size Label
The label indicating garment size, sometimes combined with the care label.
Country of Origin Label
The label declaring where the garment was manufactured — a legal requirement in most markets (e.g., "Made in Italy"), with rules on what qualifies for the claim.
Hang Tag
The external, removable tag attached before sale, carrying price, branding, or story content — unlike sewn labels, it's marketing material as much as information.
Poly Bag
The individual plastic packaging a finished garment ships in — specified in the BOM like any other component, with size and thickness requirements.

Other Trims

Interlining
A supporting layer sewn or fused between fabric and lining to add structure (see also: Interfacing, Fabrics & Textiles).
Elastic
A stretch trim (webbing or cord) inserted into waistbands, cuffs, or leg openings for fit adjustment without a closure.
Bias Tape / Binding
A narrow fabric strip cut on the bias, used to finish raw edges (necklines, armholes) with a clean, flexible edge.
Piping
A trim consisting of fabric-covered cord inserted into a seam, adding a defined, raised edge line — both structural reinforcement and design detail.
Appliqué
A separate fabric piece or motif sewn onto a garment's surface for decorative effect.
Embroidery
Decorative stitching applied to fabric surface, by hand or machine, to create a design, logo, or text.
Rhinestone / Strass
Faceted decorative stones (glass or acrylic) applied to fabric for embellishment, either glued or set in prong hardware.
Eyelet
A small reinforced hole, often metal-rimmed, used for lacing (drawcords, corsets, sneakers).
Grommet
A metal or plastic ring inserted into fabric to reinforce a hole — functionally similar to an eyelet, typically larger.
Rivet
A metal fastener that reinforces stress points on a garment (pocket corners on jeans is the classic example) — functional, not decorative.
Thread
The yarn used to sew a garment together, specified by fiber, weight, and color — the wrong thread type is a common, easily overlooked cause of seam failure.
Shoulder Pad
A shaped foam or fabric insert placed inside the shoulder seam to add structure and silhouette.
Boning
Rigid strips (traditionally whalebone, now plastic or metal) inserted into a garment to hold structural shape — used in corsetry and structured bodices.
06
Category 6 of 10

Runway & Shows

Haute Couture
Custom, made-to-measure clothing produced by houses officially recognized by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris, meeting strict criteria on handwork and made-to-order production. A legally protected term, not a synonym for "high-end."
Prêt-à-Porter / Ready-to-Wear (RTW)
Clothing produced in standard sizes for retail, as opposed to made-to-measure — the vast majority of the fashion industry operates here.
Fashion Week
The scheduled series of runway shows and presentations in major fashion capitals (Milan, Paris, New York, London), where collections are shown to buyers, press, and increasingly, direct-to-consumer audiences.
Runway
The elevated walkway models walk during a show, giving the audience a clear view of garments in motion.
Look
A single complete outfit shown as one unit during a show, numbered in the show's running order (Look 1, Look 2...).
Exit
Industry term for a single model's walk down the runway showing one look — "how many exits" is a direct measure of a show's size.
Casting
The process of selecting models for a show or campaign, based on look, walk, and fit with the collection's sizing.
Fitting (Show Fitting)
The pre-show session where each look is checked on the cast model, adjusted, and finalized before the runway.
Backstage
The behind-the-scenes area where models are dressed, styled, and prepared before walking — logistically, often more complex than the show itself.
Front Row
The most visible, prestigious seating at a runway show, reserved for press, major buyers, and celebrities.
Static Presentation
A show format where looks are displayed on stationary models or mannequins rather than walked on a runway — lower cost, often used for smaller or younger brands.
Trunk Show
A designer's collection shown directly to a store's clients, often with the designer present — a sales-focused format, not a public runway show.
Showroom
A space (physical or seasonal/temporary) where a brand's collection is shown to buyers and press outside of the runway format, for order placement.
Sell-In
The event/period where a brand presents a collection to retail buyers and takes wholesale orders — happens months ahead of the consumer season.
Editorial
Fashion content created for magazines or media (spreads, styled photography) to tell a story around a collection, distinct from straight product/e-commerce photography.
Press Day
A scheduled appointment window where press can view and photograph a collection outside show format, typically for individual coverage.
Sample Sale
A discounted sale of sample garments, overstock, or archive pieces, typically direct to consumers — also a way to move stock that never reached production.
07
Category 7 of 10

Fashion Business & Retail

Capsule Collection
A small, tightly focused collection (fewer styles, strong cohesion) designed to be worn interchangeably — lower risk and inventory commitment than a full seasonal collection.
Drop
A smaller, more frequent product release replacing traditional two-season retail calendars — associated with streetwear and hype-driven brands, but increasingly adopted more broadly.
Sell-In
See Runway & Shows — the wholesale order-taking stage between brand and retail buyer.
Sell-Out
The rate and volume at which a retailer actually sells product to end consumers, as opposed to sell-in (what the retailer ordered) — the number that determines reorders.
Wholesale
Selling product in bulk to retailers, who then sell to consumers at a marked-up retail price.
Retail
Selling product directly to end consumers, at full margin, whether through owned stores, e-commerce, or department store concessions.
Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)
A business model selling directly to consumers without wholesale intermediaries — higher margin per unit, but full responsibility for demand forecasting and marketing.
Private Label
Product manufactured by one company but sold under a retailer's own brand name, with no manufacturer branding visible.
White Label
Similar to private label — a generic product manufactured by one company and rebranded by multiple different retailers/brands.
Line Sheet
A compact sales document listing every style in a collection with core order details (price, colorway, sizing) — built for buyers to place orders quickly.
See the real template on Method ↗
Lookbook
A curated set of styled photographs presenting a collection's looks and story — marketing/sales support material, not a technical or order document.
Purchase Order (PO)
The formal order document a buyer issues to a supplier, specifying styles, quantities, prices, and delivery dates — the contractual basis of a wholesale transaction.
See the real template on Method ↗
Showroom Price List
The wholesale price reference shown to buyers during a showroom appointment or sell-in — distinct from a line sheet in that it's built purely for pricing negotiation, without the full styling/story context.
See the real template on Method ↗
Order Form
The document a buyer or end customer fills out to place an order directly — the DTC/retail equivalent of a purchase order, built for simplicity rather than wholesale contract terms.
See the real template on Method ↗
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
The smallest quantity a supplier will accept for an order (per style, per fabric, per color) — a critical constraint for small brands and capsule collections, since it can force higher inventory commitment than sales justify.
Lead Time
The total time between placing an order and receiving finished goods — includes sourcing, sampling, approval, production, and shipping, and is where a critical path either holds or breaks.
Markup
The amount added to a product's cost to set its selling price, usually expressed as a multiplier (2.5x cost) or percentage.
Margin
The percentage of the selling price that remains as profit after costs — easily confused with markup, since the two produce different numbers from the same costs.
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
A unique code identifying a specific product variant (style + color + size), the base unit for inventory tracking.
Merchandising
Planning what products to buy or produce, in what quantities, and how to present them for sale — bridges design, buying, and retail strategy.
Sourcing
The process of identifying and securing suppliers for fabric, trims, and manufacturing — a skill set distinct from, but tightly linked to, technical development.
Trend Forecasting
Research and analysis predicting upcoming color, fabric, and style directions, used to inform collection development months to years ahead of the selling season.
Brand Heritage
The historical narrative, values, and track record a brand has built over time — an intangible asset that factors into pricing power and customer loyalty, especially for legacy houses.
Licensing
An agreement allowing another company to produce and sell products under a brand's name in exchange for royalties — common for categories (fragrance, eyewear) outside a fashion house's core competency.

Sourcing & Trade Terms

Incoterms
A standardized set of international trade terms (published by the ICC) defining exactly where responsibility, cost, and risk transfer from seller to buyer during shipping. Every quote from a factory should state which Incoterm it's based on — the same unit price under FOB and DDP can mean a very different final cost.
FOB (Free on Board)
An Incoterm where the seller's responsibility ends once goods are loaded onto the shipping vessel at the port of origin — the buyer takes on shipping cost, insurance, and risk from that point forward. The most common pricing basis quoted by garment factories.
EXW (Ex Works)
An Incoterm where the seller's responsibility ends the moment goods are made available at their own premises — the buyer arranges and pays for everything from pickup onward, including export clearance. The lowest quoted price, but the highest logistics burden on the buyer.
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
An Incoterm where the seller handles and pays for everything, including import duties, all the way to the buyer's named destination — the highest quoted price, but the simplest for a buyer with no logistics team of their own.
Landed Cost
The true total cost of a product once it actually reaches the buyer's door: unit price plus freight, insurance, duties, and customs fees. Comparing factory quotes on unit price alone, without landed cost, is how brands get pricing wrong.
Nearshoring / Reshoring
Moving production closer to (nearshoring) or back into (reshoring) the brand's home market, usually to cut lead times and shipping risk, even at a higher unit cost — a growing move for brands prioritizing speed and traceability over the lowest possible price.
HTS Code (Harmonized Tariff Schedule)
The standardized numerical code that classifies a specific product for customs purposes, determining which duty rate applies when it crosses a border. Misclassifying a garment's HTS code is a common, costly compliance mistake.
Duty / Tariff
A tax charged by a country's customs authority on imported goods, calculated as a percentage of declared value based on the product's HTS classification and country of origin.
Social Compliance Audit
A third-party inspection of a factory's labor conditions, safety standards, and working hours against a recognized standard (BSCI, WRAP, SA8000) — increasingly a non-negotiable requirement from retailers and platforms before they'll place an order at all.
Cut Ticket
The internal factory work order authorizing a specific fabric lot to be cut for a specific style and quantity — the document that turns an approved order into actual cutting-room activity.
Ex-Factory Date
The date a completed order is scheduled to leave the factory, as distinct from the delivery date at destination — the reference point every downstream shipping and retail deadline is calculated backward from.
WIP Report (Work in Progress)
A regularly updated status report tracking every order's position against its critical path — fabric in-house, cutting started, sewing %, QC status — the tool that surfaces a late order while there's still time to react.
Marker / Marker Efficiency
The layout plan showing how pattern pieces are arranged on fabric width to minimize waste before cutting. Marker efficiency (the percentage of fabric actually used vs. wasted) is a direct lever on a garment's real material cost.
Fabric Consumption
The exact amount of fabric required to produce one garment, calculated from the marker — the number every costing sheet and fabric purchase order is built from, and a frequent source of underestimated orders when calculated carelessly.
08
Category 8 of 10

Sustainability

Circular Economy
An economic model designed to keep materials in use through reuse, repair, and recycling, rather than the traditional linear "take-make-dispose" model.
Upcycling
Transforming waste materials or discarded garments into a new product of equal or higher value, rather than breaking them down.
Downcycling
Recycling a material into a lower-value product than its original form (e.g., garment fiber turned into insulation) — distinct from upcycling, which preserves or increases value.
Cradle to Cradle
A design philosophy planning a product's entire lifecycle from creation to eventual full recyclability or biodegradability, rather than treating disposal as an afterthought.
Traceability
The ability to track a garment's materials and production steps back through the supply chain, increasingly required for compliance and sustainability claims — a claim without traceable documentation isn't a fact, it's marketing.
Certification
A third-party mark verifying a product or process meets defined standards (GOTS for organic textiles, OEKO-TEX for harmful substances, Fair Trade for labor conditions, Bluesign for chemical/environmental management) — each covers different criteria and shouldn't be used interchangeably.
Carbon Footprint
The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product, process, or organization, usually expressed in CO2 equivalent.
Water Footprint
The total volume of water consumed or polluted in producing a good — a significant factor for fashion given the water intensity of cotton growing and wet processing (dyeing, washing).
EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)
A regulatory model making producers financially and/or operationally responsible for a product's end-of-life disposal — increasingly written into EU fashion legislation.
Cruelty-Free
A claim that no animal testing was used in producing a product — a specific claim distinct from "vegan," which refers to the absence of animal-derived materials.
Vegan Leather
Leather-alternative material made without animal products — quality and environmental impact vary enormously depending on whether the base is plastic (PU/PVC) or a genuinely bio-based material.
Biodegradable
A material capable of breaking down naturally through biological processes — a claim that needs a defined timeframe and condition to mean anything (a fiber can be "biodegradable" over decades in specific conditions).
Compostable
A stricter subset of biodegradable, meaning a material breaks down into non-toxic components under composting conditions within a defined, tested timeframe.
Deadstock
Unsold or unused fabric/inventory left over from past production — increasingly repurposed by brands as a lower-impact material source, since it requires no new resource extraction.
Slow Fashion
A production and consumption philosophy prioritizing quality, durability, and reduced volume over speed and trend-cycling — positioned as fast fashion's direct opposite.
Fast Fashion
A business model built on rapid design-to-retail cycles and low-cost, high-volume production, closely following runway and trend cycles — often at the direct cost of the "slow" values above.
09
Category 9 of 10

Technical & Production Docs

Trasversale a tutta la filiera — la documentazione che tiene insieme ogni fase

Moodboard
A curated collection of images, colors, and reference materials that sets the visual direction for a collection or capsule — the first document produced, before any technical work starts.
See the real template on Method ↗
Material Library
A side-by-side evaluation of candidate fabrics — composition, weight, hand feel — reviewed and compared before anything is locked into a BOM. Skipping this step is how avoidable fabric mistakes make it all the way to production.
See the real template on Method ↗
Tech Pack
The technical blueprint of a garment: measurements, construction details, materials, trims, and finishing instructions. If a factory can't build the piece from it alone, the tech pack isn't done.
See the real template on Method ↗
Spec Sheet
The measurement chart of a tech pack: point-of-measure list, tolerances, and grading rules by size. Where fit problems get caught before cutting starts, not after.
See the real template on Method ↗
BOM (Bill of Materials) / DIBA
The complete list of every material and component in a garment, with quantities and suppliers. Gets fabbisogni (material needs) and costing wrong if it's incomplete — which is most of the time.
See the real template on Method ↗
Trim Sheet
The BOM's companion for non-fabric components: buttons, zippers, labels, thread, packaging. Small items, big impact on cost and lead time if sourced late.
See the real template on Method ↗
Care Label & Composition Spec
The document specifying fiber composition, required care instructions, and label placement, prepared for compliance review — small in size, but a frequent cause of costly reprints when handled carelessly.
See the real template on Method ↗
Material Consumption Sheet
Converts a BOM into real order quantities: consumption per unit, wastage allowance, and totals across the full size run — what a purchasing team actually needs before placing a fabric order.
See the real template on Method ↗
Costing Sheet / CMT
CMT (Cut-Make-Trim) is the labor cost of turning fabric into a finished garment. The costing sheet is the full breakdown — materials, CMT, overhead, margin — structured so the math behind a price is actually transparent.
See the real template on Method ↗
Grading
Scaling a pattern from a base size across the full size range, keeping proportions correct. Bad grading is why the same style fits perfectly in a sample and wrong in production.
Fit Session
The physical check of how a garment performs on a body or form: movement, proportion, comfort. Where CLO3D predictions get confirmed — or corrected — against reality.
AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit)
The statistical standard used to inspect a batch of finished garments and decide pass/fail, based on a sample rather than checking every piece.
Colorway
A specific color combination applied to a style. One design, multiple colorways — each one needs its own approval before production.
Critical Path
The full production timeline mapped backward from delivery date: sourcing, sampling, approvals, cutting, sewing, QC, shipping. Miss one step late, and the whole chain slips.
Line Sheet
A compact sales document showing every style in a collection with core details — price, colorway, sizing — built for buyers to place orders quickly.
See the real template on Method ↗
Defect Sheet
The document logging non-conformities found during QC (fabric flaws, construction errors, measurement deviations), used to decide whether a batch passes, gets reworked, or is rejected.
See the real template on Method ↗
Salesman Sample
The finished, presentation-quality garment produced specifically to sell a style to buyers — must match what bulk production will actually deliver, not an idealized version of it.

Sampling & Approvals

Proto Sample / Design Prototype
The first cut-and-sewn sample from the initial pattern, made to evaluate styling before fit is even the focus. Often in substitute fabric — the point is to see the idea in three dimensions, not to approve it.
Sealed Sample (Gold Seal / Red Seal)
The approved PP sample, physically sealed by the buyer to prevent tampering, and used by the factory as the literal physical standard for bulk production. "Gold seal" means approved; "red seal" typically flags a conditional or rejected approval — naming conventions vary by buyer, so confirm which is which before relying on it.
PP Sample (Pre-Production Sample)
The last checkpoint before bulk starts: made in the actual fabric and trims, at full spec, and fit-checked one final time. Nothing goes to the cutting table at scale until this is signed off.
TOP Sample (Top of Production)
A garment pulled at random directly from the running production line and checked against the sealed PP sample. This is how a buyer verifies that bulk output actually matches what was approved — not just on day one, but throughout the run.
Size Set Sample
A full set of samples across the entire size range, made after the fit sample is approved and the pattern graded, to confirm proportions hold correctly at every size — not just the sample size.
Shipment Sample
Samples pulled after production and packing are complete, checked for final quality, folding, and packaging before the buyer authorizes the shipment to leave the factory.
Photography / Press Sample
An exact, sellable-quality replica of the finished garment, produced in the sample size specifically for campaign shoots, lookbooks, or press loans — a marketing asset, not a production checkpoint.
Sample Request & Tracking
The document tracking every sample stage a style goes through — proto to TOP — so nothing gets approved out of sequence or lost between rounds when multiple samples are in flight at once.
See the real template on Method ↗
Fit Comment Sheet
The document recording exactly what needs to change after a fit session — measurement by measurement, in language a factory can act on — as distinct from the fit session itself, which is the physical check.
See the real template on Method ↗

QC & Shipping Docs

Production Timeline
The visual, working version of a critical path: every milestone from fabric in-house to ex-factory date, mapped against real calendar dates so a delay is visible the moment it happens, not after it's too late to react.
See the real template on Method ↗
Production Progress Checklist
A running, style-by-style checklist tracking where each order actually sits against its production timeline — cut, sewn, QC'd, packed — the tool that turns "I think we're on schedule" into a verifiable fact.
See the real template on Method ↗
QC Inspection Report (AQL)
The formal document recording the outcome of an AQL inspection: sample size checked, defects found and classified, and the resulting pass/fail decision — the paper trail behind every accept-or-reject call on a shipment.
See the real template on Method ↗
Packing List
The document itemizing exactly what's inside each carton in a shipment — style, color, size, quantity — matched against the purchase order so customs and the receiving warehouse can verify the shipment without opening every box.
See the real template on Method ↗
Shipping Mark / Carton Label Spec
The specification for what gets printed on the outside of each shipping carton: PO number, style, destination, carton count — required by customs and by the receiving warehouse to sort and process a shipment correctly.
See the real template on Method ↗
10
Category 10 of 10

Fashion Tech & Digital

Trasversale — gli strumenti che stanno ridisegnando la fase di design e prototipazione

CLO3D
3D garment simulation software: drape, fit, and fabric behavior visualized on a virtual body before a physical sample exists. Cuts sampling rounds, not corners — if the industrialization check happens alongside it.
Virtual Sampling
Replacing physical prototypes with 3D digital samples for early-stage review and approval. Reduces fabric waste and shipping time — doesn't replace a final physical fit check.
Digital Twin
A precise virtual replica of a physical garment or material, used to test variations (fit, color, fabric) without producing physical copies for each one.
Virtual Showroom
A digital environment where a collection is presented and sold using 3D or digital samples instead of physical garments — reduces sampling costs for early buyer feedback.
Digital Fabric Library
A catalog of fabrics pre-scanned and calibrated (weight, stretch, drape) for accurate behavior inside 3D simulation software, so a virtual sample predicts the physical one reliably.
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