Khaki (Cloth) • A yellowish-brown cloth used initially for military uniforms. The word “khaki” comes from the Persian word for “dust”, which aptly describes its original colour.
Bedford Corduroy • A durable fabric that resembles corduroy with lengthwise ridges, but without the filling yarns corduroy has.
Canvas • Heavy-duty plain weave fabric, often found in workwear.
Chambray • Extra lightweight fabric with the look of denim, woven with white and coloured threads to create a faded look.
Corduroy • Durable cotton pile fabric with vertical ribs or “wales”. The surface area created by these wales keeps heat in, and makes it a great cool-weather fabric.
Cotton • A soft, fluffy fibre that grows in a ball. Most often spun into yarn and used to make soft, breathable textiles. The fabric predates to 5,000 B.C.
Dobby • Woven fabric with fine geometric patterns and a textured feel
Elastane • A synthetic fibre that gives stretch — even 1% will make a pair of pants feel extra comfortable. Flexible pants with stretch are making their way into dressy attire, and often don’t look as stretchy as they feel.
Fabric • Cloth made by weaving or knitting fibres together.
Fibre • A fine, thread-like filament. These are woven or knit into fabrics.
Flannel • A soft woven fabric that’s most often brushed twill or a brushed mélange of fabrics. Most associate this fabric with lumberjacks and grunge.
Fleece • A soft, fuzzy fabric that insulates and feels oh-so-fine.
French Terry • Fabric consisting of threads knit in a tight “looped” pattern, like bath towels. This creates an extremely soft, cotton-rich feel.
Herringbone • A classic woven fabric and a staple in menswear. This fabric is defined by and best known for its geometric V-pattern.
Interlock/Double Knit • Thick, smooth fabric with a similar look and feel on both sides.
Jersey • A soft knit fabric, commonly used for T-shirts.
Linen • Made from the fibres of the flax plant. This fabric is valued for its exceptionally cool, fresh feel in hot weather.
Merino Wool • Lightweight, fine wool that’s less itchy and handles moisture better than other wool types.
Nylon • A synthetic fibre that’s synonymous with sportswear and is great at taking on colour and sheen.
Ounces • Fabrics are often measured in weight, i.e. “8 oz. stretch twill”. The ounces refer to a fabric’s weight by square yard — the standard unit for fabric.
Oxford • A formalwear classic. This woven fabric has a lightweight, crisp feel.
Pile Knit • Knit fabric with a raised, “piled up”, and slightly napped surface.
Piqué • Woven cotton with a finely raised, bumpy texture. This is what many, many polo shirts are made of.
Polyamide • A soft, lustrous synthetic fibre.
Polyester • A synthetic fibre used to make a variety of textiles.
Poplin • A woven fabric with very fine ribbed textures and a smooth surface that’s less prone to wrinkles. It’s often used to make button-up shirts.
Rib • A fabric treatment with small lines, or “ribs”, for texture and grip. It’s most commonly found on hems, cuffs and necklines.
Rip Stop • Extra durable fabric that’s densely woven, so that it’s resistant to rips and tears.
Sateen • Smooth woven fabric with the gloss and sheen of satin.
Seersucker • A warm weather classic, this woven fabric is known for its striped pattern, lightweight feel, and crinkly texture.
Silk • A fine, extra-smooth, and lustrous fibre produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons — especially the strong, elastic, fibrous secretion of silkworms.
Twill • A popular woven fabric, with tiny diagonal parallel “ridges” in the pattern. It’s a classic khaki fabric, and you’ll find it used in many of our own staples: blue pants, black pants, and beyond.
Waffle Knit • This super-textured fabric is knit in a grid construction and features a waffle-like pattern. It’s great for lightweight layering.
Warp • When weaving fabric, the warp refers to the threads that run lengthwise.
Weft • Sometimes referred to as a “fill”. The weft refers to threads woven across the warp. In weaving, wefts are looped over and under the vertical threads.