Glossary

64% of Indians feel Cotton is youthful fibre.

Damask

A patterned cotton fabric made on a jacquard loom. It is used for decorative fabrics and fine apparel.

Dart

A sewing term for V-shaped tucks used to make a garment fit to the body.

Dead Cotton

An extreme form of immature cotton, having a thin fiber wall. Can result from disease, pest attack or a foreshortened ripening period.

Demask

A type of jacquard with a rich pattern that is distinguished from a brocade because it is flat and reversible.

Denim

Sturdy cotton twill, most commonly woven with an indigo blue yarn and gray or mottled white yarn.

Dip-dye

To color the ends of a fabric or garment by partially immersing it in a solution for a graduated effect.

Dobby fabric

A fabric featuring small geometrical woven designs in a repetitive fashion. Dobby is named after the attachment used on the loom to create the geometric woven design and offers a charming style for curtains, women's dresses and blouses and men's shirts.

Dolman sleeve

A sleeve style in which the armhole is cut very deep and tapers to a fitted wrist. The dolman sleeve was originally borrowed from the Turkish dolman cape and continues to provide ease of movement about the armholes; it has been adapted to everything from couture evening wear to sporty outerwear.

Donegal

A tweed with coarse multicolored yarns with nubs that are combined with single-colored yarns to produce a mottled, pebbly effect. Dating back to the 1800s, this classic was named after its birthplace, Donegal County, Ireland, and continues to evoke the spirit of the Emerald Isle.

Double Knit

A knit fabric made on two sets of needles resulting in a circular knit fabric appearing in either the front or back of the fabric.

Double-needled topstitching

A method of finishing a seam in which a row of stitches appears on either side of it.

Drape

In fashion, a term used to describe the way fabric hangs or folds. Drape often influences the fit and look of a garment and can vary based on the fabric's weight and hand as well as the design, cut and construction of the garment.

Drawstring

A cord laced through a hem or casing, usually added to a waistline, cuff or hood that tightens or loosens the opening when pulled or released. Originally a feature only of active wear, drawstrings are now commonly used in all types of sportswear.

Drill

A durable cotton fabric woven in a twill. Similar to denim, drill is used for casual clothes, sport shoes and accessories.

D-ring

A metal loop with a distinctive D shape that is often paired to provide a pull-through closure for belts.

Droptail hem

A method of finishing the bottom of a garment in which the back falls lower than the front. Most typically used in men's shirts, droptail hems enable a top to stay more securely tucked in.

Duck

Also known as canvas. A rugged, plain-weave cloth.

Cotton for Fitness

What is the fabric that takes away the moisture from your clothing when you sweat out at the gym? The answer is predictable. Cotton, of course. Cotton is a great compliment for fitness regimes too. And though professional workout clothes are made of special fabrics, the basis is usually cotton ...

Celebrity Byte

“It is what one might call a ‘forever fabric’, since it can be used in upholstery, in every combination of colour or texture…”Dia Mirza, Actor, at ‘Vote for Cotton’ event, June 3, 2009, New Indian Express. “India has a very strong cotton heritage and we feel it’s importan ...

Cotton get-aways

Budget-Friendly Family-Fun TipsHaving a great time is not about an expensive vacation in an exotic locale. Some of the most delightful memories can be made right in your backyard, on the beach or a brisk walk from your house.All you need is a great sense of adventure, a cotton-crazy imagination, and ...

Cotton from Plant to Cloth

Cotton is a natural fiber taken from the cotton plant. Cotton plants are perennial plants grown as annuals of the genus cotton [gossypium], a close relative of the hollyhock family that has beautiful flower blooms. Seedlings emerge from the soil within one to two weeks after planting. In about four ...