Fabric Glossary - Dover Saddlery Product Line
Appliqué
A piece or pieces of fabric sewn onto a garment to create a picture or pattern.
Breathable
A fabric woven in such a way as to allow air to pass through the weave.
Ballistic nylon
A tough, synthetic fabric that was originally developed for use in World War II military jackets to protect the wearer from flying debris. Its durability makes it popular for use in horse blankets.
Cadence™ Fabric
Exclusive to Irideon®, this is a synthetic, corded fabric comprised of 92% nylon and 8% Lycra. It is light in weight, breathable and offers four-way stretch; it can be machine washed and dried.
Chamisoft™
Found in full seats and knee patches in the Irideon breech line, Chamisoft is a grippy, durable synthetic suede comprised of 55% nylon and 45% polyurethane.
Channel Rib™
A stretchy, lightweight synthetic fabric that conforms to the body.
Clarino®
Clarino is the brand name for a synthetic material that resembles leather. It can look like either suede or top grain leather; it is machine washable.
CoolMax®
A wickable, synthetic fabric particularly appropriate for athletic use as it is designed to move perspiration away from the body to the exterior surface of the fabric where it can evaporate. A garment made of CoolMax is wickable.
Cordura®
A nylon fabric often selected for use in high performance gear and sporting apparel because of its extreme durability.
Denier
A unit of weight by which the thickness of nylon, silk or rayon yarn is measured. It is measured by mass per length of 1 gram per 9,000 meters of yarn. The higher the denier, the thicker the yarn and therefore the heavier the textile.
Dri-Lex®
A patented moisture transportation technology that can be used with many fibers such as cotton, nylon and polyester. This technology can be knitted in different ways to produce different qualities: warm and dry, cool and dry, extra cushiony, extra strength and super soft to the touch.
Dryskin
A softshell fabric created by Schoeller Textiles of Switzerland, Dryskin is designed for use in athletic pants and jackets as it is durable, lightweight and stretchy. It is made to be both breathable and wickable.
Elastane
A synthetic fiber known for exceptional elasticity. Spandex is another name for elastane; Lycra® is a brand name for elastane. Elastane is often used in the making of athletic clothing because of its stretchiness.
FabriSuede Tactel®
A lightweight and breathable synthetic fabric with four-way stretch; wicks moisture away from the body and resists pilling.
Fleece
Fleece in clothing may refer to either natural fleece, typically from sheep or goats, or to a soft, synthetic fabric that usually has a deep pile.
Four-way stretch
A fabric that is knit so that it stretches both horizontally to the right and the left and vertically up and down.
Hook-and-loop closure
A closure system consisting of tiny fabric hooks on one surface that catch fine loops on the opposing surface when the two are pressed together. Velcro® is the registered trademarked name for this type of fastener.
Lycra®
A highly elastic synthetic fiber (spandex) used in fabrics intended for body-fitting sports clothing; gives fabric the ability to stretch.
McCrown™
Exclusive to Pikeur®, McCrown is a synthetic leather that feels and performs similarly to real leather. It is used for full seats and knee patches for grip and durability, and is machine washable.
MicroCord™
An abrasion-resistant, machine-washable synthetic fabric with four-way stretch. Contains 88% nylon and 12% Lycra.
Microfiber
Sometimes spelled microfibre, this term refers to a synthetic fiber that is finer than silk, very resilient and resistant to stains. It is soft, lightweight, breathable and durable. Microfiber is most often comprised of polyester and/or polyamide woven into yarns of various sizes and combinations. It is machine washable.
Nylon
Developed in the late 1930's, nylon fibers are made from synthetic polymers and can be manufactured in a variety of weights (denier). Nylon fabrics were originally intended as a replacement for silk, which became scarce during World War II. Nylon is often combined with other fibers in the creation of athletic clothing; it is lightweight and strong. Nylon is a trade name for polyamide.
Polyamide
A synthetic material that is naturally resistant to flame and abrasion and is lightweight and strong.
Poly/Polyester
A synthetic, resilient and long-wearing fabric that resists stretching, fading, shrinking, abrasions and wrinkles and can be machine washed and dried.
Powermesh
A lightweight, synthetic mesh fabric woven in such a way that small holes make it breathable as air can pass through the weave. It has four-way stretch and is soft to the touch.
Prestige-Micro 2000
Made exclusively for Pikeur by Schoeller Textiles of Switzerland, this fabric is soft, lightweight, breathable, durable and stretchy. It can be machine washed and dried.
PrimaLoft®
Primaloft is a registered trademark of Albany International Corporation. It is a synthetic microfiber that provides thermal insulation to the body, making it popular for use in outerwear.
Radiance™ Fabric
Powermesh
A lightweight, synthetic mesh fabric woven in such a way that small holes make it breathable as air can pass through the weave. It has four-way stretch and is soft to the touch.
Prestige-Micro 2000
Made exclusively for Pikeur by Schoeller Textiles of Switzerland, this fabric is soft, lightweight, breathable, durable and stretchy. It can be machine washed and dried.
PrimaLoft®
Primaloft is a registered trademark of Albany International Corporation. It is a synthetic microfiber that provides thermal insulation to the body, making it popular for use in outerwear.
Radiance™ Fabric
Found in Irideon riding shirts, Radiance fabric is a brushed polyester microfiber that is wickable.
Rayon
A fiber made from regenerated cellulose derived from wood or fiber crops. Because the cellulose is natural, rayon is not considered to be completely synthetic, such as nylon, nor completely natural, such as cotton. Rayon provides a slight sheen to the fabric into which is it made.
Rhythm™ Fabric
Exclusive to the Irideon line, Rhythm fabric is made of 57% cotton and 43% polyester. It is lightweight, durable, soft against the skin and provides four-way stretch.
Ripstop nylon
A synthetic fabric that is woven in a crosshatch pattern that prevents a hole from spreading.
Seersucker
A thin, woven cotton fabric originally intended to make cool summer garments long before technical fabrics were developed. During weaving, groups of the cotton yarn are bunched together to create a puckered look. The puckers create air flow within the garment to keep the wearer cool.
Soft Shell
A woven synthetic fabric that is stretchy, lightweight, breathable and water-resistant. It resists wrinkles and is washable.
Spandex
A synthetic fiber that is known for exceptional elasticity. A brand name for spandex is Lycra.
Stretch Ultra™
Used in knee patches and full seats in the Goode Rider breech line, this is a synthetic leather designed to provide grip while being comfortable, stretchable and resilient.
Suede
Suede is a type of leather with a napped or raised finish that is the result of sanding the underside of the skin. Suede is softer, thinner and more pliable than full grain leather, but is less durable. Suede may be made from the hides of lamb, calf, goat, deer or swine. For its comfort and grip, you'll see suede in products such as chaps, half chaps and knee rolls on saddles.
Sunbrella®
Sunbrella Marine fabrics are made of acrylic fibers to which color pigments are added during the production process. This process makes the fabric colorfast and fade-resistant. A highly durable fabric, it is woven for breathability so that it doesn't trap heat and moisture in order to resist mildew.
Tactel™
A nylon fabric that is machine washable and soft to the touch. It is lightweight, breathable, quick-to-dry and resilient.
Twill
The term "twill" refers to a textile weave rather than a type of fabric. The weave produces a fabric with distinct yet subtle diagonal lines.
UltraGripp™
A machine washable, colorfast microfiber fabric that, with its brushed finish, offers the appearance and feel of suede. The texture provides traction and grip.
Velcro®
The registered trademarked name for a fastener that has tiny fabric hooks on one surface that catch fine loops on the opposing surface when the two are pressed together.
Water-Resistant
A fabric that is described as water-resistant is intended for brief or very light exposure to moisture. It delays water penetration, but cannot repel water in a drenching rain or when exposed to moisture for an extended time.
Waterproof
A fabric that has been treated to repel water.
Wickable
A fabric that transports moisture (perspiration) away from the body to the surface of the garment so that it can evaporate quickly.
Rayon
A fiber made from regenerated cellulose derived from wood or fiber crops. Because the cellulose is natural, rayon is not considered to be completely synthetic, such as nylon, nor completely natural, such as cotton. Rayon provides a slight sheen to the fabric into which is it made.
Rhythm™ Fabric
Exclusive to the Irideon line, Rhythm fabric is made of 57% cotton and 43% polyester. It is lightweight, durable, soft against the skin and provides four-way stretch.
Ripstop nylon
A synthetic fabric that is woven in a crosshatch pattern that prevents a hole from spreading.
Seersucker
A thin, woven cotton fabric originally intended to make cool summer garments long before technical fabrics were developed. During weaving, groups of the cotton yarn are bunched together to create a puckered look. The puckers create air flow within the garment to keep the wearer cool.
Soft Shell
A woven synthetic fabric that is stretchy, lightweight, breathable and water-resistant. It resists wrinkles and is washable.
Spandex
A synthetic fiber that is known for exceptional elasticity. A brand name for spandex is Lycra.
Stretch Ultra™
Used in knee patches and full seats in the Goode Rider breech line, this is a synthetic leather designed to provide grip while being comfortable, stretchable and resilient.
Suede
Suede is a type of leather with a napped or raised finish that is the result of sanding the underside of the skin. Suede is softer, thinner and more pliable than full grain leather, but is less durable. Suede may be made from the hides of lamb, calf, goat, deer or swine. For its comfort and grip, you'll see suede in products such as chaps, half chaps and knee rolls on saddles.
Sunbrella®
Sunbrella Marine fabrics are made of acrylic fibers to which color pigments are added during the production process. This process makes the fabric colorfast and fade-resistant. A highly durable fabric, it is woven for breathability so that it doesn't trap heat and moisture in order to resist mildew.
Tactel™
A nylon fabric that is machine washable and soft to the touch. It is lightweight, breathable, quick-to-dry and resilient.
Twill
The term "twill" refers to a textile weave rather than a type of fabric. The weave produces a fabric with distinct yet subtle diagonal lines.
UltraGripp™
A machine washable, colorfast microfiber fabric that, with its brushed finish, offers the appearance and feel of suede. The texture provides traction and grip.
Velcro®
The registered trademarked name for a fastener that has tiny fabric hooks on one surface that catch fine loops on the opposing surface when the two are pressed together.
Water-Resistant
A fabric that is described as water-resistant is intended for brief or very light exposure to moisture. It delays water penetration, but cannot repel water in a drenching rain or when exposed to moisture for an extended time.
Waterproof
A fabric that has been treated to repel water.
Wickable
A fabric that transports moisture (perspiration) away from the body to the surface of the garment so that it can evaporate quickly.