Fabrics for use in home decorating not only come in all types of materials from acetate and cotton to wool and viscose, but there are also a wide variety of types of fabrics.  For those who do not have a background in textiles, trying to figure out the difference between a damask and a brocade, for example, can be difficult and confusing. We have assembled this alphabetic list of common fabric types and materials used in home decor so you can easily check on the difference between a chintz and a calico, a lawn and lisere, or a herringbone and a tweed and determine if that epingle or gros point is appropriate for the project you have in mind. 

Due to ebay space limitations, we have broken this guide into two sections. This is Part II, J through Z.  Click here to see Part I: A through I   For information on pattern names and other fabric-related terms that are not in this guide, please see our Glossary of Basic Textile Terms , and our FAQ and Guide to Natural and Synthetic Fabrics .

J

   JACQUARD
An elaborate woven or knitted pattern made on a Jacquard loom. Invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in France in 1801, the loom uses an attachment which provides versatility in designs and permits individual control of each of the warp yarns. Thus, fabrics of almost any type or complexity can be made. Brocade and damask are two types of jacquard woven fabrics.

JERSEY
A generic term for a plain knit fabric without a distinct rib. Originally made of wool, jersey fabric was first manufactured on the island of Jersey, off the coast of England. 

K

KNIT FABRIC
Fabrics made from only one set of yarns, all running in the same direction. Some knits have their yarns running along the length of the fabric, while others have their yarns running across the width of the fabric. Knit fabrics are held together by looping the yarns around each other. Knitting creates ridges in the resulting fabric.

L

LAMÉ
A woven fabric using flat silver or gold metal threads to create either the design or the background in the fabric.

   LAMPAS
An ornately patterned cloth resembling damask, especially one made of silk, often re-embroidered. Lampas is used mainly for upholstery and heavy draperies.

LEATHERETTE
Simulated leather.

LINEN
A fabric made from linen fibers obtained from inside the woody stem of the flax plant. Linen fibers are much stronger and more lustrous than cotton. Linen are very cool and absorbent, but wrinkle very easily, unless blended with manufactured fibers.

LISERE
A jacquard stripe simulating embroidered silk. The design is created by coloured warp threads brought up on the face of the fabric, leaving loose threads on the back that are sometimes clipped.  Lisere is also called Lisserie.

M

MARQUISETTE
A fine lightweight open-mesh fabric used for curtains and mosquito netting.

MATELASSÉ     
A dobby or jacquard cotton fabric. Matelassé means cushioned or padded in French. The pattern in matelasse fabric stands out to give a quilted look for bedspreads and other home fabrics.

MERINO WOOL
High-quality wool yarn is made from the fleece of merino sheep that is fine, strong and elastic, and takes dye well.

MOHAIR
A wool-like fiber made from Angora goat hair. Mohair yarns and fabrics are bright and lustrous as well as durable, making it particularly desirable for use in home decorating.

   MOIRÉ 
A corded fabric, usually made from silk or synthetics, which has a faint but distinctive water-marked wavy pattern or moire on the face of the fabric.

MOLESKIN
A heavy, strong fabric with a suede-like nap. Used for draperies and upholstery.

MONK'S CLOTH
A heavy weight cotton fabric with a basket weave. Used for draperies and slip covers.

MUSLIN
An inexpensive, medium weight, plain weave, low count (less than 160 threads per square inch) cotton sheeting fabric.

N

NACRE VELVET
Nacre velvet has pile of one color and back of another, giving a pearlized, changeable appearance.

NINON
A lightweight, plain weave, made of silk or manufactured fibers, with an open mesh-like appearance and a crisp hand. Used for curtains.

NYLON
Nylon is a lightweight synthetic fabric that is strong and durable but pills easily.  See our Guide to Natural and Synthetic Fabrics for more information.

O

OATMEAL CLOTH
A heavy, soft fabric with a pebbly textured surface resembling oatmeal. Used for upholstery and draperies.

ORGANDY
A stiffened, sheer, lightweight cotton or silk plain weave fabric. The term organdy comes from the town named Urgench (in present-day Uzbekistan in Central Asia). It was on the old silk route and was an early market for Chinese silk fabric. End-uses include curtains and draperies.

   OTTOMAN
A heavy, plain weave fabric with wide, flat crosswise ribs that are larger and higher than in faille. Ottoman sometimes comes with alternating narrow and wide ribs.  Uses include upholstery and draperies.  

P  

PANNÈ VELVET
A type of lustrous, lightweight velvet fabric, usually made of silk or a manufactured fiber, in which the pile has been flattened in one direction.

PEAU DE SOIE
A heavy satin fabric, made of silk or a manufactured fiber. It has a smooth texture and a fine grainy or ribbed surface. Uses sometimes include draperies, bedding, and accessories.

PERCALE
See Sheeting.

PIQUÈ
A medium-weight, usually cotton or silk fabric with raised dobby designs including cords, ribs, waffles, or patterns.

   PLISSÈ
A lightweight cotton, rayon, or acetate fabric permanently puckered by chemical treatments. 
Plissé is similar in appearance to seersucker.

POCKET WEAVE
A double-layered, jacquard fabric in which the layers are joined only at pattern changes, creating spaces or pockets between the two layers of cloth.

POLISHED COTTON
Polished cotton  is a medium-weight, plain weave fabric that has been given a glazed finish.

PONGEE
A silk or silk-like fabric with a slubbed effect.

POPLIN
A plain, strong fabric with fine ribbing, usually made of cotton.

R

RAMIE
A strong, lustrous fabric similar to linen.

RAW SILK  See Tussah Silk.

S

SAILCLOTH
Any heavy, plain-weave canvas fabric, usually made of cotton, linen, polyester, jute or nylon and used for sails in addition to clothing and decorating.

SHANTUNG
A light to medium weight, plain weave, silk or silk-like fabric with characteristic slubs.

SHOT SILK
Silk fabric having threads of other colors woven into the background, giving it the appearance of a different color when viewed from a different angle.

SILK
Known as one of the finest textiles, silk is strong, soft, absorbent, and has a brilliant sheen. It is the only fabric made from a natural fiber that comes in a filament form from silkworms.

SATEEN
A fabric with a soft, smooth hand and a gentle, subtle luster. Sateen fabrics are often used for draperies and upholstery.

SATIN
Traditionally silk, but now made with other fibers as well, satin has a lustrous fabric surface and a dull back.  Satin is made in various weights according to its end-use.

SHANTUNG
Shantung  is a medium-weight, plain weave silk fabric, characterized by a ribbed effect, resulting from slubbed yarns used in the warp or filling direction.  Similar to dupioni but with less texture.

SHEETING
Plain-woven, carded yarn cloth in different weights. Sheeting with a low thread count is muslin. When the thread count is high and the yarn is combed, sheeting is percale.

SUEDE CLOTH
A synthetic woven textile with a brushed nap that imitates suede.

SUZANI
A decorative embroidered fabric with raised needlework that comes from Uzbekistan. The name suzani comes from the Persian word for needle.

T

TAFFETA
A lustrous, medium weight, plain weave fabric with a slight ribbed appearance in the filling (crosswise) direction.  Taffeta was initially made of woven silk but now available in synthetic substitutes.

TAPESTRY
A heavy, often hand-woven, ribbed fabric, featuring an elaborate design depicting a historical or pictorial display. End-uses include wall hangings and upholstery.

TICKING
A tightly woven, very durable fabric, usually made of cotton. Ticking has a characteristic stripe design and a period look popular in colonial, federal, and country decor for bedding, curtains, and light to medium upholstery.

TOILE
A light to medium weight cotton or linen woven or printed fabric featuring country settings, animals, people or other objects. Toile is typically, but not always, printed in monotone colors on a solid background. See Toile de Juoy.

TOILE DE JUOY
Toile de juoy means Fabric of Joy in French.  Toile is a French fabric with a pattern that is somewhat naive featuring pastoral scenes of a solid black, red, gray or blue against a cream colored background.

TUSSAH SILK
Also called raw silk, Tussah silk is made from cocoons produced by worms in their natural habitat. It is coarser than silk made from cultivated worms.

TWEED
A medium to heavy weight woven wool fabric containing colored slubbed yarns.

TWILL
A fabric that shows a distinct diagonal weave on the face. Denim and gabardine are twill fabrics.

U

ULTRASUEDE
A microfiber fabric that replicates natural suede but resists stains much better than suede and is easier to clean. Originally an expensive fabric, microfiber technology has made second-generation ultrasuedes affordable. They are a good choice for draperies, upholstery, bedding, and accessories.

UNION CLOTH
A linen and cotton blend fabric with a textured surface.

V

VELOUR
A medium-weight, closely-woven fabric with a thick pile. Velour resembles velvet but has a lower cut pile. It is used for upholstery and draperies.

VELVET
Any short, closely woven cut pile fabric with a rich, soft texture. Originally silk, Velvet is now also made of cotton, linen, mohair or blends.

VELVETEEN
Fabric made with a cut pile technique resembling velvet.

VISCOSE
The most common type of rayon.  See our Guide to Natural and Synthetic Fibers for additional information.

   VOILE
A lightweight, sheer to semi-sheer fabric with a crisp hand. Originally cotton, voile is now also made in silk, rayon or acetate.  It is similar to organdy and organza and is predominantly used for curtains.

W

WOOL
Made from animal hair fibers, wool is commonly from sheep or lamb but also angora goat, camel, alpaca, llama, or vicuna.

WORSTED FABRIC
A tightly woven fabric made by using only long staple, combed wool or wool-blend yarns. The fabric has a hard, smooth surface

Click Here to See Part I: A through I

of Chez Chazz's Guide to Home Decor Fabrics

Click Here to Visit Our Store

Click Here to See All of Our Fabric Guides