Airplane fabric

Any fabric used as the outer covering of a heavier-than-air aircraft, but now usually a simple, single, closely specified fabric of tightly woven construction, which may include rip-stop threads to enhance tear resistance.
Note: Such fabrics were originally made of cotton or linen, and doped in place to shrink the fabric on to an air frame to reduce air permeability. They may be doped in order to provide environmental protection. Modern fabrics are typically polyester- or polyamide-based and may be coated with a thin polymer film or films, these fabrics being used on light and micro-light aircraft, gliders and hang-gliders.

Albatross

A soft lightweight wool or wool blend fabric in a plain weave with a napped fleecy surface that resembles in texture the breast of the albatross. It is usually light-colored and is used in negligees infants’ wear etc.

Albert cloth

A reversible centre- or self-stitched double-cloth overcoating, woven with a different design on each side, in stripes or checks.

Alfa fibre

Fibre from grass leaves of Stipa tenacissima.

Alginate (fibre) (generic name)

A manufactured fibre composed of metallic salts of alginic acid.

Alginate Fiber

Fiber formed from a metallic salt (normally calcium) of alginic acid which is a natural polymer occurring in seaweed. Alginate fiber is soluble in water.

Alhambra quilt

A jacquard figured fabric with a plain ground weave that requires two warps. The figuring warp the around warp singles and undyed. The weft is often made is usually two-ply and coloured on the condenser system, soft spun. and of coarse count.

Alkali solubility

1. The solubility of wool in sodium hydroxide solution which provides an index of the change in its chemical properties brought about by certain agencies.
2. A measure of the amount of non-cellulose constituents (readily -available as foodstuffs for microorganisms) which is left in commercially boiled flax.

Alkali-cellulose

The product of the interaction of strong sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) with purified cellulose.
Note: In the manufacture of viscose rayon, the cellulose may be cotton linters or wood pulp. After pressing, alkali-cellulose usually contains approximately 30% of cellulose and 15% of sodium hydroxide, the remainder being water. During the steeping of the cellulose in sodium hydroxide (18-20% w/w) to form the alkali-cellulose, soluble impurities, including soluble cellulose, are removed.

Alkaline

A term used to describe a material having a pH greater than 7.0 in water.

Alkylation

The introduction of an alkyl radical into an organic molecule.

Allovers (lace)

Lace in which the repeats merge into a whole without marked divisions in the pattern.
Note: Allovers may be made the full width of the machine and cut to selling width after finishing.

Alloy

A solid or liquid mixture of two or more metals; or of one or more metals with certain nonmetallic elements formed by fusing the components.

Alpaca

1. Long fine hair from Alpaca sheep. 2. A fabric from alpaca fibers or blends (originally a cotton cloth with alpaca filling) that is used for dresses coats suits and sweaters. It is also used as a pile lining for jackets and coats. (The term has been incorrectly used to describe a rayon fabric.)

Alpaca fabric

A fabric made from alpaca fibre.
Note: The term has been used to describe fabrics made from black cotton warp and alpaca weft, subsequently piece-dyed. This usage is deprecated.