Maturity ratio

It is the ratio of A method of expressing, numerically, the maturity of a sample of cotton fibres. The actual degree of wall thickening to a standard degree of thickening equal to 0.577 (see ISO 4912). (See also percentage maturity.)

Mauritius fibre

A fibre from the leaf of the plant Fiircraea gigante.

Mauritius hemp

A fibre from the leaf of the plant Fiircraea gigante.

Mayo twill

A weave used extensively in the finer woollen and worsted trade.

Maypole braider

A machine provided with three or more carriers which are driven by means of horn gears along tracks which cross at intervals enabling the yarn drawn from the carriers to interlace to form a braid.

Mealy

Descriptive of the appearance of a print or dyeing which shows small irregularities, rather like oatmeal, caused, e.g., by too much printing paste on the fabric from too deep an engraving or unsatisfactory fabric preparation.

Mechanical finish

A finish obtained by mechanical means, e.g., shearing, calendering.

Mechanical Finishing

Changing the appearance or physical properties of a fabric by a mechanical process such as calendering embossing bulking compacting or creping.

Medical textile

A general term which describes a textile structure which has been designed and produced for use in any of a variety of medical applications, including implantable applications.

Medulla

The central portion of some animal fibres consisting of a series of cavities formed by the medullary cells which collapse during the growth process. In kemp the medulla forms the greatest portion of the fibre and is surrounded by a comparatively thin layer of cortex. In fibres from the outer coat of some breeds of sheep and certain other animals (e.g., reindeer) the inedlillaalso forms a large portion of the fibre.

Melange

A yam spun from tops that have been melange-printed (see melange printing).(sub category of worsted yarns, colour terms)

Melange printing

A printing process in which bands of thickened dye paste, with intervening blank areas, are applied across slubbings of wool or other fibres. The stubbing is subsequently steamed, washed, and then combed to produce a very even mixture of dyed and undyed lengths of fibre.

Melange yarn

A yarn produced from colour-printed tops or slivers. It is distinguishable from a mixture yarn in that the individual fibres are of more than one colour. (See also worsted yarns, colour terms and melange printing.)

Melded fabric

A fabric consisting wholly or in part of bicomponent fibres, in which cohesion has been achieved through the selective melting of one component of the bicoiiiponent fibres.

Melt

A material in the molten state.