Textile Glossary

vacus hold is when a container is taken and put through a larger x-ray machine to make sure that there is no unauthorized metal objects inside (something like the metal detector we walk through).

valenciennes  a fine bobbin lace.

vandyke a wide collar with a deeply indented edge

vanity a small handbag for toilet articles used by women

Vector Conversion is the art of converting raster images to vector format. Bitmap images are made up of pixels, and cannot be scaled up effectively. VECTOR images are created by the numerical coordinates that are contained within the file. Vector images can be scaled up or down infinitely without the loss of resolution and are much smaller files compared to bitmap files. Vector images also allow you to change color and edit individual elements with ease. Vector artwork is simply comprised of lines (wireframe) that represent the objects. Vector images are usually created with the drawing program such as CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator or Freehand.

veil a length of cloth worn by women as a covering for the head and shoulders and often for the face; specifically, the outer covering of a nun's headdress; a length of veiling or netting worn over the head or face or attached for protection or ornament to a hat or headdress.  Traditionally worn by brides at weddings.  Example of veil used in conversation; "By the way, my wife Bridget Marie, looked beautiful at our wedding.  This was before and after she lifted her veil."

veiling any of various light sheer fabrics.

velour an article of clothing made of velour, namely a fabric with a pile or napped surface resembling velvet.    Any of various fabrics with a pile or napped surface resembling velvet used in heavy weights for upholstery and curtains and in lighter weights for clothing.  The pile is characterized by uneven lengths (usually two) which gives it a rough look.  The two lengths of pile create light and shaded areas on the surface.  A rather pebbled effect.  This type of velour was invented and made in Lyons, France, in 1844.   "Velours" is the French term for velvet. "Cotton velour" is simply cotton velvet.

velure  (obsolete) velvet; also a fabric resembling velvet.

velvet   silk, rayon, cotton, synthetics, and a little wool and worsted.  Pile, made with an extra warp yarn.  Mostly made with a plain back but some with a twill.  Some are made with a silk pile and a rayon or cotton back.  Terms comes from the Latin "vellus", meaning a fleece or tufted hair.  Comes in many types, qualities, and weights.  Good velvet wears fairly well and is inexpensive.  The cheaper cloths give little service and look well only a few times before beginning to deteriorate.   Better velvet may be crush resistant, water resistant, and drapes well.  Has to be handled with care, and pressed on a velvet board.  Cut all one way.  For the maximum amount of depth in the color, cut with the pile running up.  It also wears better when cut this way.  Velvet should be cut with very simple lines in the garment, so not to destroy the beauty of the fabric.  It has the tendency to add weight to the figure.

cisele velvet
A velvet with a pattern formed by contrast in cut and uncut loops.

vaconne velvet
Patterned velvet made by burnt-out print process.  The design is of velvet with background plain.

lyons velvet
A stiff, thick pile velvet.  Used for hats, coat collars, also for suits, coats and dresses, when thick velvets are fashionable.

nacre velvet
The back is of one color and the pile of another, so that it gives a changeable, pearly appearance.

transparent velvet (chiffon velvet)
Lightweight, very soft, draping velvet made with a silk or rayon back and a rayon pile.

panne velvet
Has a longer or higher pile than velvet, but shorter than plush.  It is pressed flat and has a high lustre made possible by a tremendous roller-press treatment given the material in finishing. Now often made as knit fabric.

velvet satin
A satin weave is used as the base for this luxurious figured silk, made with a cut pile effect.

                     plush
                     Velvet or velveteen where the pile is 1/8" thick or more. ex) Cotton velour, hat velour, plush "fake furs".

velveteen  a clothing fabric usually of cotton in twill or plain weaves made a short close weft pile in imitation of velvet.  Woven with a extra filling yarn with either a plain or a twill back (twill back is the best).   Warp yarns 80/inch - weft ranges from 175 to 600 depending on the desired density of the pile.  Mercerized with a durable finish.  Strong and takes hard wear.   Poor quality rubs off.  Some of it can be laundered.  It is warm.   Comes in all colors, gradually piece dyed or may be printed.  Has to be cut all one way. Press carefully, preferably on a velvet board, or tumble dry after laundering (no pressing needed).

velveteens  clothing made of velveteen, namely a clothing fabric usually of cotton in twill or plain weaves made a short close weft pile in imitation of velvet

venetian   worsted, wool worsted and wool, cotton.  5 shaft satin, some in small repeat twill weaves, in cotton, 8 shaft satin (warp face). 2 ply warp and single filling.  Clear finish.  Has a very good luster finish which resembles satin. Some has a slight nap.  Wears well - similar cloth has worsted warp and woolen filling.  In a good quality used for expensive suits for women and sports jackets for men. Also used for fine coatings for both men and women. In cotton, it resembles very heavy sateen and is used mostly for lining.

verdant  green in tint or color.

vermilion  a variable color averaging a vivid reddish orange.

vert  the heraldic color green.

vest a man's sleeveless garment for the upper body usually worn under a suit coat; also, a similar garment for women; a protective usually sleeveless garment, as a life preserver, that extends to the waist; an insulated sleeveless waist-length garment often worn under or in place of a coat; [Chiefly British] a sleeveless undershirt

vestee dickey, especially one made to resemble a vest and worn under a cost; vest

vestment an outer garment, especially a robe of ceremony or office; [Plural] clothing, garb; an article of ceremonial attire worn by ecclesiastical officiants and assistants indicative of their rank and appropriate to the rite being celebrated

vesture a covering garment, as a robe or vestment; clothing, apparel

vicuna a fabric made of vicuna wool or a sheep's wool imitation of vicuna.  The Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna vicugna), a beautiful wild animal, is the smallest species of the four South American Camelids and its habitat is constituted by the High Andes territory at an altitude of 3,800 to 5,000 meters. This territory includes, in Peru, 16 departments (namely: Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Hunuco, Huancavelica, Ica, Junn, La Libertad, Lima, Moquegua, Pasco, Puno, Tacna)

vinaceous  of the color wine, or a dark red.

violaceous  of the color violet.

violet  any of a group of colors of reddish blue hue, low lightness, and medium saturation.

virid  vividly green; verdant.

viridity the color of grass or foliage.

viridescent  slightly green; greenish.

viridian  a chrome green that is probably a hydrated oxide of chrome.

visor the front piece of a helmet, especially a movable upper piece; a projecting front of a cap for shading the eyes

vitelline resembling the yolk of an egg, especially in yellow color.

viyella  a blend of 55% wool and 45% cotton.  Twill weave.  Has the appearance of very fine flannel.  It is soft, fine, and warm.   Holds a good pleat.  Washable by machine.  If made up in a slim skirt for women, should be underlined, as it has not much body.   Excellent for all kinds of children's and baby's wear, sportswear, men's and women's tailored shirts and dresses.

v-neck a garment, as a sweater, with a V-shaped neck

voile  fine soft sheer fabric used especially for women's summer clothing or curtains.  Sheer and very light weight.   Usually made with cylindrical combed yarns.  To obtain a top quality fabric, very highly twisted yarns are used.  Voile drapes and gathers very well. The clear surface is obtained by singeing away any fuzzy yarns.  Has a hard finish and crisp, sometimes wiry hand.  "Voile de Laine" is wool voile.

Volumetric Weight also known as Dimensional weight is used to used by freight industries and courier services around the world to invoice for the actual space that a parcel, package or pallet takes up in a vehicle or storage area. A vehicle can quickly become full of bulky, lightweight articles long before it reaches it's capacity in weight which makes for inefficient use of space.

Apparel Glossary

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