Textile, Apparel, Retail, and Trade Terminology

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Tacking – Several stitches placed on or nearly on top of each other, used to reinforce a part of a garment that takes extra stress, such as the upper corners of a pocket, or a belt loop.

Tear strength – The average force required to continue a tear previously started in a fabric.

Temporary Import Under Bond (TIB) – Temporary importation of goods without paying duty, by posting a bond as guarantee the goods will be exported.

Tensile strength – The force at which a test piece of fabric breaks when using tension or pulling a fabric from two opposing directions.

Textile VISA – A visa granted by the US Government to a specific exporting country, allowing companies in that country to export fabrics to the US.

Third party certification – Review and confirmation by a nonaffiliated, outside organization that a company meets certain standards for workplace conditions.

Thread count – The density of a fabric as expressed by the number of yarns per inch.

Topstitching – Stitching on the exterior or right side of a garment, generally as a design characteristic.

Trademark (™) – A brand name, word, or symbol placed on a product to distinguish that product from other similar types of products. The right to sell products under a trademark is registered by the laws and regulations applicable in each country of sale.²⁰ United States trademark information is available through the US Patent and Trademark Office. (www.uspto.gov)

Trade show – A commercial event designed to give manufacturing companies an opportunity to exhibit their products to potential buyers, and to take wholesale orders.

Transshipment – Transshipment is shipping cargo from one port to another via a third port. Illegal transshipment according to US Customs, occurs, “when a false declaration or information is given in order to circumvent existing trade laws for the purpose of avoiding quotas, embargoes, prohibitions, or to obtain preferential duty treatment”.

Trim – Embellishments including ribbons, lace, rick-rack, flower buds, feathers, sequins attached to a garment for decorative purposes.

Tube knitting – A method of knitting in which fabric is formed in the shape of a tube. This method is often used for making socks, hosiery, and t-shirts.

Twisted yarn – A yarn created by applying torque (twist) to a series of aligned fibers in order to hold them together in a unit longer than the individual fibers, with some degree of strength.

Undergarments – Category of clothing also called lingerie; includes bras, panties, and other intimate apparel intended for wear under visible garments.

UPC – see Universal Product Code.

Universal Product Code (UPC) – A graphic code comprised of a unique combination of black and white bars of varying widths, that when scanned by a computerized bar code reader, identify the product and key information such as product specifications and price. Also referred to as a Bar Code.

Upmarket – More expensive, generally higher quality products, produced in limited quantities.

US – Israel Freed Trade Area Agreement – A program providing for free or reduced rates of duty for merchandise from Israel to stimulate trade between the two countries.²¹

Velcro® - Registered trademark of Velcro Industries BV and brand name for a hook and loop product commonly used as a fastener on apparel and other sewn products.

Velour – A type of heavy pile fabric in which the surface fibers are laid in one direction.

²⁰ Johnson, Thomas E. Export / Import Procedures and Documentation. Third Edition. 1997. American Management Association.

²¹ U S Customs Service Department of Treasury. A basic Guide to Importing. 199. NTC Business Books.

rm a pile surface to the fabric. Originally of silk, velvets are now also made from rayon or other fibers.

Velveteen – Cotton (usually) pile fabric that imitates velvet.

Vendor – A company that sells raw materials, components, or finished products to another company.

Vendor qualification – The process of determining acceptability of a potential vendor or supplier based on company characteristics such as the candidate’s financial stability, production capacity, workplace conditions, willingness to sign and adhere to a Vendor Code of Conduct, and / or other conditions.

Vertical integration – Linking the successive manufacturing processes from raw materials supply through finished product in a long - term business relationship, generally within one company.

Warp – The yarns running the length of a fabric.

Washfastness – Retention of color during laundering.

Wearing apparel – A garment or article of clothing used to cover or protect any part of the body, including hosiery, but generally excluding other articles used to cover the head, hands, or feet.

Weaving – A method of fabric construction that involves interlacing perpendicular yarns by placing a weft yarn over and under successive warp yarns.

Weft – The yarns running perpendicular to the length of the fabric.

Wholesaling – Business to business sales of goods in large quantity for resale to retailers.

Womenswear – Category of clothing intended for adult females; includes dresses, skirts, slacks, blouses, blazers, suits, sweaters.

Woven – A fabric formed by interlocking perpendicular yarns.

WRAP – Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production; Guidelines established by a group of US apparel industry companies outlining ethical behavior for apparel manufacturing companies and contractors.

Wrinkle – A generally unattractive distortion of an otherwise smooth fabric, caused when the fabric is folded or crushed.

WTO – World Trade Organization. The only global organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. (www.wto.org)

WWD – Women’s Wear Daily; an established trade publication for the US apparel market.

Yarn dyed – Fiber that has been dyed in yarn form.

Z twist – The / direction of twist of a yarn, following the shape of the letter “Z”.

Zero defects – A quality assurance program aimed at manufacturing goods with no (zero) defects. 

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