Types of Fabric:

Alpaca - A shiny fabric typically with cotton for warp and wool made from the fur of the Alpaca on the weft.
Barege -A semi-transparent gauzy material of silk and wool, cotton and wool, or wool that was sometimes printed with floral designs. Not only used for dresses but veils.
Batiste - Name of a thin woven fabric of fine linen or cotton muslin, originally from France.
Blonde - A type of lace made from un-dyed silk threads.
Bobbin Lace - A type of lace made by interweaving threads by hand into a pattern through a series of bobbins placed on a pillow like pad.
Bombazine - A silk fabric with threads of wool running from selvedge to selvedge, often black and used for mourning.
Broadcloth - A soft and silky fabric made from wool. It is also in reference to the width of the fabric.
Brocade - A woven silk fabric of solid color with raised patterns and designs that are woven in by the use of extra weft threads of gold, silver or silk.
Broche - A velvet fabric with raised designs.
Buckram - A coarse stiff fabric of linen used as a stiffener in the construction of clothing, hats or bonnets.
Calico - A cotton fabric that has printing on it, originating from the city of Calicut in the country of India. The English version is plain with no color or print.
Cambric - A thin white woven fabric made from fine cotton or linen.
Camlet - A fabric made from silk and Angora wool.
Canvas - A coarse open mesh woven fabric made from cotton or linen.
Cashmere - A fabric of soft, fine wool from the Tibetan goat.
Challis - A soft fabric of cotton, wool, or silk. Originally woven with silk on the warp and wool running from selvedge to selvedge.
Chenille - A furry tufted thread made of silk and wool.
Chiffon - A semi-transparent light-weight silk.
Chintz - A fabric also known as Chint, that is shiny on a solid background with designs of flowers and other patterns, made of cotton.
Corduroy - A durable cotton fabric, that has a raised rib surface and a velvet like feel.
Crepe - A fabric also known as Crape, that is wrinkled and puckered, made of silk, cotton or wool. Wearing dull black crape was a sign of mourning.
Crepe de chine - A material of soft Silk.
Damask - A lustrous woven fabric made from silk, linen, that has raised designs of geometrical or floral patterns visible on both sides.
Dimity - A firm fabric of cotton that has raised stripes and patterns on it caused by the fact that the weft threads were twice the thickness of the warp threads.
Drill, Drilling - Strong linen material.
Duck - Cotton or linen fabric similar to canvas only lighter and of a finer quality.
Faille - A light, soft fabric made from silk with a ribbed surface.
Felt - A material made from woolen fibers which are matted and pressed to form a fabric-like material or a formed shape.
Flannel - A soft material with an open weave. Made from either cotton or wool, and with a brushed or “teaseled” surface which raises a downy surface on the fabric.
Flannelette - A fabric of cotton which is a lighter weight flannel imitation.
Foulard - A soft light-weight material with small designs. It is made from cotton or silk with lines or ribs running through it.
Frieze - A heavy wool material with an uncut, somewhat shaggy nap.
Fustian - A material of coarse cotton or cotton and linen.
Gauze - A thin transparent material of cotton, silk or linen used for dresses and veils.
Georgette - Also known as Georgette crepe.
Gingham - A material of woven cotton using dyed threads to form the look of stripes or checks.
Grenadine - A loosely woven fabric of silk or silk and wool.
Grosgrain - A sturdy material of silk closely woven and having a ribbed appearance running the direction of selvedge to selvedge.
Holland - A plain linen material, named after its place of origin.
Homespun - A name given to fabric made from yarn that was spun at home. Usually a plain, coarse, loosely woven cloth. Any fiber may be homespun – but typically cotton or sheep’s wool.
Jean - Also known as Janua, a strong cotton material woven with lines in the material that run from selvedge to selvedge.
Lame - A silk fabric with a glittery appearance achieved by flat metal threads of gold or silver being interwoven into the material.
Lawn - A fine light linen material originating from Loan, France.
Lutestring - Also known as Lustring, a material of silk and having a glossy appearance with fine ribs running through it.
Merino - A wool fabric which gets its name from the Merino Sheep. The fleece is woven into a fine quality material which is soft and thin and has small lines or ribs running from selvedge to selvedge.
Mohair - A woven material made from the fleece of the Angora goat.
Muslin - The name given to the plain weave varieties of cotton, such as Cambric, Lawn and Mull.
Nankee - A strong cotton material with a natural yellow tint; also known as Nankin, originally from China.
Organdie - A stiff, lightweight, sheer cotton material also known as Organdy.
Ottoman - A silk fabric with thick ribs or cords running through the fabric.
Petersham - A heavy wool with a rough surface.
Pique - A stiff cotton material with a raised rib.
Poplin - A strong plain woven material with fine cross ribbings.
Sarcenett - A thin, soft silk used for ribbons, also known as Sasnet, Scarcenet, Sarsenet, Sarcenent and Saracen.
Sateen - A strong cotton material which is shiny and smooth.
Satin - A silk fabric with a smooth glossy surface and dull backside.
Saxony - A fine wool material, originally from Saxony, Germany.
Seersucker - A light-weight material with a puckered appearance and striped lines. It is often linen, sometimes cotton.
Serge - A woven silk with raised lines of wool running from selvedge to selvedge.
Shantung - A material made from wild silk.
Shoddy - A material made from old shredded wool cloth which is rewoven – a recycling method of dubious value.
Surah Silk - A soft silk originating from Surat, India with lines running in the material from selvedge to selvedge.
Swiss - A fine sheer material with dots woven into the fabric, sometimes having a raised texture, also known as Dotted Swiss.
Tabby, Tabi - A silk taffeta striped or with a watery stain look. Originates from Bagdad. Tabby is also name for the simple “one over, one under” woven material.
Taffeta - A fine stiff silk material with a plain weave having a natural shine.
Tiffany - A thin, light-weight silk fabric.
Tulle - A fine net fabric made from silk yarns or threads, often used for veils.
Tweed - A fabric that originates from Scotland near the river Tweed. It is woven of wool and usually has a distinctive pattern of two or more colors or shades. (This definition is debated by some historians.)
Velvet - A tightly woven silk material with a short, thick and smooth feeling pile or nap.
Velveteen - A woven cotton fabric which looks like velvet.
Vicuna - A material made from the wool of the vicuna, an animal related to the Llama.
Voile - A plain thin, light-weight material, which is sheer and has an open weave and is made from cotton or wool.
Watered Silk - A silk fabric containing a wave like pattern similar to a water stain, also known as moiré.