GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Appliqué
A surface decoration sewn, embroidered, or otherwise attached to a fabric.

Combed Cotton
Cotton that has gone through an additional manufacturing process called "combing". The combing process removes short, uneven fibers and any residual debris, leaving longer and stronger fibers. A cleaner, more uniform and lustrous yarn results.

Cotton
A natural, downy white fiber that grows in the seedpod of the cotton plant and is used for making textiles.

Damask
A reversible fabric with a woven pattern visible on both sides. Often intricately detailed, damask creates a decorative pattern without printing or embroidery.

Egyptian cotton
An extra-long staple cotton known for its luxurious softness, excellent absorbency and strength. Usually grown in the warm, dry climate of northern Africa.

Embellished
Enhanced with decorative ornamentation like appliqués or embroidery.

Embroidery
Ornamental, sometimes raised, designs created by decorative needlework. Embroidery can be worked by hand or by machine.

Jacquard
A elaborately woven pattern featuring a slightly raised area of fabric. The decorative pattern is produced using a jacquard loom without printing or embroidery.

MicroCotton®
Trademarked name of a high-quality, long-staple cotton fiber developed in India. Identified by soft, plush fibers with a suede-like texture and excellent absorbency.

Organic Cotton
Cotton grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers from genetically unaltered plants.

Pile
A surface of yarns that stand upright from a weave, often cut or looped. "Pile height" (as in a rug) is used to describe the length of yarns.

Pima Cotton
A high-grade, extra-long staple cotton often grown in the warm, dry climate of the southwestern United States and known for its softness and durability.

Ply
Plying is a process of twisting strands of yarn together in the opposite direction than that in which they were spun. "Ply" is the number of yarns wrapped together in a single thread. Two-ply is a yarn plied from two strands; six-ply is yarn plied from six strands, and so on.

Print
A fabric with a pattern applied by printing as opposed to weaving.

Ringspun Cotton
A combination of cotton fibers that are tightly twisted together to make a stronger, smoother and finer yarn.

Turkish Cotton
A premium cotton grown exclusively in Turkey. Featuring an extra-long staple, Turkish Cotton creates a towel with a high level of comfort, absorbency and durability.

Twist
The number of turns about its axis per inch of yarn. Low-twist yarns result in lighter-weight, plusher towels. High-twist yarns create a dense, more substantial feeling towel.