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Satin Weave - One of the three basic weaves: plain, satin, and twill. In the satin weave, the face of the fabric consists almost completely of warp or filling floats produced in the repeat of the weave. The points of intersection are distributed as evenly and widely as possible. Satin weave fabric has a characteristic smooth, lustrous surface.
Seaming - Joining the overlap of two pieces of fabric together, usually near their edges.
Selvage - The narrow edge of a woven fabric that runs parallel to the warp. It is made with stronger yarns in a tighter construction than the body of the fabric to prevent unraveling.
Shawl Collar - A combined lapel and collar where the collar is folded back against the garment (frequently a robe). (Also see Kimono.)
Sheared Towels - Another term for "velour towels".
Shelf-Time - A term used to describe the recommended 24-hour waiting period for recently laundered, folded, and stacked wholesale linen products to sit "on the shelf". A little shelf-time will enhance the flat-dry appearance of the linen. This waiting period is certainly not required, but is a method some manufacturers (including Milliken & Co.) have recommended.
Shrinkage Resistance - A characteristic of textiles with good dimensional stability. Shrinkage resistance can be an inherent property, imparted during the manufacturing process, or induced by treatment.
Signature Plus Table Linen by Milliken - A style of commercial table linen fabric manufactured by Milliken & Company. The style is a plain weave fabric made of 100% polyester. The Signature Plus fibers have been deliberately broken to give the fabric a soft feel very similar to cotton. It possesses outstanding soil and stain release properties, is colorfast, and is designed for maximum longevity. As a result of its softness, Signature Plus is often the restaurant table linen fabric of choice for restaurants that want to give their customers a "soft touch" fabric on the dining tables.
Six Sigma - A highly disciplined quality improvement program, originally developed at Motorola, that aims to achieve zero defects at the end of a given process. The basic concept is that if you can measure how many defects you have in a process, you can systematically figure out how to eliminate them. (Also see Zero Defects.)
Sizing - A generic term for compounds that are applied to warp yarn to bind the fiber together and stiffen the yarn to provide abrasion resistance during weaving. Sizing is the starch-like texture some fabrics have "out of the box" (before laundering).
Slub Weave - A type of weave characterized by many small lumps of yarn in the fabric. This gives the fabric an imperfect, casual look similar to linen. Milliken's Wild Rice restaurant table linen fabric is an example of a slub weave.
Spun Fabric - A fabric made from staple fibers that may contain one or a blend of two or more fiber types.
Stability - A term used to describe the tendency of a fiber or fabric to return to its original shape after being subjected to external influence, such as tension, heat, or chemicals.
Stain Resistance - The extent to which a fabric can prevent the undesired pickup of color when introduced to any outside agent.
Staple Fiber - Natural fibers or cut lengths from filaments. The staple length of natural fibers varies from less than 1 inch as with some cotton fibers to several feet for some hard fibers. Manufactured staple fibers are cut to a definite length so they can be processed on cotton, woolen, or worsted yarn spinning systems. The term staple fiber is used in the textile industry to distinguish natural or cut length manufactured fibers from filament.
Stitching - The process of passing a fiber or thread through the thickness of fabric layers to secure them.
Sublimate (Sublimation) - A phase change in matter from solid state to gas state without passing through a liquid state. This term is often used in the textile industry to refer to a method of indirect printing called "heat transfer printing" also known as "dye sublimation printing".
Surfactants - A term that is a one-word blend of the phrase "surface acting agent". Surfactants are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lower the interfacial tension between two liquids. Surfactants play an important role in many practical applications and products including, but not limited to, detergents.
Swatch - A piece of fabric used as a representative sample of any fabric.
Synthetic Fiber - Another term for "manufactured fiber".
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