Terminology

Appliqué: A decorative border, lace trim or fabric cut-out fastened to a larger piece of fabric.

Bed Skirt: Also known as a dust ruffle, a bed skirt falls from the top of the box spring to the floor, hiding the bed frame and box spring. Options include platform decking vs 3-piece panels, and gathered, pleated or tailored styles.

Blanket Cover: A blanket cover lays on top of the bed, concealing the mattress and protecting the sheeting underneath. Blanket covers are often referred to as Coverlets, Bedspreads, Quilts, Matelassés and Piqués.

Bound Scallop: A bound scallop is a finishing treatment on a textile, whereby the edge has a wave-shape design that is bound by another fabric. The binding treatment can be simple embroidery, fabric, or corded piping.

Cashmere: Cashmere is a fine, soft, lightweight wool, providing excellent insulation and warmth, obtained from the undercoat of the Cashmere goat. In bedding, Cashmere is often used for luxury throws and blankets.

Comforter: A Comforter (also called a duvet) is a down, cotton, wool or silk-filled quilted bed covering that is used for warmth and insulation. To protect your comforter, it is advised to use a duvet cover, which can easily be removed for laundering.

Coverlet: A Coverlet lays on top of the bed, concealing the mattress and protecting the sheeting underneath. Coverlets are also referred to as Blanket Covers, Bedspreads, Quilts, Matelassés and Piqués.

Damask: A Damask, also known as a Jacquard, is an ornamental fabric, woven from Cotton, Silk, Linen, Wool or Rayon fibers, in a floral or geometric pattern. The Jacquard loom allows for intricate patterns to be woven directly into the fabric.

Decking (Bed Skirt / Dust Ruffle): Decking is a finishing option for bed skirts / dust ruffles where one piece of fabric (usually muslin) lays flat on the box spring, with the bed skirt itself attached on three sides, draping down to the floor covering the box spring and bed frame.

Down: Down, the fine under layer feathers collected from ducks and geese, is a thermal insulator used to fill duvets and pillows. Typically, birds raised in colder climates, produce the warmest and highest quality down. It’s important to note that down feathers are by-products of the food industry and fowl is not specifically raised for this purpose.

Dust Ruffle: Also known as a Bed Skirt, a dust ruffle falls from the top of the box spring to the floor, hiding the bed frame and box spring. Options include platform decking vs 3-piece panels, and gathered, pleated or tailored styles.

Duvet: A duvet (also called a comforter) is a down, cotton, wool or silk-filled quilted bed covering that is used for warmth and insulation. To protect your duvet, it is advised to use a duvet cover, which can easily be removed for laundering.

Duvet Cover: A duvet cover embellishes and protects your duvet or comforter. A duvet cover is an envelope-like case with an opening at one end to insert the comforter or duvet and usually comes with a button closure. A filled duvet cover is usually folded at the bottom of the bed, making it readily accessible when needed. Because a duvet cover can be easily removed for laundering, the protected duvet / comforter itself rarely requires cleaning.

Egyptian Cotton:  The most common cotton used in luxury bedding, Egyptian cotton is the finest, most durable, long-staple cotton fiber. Grown in the Nile River Valley, as well as in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, Egyptian cotton produces an extremely soft and supple fabric that is also resilient and strong.

Embroidery: One of mankind’s oldest skills, embroidery is the ornamentation of fabric with hand or machine needlework. Embroidery requires a base fabric, onto which the design is stitched, with colored threads.

Embroidered Scallop: An Embroidered Scallop refers to a finishing technique in which the edge of the textile has a series of embroidery stitched half-moon shapes.

Euro Return: A euro return refers to the finishing on a flat sheet, whereby the hemstitching, satin stitching or border application forms a right angle along the cuff at the top of the sheed when viewed from the side of the bed.

Euro Sham: A Euro Sham is a decorative pillow covering, that is usually finished with a flange and an envelope closure that fits a 26” x 26” European (or Continental) pillow. Euro shams are usually placed in front of the headboard, providing additional padding and often coordinate with either the duvet cover or the coverlet, to tie the look of the bed together.

Finishing: Finishing refers to the processes, after the dying of the yarn or fabric, which improve the look, performance or feel of a textile. “Finishing” refers to the design treatments applied to the textiles – satin stitching, hemstitching, plain hem, embroidered scalloping, bound scalloping, etc.

Fitted Sheet: A fitted sheet is a bottom sheet, designed with pocketed corners and elastic edging, which fits tightly and securely over the mattress, to prevent bunching while sleeping in bed.

Flange: A flange is a finishing option where a piece of fabric, ranging usually from 1-3”, extends beyond the seam, giving a soft, fluttery effect. Flanges are common in luxury European linen collections; however, Knife-Edge finishes, which provide a more contemporary look, have also become more popular in recent years.

Flat Sheet: A flat sheet, also known as the top sheet, is the covering that lays between the fitted sheet and the blanket, coverlet and/or duvet cover. A flat sheet serves as a decorative accent when folded over the top of the bed covering and has a practical purpose as it is easier to launder on a regular basis.

Flax: One of the oldest textile fibers, Flax is used to weave Linen fabric. Linen is most popular in warmer climates due to its breathability and temperature regulation. Additionally, the stiff feel of unwashed linen gives evidence to the durability of the fibers; the fabric gets softer with washing and use over time.

Gathered (Bed Skirt / Dust Ruffle): Gathered is a term used to describe a design option on bed skirts / dust ruffles, whereby the fabric is pulled together at the top to form a ruffled look.

Hemstitching: Hemstitching refers to a decorative finishing stitch, where one or more threads are drawn out of the fabric along the hem, and then stitches bundle the remaining threads, giving the appearance of small holes. Hemstitching often appears as a single or double line, in either a tone-on-tone or contrasting color to the fabric itself.

Jacquard: A jacquard, also referred to as a damask, is an ornamental fabric, woven from cotton, silk, linen, wool or rayon fibers, in a floral or geometric pattern. The jacquard loom allows for intricate patterns to be woven directly into the fabric.

Knife-Edge: A knife-edge is a finishing option, with no ornamentation. A knife-edge creates a simple, polished look as the fabric comes together into sharp corners and a straight edge. While traditionally, flange finishes were popular in luxury linens, knife-edge finishes have become more popular, particularly in duvet covers.

Linen: Linen is a fabric woven from Flax, one of the oldest textile fibers, Linen is most popular in warmer climates due to its breathability and temperature regulation. Additionally, the stiff feel of unwashed linen gives evidence to the durability of the fibers; the fabric gets softer with washing and use over time.

Matelassé: Matelassé, meaning “padded or cushioned” in French, refers to a double-cloth woven textile, created on a jacquard loom, in which the pattern stands out with an embossed look. Matelassé fabrics are often used for coverlets and decorative shams.

Mercerization: Mercerization is a treatment that reduces the natural fuzz on the cotton fiber, resulting in luster and sheen, while also smoothing the surface of the yarn to increase the cotton’s ability to absorb dye.

Modal: Modal, a type of Rayon, is a semi-synthetic fiber made from the beechwood tree. Modal has gained popularity due to its soft feel and easy-care properties. Many describe it as having the feel of silk, with the care of cotton.

Panels (Bed Skirt / Dust Ruffle):  A bed skirt / dust ruffle with panels consists of three pieces, with a solid strip of fabric at the top that slides between the box spring and mattress, affixed by pins, with a drop that is either gathered, pleated or tailored in style, draping down to cover the box spring and bed frame.

Percale: Commonly referred to as a plain weave, Percale fabric is a tightly woven cotton fabric where yarns have an over-and-under pattern. As opposed to a silky, shiny Sateen fabric, Percale fabrics have a flatter look and a cool, crisp feel.

Piece-Dyed: Piece-Dyed refers to the process of dyeing textiles after the fabric is woven.

Pillowcases: Pillowcases are the covering used on sleeping pillows. Pillowcases are usually sold in pairs and have an opening on one side, and a few extra inches of fabric that hangs loosely called the cuff.

Piping: Piping refers to a design treatment on a textile, whereby the edge is bound by another fabric, or fabric covered cording. This treatment is also referred to as binding. 

Piqué: A Piqué, similar to a Matelassé, is a heavier weight, durable fabric, woven with a small geometric pattern that stands out, giving a textured feel. Piqué fabrics are often used for coverlets and decorative shams.

Polyester: A manufactured or synthetic fiber that has easy-care properties.

Rayon: Rayon is a natural-based material made from the cellulose of wood pulp, bamboo or cotton. While made from natural ingredients, the chemical manufacturing process classifies it as a semi-synthetic fiber. Specific types of Rayon include viscose and modal.

Sateen: Sateen is characterized by its silky feel and its lustrous appearance. As opposed to the regular over-and-under Percale weave, a Sateen is woven with one yarn under and three (or more) yarns over, thereby creating a soft, silky, shiny surface.

Satin Stitching: Satin stitching refers to a decorative finishing that appears as a solid embroidered stitch along the hem. Satin stitching often appears as a single or double line, in either a tone-on-tone or contrasting color to the fabric itself.

Sham: A Sham is a decorative covering for a pillow that is typically finished with flanges on all four sides and has an envelope closure in the back for inserting the pillow. Some Shams come with the option of a knife-edge finish in which there are no flanges. Other options include a zipper or button closure on the back.

Silk: Silk is a natural, organic fiber produced by silkworms in their cocoons. While silk fabrics are known for their shiny, lustrous surface, the fibers themselves are recognized for their strength and elasticity. It’s important to note that unlike cotton and flax fibers, which can be cared for by hand or machine washing, silk generally requires dry cleaning.

Synthetic: A general category name for manufactured fibers, such as polyester.

Tailored (Bed Skirt / Dust Ruffle): Tailored is a term used to describe a design option on bed skirts / dust ruffles, whereby the drop hangs straight down, with a minimal pleating detail.

Terry: Terry is a type of cotton fabric with loop piles along the surface that can absorb large amounts of water. Terry is primarily used to make towels and bathrobes.

Thread Count: Thread count refers to the number of threads, including both those in the direction of the Warp and the Weft, running in a square inch of fabric. While many rely on thread count as an indication of high quality sheeting, the quality of the threads and the finishing must also be considered.

Tone-on-Tone: Tone-on-tone is used in design to describe a fabric, design or finish that uses a shade of the same color.

Warp: The set of yarn found in every fabric woven on the loom, running lengthwise and interwoven with the weft.

Weft: The set of yarn found in every fabric woven on the loom, running horizontally and interwoven at right angles with the warp.

Wool: Wool is the soft undercoat of sheep, which has been recognized as one of the most effective textile fibers due to its insulation and temperature regulating capabilities.

Yarn: Yarn refers to the strands of fibers used to make textiles, fabrics and threads.

Yarn-Dyed: Yarn-dyed refers to the process of dyeing the yarn prior to weaving of the fabric. Some yarn-dyed Sateen fabrics are woven with two different colored Yarns for the Warp and the Weft, giving a different color to the front of the fabric than the back of the fabric.

Zero Twist: Zero twist refers to a classification of towels made from a less dense woven pile. Zero twist towels are one of the plushest on the market as the pile has no twist in its fiber, making these towels soft, fluffy and airy, while also super absorbent as they efficiently wick water off the body.

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