Acetate: A resilient, wrinkle-resistant fiber that drapes nicely. It can be made into different diameters and woven into fabrics that resemble silk. Acetate dries fast, resists shrinkage and does not absorb moisture easily.
Acrylic: A soft, lightweight and luxurious fiber with bulk similar to wool. It is hypoallergenic, fast-drying and wicking.
Cashmere: Obtained from the cashmere goat or rabbit, this wool is renowned for its ultra-soft feel. Since cashmere is a wool, the fabric offers lightweight insulation with comfortable breathability. And the wool resists wrinkles, for a polished appearance throughout the day.
Cotton: A cool, breathable, comfortable fiber that can be easily laundered. It's a natural fiber made from the cotton plant's seedpod. The fiber is hollow in the center and looks like a twisted ribbon under a microscope. Cotton can withstand high temperatures, takes dyes well and is very absorbent. Extra-absorbent cotton will retain many times its own weight in water and is stronger when wet than dry. Cotton is sometimes combed to remove short fibers and make the longer, more prized fibers align more uniformly. This process creates a truly premium product. Some cotton is classified as long staple, which means individual fibers can be up to 2-1/2" long. Longer staple lengths make better quality thread, which is often used in high-quality bedding.
Fur: Fur has a long history in apparel. One of the first fabrics used for clothing, fur is prized for its softness, durability and warmth. A source of economic value around the world, the fur industry continues to provide a livelihood for a variety of people, while offering fashion versatility and timeless style.
General Fur Care Guidelines: Proper care of your fur item is important for longevity. It is important to protect all parts of the fur: Guard hairs are the long, coarse hairs that form a protective coating over the undercoat. Underfur is a growth of short hair or fur partly concealed by the longer guard hairs. To maintain the appearance of your garment, hang on a padded hanger and avoid things that could snag or mat the fur (pins, sharp jewelry, handbag handles, etc.). Also avoid spraying alcohol-based things like perfume or hair products while wearing your fur, as these can dry it out. While rain and snow bead up and run off most furs, a damp fur should be hung in a well-ventilated room to dry, away from heat that can dry out the fur too much. When you don't plan to wear your fur for an extended period, it's best to store it in an environment specifically designed for fur. A reputable furrier usually offers climate-controlled storage, which can protect from damaging humidity, heat, light and insects. A fur specialist should also clean and condition your fur on a regular basis. This can include removing dirt without damaging the garment and restoring oils on the leather side. Some furriers will also glaze the fur to restore the luster.
Types of Fur:
Badger: Incredibly durable, badger fur has been used for years and creates a heavier garment that blocks out the coldest weather. Natural badger fur colors range from silvery to grey or cream, depending on its place of origin.
Beaver: Beaver offers two distinct looks depending on how it is treated. Long guard hairs give the natural fur a luxurious luster, while sheared beaver changes the feel to a soft texture. Natural beaver fur ranges in color from dark brown to silver.
Calf Hair: Short calf hair provides a sleek element on accessories and garments, adding a velvety texture.
Chinchilla: Immediately recognizable, chinchilla features a distinct chevron pattern of silvery grey/brown top hair with dense, darker underfur. The incredibly soft fur offers an almost cloud-like texture that's so light and airy you might not even notice you're wearing it. The lustrous sheen and multi-dimensional colorations always make a statement.
Coyote: The dense, long fur of the coyote creates a durable garment and plush trim. The natural colors of coyote range from tan to grey.
Ermine: Known as the fur of nobility, the black-tipped white fur is the winter coat of the ermine weasel. European royalty considered the white fur a sign of purity and often trimmed their capes and crowns with it.
Fitch: Prestigious fitch fur features long guard hairs and woolly, compact underfur. White fitch is particularly prized for its distinctive flank markings.
Fox: The plush qualities of fox fur make it a favorite for trimming garments. Fox fur features full, dense underfur and soft, sleek guard hairs.
Lamb Fur:With so many varieties of lamb, each type offers you a distinct look. Persian lamb features a distinct flat curl pattern which offers a sophisticated luster. Mongolian lamb offers a full look with its light, silky hair. Shearling is sheared lamb with a sueded side.
Mink: Mink is often the first fur people think of when they imagine owning a fur coat. With an exquisitely soft hand feel, mink has a clear and uniform color with high sheen. The mink pelt has silky, even guard hairs with dense underfur.
Rabbit: A chameleon-like fur, rabbit is popular for its versatility, which allows it to be manipulated to resemble other furs. Without prominent guard hair, rex rabbit is a silkier, denser fur that is similar to the feel of chinchilla or sheared mink.
Raccoon: A durable fur, raccoon features distinctive long silvered guard hairs with black tips. With an abundance of guard hair, raccoon fur creates a heavier garment ideal for blocking out the coldest weather.
Sable: One of the finest furs available, the deeply furred sable pelt features longer guard hairs that catch the light. The lustrous fur is prized for its silky look and light weight.
Seal: Offering a unique glossy texture, many seals do not have underfur, and so their fur is considered "flat."
Jute: A vegetable fiber that comes from a Jute plant. The fibers are harvested by cutting down the jute stalks and soaking them in water to loosen the fibers. After the fibers have softened enough, they are hung out to dry. Once dry, the fibers are shipped off to mills where they are spun to make various products. The plants can range in size anywhere from 3-12 feet. The fabric is strong and lasts for a long time. Most commonly used for bags, home furnishings, carpet yarn, packing sacks and more.
Leather: One of the first materials used to create apparel and tools, leather is a favorite for its inherent durability and wearability. It is made from the hides of many different animals and each type of leather offers distinct characteristics that add to the look and feel of an item. In addition, a variety of treatments - from tanning to dyeing to buffing and more - can alter the feel of the leather.
Leather Care Guidelines: Professional leather cleaning is recommended for all leathers and fabric garments trimmed with leather, but there are some things you can do at home to help keep your leather garments looking their best. Avoid spraying perfumes or hair spray while wearing leather. Wearing a scarf will also help keep hair oils away from a leather collar. Winter salt deposits can be removed from leather by sponging with clear water and then air-drying away from any heat source. Suede leather can also be brushed with a terry cloth. Store leather garments in a dark closet that is neither too dry nor too humid. Never wrap leather in plastic, as this can dry out garments and cause cracking.
Types of Leather:
Cow: The most common type of leather, calf leather is particularly silky and fine.
Crocodile: This sought-after exotic skin is renowned for its luxurious feel and elegant texture. Long known as a prestige material, many cow leather handbags are embossed with a croco look to lend the same upscale feeling. Only authentic crocodile offers you this special texture, however, and it is used by some of the finest designers.
Goat: Featuring a distinct grain, some of the finest gloves are made from kidskin, the very delicate leather of a young goat. Lightweight kidskin is very supple, making it easy to create the molded fit of a glove.
Lamb: Soft lamb leather is a favorite because of its silky feel and supple nature. When crafted into garments, this offers ease of movement and a lightweight fit you'll adore. New Zealand lamb is known for being particularly supple.
Nappa: Refers to full grain sheep or goat leather. The durable leather is thin, soft and supple.
Ostrich: This sought-after exotic skin is immediately recognizable for the stylish quill texture. As durable as it is luxurious, a piece made of ostrich leather will maintain its upscale appearance for years. Full of natural oils, ostrich leather resists drying, cracking and stiffness for an ultra-softness that has enduring style.
Snake: This sought-after skin truly defines exotic fashion. Renowned for its elegant texture and luxurious hand, you'll love the silky feel of this ultra-supple leather.
Stingray: This exotic skin is immediately recognizable for its glistening bead texture. A naturally-occurring shimmering white diamond pattern marks stingray as a truly distinct leather. The leather's use can be traced as far back as elite Japanese Samurai warriors who used durable stingray leather for the handles of their swords.
Types of Leather Treatments:
Dyeing: Leather is often dyed to alter the color acquired during tanning. Drum dyeing refers to a process where the leather is dyed while rotating in a drum, in an effort to fully penetrate the leather with the dye.
Full Grain: This term refers to leather that retains the top, skin part of the hide. In this state, the leather is more durable and breathable.
Nubuck: The top grain of the skin is brushed to create a velvety, fuzzy look and feel.
Patent: A glossy finish is applied to leather to create a slick, wet look. The look can be created with oils, varnish or resin.
Split Grain: Split grain refers to a skin where the top grain has been removed.
Suede: With the top grain removed, the leather is brushed to create a fuzzy, velvety feel.
Tanning: In order to stabilize animal skin, it is tanned. Tanning is mainly done with vegetables or chromium sulfate. Untanned skins will dry out or putrefy. Vegetable tanned skins acquire the color of the tanning agent used, such as tree bark, plant fruits and seeds.
Linen: An elegant, smooth, cool and durable fabric. Made from flax, it is the strongest of all vegetable fibers, rating two to three times stronger than cotton. It has a distinctive luster from natural wax content and is highly absorbent. Linen comes naturally in shades ranging from creamy white to light tan, but is easily dyed and retains that color well. Some linen fabrics are washable, while others may only be dry-cleaned. Linen wrinkles easily but is easily pressed and can withstand high temperatures.
Lyocell: A fiber manufactured from cellulose. It has a similar hand and drape to rayon, but is stronger, more durable and often machine washable. Lyocell is rich in color and has a subtle luster. It has good absorbency and resists wrinkling and shrinkage.
Lycra® Spandex: A brand of spandex with fibers that can be stretched up to seven times their initial length before springing back to their original position. Fabrics with it have amazing stretch and shape retention abilities.
Merino Wool: Some of the most valuable wool in the world, Australia is known for producing a majority of merino wool from the Merino breed of sheep. The fiber is particularly beloved for its very fine hand and stylish luster. Often used in athletic wear, merino wool has the ability to provide warmth, without overheating, while it wicks excess moisture. While wool absorbs moisture like cotton, it can retain warmth, preventing the clammy feel that can occur with cotton. Merino wools is a high-quality yarn which is fine, strong, resilient and takes dyes well.
MicroModal®: A microfiber variant of modal with extra fine fibers that create light, soft fabric that feels like a second skin; Ideal for lingerie and sleepwear.
Modal®: An innovative fiber that is manufactured from cellulose. Modal fabric remains soft and lustrous after repeated washings and is very comfortable to wear.
Nylon: Extra-strong and lightweight, nylon is one of the most versatile synthetic fibers. It has wonderful elasticity and resiliency and is responsive to heat setting. It is non-absorbent, smooth, fast-drying and not easily weakened.
Polyester: A strong, crease-resistant and highly versatile synthetic fiber. It keeps its shape and wears well. Polyester is commonly blended with cotton to extend the wear of garments.
Ramie: A natural fiber similar to linen or cotton, it is typically blended to make knit or woven fabrics.
Rayon: A fiber with many qualities similar to cotton, including strength and absorbency. It has a lovely drape that feels much like silk.
Silk: An elegant, luxurious and sensuous fabric. Prized for its comfort and versatility, this fiber absorbs moisture, staying cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Silk can be easily dyed with many rich colors, retains its shape and drapes beautifully. Most silk fabrics can be washed by hand, but dry cleaning is generally preferred because detergents may adversely affect silk.
Spandex: A fiber with great elasticity. It can be stretched many times its length and still spring back to its original form. Spandex is common in foundation garments, swimwear and hosiery.
Tencel: Breathable and absorbent, it is both sturdier and more shrink-resistant than cotton. Tencel is also colorfast, meaning it will not noticeably bleed or fade with washings.
Viscose: A type of rayon; a man-made fiber made from purified wood cellulose. Viscose is very similar to both cotton and silk in that it is breathable and has a silky texture.
Wool: A cozy, spongy-feeling fabric that offers an abundance of warmth and insulation. Wool fibers come from a variety of animals' coats. Some are scratchier to the touch while some are extremely soft. Wool returns to its original shape after being stretched and can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture and still feel dry. It's a wonderful, long-lasting fabric for tailored garments.