Encyclopedia Archive

Label

A small piece of paper, fabric, plastic, or similar material attached to an object and giving information about it.

The term comes from the old French, las, by way of Latin, laquens, which means a noose, or to ensnare – rather well adapted to lace. A single yarn can produce a plaited or braided fabric or article since it will interlace, entwine, and twist in several directions to produce a porous material or lace.

Lamb

The first clip of wool sheered from lambs up to eight months old. The wool is soft, slippery and resilient. It is used in fine grade woolen fabrics.

Lamé

A woven fabric using flat silver or gold metal threads to create either the design or the background in the fabric.

Laminated Fabric

A term used to describe fabrics which have been joined together through the use of a high-strength reinforcing scrim or base fabrics between two plies of flexible thermoplastic film. It can a bonded utilizing either foam itself, or some other material, such as adhesives, heat, or chemical bonding agents.. See BONDING.

Lapel

The part of a garment that is turned back in the front. The front fold on a shirt that is a continuation of the collar.

Lapels (padding)

Attaching the lapel to canvas with several rows of blindstitching.

Lastex

Is a two-way stretch textile made from latex was introduced. Lastex is a yarn that has an elastic core wound around with cotton or silk or nylon or rayon threads. Lastex was registered as a trademark in 1931. Lastex was known as the ‘miracle fiber’ when it first came out. Lastex fabrics can be made to stretch one way or…

Latent Heat

The quantity of heat absorbed or released by a substance undergoing a change of state, such as ice changing to water or water to steam, at constant temperature and pressure. When a solid material is heated and reaches its melting point, it goes from solid to liquid. During this process the material absorbs a certain amount of heat, Despite the…

Latex

Natural and synthetic fibres are made from this raw material. Natural Latex is a white milky emulsion.