Vinyl Glossary

Abrasion: The wearing away of a solid surface by friction.

Additive: A supplementary material combined with a base material to provide special properties. For example, pigments are used a dope additives to give color in mass dyeing.

Adhesion: Molecular attraction that holds the surfaces of two substances in contact. The force that holds different materials together at their interface and resist separation into two layers.

Backing: A general term for any system of yarn which interlaces on the back of a textile material. A woven fabric bonded to a face fabric.

Breaking Strength: The measurement of stress exerted to pull a fabric apart under tension.

Coated Fabric: Fabrics coated, covered or treated with various substances to make them stronger and/or more resistant to weathering elements. Coating substances include rubber, resins, plastics, PVC, melamine’s, oil finishes, etc.

Di-Electric Welding: Certain fabrics with "thermoplastic" properties, such as vinyl, can be welded together with various machines that use high frequency electrical impulse. A high frequency electric impulse is sent through the fabrics by means of a bar or table and this mixes up the molecular structure of the thermoplastic materials. When the bar or table is removed, the two fabrics are melted or welded together. Also referred to as "RF welding".

Double Texture: A four layer material construction consisting of an exterior coating on cloth substrate.

Drill: A strong, durable cotton fabric. Most often dyed.

Elasticity: The ability of a fiber or fabric to return to its original length, shape or size immediately after the removal of stress.

Elongation: The deformation in the direction of load caused by a tensile force. Elongation is measured in: (1) units of length (e.g., centimeters, inches), or (2) calculated as a percentage of the original specimen length. Elongation may be measured at any specified load or at the breaking load.

Embossing: A process of imprinting an image by applying pressure to the material to alter the surface, giving it a three dimensional or raised effect. This embossed pattern is referred to as the grain.

Fabric Construction: The details of structure of fabric. Includes such information as style, width, type of knit or weave, threads per inch in warp and fill, and weight of goods.

Grain: A granulated surface or appearance with embossed decorative pattern.

Laminated Fabric: A three-layer fabric, normally constructed of a top and bottom layer, and an intermediate elastomer layer.

Pigment: An insoluble, finely divided substance , such as titanium dioxide, used to deluster or color fibers, yarns or fabrics.

Polymer: A synthetic material from which fibers are formed. Usually composed of large molecules (monomers) with each other.

PVC: Polyvinyl Chloride. A polymer used for vinyl fabric. Commonly referred simply as vinyl

Repellency: The ability of a fabric to resist such things as wetting and staining by water, stains, soil, etc.

Resiliency: The ability of a fabric to spring back to its original shape after being twisted, crushed, wrinkled or distorted in any way.

Sateen: A cotton cloth made in a satin weave, often treated with crease-resistant finishes. Sateen fabrics have a high thread count and use the satin stitch in construction, which means the threads are mostly on one side of the fabric, giving that smooth look.

Single Texture: A two ply material construction consisting of an exterior coating on cloth substrate.

Tenacity: The tensile stress when expressed as force per unit linear density of the unstrained specimen (e.g., grams per tex or grams per denier.)

Top Coating: The coating intended for the front, side or top of a fabric or membrane.

Ultraviolet Resistance: Ability to withstand decay due to the damaging effect of the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Ultraviolet Stability: The ability of a textile to retain strength when exposed to ultraviolet light over a specified period.

Wear Test: A test for fabric wear, abrasion, flexibility, washing, crushing, creasing, etc., then assessed for performance.

Wrinkle Recovery: Similar to resiliency. It is the ability of a fabric to bounce back after it has been twisted, wrinkled or distorted in any way.