Question:
What does "pre-shrunk" really mean?
Answer:
It is NOT pre-washing the fabric. It is a process
where the bolted, uncut fabric is run through rollers containing tiny nubs
that press the fabric over the nubs, creating grooves which condense it. This
puckered shrinking effect then allows for real shrinking when washed.
Therefore, the fabric not the shirt is pre-shrunk before it is even cut
and sewn.
Question:
Where did the word "jersey" in jersey knit come
from?
Answer:
It is called that because it was first knitted in
the Jersey and Guernsey Islands in the English Channel.
Question:
What type of garments are embroidered more than
any other?
Answer:
Golf shirts. They comprise 53% of all garments
embroidered.
Question:
What is the origin of the large side-seam and
pouch pockets that are so popular in today’s fleece and jacket styles?
Answer:
These date back to the 1800s when muffs became a
fashionable accessory for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to keep their hands
warm and conceal money and small treasures when traveling.
Question:
What makes Microfiber so much softer than
other fabrics?
Answer:
Most other fabrics have 70-80 tendrils of yarn
per strand. Microfiber has 216 tendrils per strand. It's more finely woven,
more luxurious, also windproof and waterproof.
Question:
What is a "half moon sweat patch" and what’s it
really for?
Answer:
The inset back yoke of many upscale-type golf
shirts. While called a "sweat patch," it is actually there for decoration
purposes and extra collar support.
Question:
Name two colors that are popular for trade show
"uniforms" today?
Answer:
Red and yellow. The brighter the color, the more
booth staffers stand out as a team, so they can be found anywhere in the
booth. The trade is calling them "Crayola colors."
Question:
Where does the term "denim" come from?
Answer:
From the French "serge de Nimes," a twill fabric
made in Nimes, France from blue vegetable dyes from the indigo plant, which is
why deeper hues of blue denim are called "indigo."
Question:
What does the term "ounces" of fabric refer to?
Answer:
The weight of the fabric based on one yard of
fabric.
Question:
How does the fabric "sanded gabardine" get its
soft finish?
Answer:
It is run through an actual belt sander so that
the fabric is extra soft before it is cut and sewn.
Question:
Where does the word "khaki" come from?
Answer:
From the Hindu word meaning "dusty," which
applied to the light brown cotton of the Indian army uniforms. Troops in
1850’s India found their white uniforms would be dusty within hours and began
soaking them in mud to turn the same practical khaki color.
Question:
Do recycled bottles actually play a role in
apparel manufacturing?
Answer:
Yes! Recycled plastic bottles are cleaned,
crushed, melted and extruded into the polyester fibers that make many of
today’s most popular fleece clothing. It’s every bit as warm and durable as
virgin polyester... but conserves more energy in processing.
