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AMANN ThreadLex: Textile terminology explained

Explore textile terminology from A to Z. Find clear definitions, synonyms and translations of technical terms related to sewing threads, embroidery, materials and textile manufacturing.

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Category English Term Synonyms Short definition (EN) DE
Raw materials Aramid Aromatic polyamide A family of high-performance fibres with strong thermal and mechanical properties. Aramid
Translations
DE Aramid
FR Aramide
ES Aramida
IT Aramide
CN 芳纶
VN Aramid
Not to be confused with Meta-aramid and para-aramid have different performance profiles.
Raw materials Basalt fibre Basalt filament A mineral fibre produced from molten basalt and used for thermal and technical performance. Basaltfaser
Translations
DE Basaltfaser
FR Fibre de basalte
ES Fibra de basalto
IT Fibra di basalto
CN 玄武岩纤维
VN Sợi bazan
Not to be confused with Not the same as glass fibre.
Raw materials Carbon fibre Carbon filament A high-performance fibre based primarily on carbon, offering conductivity and high stiffness. Carbonfaser
Translations
DE Carbonfaser
FR Fibre de carbone
ES Fibra de carbono
IT Fibra di carbonio
CN 碳纤维
VN Sợi carbon
Not to be confused with Carbon fibre is brittle compared with many textile fibres.
Raw materials Cellulosic fibre Cellulose-based fibre A fibre based on cellulose, from natural or regenerated sources. Zellulosefaser
Translations
DE Zellulosefaser
FR Fibre cellulosique
ES Fibra celulósica
IT Fibra cellulosica
CN 纤维素纤维
VN Sợi cellulose
Not to be confused with State whether cotton, viscose or another cellulosic fibre is meant.
Raw materials Cotton Cotton fibre A natural cellulosic fibre used for its textile appearance, heat behaviour and dyeability. Baumwolle / CO
Translations
DE Baumwolle / CO
FR Coton
ES Algodón
IT Cotone
CN 棉
VN Bông
Not to be confused with Cotton has lower strength and abrasion resistance than many synthetic fibres.
Raw materials Expanded PTFE ePTFE A porous expanded form of PTFE with a specialised microstructure. Expandiertes PTFE / ePTFE
Translations
DE Expandiertes PTFE / ePTFE
FR PTFE expansé
ES PTFE expandido
IT PTFE espanso
CN 膨体聚四氟乙烯
VN PTFE giãn nở
Not to be confused with Do not use ePTFE as a synonym for all PTFE.
Raw materials High-performance polyethylene UHMWPE; high-modulus polyethylene A very high molecular weight polyethylene fibre offering high strength and cut resistance at low weight. Hochleistungspolyethylen / HPPE
Translations
DE Hochleistungspolyethylen / HPPE
FR Polyéthylène haute performance
ES Polietileno de alto rendimiento
IT Polietilene ad alte prestazioni
CN 高性能聚乙烯
VN Polyethylene hiệu suất cao
Not to be confused with UHMWPE and HPPE usage should follow product specification.
Raw materials Meta-aramid Meta aramid An aramid fibre particularly valued for heat and flame resistance. Meta-Aramid
Translations
DE Meta-Aramid
FR Méta-aramide
ES Meta-aramida
IT Meta-aramide
CN 间位芳纶
VN Meta-aramid
Not to be confused with Not the same as para-aramid.
Raw materials Organic cotton Certified organic cotton Cotton from certified organic cultivation according to the applicable standard. Bio-Baumwolle / kbA-Baumwolle
Translations
DE Bio-Baumwolle / kbA-Baumwolle
FR Coton biologique
ES Algodón orgánico
IT Cotone biologico
CN 有机棉
VN Bông hữu cơ
Not to be confused with Use only with valid certification and scope.
Raw materials Para-aramid Para aramid An aramid fibre known for very high strength and cut resistance. Para-Aramid
Translations
DE Para-Aramid
FR Para-aramide
ES Para-aramida
IT Para-aramide
CN 对位芳纶
VN Para-aramid
Not to be confused with Not the same as meta-aramid.
Raw materials Polyamide Nylon A synthetic polymer family known for high abrasion resistance, toughness and elasticity. Polyamid / PA
Translations
DE Polyamid / PA
FR Polyamide
ES Poliamida
IT Poliammide
CN 聚酰胺
VN Polyamide
Not to be confused with Nylon is a common name; specify PA type where technically relevant.
Raw materials Polyester Polyethylene terephthalate; PET A widely used synthetic polymer offering good strength, durability, colour fastness and processing performance. Polyester / PES / PET
Translations
DE Polyester / PES / PET
FR Polyester
ES Poliéster
IT Poliestere
CN 聚酯
VN Polyester
Not to be confused with PES is the textile abbreviation; PET identifies the polymer.
Raw materials Polyether ether ketone PEEK A high-performance thermoplastic with excellent heat and chemical resistance. Polyetheretherketon / PEEK
Translations
DE Polyetheretherketon / PEEK
FR Polyétheréthercétone
ES Poliéter éter cetona
IT Polietere etere chetone
CN 聚醚醚酮
VN Polyether ether ketone
Not to be confused with Use full name on first mention.
Raw materials Polyethylene PE A polymer family that includes high-performance fibres with very high strength-to-weight ratios. Polyethylen / PE
Translations
DE Polyethylen / PE
FR Polyéthylène
ES Polietileno
IT Polietilene
CN 聚乙烯
VN Polyethylene
Not to be confused with Specify standard PE or high-performance polyethylene.
Raw materials Polypropylene PP A low-density synthetic polymer with low moisture absorption and good chemical resistance. Polypropylen / PP
Translations
DE Polypropylen / PP
FR Polypropylène
ES Polipropileno
IT Polipropilene
CN 聚丙烯
VN Polypropylene
Not to be confused with Temperature resistance is generally lower than for many high-performance polymers.
Raw materials Polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE A fluoropolymer with outstanding chemical resistance, low friction and high-temperature capability. Polytetrafluorethylen / PTFE
Translations
DE Polytetrafluorethylen / PTFE
FR Polytétrafluoroéthylène
ES Politetrafluoroetileno
IT Politetrafluoroetilene
CN 聚四氟乙烯
VN Polytetrafluoroethylene
Not to be confused with PTFE is distinct from generic PFAS-free claims.
Raw materials Polytrimethylene terephthalate PTT A polyester-family polymer with characteristic elasticity and recovery. Polytrimethylenterephthalat / PTT
Translations
DE Polytrimethylenterephthalat / PTT
FR Polytriméthylène téréphtalate
ES Tereftalato de politrimetileno
IT Politrimetilene tereftalato
CN 聚对苯二甲酸丙二醇酯
VN Polytrimethylene terephthalate
Not to be confused with Do not confuse with PET polyester.
Raw materials Polyvinyl alcohol PVOH; water-soluble polymer A polymer that can be formulated to dissolve in water under defined conditions. Polyvinylalkohol / PVA
Translations
DE Polyvinylalkohol / PVA
FR Alcool polyvinylique
ES Alcohol polivinílico
IT Alcol polivinilico
CN 聚乙烯醇
VN Polyvinyl alcohol
Not to be confused with Solubility depends on polymer grade and temperature.
Raw materials Recycled polyester Recycled PES; rPET Polyester containing material recovered from defined waste streams. Recyceltes Polyester
Translations
DE Recyceltes Polyester
FR Polyester recyclé
ES Poliéster reciclado
IT Poliestere riciclato
CN 再生聚酯
VN Polyester tái chế
Not to be confused with State source and certified content where relevant.
Raw materials Renewable raw material Renewable feedstock A raw material replenished by natural processes within a relevant time frame. Nachwachsender Rohstoff
Translations
DE Nachwachsender Rohstoff
FR Matière première renouvelable
ES Materia prima renovable
IT Materia prima rinnovabile
CN 可再生原材料
VN Nguyên liệu tái tạo
Not to be confused with Renewable does not automatically mean biodegradable or low-impact.
Raw materials Viscose Rayon; regenerated cellulose A regenerated cellulosic fibre known for lustre, softness and dyeability. Viskose / CV
Translations
DE Viskose / CV
FR Viscose
ES Viscosa
IT Viscosa
CN 粘胶纤维
VN Viscose
Not to be confused with Viscose is not a synthetic fibre in the same sense as polyester.