Ecouterre

VARANASI SILK \ˈväranasi ˈsilk\ n 1 a: An intricate jacquard fabric woven by artisans in Varanasi, India, using foot-powered looms. b: Based on a 500-year-old tradition that has…

ORANGE FIBER \ˈôrənj ˈfībər\ n 1 a: A textile fiber made by extracting cellulose from citrus fruits. b: Said to release vitamins A, C, and E upon contact with skin, a result of…

PALM LEATHER \pä(l)m ˈleT͟Hər\ n 1 a: A sturdy textile created by Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven in the Netherlands using the leaves of the Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens). b:…

Photo by Samatoa LOTUS FABRIC \lōtəs ˈfabrik\ n 1 a: Hand-woven Cambodian/Burmese textile derived from the discarded stems of the lotus plant (Nelumbo nucifera), an aquatic…

ZPAGETTI \zpə-ˈge-tē\ n. 1 a: A super-bulky yarn, comprising 92 percent cotton and 8 percent elastane, made from the remnants of garment manufacturing. b: Produced by Lion Brand Yarn…

KUBA \kü-bä\ n 1 a: Geometrically patterned cloth traditionally woven from raffia-tree leaves by the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. b: Naturally colored fabric…

HAGFISH SLIME THREAD \ˈhag-ˌfish ˈslīm ˈthred \ n 1: The fibrous protein component of the defensive slime of the hagfish (also known as Hyperotreti), an eel-shaped bottom-dwelling…

CORTINA \ˈkôr tēn ä \ n 1 a: A Cradle to Cradle-certified solar-protection textile used primarily for window shades. b: Made by Mermet from 100 percent PVC-free, recyclable…

QMILK \ˈkyo͞o milk \ n 1 a: A trademarked name for milk fiber, a silky textile derived from an odorless protein found in mammalian milk. b: The brainchild of Qmilch, a company…

NAORON \nah ö·re on\ n 1 a: A versatile textile derived from wood pulp and polyolefin (“soft Naoron”) or recycled polyester (“RPF Naoron”). b: Manufactured by…

NEWLIFE \nü ˈlīf\ n 1 a: A polyester yarn made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. b: Processed through a mechanical, rather than chemical, process in Italy by…

Photo by RaajMa KHADI \ˈkä-dē\ n 1 a: A coarse cotton, wool, or silk hand-spun in India on a spinning wheel called a charkha. b: Versatile in its ability to be dyed with limitless…

LAPLAM \lä pläm\ n 1 a: A new material made from air-infused layers plastic—60 to 80 percent of which is recycled—with an appearance reminiscent of bubble wrap. b: Developed by a…

COCONA\ˈkōˈkōnˈä\ n 1 a:Trademarked name for a lightweight, breathable fiber derived from coconut-husk waste discarded by the food-service industry. b: Reduced to charcoal,…

SORONA\ˈsȯrˈōnˈä\ n 1 a: Sorona, DuPont’s trade name for poly(trimethylene terephthalate), is an extruded fiber that serves as a alternative to nylon 6 in apparel (swimwear,…

ZEUGMA \ˈzo͞ogmə\ n 1 a: A 95 percent organic-cotton textile that mimics the qualities of petroleum-based technical fabrics without synthetic chemicals or additives. b: Wicks away…

CHIENGORA \chē-ˈen-ˈgȯr-ə\ n. 1 a: A portmanteau of “chien” (French for dog) and “angora.” b: A soft, spun yarn—said to be up to 80 percent warmer than…

A linen-cupro shirtdress from Donna Karan CUPRO \¦k(y)üˈprō\ n. 1 a: A regenerated cellulose fiber derived from cotton linter (the ultrafine, silky fibers that stick to the seeds of…