Bleached.—This term is used to designate either raw cotton, cotton yarn, or more often cotton fabrics which have been rendered white. The most generally used agent for bleaching is chloride of lime. The process of bleaching varies according to whether the fibres being bleached are in the loose, the yarn, or the woven state. Prior to being bleached fabrics are said to be in the "grey"; after bleaching they are said to be "white."
Bleached Domestics.—A term commonly used referring to the cheaper grades of bleached cotton cloths, either plain or twilled.
Bombazine.—Bombazine is the name given to a twilled fabric of which the warp is of silk and the filling is worsted.
Book-fold Muslin.—A trade designation meaning muslin put up in 24-yard lengths, folded in such a way as to open book-wise from the centre, the various folds resembling the leaves of a book.
Botany.—A term applied to worsted yarns made from Botany wool. It is considered the finest of all worsted yarns and is used for making fine fabrics of close texture. The name Botany is commonly used to designate a fine grade of Australian wool.
Bouclé.—Having knots, loops, or curls on the surface; usually employed for cloakings. Imitation Astrakhan is a type of the kind of fabric coming under the heading Bouclé.
Bourette.—A rough-surfaced effect produced by introducing lumpy, knotted yarns at intervals in the weaving.
Broadcloth.—Broadcloth is a soft, closely woven material made with an all-wool warp and filling having a satin finish. The beauty of Broadcloth depends on its even, nappy, lustrous surface. The three main points that go towards fixing its value are the quality of the wool used, the uniformity of the nap, and the perfection of finish. It is most often twill woven, double plain, but it is also met with in a plain weave.
Brocade.—The ordinary cotton Brocade is a figured fabric of single texture. More elaborate Brocades, used for dress and upholstery purposes, may have several wefts, in which case the cloth is one-sided, the warp forming the ground on the face, and the wefts appearing only where required to produce figure. Soft-spun wefts are often used in Brocades and similar kinds of cloths, the better to fill and throw up the figure used in their ornamentation. It is a term commonly applied to fabrics of different weaves or combinations of weaves in which the design appearing on the surface of the fabric is of a fancy figured or floral effect, usually of elaborate design; also used as an adjective to denote "woven figured."