Longcloth.—This name is used to designate a fine cotton fabric, either plain or twill woven, of superior quality, made from a fine grade of cotton yarn of medium twist.
The fabric is used for infants' long dresses, from which it derives its name, also for lingerie. Longcloth to some extent resembles Batiste, fine Muslin, India Linen, and Cambric. It is, however, distinguished from these fabrics by the closeness of its weave. It has, when finished, a very good white appearance, due to the closeness of the weave and the soft twist of the yarn. The surface is rendered smooth by undergoing a "gassing" process.
Long Ells (Woollen).—This name is given to an all-wool twill-weave fabric woven with a worsted warp and a woollen weft, averaging in width from 28 to 30 inches and having a length of 24 yards to the piece. Calendered, finished, and often dyed a bright vermilion. Long Ells averaged in value during the 10 years 1904-14 about 17s. per piece. They are not met with in a large range of qualities, the most usual type answering to the above description.
Long Stick.—This term is used to describe a yard of 36½ inches in length. The abbreviated manner of writing this term on documents referring to textiles is LS. It is only used in connexion with textile fabrics and in opposition to "short stick," a yard of 36 inches. One authority states that "the yard is generously reckoned at 37 inches by manufacturers in the United Kingdom." This statement, however, should be taken with reserve, although in the woollen trade it seems to be a common practice. In addition to this extra 1 inch per yard, a quarter of a yard in every 10 is generally allowed, so that a nominal 40-yard piece would actually measure 40 yards + 40 inches + 1 yard = 42 yards 4 inches. The long stick measure is only used in the woollen trade.
Louisine.—A silk fabric having an uneven surface like that of an Armure, but finer in effect.
Lustre Dress Fabrics.—This class of union fabric, when woven with a fast black dyed cotton warp and a worsted mohair weft, is representative of union fabrics in general, and the treatment of this material when in its grey state applies to the majority of union fabrics. The warp is generally a 2/80's, i.e., a strong yarn, and the weft, say, a 1/14's. The warp being dyed prior to weaving, there only remains the weft to be dyed after the unfinished cloth leaves the loom. This is called cross-dyeing. The grey cloth, in its loom state, possesses a visible appearance of non-lustrous cotton. This appearance is changed and replaced by the lustre effect through the process of "crabbing," or drawing out the material in the direction of the cotton warp. The warp threads when drawn straight virtually throw the lustrous weft to the surface, whilst they themselves become embedded out of sight in the cloth. Orleans, Mohair Brilliantine, and Mohair Sicilian are fabrics which come under this heading.
Maco.—Applied to hosiery or underwear made from pure Egyptian undyed cotton.
Madapolams are all-cotton plain-weave bleached Shirtings or Calico cloths.