Pepperell Drill.—The very superior qualities of Drills, woven from the highest quality yarns, are distinguishable by their carefully woven appearance and known as Pepperell Drills.
Percale.—A plain-weave cotton fabric of fine or medium count, used for shirtings, dresses, linings, etc. Percale is usually printed on one side with geometrical figures, generally black, although other colours are sometimes used. The fabric is bleached before printing and has an entire lack of gloss, differing from Percaline, which has a very glossy finish. It is often printed in stripes and, when so printed, is known as Percale Stripes.
Percaline.—A highly finished and dressed light-weight Percale, piece-dyed in solid colours and not printed. Percaline is an all-cotton, plain, closely woven fabric, generally met with in shades of blue, green, black, brown, and tan. Highly calendered and glossed.
Persian Cord.—A worsted or cotton warp and worsted weft fabric woven with a plain weave, but with the warp threads working in twos, thus giving a rib effect. Also called Ottoman.
Pick.—When the word "pick" is used in connexion with weaving, it always signifies the filling or weft threads, while each warp thread is called an "end" or a "thread." Picks run across the width of the fabric.
Piece Goods.—A usual trade reference for fabrics which are woven in lengths suitable for retail sale by linear measure.
Pile Fabrics.—Materials of silk or cotton wherein the surface is woven with raised loops, which are afterwards cut, forming a raised "pile." They include Plushes, Velvets, Velveteens, and Corduroys.
The threads that go towards making the pile are special threads independent of the warp and weft threads necessary to make a fabric that will hold together.
If the raised loops are left uncut, as more frequently is the case with warp piles, the fabric is spoken of as "Terry." If cut, as is sometimes the case with warp piles, and usually the case with weft piles, the fabric is spoken of as "cut-pile."