Velvet of Silk mixed with other Fibres.—This class of fabric includes all pile fabrics which, in the first instance, answer to the description of Velvet, i.e., have their pile shorter than that of Plush, and the pile of which, whilst being partly of silk, contains other animal fibres, such as wool or mohair, or even vegetable fibres, such as cotton. Where it is clearly stipulated that they are "Velvets of silk mixed with other fibres and having cotton backs," the foundation cloth must not contain warp or weft threads wholly or in part composed of any material other than cotton.
Velveteen.—This name is given to the class of fabrics that in reality are but Cotton Velvets. Like true Velvets, they are woven with a pile weave, the distinctive feature of which is that the surface consists of threads or fibres standing closely together like the bristles in a brush. These threads appear as threads sheared off smooth, so as to form a uniform or even surface. Velveteens are generally woven on the weft-pile basis, that is to say, that the "pile floats" or "flushings" are produced with the weft threads—which are afterwards cut—additional to and on a firmly constructed woven ground texture. Weft pile can be recognised by removing from the fabric a weft thread, when, upon withdrawing this thread, it will be seen that the bits of "cut pile" are not looped round it or attached to it but remain entangled among the warp threads. Common Velveteen, which is "all cotton," will be identified as a weft pile in this manner. Velveteens are also known as Velverets or Fustians. Standard widths for Velveteens are 19 inches, 22½ inches, 24½ inches, and 27½ or 28 inches.
Venetians.—A wool fabric, closely woven in a fine twill. As applied to a cotton fabric, it is used to designate a heavy, warp-face, Dress Satin (or Sateen) of strong texture and closely woven, dyed in the piece, silky and lustrous in appearance. Light weights would be sold as Sateen or Dress Sateen. Woven with about 200 to 250 threads to the square inch, the style of weave in itself tends to produce lustre; this is intensified by calendering and sometimes by mercerising the fabric. The weave is of an upright warp twill character, and the name was first applied to a dress face woollen cloth; later, worsted dress Venetians were made, and later still the name was applied to an all-cotton fabric of similar weave.
Vesting (Vestings).—A generic term embracing a wide range of fabrics more or less ornamented, used in most countries for men's vests, but used in China for either men's or women's outer or inner garments. Fabrics of several combination of weaves showing fancy stripes or small checkings, and often coloured to the extent of some coloured warp threads appearing here and there on the surface and left floating (where not used) on the back of the fabric are common in this class of goods. This heading covers Welts, Piqué, Fancy Piqué, etc.
Vigogne.—The French form of the word "vicuña"; applied to a soft woollen dress material.
Vigoreux.—A worsted material, printed in the yarn so as to produce a mélange, or mixture, effect in colouring. This differs from Beige in that the yarns are printed before being spun, giving the finished goods the appearance of having been woven from mixed yarns.
Viyella.—A light cloth, largely made from cotton and wool scribbled together. It is similar to Ceylon Flannel and differs from it only in name. This fabric is one of many known under "trade-marks 'patented' or 'registered' names," which are sometimes sufficiently popular to embrace many different weaves under one head.
Voile.—This name is used to designate a more or less transparent light fabric made generally of cotton. Woven with a square mesh produced by plain one-over and one-under weaving, Voile averages 55 meshes per inch, with an average width of 42 inches, and generally in pieces of 60 yards.
Voile when dyed is piece-dyed and not woven from yarn which was dyed previously to being woven. The yarn used in the weaving of Voiles is a hard-twisted yarn.