Glossary - E

Elastic
Woven, stretchable material of rubber or similar material used to create support and fit tightly around a body part.

Embroidery
Decorative stitching on fabric. Generally involves non-lettering designs but can also include lettering and/or monograms. Evidence of embroidery exists during the reign of Egyptian pharaohs, in the writings of Homer and from the Crusaders of the 12th century. Evolved from hand work to manual sewing machines and from handlooms and schiffli machines with hundreds of needles to high-speed, computerized multihead machines.

Even-weave
Fabric with the same number of threads in the warp and weft. The count (eg 28 count) refers to the number of threads per inch.

Eyelets
Small holes or perforations made in a series to allow for breathability. Finished with either stitching or brass grommets.