- Nida
- A soft, matte, slightly textured cloth — the everyday abaya fabric. Opaque and easy to wear.
- Crepe
- A fabric with a fine pebbled surface from twisted yarns. It drapes well and does not shine.
- Chiffon
- Very light and sheer, with a slight grain. It floats and gathers beautifully and usually needs a lining.
- Organza
- Sheer but crisp. It holds a shape, which makes it useful for sleeves and overlayers.
- Tulle
- A fine net. Used plain, or as the ground for embroidery and beadwork.
- Jacquard
- A fabric whose pattern is woven in rather than printed, so it shifts as the cloth moves.
- Velvet
- A short dense pile with a direction — it looks lighter or darker depending on which way it faces.
- GSM
- Grams per square metre. A rough measure of weight: under 80 is light, over 200 is heavy.
- Dye lot
- A batch of cloth dyed together. Different lots can vary slightly in shade.
- Drape
- How cloth falls and moves. Fluid fabrics hang close; crisp ones stand away.
