When you create something how do you choose a name? Do you name it after yourself, you location, your materials, your inspiration? Do you ever think, “How did they pick that name”?

Some fabrics are named for the cities they were created in. For example, Cashmere comes from Kashmir, a region in India. This region is home to the goats where the wool comes from.  And, Calico come from the city it was first obtained, Calicut, India.

Denim is brought to us from Nimes, a French city — de Nimes, “from Nimes”.  Chambray is also named after a French town.  Suede received its name for the French name for Sweden, Suede. Why? Because Swedish gloves were made from suede.

Muslin was made in Mosul, Iraq and damask named after the Syrian city of Damascus. Chuanchou, China, formally Laitun, was the birth place of satin — the smooth glossy fabric.