Burnout, Flocked and ITY: A PAPARAZZI by BIZ Fabric Guide

Burnout velvet is a velvet where part of the pile has been removed in a pattern, leaving sheer areas next to plush ones. That is why a burnout kimono looks like lace in some places and velvet in others.

A patterned paste is applied to a fabric made from two different fiber types, and it dissolves one of them where it touches. What is left behind is the sheer ground, with the pattern standing up in relief.

In the burnt-away areas, yes, which is the whole point of the effect. That is why the burnout pieces in this line are cut as open front kimonos and layering shirts rather than as something worn alone.

Velvet that has been twisted or pressed so the pile lies in several directions at once. It catches the light unevenly, which is the broken shine you see on the burgundy tank dress.

Regular velvet has its pile all running one way, so it has a single smooth sheen. Crushed velvet has the pile pushed in different directions, so the shine shifts as you move.

Flocking is a raised, velvety pattern bonded onto the surface of a fabric rather than woven into it. You can feel the pattern with a fingertip, which is what makes a flocked floral look richer than a printed one.

Flocking adds texture on top of the fabric, and burnout takes texture away from it. One builds the pattern up, the other opens it out into something sheer.

ITY is a soft, stretchy knit known for its fluid drape and its resistance to wrinkling. It is the fabric behind the olive flocked shirt and the matching palazzo pant.

Yes. ITY is a knit rather than a woven, so it gives in both directions and moves with you. That is why the palazzo pant can be a pull-on style with no zipper.

Charmeuse is a satin weave with a glossy face and a matte back. Satin and charmeuse describe how a fabric is woven, not what it is made of.

Voile is a light, airy plain weave with an open hand. It breathes well, which is why it shows up in the brand's warm weather printed shirts.

Not anywhere we can cite. Some of the product copy that reaches us names a fiber and some does not, so we treat the sewn-in label as the answer. Call (830) 693-7573 and we will read a label to you.

Start with the sewn-in care label, because velvet varies enormously by fiber and construction and that label is written for the exact garment. If the label is hard to read, call us at (830) 693-7573 and we will read ours.

We would not do it without checking the care label first, because heat is hard on a burnout ground and on any pile fabric. The label is the instruction that matters, and we are happy to look at it with you.