After a garment is woven or knitted and color has been applied, a final finish may be added. These finishes are purely aesthetic to enhance the appearance, or functional to enhance the performance. There are too many finishes to cover them all, but I’ve listed some common ones here for your consideration.

Embossing - uses heat and pressure to add luster or imprint an image

Chintz - uses heat and pressure with a light resin to add a lustrous finish

Moire - uses heat and pressure to create a wood grain appearance

Embroidery - uses thread to sew images on the fabric

Mercerizing - uses chemicals, heat and water to smooth and improves the ability to dye the fabric

Sizing - uses chemicals, heat and water to make the fabric crisp, crunchy and stiff

Stone/Sand Wash - uses bleach, heat and water to soften the fabric and create color loss

Wrinkle-Resistant - uses chemicals and heat to improve resilience

Flame-Retardant - uses chemicals and heat to reduce flammability

Stain/Soil Resistant - uses chemicals and heat to reduce absorbency

Anti-Microbial - uses chemicals and heat to kill bacteria, which limits odor

Water Absorbency - uses chemicals and heat to induce water absorption

UV Protection - uses chemicals and heat to absorb UV radiation