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term	description
FABRICS	Almost every fabric that is used to make clothing has also been used at one time or another to make handbags. The common fabrics used for making handbags are; bengaline, burlap, canvas, crepe, duck, cotton twill, faille, linen, tapestry, moiré, needlepoint, petit point, satin, silk brocade.
FAILLE	A flat ribbed fabric woven with fine yarns in the warp, with heavier yarns in the filling with a plain weave. It is mostly used in formal handbag styles.
FANNY PACK	A bag for carrying small items with a strap that fastens around the waist -also called a BUMBAG.
FAUX	A French word that means false. This term is used as a "chic" way to describe something that is not genuine such as; synthetic fur, fake gold, or simulated alligator hide.
FLAP	A flat piece with one side attached to something else.
FLAP BAG	A handbag that has a fold-over flap as its main feature.
GARMENT  SUIT  FLIGHT BAG	Luggage designed to store and carry on a hanger garments such as business suits or other types of clothing that are not meant to be folded, and can be immediately hung in a closet when the traveller arrives to their destination.
GINGHAM	A smooth cotton fabric with fibres dyed in two different contrasting colours that are woven in a checkerboard pattern.
GLAZED LEATHER	Before any leather is used to make a handbag, it is put through various treatments which create a variety of finishes, textures, colours and appearances. Glazed leather has a polished finish, whereas a matte finish is dull.
GLOVE TANNED LEATHER	Soft leather used for gloves (normally lambskin), but also used to describe any soft supple leather.
GRAIN	The exterior surface an animal hide or skin with the texture of the pores, wrinkles and other characteristics of the texture of the hide.
GROMMET	A metal or plastic ring used to reinforce an eyelet.
GROSGRAIN	A closely woven silk or rayon fabric with continuous narrow horizontal ribs, or a ribbon made of this fabric.
GUSSET	The triangular end piece of a handbag which gives depth and roominess to the shape
HANDTAG	A tag made of metal, leather, or fabric printed or embossed with the designer's name and logo, and attached to the exterior of the handbag with a small chain, string or leather cord.
HANDLE	The part of a handbag (or piece of luggage) made to hold with the hand so it can be carried. Some handles are designed to only fit in the hand, and some are designed so the handbag can also be carried on the shoulder.
HARDWARE	Any of the parts of a handbag (or piece of luggage) that are made of metal, such as; buckles, clasps, latches, hinges, zippers, rivets, grommets, etc.
HAVERSACK	A term sometimes used for backpack. A haversack is not a fashion accessory, but is in fact a distinct type of backpack used by soldiers to carry ammunition and rations.
HERRINGBONE	A fabric with a weave composed of vertical sections that create a design of wide "V's" in stripes across the width of the fabric.
HIDE	A term that describes any animal skin, whether tanned or un-tanned.
HINGE	A device that allows the pivoting of two parts away from or toward each other. Hinges are usually used on hard sided luggage and allow one side panel to act as a lid when the case is set flat. Handbag styles with lids will have some sort of hinge, whether a flexible hinge made with a continuous leather strip or fabric, or jointed hinges made of metal or plastic. Some hard-sided handbag styles will have hinges at the bottom and open/close by pulling apart or pushing together the front and back panels. "Ball and socket" closures are mounted on frames made of metal or plastic that has round hinges at each side.
HOBO BAG	A type of medium to large shoulder bag with a long shape which scoops down at the top towards the centre.
HOLOGRAM	A piece of photosensitive material photographically developed with a light reflecting image. Instead of tags printed or stamped with serial numbers on authentic handbag designs, recent high-end designs have tags with tiny holograms imprinted with a serial number. These hologram tags are much harder to imitate by manufacturers of fake handbags, than the leather, metal, or cloth tags with serial numbers.