Gauze

Gauze, a light transparent silk fabric, supposed to have derived its name from having first been manufactured in Gaza, a city of Palestine. France and Switzerland produce large quantities. The openness of texture is obtained by crossing the warp threads between each thread of the weft, so that the weft passes through a succession of loops in the warp, and the threads are thus kept apart, without the liability to sliding from their places, which would take place if simple weaving were left so loose and open. It is used for dress purposes, and largely also for sifting flour. What is made for the latter purpose is sometimes called bolting-cloth. The cotton fabric leno has the same structure as gauze. Cheap textiles of the nature of gauze are used for the skirts of ballet-girls. For wire-gauze, see SAFETY-LAMP, WIRE.