Yarn-Dyed vs Piece-Dyed

Yarn-dyed fabric is woven from yarns dyed before weaving, which is how woven checks, ginghams, and chambray’s two-tone look are made; piece-dyed fabric is woven first, then dyed a solid color. Yarn-dyeing generally gives richer, more colorfast results and enables woven patterns, at higher cost. Piece-dyeing is cheaper and fine for solids. The distinction matters for value on patterned shirts (a genuine woven check versus a printed one) and for colorfastness. A "yarn-dyed" note on a checked oxford is a small mark of quality; a printed pattern on the surface is the cheaper route.