An ordinary Pillow Pet is made with chenille fabric. Popular materials included black lace, satin with chenille borders, shot silk, and satin. This resulted in a very soft, fuzzy fabric named chenille. In 1956 Leon and Sherman purchased a chenille bedspread factory in Wingate, North Carolina. Chenille may refer to either a type of yarn or fabric made from it. Many chenille fabrics should be dry cleaned. Chenille can appear iridescent without actually using iridescent fibers. These edges are then cut, or slashed, to create a worn, soft, "chenille" effect. The word chenille comes from French meaning caterpillar. Chenille letters come in many different forms and shapes. The owner's graduation year typically appears in matching chenille. The letter patch is primarily constructed of chenille and felt materials. Chenille became popularized for apparel again with commercial production in the 1970s. Some pipe cleaner machines are actually converted chenille machines. Some are made of other materials, such as chenille.