The word "swatch" comes from the Middle Dutch word "swatse," which means "a sample or pattern of cloth." The term has been anglicized to "swatch" and is widely used in the fashion industry to refer to a small piece of fabric that is used to represent the color, texture, and design of a larger piece of fabric. Swatch books, which are collections of small swatches of fabrics, are often used by designers and manufacturers to help them coordinate colors and patterns, as well as to display different fabric options to customers.