Omak.. I always thought of Chintz as being a heavier version of polished cotton.. usually used for curtains and upholstery type things. And they are both still cotton.. but the finish is not lost on polished cotton when washed, it still retains a sheen. Way back when there was also "cotton satin" another shiny version of a cotton finish. Pima cotton is another version, very light weight with a different length of fiber and has a bit of a sheen on both sides. pretty much reversable