Textiles and fashion-what are YOU wearing today? Chapter 6 Textiles and fashion-what are YOU wearing today?

cotton Comfortable Absorbent Washable Strong Easy to handle Inexpensive But….shrinks, wrinkles, weakened easily by perspiration, sun, mildew Multiple uses

Linen – from Flax Oldest known fiber Used for bedding- that’s why towels, sheets, etc. called “linens” Strong, comfortable, durable Lint free But wrinkles easily, expensive, shrinks easily, ravels, shines if ironed Used for: apparel, home furnishings

Wool- Australia is main producer Huge demand Virgin wool is new wool—not recycled Warm lightweight, wrinkle resistant, easy to tailor Affected by moths, shrinks, needs special care, scratchy Makes sweaters, jackets, and home furnishings

But it’s expensive, needs special care, stains with water Silk – silkworms spin cocoons, which are silk envelopes for the silkworm—one blouse uses about 500 cocoons Soft, drapes well, strong, lightweight, resists soil, mildew, comfortable. But it’s expensive, needs special care, stains with water Used for evening gowns, scarves, suits, curtains, drapery

Leather, suede (specially processed), fur,(soft, hairy coat of an animal) Animal hides or skins. From cows, sheep, goats, reptiles. Durable, strong, flexible, comfortable, warm, But scarce and expensive Used for coats, handbags, gloves, belts, Some consumer groups prohibit

Manufactured fibers From plant substance or chemical Less expensive than natural fibers Now used in about ¾ of american textile mills

rayon 1894 Used in WWI for industry1920 experiments led to crepe, velvet, and satin fabrics Soft, comfortable, durable, absorbent, no static, inexpensive, colorfast But wrinkles easily, heat sensitive, stretches, shrinks Used for some clothing and home furnishings, may have to be drycleaned

Other fibers Acetate-luxurious feel, used for coat linings too, requires dry cleaning, dissolved by nail polish remover Nylon – 1938 by DuPont—first synthetic fiber—completely-insulating properties

Cont’d Acrylic – resembles wool Created by Dupont in 1950 Makes year round sweaters and socks Soft, warm, machine washable, retains shape But develops static, is weak Used for sweaters, sportswear, neckties, upholstery, outdoor furniture, rugs

polyester Developed late 1950’s Most widely sold in the world and most used in fashion production. Consumers grew tired of it. It has been reworked and blended. Strong, crisp, washable, quick drying, elasticity, but static. Used for perma press, insulation, home furnishings, and fleece wear.

spandex 1959 – Dupont looking for substitute for rubber. This finding changed the swimwear and underwear industry. Can stretch 500% without breaking. Brand name is Lycra.

Microfibers Ultrafine manufactured fibers and refers to ultra fine manufactured fibers Developed in 1989 by Dupont Extra fine fibers, 2x finer than silk, 100x finer than human hair. Cannot be penetrated by wind, rain, or cold. Is soft, shrink resistant, strong, but heat sensitive. Makes hosiery, swimwear, rainwear

Lycocell- Made with wood pulp Chemicals used are recycled and this fiber is biodegradable. Environmentally friendly Makes reusable non-woven materials Soft denims, and shirts

Fiber trade associations Cotton Incorporated National Cotton Council Woolmark Americas, Inc Mohair Council of America

Make fibers into fabrics? Weave and knit—two methods Weave – two sets of yarns Different directions Knits – one set of yarns Run in the same direction

Informative sentence poster Impact of the cotton gin – and where cotton is grown Research the flax plant, where grown, how harvested, and the process How to produce virgin reclaimed wool-and uses Life of a silkworm and uses of silk Cleaning products used to remove spots on cotton, linen, wool, and silk Process to make leather & suede Consumer groups that dislike using leather and fur Invention of nylon stockings Why is polyester the most used—examples-& how made How it’s made and why spandex is used in athletic apparel Research the Dupont corporation, products, outreach programs Production of environmentally friendly materials-what companies History/timeline of textile industry Cotton Incorporated – marketing “fabric of our lives”