4.01 fibers and fabrics

Vocabulary ***Fiber: The smallest unit in a textile fabric. Yarn: A group of fibers twisted together to form a continuous strand. Fabric: Any material that is made by weaving, knitting, braiding, knotting, laminating, felting, or chemical bonding. Hand: The way a fabric feels to the touch. ***Denier: Thickness or diameter of a fiber. Microfibers: man-made, Ultra fine, soft, luxurious fibers CAD (Computer Aided Design): Computer system software used for designing textiles, fashion, apparel, and other products.

Natural Fibers Fibers from plants or animals. Staple fibers: Lower quality, short fibers. Filament fibers: Long, continuous fibers of higher quality. Cellulosic fibers***: Fibers from plants. Protein fibers: Fibers derived from animals or insects.

Manufactured fibers Fibers that are man-made and are created by combining various substances with chemicals. Solid raw materials and chemicals are melted or dissolved to form a ***thick liquid. The liquid is forced through the tiny holes of a mechanical device known as a spinnerette to form filaments. (Similar to pushing dough through a pasta machine to make spaghetti.) The filaments are then stretched, hardened, and crimped and/or cut into lengths.

Cellulosic manufactured fibers are made from cellulose from plants such as soft wood pulp and are changed into usable fibers by applying chemicals. Noncellulosic manufactured fibers are made from various petrochemical mixtures of crude oil, natural gas, air, and water.

Blend: A combination of two or more fibers that maximizes the best features of each fiber. Example: Combining cotton with polyester

***Natural fibers*** Cotton Wool Flax (linen) Silk

Cotton The soft, white, downy fiber (boll) attached to the seed of a cotton plant. Most widely used of all natural fibers*** Grown in the southern U.S. and other warm climates Characteristics: Strong and durable Absorbent Cool to wear Shrinks in hot water Wrinkles easily

Cotton Proper care Common uses***: Underwear Socks Shirts, blouses Machine wash Tumble dry at moderate temperatures Press with warm to hot iron Common uses***: Underwear Socks Shirts, blouses Jeans Towels, sheets

Wool The coat (fleece) of sheep***. Characteristics: ***Warmest of all natural fibers Soft and resilient Naturally flame retardant Absorbs moisture more slowly than cotton Shrinks if machine washed or dried unless chemically treated Affected by moths

Wool Common uses***: Sweaters Tailored suits *Coats *Blankets Proper care for untreated wool: Dry clean or hand wash in cool water and a mild detergent Do not place in dryer Common uses***: Sweaters Tailored suits *Coats *Blankets Upholstery Rugs, carpets

Flax The fiber that comes from the stem of a flax plant. Common uses: Grown primarily in Eastern Europe Linen is flax fabric. Common uses: Pants Blazers Table linens Upholstery

Flax Characteristics Durable and strong Lustrous and smooth Comfortable and cool to wear Wrinkles easily Proper Care: Hand wash or dry clean (according to garment label) Iron while damp

Silk ***The fine, lustrous fiber that comes from a cocoon spun by a silkworm. Primarily produced Thailand, China, India

Silk Characteristics: Luxurious appearance and feel Strongest of all natural fibers Drapes nicely Expensive Easily spots if fabric becomes wet Silk

Leather and Fur Hides or skins of animals. ***Leather: A tough, flexible material made by preserving animal hides through a process called tanning.

Leather is used for: Handbags Shoes Belts Jackets Primary sources: Cattle Goatskins Sheepskins Reptiles Suede: Leather with a napped surface on the flesh side.

Fur ***The soft, hairy coat of an animal. Fur is used for***: Coats Outerwear Trimmings Common Sources Mink Chinchilla Fox Rabbit

Manufactured fibers*** each has it’s own slide Polyester Nylon Acrylic Rayon Acetate Spandex

Polyester **Made from coal or petroleum **Often blended with other fibers Resists wrinkling **Great washability Pills easily Static buildup Common uses: Children’s wear, shirts, suits

Nylon **First fiber to be manufactured totally from chemicals Strong, durable Dries quickly Resists wrinkles and soil Washes easily Heat sensitive Clings to the wearer Common uses: Hosiery, swimwear, windbreakers

Acrylic Resembles wool Soft and warm Wrinkle resistant Static buildup Common uses: Knitted garments Outdoor furniture fabrics and awnings Rugs Resembles wool Soft and warm Wrinkle resistant Static buildup Pills easily

Rayon Soft, absorbent, and comfortable Inexpensive Stretches and is weak when wet Mildews and wrinkles easily Common uses: Linings Sports shirts Jackets

Acetate Made from wood pulp Silky, luxurious Deep luster, soft Wrinkles easily Special care needed in cleaning Common uses***: Neckties Lingerie Blouses Linings

Spandex Stretchy Easily damaged by bleach Nonabsorbent Common uses: Swimwear Dancewear Exercise wear

Fabric Production Steps Fibers are twisted together into yarns. Yarns are woven or knitted to form fabric. Color is added by dyeing or printing to enhance the fabric’s appeal. A finish is applied to make the fabric suitable for its end use and to improve its appearance.

Turning Yarn into Fabric Weaving: The process of interlacing one or more sets of yarns at right angles on a loom. Warp yarns: Yarns that run lengthwise in woven fabric. Weft yarns: Yarns that run crosswise in woven fabric.

Grain: The direction of the lengthwise and crosswise yarns or threads in a woven fabric. Bias**: The diagonal grain of a fabric. The bias provides the greatest stretch in the fabric.

Weaving Plain weave: The simplest of all weaves in which the crosswise yarn is passed over then under each lengthwise yarn. Examples: broadcloth, muslin, flannel Plain weave

This weave produces a **diagonal design on the surface. Twill weave: Used for **durability This weave produces a **diagonal design on the surface. Examples: **denim, gabardine Twill weave

Weave that produces a **smooth, shiny-surfaced fabric Satin weave: Weave that produces a **smooth, shiny-surfaced fabric Examples: sateen, satin Satin weave

Other weaves Pile weave—corduroy, velvet Jacquard—brocade, damask (upholstery) Leno—fabrics with an open, lacy appearance (like fruit bags)

Knitting ***Constructing fabric by looping yarns together. **Weft knits: Knits made with only one yarn that runs crosswise forming a horizontal row of interlocking loops. Grandma’s knitting

Warp knits: Knits made with several yarns creating loops that interlock in the lengthwise direction. Gauge: ***The number of stitches, or loops, per inch in a knitted fabric.

Other Fabric Construction Nonwoven. ***Fibers are compacted together using moisture, heat, chemicals, friction, or pressure. Examples: quilt batting, garment interfacings, felt, artificial suede Laces and nets. Made by knotting, twisting, or looping yarns. Example: lace Quilted fabric. A layer of padding or batting is sandwiched between two layers of fabric and held in place by stitching. Examples of use: bedspreads, placemats, and outerwear

Fabric finishing ***Applying colors, designs or surface treatments that change the look, feel, or performance of fabrics. ***Bleaching: Chemical processes that remove color, impurities, or spots from fibers. Dyeing: A method of giving color to a fiber, yarn, fabric, or garment. Printing: The process of adding color, pattern, or design to the surface of fabrics.

Finish categories **Chemical: Finishes that become part of the fabric through chemical reactions with the fibers. Affect performance Examples: flame retardant, stain resistant, waterproof, permanent press, preshrunk **Mechanical: Finishes that are applied mechanically rather than chemically. Affect size and appearance Examples: glazing, embossing, brushing/napping/cutting (corduroy)

Trends and Technology

Equipment and machinery More automated weaving and knitting machines Color management tools that can synchronize a colored design on a computer screen, a paper printout, and the actual fabric color Sophisticated CAD tools with 3D capabilities Processes constantly monitored by computer systems

Microfibers Enhanced characteristics for high performance fabrics resulting in production of intelligent garments - wicking (a fiber’s ability to draw moisture away from the body so it can evaporate) - coolness - warmth - protection

Recycling ***Plastic soda bottles converted into polyester fiber used to make fabric for t-shirts and filling for pillows can be recycled numerous times without losing its performance attributes “Eco-spun”

Government regulations The Wool Products Labeling Act (1939) provides that all garments made of wool have a label indicating the percentage and kind of wool used. The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (1958) requires that all clothing have a label listing the generic fiber content by percentage. The Flammable Fabrics Act (1953) regulates the sale of highly flammable fabrics used in apparel and prohibits the sale of extremely flammable fabrics. The Permanent Care Labeling Act (1972) requires that all clothing offered for sale in retail stores have a label indicating specific care instructions. New symbols for use in this labeling were introduced in 1997.