1. How fabric is made

2. Fabric starts with the fibers
Black Alpaca Silk
Baby fine camel hair
Dyed Wool
Silk
Cotton

3. Types of Fiber
Natural
Synthetic

4. Natural Fibers Come from plants and animals General Characteristics
Hydrophilic (Absorb Water)
Most wrinkle easily
Aren’t completely uniform in look and quality, because they are affected by weather, nutrients in the soil, insects, and disease.
Price continues to increase because of limited supply.

5. Natural Fibers
Cotton
Flax (Linen)
Wool
Silk

6. Cotton advantages Cotton Disadvantages
Mildews
Does not spring back into shape
Wrinkles easily
Burns readily
Shrinks
Strong, durable
Soft
Absorbs moisture
Breathes well
Washes easily
Low cost
Comfortable

7. Care of Cotton
Wash in washer and dry
Iron at high temperature

8. Linen (Flax) Disadvantages
Linen (Flax) Advantages
Linen (Flax) Disadvantages
STRONG, stronger than cotton & even stronger when wet
Absorbs moisture
Comfortable in warm weather
Washes easily
Nice texture
Mildews
WRINKLES
Burns easily
Difficult to process
Not very elastic and will break if folded over and over in the same place

9. Care of Linen
Wash or Dry Clean, CHECK LABEL
Iron at HIGH temperature

10. Wool Disadvantages Wool Advantages
WARM
Durable
ABSORBENT
Resilient (returns to original shape quickly)
Resists wrinkling
Fire Retardant
Can keep you cool or warm
Does not soil easily
Requires special care
Shrinks sometimes if washed, or dried in dryer
Absorbs odors
Requires protection against insects
More expensive, so often blended with other fibers

11. Care of Wool Dry Clean or Hand Wash and Dry flat
Iron at low temperature

12. Silk Advantages Silk Advantages
Soft and Smooth
Lustrous and Luxurious
Strong
Doesn’t wrinkle easily
Drapes well
Dyes well
Shows water spots
Sensitive to sunlight and can yellow
More expensive

13. Synthetic Fibers Made from petrochemicals
Many made to resemble natural fibers at lower costs
Characteristics
Hydrophobic (water resistant)
Promote static cling
Heat Sensitive
Many pill
Most are wrinkle resistant
Must press at low temperatures

14. Synthetic Fibers
Acetate
Acrylic
Nylon
Polyester
Rayon
Spandex (Lycra)

15. Polyester Excellent WRINKLE RESISTANCE Resistant to abrasion
Dries quickly
Blends well with other fibers
Retains heat-set pleats and creases
Absorbs oily stains
Low absorbency of moisture
Easily laundered
Needs little or no pressing

16. Nylon Very Strong Resilient Lustrous Dries quickly May yellow or gray
Heat Sensitive
Low moisture absorbency
Easily laundered
Iron at low temperature
Blend well with other fibers
Melts

17. Acrylic Soft, Warm Wool-like Light weight Wrinkle resistant
Resistant to moths and sunlight
Pills
Static electricity
Heat sensitive
Usually dry clean, iron at low temp.

18. Rayon Made from wood pulp Made to resemble cotton or silk
Soft and comfortable
High moisture absorbency
Drapeable
May wrinkle or shrink unless treated
May mildew
Usually dry cleaned, sometimes washable
Iron at low temperature

19. Spandex Excellent elasticity and recovery
Stronger and more durable than rubber
Light weight
Resistant to body oils
Damaged by chlorine bleach
Damaged by heat

20. Acetate Silk look-alike Used in formal wear Soft, Drapeable
Dries quickly
Resistant to shrinking
Not very strong
Can wrinkle
Low abrasion resistance
Heat sensitive
Damaged by acetone

21. Once the fiber is collected, the fiber is spun into yarns
Yarn – made by spinning or twisting fibers together
Blended Yarn – often times yarn is made by more than one type of fiber. They are blended to get the best qualities from each.

22. After the fiber is made into yarns the fabric is woven, knit or pressed into fabric

23. Fabric Construction
Woven – interlocking yarns in an over-under pattern
Knit – interlocking loops
Non-woven – fibers are pressed together in no specific pattern.
The yarns are then made into fabric, they are either woven or knit together,or the fibers are matted together and glued.

24. Woven Fabrics
Woven Fabrics have different types of weaves.

25. Woven Fabric
Woven fabric made by a process of interlacing yarns to create cloth or fabric.

26. Parts of a woven fabric
1. Bias – the stretchiest direction of the fabric. Diagonal line between lengthwise and crosswise grains.
2. Selvage – tightly woven edge. Looks different than the rest of the fabric.
3. Warp Yarns/Lengthwise grain – strongest direction of fabric because those yarns are placed on the loom first. Least amount of stretch. Parallel to the selvage.
4. Weft yarns/Crosswise grain – a little less strong than warp because these are the yarns that are woven in. A little more stretch than warp. Perpendicular to warp and selvage.

27. Plain Weave Over one, Under one The first type is plain weave.
Characteristics
Fairly strong
Easy to sew
Examples
Shirts
Dresses

28. Twill Weave Forms a pattern of diagonal ribs 3rd is Twill Weave
Characteristics
Fairly strong
Wrinkle resistant
Hides Soil
Examples
Denim
Gabardine

29. Basket Weave
A variation of a plain weave. Over two, under two. Usually use two or more warp yarns.
4th is Basket Weave
Characteristics
Variation of Plain Weave
Examples
Oxford
Monks Cloth

30. Satin Weave
No definite pattern, passes over more threads to give it a lustrous, silk-like appearance
Next is Satin Weave
Characteristics
Snags
Less Durable
Wrinkles
Shows Stains
Hard to Sew With
Examples
Dressy Blouse
Fancy Dresses

31. A third set of yarn is added in to make knots and add texture
Pile Weave
A third set of yarn is added in to make knots and add texture

32. Knit Fabric
Knits are made by a series of interlocking loops.

33. Returns to Original Shape
Knits
Stretches
Returns to Original Shape
Wrinkle Resistant
The next way fabric is created is by knitting.
.Characteristics
.stretches
.returns to original shape
.wrinkle resistant
.Examples
.T shirt
.Active wear
Knit has 2 different types though.

34. Warp Knits
vertical rows of loops

35. loops made as yarn added in crosswise direction
Weft Knits
loops made as yarn added in crosswise direction

36. Non Woven fibers are pressed together in one big mass no grain
no stretch or give
requires special sewing techniques
Then the last type of fabric is non woven. This is where the fibers are matted together and glued.
.Characteristics
.no grain
.no stretch or give
.requires special sewing techniques .

37. Non Wovens Felt Babies disposable diapers
sterile wraps, caps, gowns, masks and drapings used in the medical field
wall coverings
Vinyl (leather look-alikes)
Here are some examples of Non Wovens.
Examples
.interfacing
.diapers (pictured)
.hospital gowns (pictured) and sheets
.cleaning cloths
.felt (pictured)