INTRODUCTION TO TEXTILES

What Are Textiles?There is a group of materials we call textiles. The name comes from the Latin word textilis that means woven. The earliest textiles were made by a process known as weaving where threads, yarns or strips were interlaced.Today there are processes other than weaving, but we still use the word textiles to describe this group of materials.

RopesRope, string and cords are made out of natural and synthetic fibres. Before manufactured fibres, ropes were made out of jute fibres. Modern ropes are now made from manufactured fibres, such as nylon.

                              

                                    

Parachutes Parachutes are made out of light and strong fabrics. Nylon is a material with these properties and it has been used in parachutes since the early days of World War 2. Before that time silk was the preferred fabric.

                      

                                

Today sails are made out of a range of synthetic fibres. Kevlar is a new, very strong fabric and it is used in high quality sails on yachts and sailboards.In the past sails were made of canvas, which is a closely woven, plain-weave fabric made of natural or synthetic fibres. Canvas was also known as sailcloth.

                           

                

Umbrellas need a fabric that is light, strong and will not absorb moisture. Nylon is a popular fabric for umbrella making. Umbrellas used for shade, like those in outdoor cafes, should resist fading when open on sunny days. Polyester and cotton are used in these umbrellas.

                             

                                    

Sails

Umbrellas

Hot air balloons and blimps

The desirable properties of fabrics used to make the envelope for hot air balloons include strength, light weight, long life, UV resistance, heat resistance, abrasion resistance and appearance. The fabric with all these properties is high quality nylon.

                   

                                         

Blimps

Blimps are like giant balloons. The outside envelope is made of fabric and filled with helium gas. One fabric that is used for the envelope is polyester coated with neoprene rubber. The fabric has a shiny and metallic appearance from a distance, but it is actually soft and flexible.

                           

                                       

Industry

Fabrics are used in industry for making many different products. Nylon is used to make hoses, seat belts and V-belts for machines. People who work in high places use nylon safety belts. Nylon ropes and straps are used to secure objects in place. Filters used to clean hot air in machines are made from aramid, which is a manufactured fibre.

                                          

                    

Camping and outdoor equipment

People who like camping and outdoor recreation will use many fabric products. Hikers will carry tents, sleeping bags and backpacks. Rock climbers will use nylon ropes and skiers wear warm waterproof clothing. Bags of all shapes and sizes are used to carry a wide range of items, including water and food.

                                    

                       

Furniture

Many pieces of furniture, such as sofas, are covered with fabrics. Some times the padding in chairs and the filling in pillows are also made of fibres. The word upholstery is used to describe the padding and covering of furniture.

                                       

                          

Curtains and drapes

The windows in our homes are usually covered with curtains and drapes. Curtains are made from fabrics that are thin and have small gaps or holes to let the light through.Drapes are usually made from thicker fabrics that will not let the light pass through.

                         

                                         

Kitchen and bedrooms

In the kitchen, fabrics are used to make tablecloths and tea towels. Fabrics are used to make many things in our bedrooms, such as sheets, pillowslips, quilts, bedspreads and doonas.Mattresses have fabric covering and fibre is used in the padding.

                                      

                           

Carpets and rugs

Floors can be covered by carpets and rugs made from natural and synthetic fibres. Floor coverings made from fibres act as an insulating material to keep rooms warm in winter.

                                   

                               

The first fibres

About 6000 to 7000 years ago people discovered that they could make fabrics from natural substances, such as wool. At first people would have plucked the fleece from the sheep and goats. The fibres were then rubbed and twisted together by hand to form the yarns that were use to make fabrics.

                                                        

          

The first clothesHumans have basic needs and they are the things we must have to live. We need food and water, air to breathe and protection from the weather.To keep warm our earliest ancestors used animal skins to make cloaks and rugs.

                          

                                        

Classification Of TextilesPeople who make and use textiles usually divide them into two groups.Natural fibresManufactured fibresNatural fibresNatural fibres come from natural raw materials such as wool, cotton, silk, flax and jute.

               

                                                       

People make manufactured fibres in laboratories and factories. Some are made from a natural substance called cellulose and others from chemicals.

The natural and manufactured fibres can be divided into smaller groups.

                                                                                              

                          

Converting fibres into yarnNatural fibres are first washed and cleaned. The fibres then pass through rollers with lots of wire pins, like a large wire brush. The brush teases the fibres so they all point in the one direction. The process is called carding and it is like brushing hair to get rid of knots and tangles.

                         

                                                 Cotton yarn

THREE TECHNIQUES OF YARN SPINNINGCotton, wool, and man-made staple products are converted to yarn by a process called spinning. Upholstery fabric yarns are spun by three basic methods:

                                                                                                      

•Warp Spinning •Ring Spinning

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Open end spinning

Weaving

The most popular process used to make fabrics is weaving. There are different types of weaving and the most are the plain, twill and satin weaves. In the plain weave two sets of yarns run at right angles to each other. The yarn running along the piece of fabric is called the warp, and the yarn across the fabric is the weft. The yarn is woven by threading the warp and weft under and over each other. Other forms of weaving involve threading the warp and weft over more than a single strand each time.

                                                   

               

Plain weave(magnified 10 times

Plain weave(magnified 60 times)

Knitting

Knitting is also a common process for making fabrics. A single yarn is used to produce the fabric by forming loops and then drawing new loops through the previous ones. Weft knit is a common knitting process. Hand knitting is an example of the weft knit process. The three basic stiches used to produce weft knitted fabrics are plain, purl and rib.

Knitted fabrics are elastic and resist creasing. They are comfortable to wear, and the spaces between the threads allow the fabric to 'breathe'. Knitted fabrics can

be made form different fibres, such as wool, cotton, nylon and polyester.Knitted woollen garments are very popular because they look good and keep the wearer warm in winter. Women's stocking are made from knitted nylon yarn.

                                                                       

  

Weft knit(magnified 10 times

                                                                  

Knitted nylon stocking(magnified 200 times)

SilkHistory

The Chinese have used silk for nearly five thousand years. They discovered the method of feeding silk worms with mulberry leaves. The silk worm cocoons were then unwound to produce long strands of silk fibre. China exported silk fabric to the countries that made up the Roman Empire. The silk was moved across land along what was called the Silk Road.

PropertiesVery comfortableAbsorbs moistureCool in summer and warm in winterThe strongest of the natural fibresSmooth and shinyRetains its shapeCan be easily dyedPoor resistance to UV light (sunlight)