information about types of fabrics and fiber

1. Fibers and
Fabrics

2. Fibers
 Natural Fibers- produced by nature
 Cotton- absorbs moisture, comfortable to wear, strong, dyes
well; negatives- wrinkles and shrinks
 Linen- strong, absorbent, but wrinkles easy so used in the
“wrinkled look” or has a wrinkle resistant finish applied
 Ramie-strong and durable, absorbs moisture and dries
quickly; it is brittle when dry and wrinkles so it usually
combined with other fabrics
 Wool- valued for warmth, wears well, resists wrinkling,
absorbs moisture and feels dry; will shrink in hot water and
can burn easily when put with high heat
 Silk- strongest fiber, comfortable to wear and resists wrinkles

3. Pictures

4. Fibers
 Manufactured Fibers- produced in laboratories through
chemical processes; feel like real fibers
 Acetate- used for evening wear and lining fabric;
comfortable to wear, doesn’t wear well though- weak
fabric
 Acrylic- known for warmth; machine washable and
wrinkle-resistant; but can form little balls on the surface
 Nylon- strong and durable; repels water
 Polyester- used alone or blended with other fibers
 Stays fluffy even when wet
 Rayon- comfortable, combined with other fabrics
 Minimizes wrinkling and shrinking
 Spandex- stretches and recovers to normal shape

5. Pictures

6. Blends
 Every fiber has good qualities , but none are
perfect
 Most are blended with two or more fibers
 Manufactured fibers have two names:
 Generic- common name for similar fibers
 Trade- manufacturer’s name
 Dotrel, Fortrel, Kodel- manufacturer name for
polyester fabric

7. Fabric Construction
 Weaving
 Plain weave- yarn passes over and under
 Twill weave- passes over two then under two (denim)
 Satin weave- pass over four or more then under one ( shiny but not
strong)
 Pile weave - 3 sets of yarn used to make it, woven in plain, twill, or satin;
then an extra set of yarn is woven so that loops or cut ends are produced
on the fabric surface
 Knitting
 Single knits- t-shirts/ simple dresses; smooth appearance on front and
back
 Rib knits- made with two sets of needles, vertical ribs on both sides-used
for close fitting tops and stretch trim
 Interlock knits- smooth surface on both sides; less stretch; used for soft
casual garments
 Double knits- made with 2 interlocking layers- durable and wrinkle
resistant
 Tricot knits-undergarments and night gowns- narrow vertical ribs on the
front and cross wise on the back

8. Examples

9. Fabric Construction
 Bonding- fibers are mechanically or
chemically joined together with steam or heat
used with an adhesive
 Gives shapes to non woven fabric

10. Fabric Finishes
 Color
 Piece dyed- color added into yarn before woven into fabric
 Print process- rolled onto fabric
 Screen printing- dyes are forced through a screen onto fabric
 Other finishes
 Flame-retardant- fabric resist burning
 Permanent or durable press- little or no ironing after washing
 Sanforized- prevents shrinking of more than 1%
 Stain and spot resistant- helps to resists stains/spots
 Waterproof- prevents fabric from absorbing water
 Water-repellant- prevents from absorbing water, but not
shedding it completely

11. Table Project
 Research a natural fiber
 Tell how and where it is produced
 Locate the area on the world map
 Explain why fiber grows well in this region