Education Health and safety

Quality of life Fair wages

No exploitation Protected children

Reduce poverty Long term relationships

Values / laws

Drip feed Textiles revision #1:

ORGANIC Cotton No pesticides Tencel/Lyocel Animal rights No pollution

Genetically modified

The Environmental R’s: Reduce Reuse Refuse Recycle Reclaim

Re-purpose (upcycle) Refashion

Renewable resources Renewable energy Rethink transport

Aftercare: Washing

Recycle or Alternative use? Biodegradable No to landfill!

‘Fast fashion’ What the consumer wants tends to be

more important than sustainability.

Environment

Social Economy £££

“To be sustainable, the product must not impact negatively on the environment, social issues nor economic issues. It is about preserving things for future generations”

Drip feed Textiles revision #2:

Technical and Modern Materials include the following examples: • Gore-Tex • Kevlar & Nomex • Phosphorescent (glowing) textiles • Reflective textiles using glass beads • Fabrics that wick moisture away from the body, eg Coolmax • Microencapsulated fibres, eg those which release scents • Fabrics which protect against bacteria, eg Purista • Fabrics with electronics, eg GPS systems • Geotextiles (fabrics used in the ground eg for drainage) • Materials using Nano-technology • Microfibres A modern fabric finish to consider: TEFLON coating

Nanofabrics are textiles engineered with small

particles that give ordinary materials advantageous properties such as super hydrophobicity (extreme water resistance, odour and moisture elimination,[ increased elasticity and strength and bacterial resistance. Depending on the desired property, a nanofabric is either constructed from the tiniest possible fibres called nanofibres, or is formed by applying a solution containing nanoparticles to a regular fabric.

Gore-Tex A water repellent

laminated fabric used mainly for outerwear,

shoes and sports wear. It allows skin to ‘breathe’

(sweat to evaporate) E-Textiles

Kevlar Lycra –not modern…practically medieval!!! Do not refer to it!!!

Drip feed Textiles revision #3:

J – Just in time (made to order)

U – U need to check… QA

S – safety issues

T – types of production

I – info a manufacturer needs

N – not just the price of fabric (costs)

Remember ‘JUSTIN’ to help you to consider all the important aspects of manufacturing.

You’re welcome

Drip feed Textiles revision #4:

Seam- usually 1.5cm in from edge

In order to make Textile products into 3D shapes and for garments to fit the body various techniques can be used: 1) Cutting, shaping and

seaming of the pieces that make up the garment

2) Using darts 3) Gathering fabric with

or without elastic/stretch

4) Pleating or tucking the fabric

5) Using a knitted rather than woven fabric (e.g. jersey)

6) Using a fabric with Lycra (elastane) within it to give stretch

SEAMS

In industry seams are usually over-locked. Doing this joins and finishes the

seam in one process.

In school we usually sew a seam on the sewing machine 1.5cm in from the edge

and then finish with a zig-zag stitch.

Delicate or see-through fabrics usually use a French seam where all the rough

edges are hidden inside the seam.

Jeans and raincoats usually use a flat felt seam making them more durable.

Drip feed Textiles revision #5:

Woven: Vertical (warp) threads and horizontal (weft) threads. Made on a ‘loom’ Can be constructed in a range of patterns. Edge of fabric is called a selvedge.

Knitted: Fabric created when yarns are looped together. Can be done by hand using knitting needles or by a manual or computer controlled (CAD/CAM) knitting machine. Knitted fabrics are naturally stretchy.

Non-woven: Fabric created when fibres are randomly hashed together. Can be created with (known as ‘bonded’) or without a glue to support them. Most common non woven fabrics are felt and interfacings.

Plain weave- over one, under one Most common weave.

Twill weave- over two/three, under one.

Creates a ‘diagonal’ effect. Used usually for

denim.

Satin / Sateen weave – Over four, under one.

Drapes well and can be shiny in effect, but the

threads can catch easily.

Jacquard weave – patterns and pictures woven in. Modern

versions use CAD/CAM to do this. There is also a jacquard

version of knitting

Weft knitting – rows of loops (horizontal). Most common form of knitting. Jersey fabric created

this way. If a loop breaks it will all unravel.

Warp knitting – Columns of loops (vertical). More

durable and keeps it shape. Doesn’t run/ladder

so usually used to make tights!

‘Non-woven’ fabrics: • Felting is a quick and cheap method of producing

fabric. A combination of pressure, moisture and heat is used to form the fibres into fabric. Felt is not very strong but will not fray when cut. It can be formed (steamed) into shapes without the need for seams.

• Bonding is another method of producing non-woven fabric. The fibres are bonded together by using stitching or adhesive. Bonded-fibre fabrics are mainly used for interlining . They are easy to sew, crease-resistant, do not fray and are stable to washing and dry-cleaning. They are very cheap to manufacture.

• Laminating is when a number of fabrics are bonded together. Woven, knitted, felted or bonded fabrics can be combined to produce a fabric with a mixture of properties.

Drip feed Textiles revision #6:

Designers will always take fabric properties into consideration when designing a garment/textile product. To choose the correct fabric they will ask a number of questions:

Does the item need to be windproof? Will the item need to keep heat in? Does the item need to be waterproof? How often will the item be washed? Does the item need any special protection? How will the item be manufactured? Does the item need to stretch? Will the item be subjected to much wear and tear? Does the item need to be decorated? Is the item expensive / high quality or budget/cheap? Does the item need to drape? Cling?

What is a Fabric Finish? A fabric finish is applied to a fabric once it has been made to improve its appearance, feel or other properties. The main types are: Physical/mechanical (e.g. brushed, calendared, embossed, shrunk) Chemical (e.g. anti-static, flame proof, water proof/’scotchgard’ , stain resist) There are also ‘Biological’ and ‘Coated’ types of finish. Why are fabric finishes used? • Fabric Finishes are used to improve the fabric in some way:

improve the appearance - colour, pattern or sheen. • change the texture of the fabric - embossing, brushing or smoothing • improve the feel - softer, crisper, firmer. • improve the drape (how the fabric hangs) - weighted • improve wearing qualities - crease resistance, stain resistance,

flammability, waterproof etc. • modify care requirements - easy wash, quicker drying times,

colourfast, less shrinkage.

Tips: 1) Use as many descriptive words in your answers and

annotation and try and follow with reasons! 2) Avoid non-specific terms such as ‘easy’ ‘cheap’

‘nice’ or ‘strong’

Fabric ‘handle’: The FEEL of the

material Fabric ‘drape’: How the fabric

HANGS

Drip feed Textiles revision #7: A

FIBRE FACTS

• Fibres come in two lengths – staple fibres (short) and filament fibres (very long).

• Fibres can be natural or manufactured.

• Manufactured fibres can be synthetic (non-sustainable) or regenerated (can be sustainable).

• Fibres are spun (twisted) to make yarn.

• Fibres are made into fabric by weaving, knitting or non-woven methods.

• Fabrics have different properties depending on the fibres they have been made from + how they have been constructed. These properties make them suitable for different uses.

TIP: note the fact that FIBRES and FABRICS refer to different things. It is important to work out what the exam question is referring to before answering!

TIP: Just because it is a NATURAL fibre doesn’t automatically mean it is sustainable. Consider the terms ‘organic’ ‘animal welfare’ and ‘recyclable’.

TIP: Modern regenerated fibres such as Tencel (Lyocell) are very versatile and sustainable making them a

better choice than natural or synthetic fibres.

Drip feed Textiles revision #8: B TIP: C+ students should aim to

learn details about all the specific fibres on this sheet.

A+ students should also look up and learn the following

fibres: Silk, Nylon (Polyamide), Linen and Elastane especially in terms of their properties.

TIP: Create your own chart revision resource to compare the

fibres against each other

TIP: If a question mentions ‘modern’ or ‘technical’ fibres or fabrics then you should

make specific reference to the ones presented on revision sheet #2

TIP: Real silk is very expensive so most of the ‘silky’ style fabric

you see is actually polyester. This is stronger than silk when

wet making it easier to care for. Real silk however is more

absorbent and more comfortable to wear.

Drip feed Textiles revision #9:

• Smart materials react and/or respond to the user and/or the environment.

• Most tend to respond to differences in temperature or light and change in some way.

• They are called smart because they sense conditions and respond to those conditions.

They can react to light or create light

Photochromic, UV reactive, Fibre-optic, e-textiles, glow in dark, reflective,

Phosphorescent

They can react to heat

Thermo-chromic or

liquid crystal

They can react to pressure or moisture or sound ‘Solvation Chromism’: With moisture this type of smart material will change colour when wet, for example babies’ nappies, play-mats or novelty swimsuits. Memory foam is temperature & pressure sensitive foam that moulds to the shape of the body & returns to normal when pressure is removed. Sound activated: This links more to e-textiles, see revision sheet #2. E-textiles that are SMART make use of sensors within the electronics. These sensors react to the user or environment.

They can be ‘microencapsulated’ This involves tiny beads of chemicals applied to the fabric’s fibres. These beads when activated (e.g. by touch) then release the chemicals. These chemicals could be for example scents, antibacterial ointments or medical lotions.

Tip: consider practicalities of the materials. Can they be washed?

Who benefits from their use?

Drip feed Textiles revision #10:

Lay Planning

Laser cutting fabric CAD CAM Computer aided design and

Computer aided manufacture:

…Embroidery …Weaving …Knitting …Printing

…Buttonholes …Laser cut out designs

CAD CAM has many different

types. You need to specify which one or you will not

achieve any marks.

Pattern sizing

3D visualisation

Fashion design / colour-ways

Advantages of Computer Aided Design Quick to change colours of a design Quick to change the scale of a motif on the design Quick to change design details of a design - sleeve type, collar type, length of skirt etc. A design can be 'mapped' onto a figure so that you can see all round it and how the fabric would drape, how a pattern repeats. Repeat patterns can be created quickly. Saves time of the designer as designs can be done so quickly, thus saving money, and potentially more designs created. Reduces the amount of repetitive work that designers have to do. Designs can be saved and used again. Designs can be sent to the buyer for instant approval. Can be linked to machinery to create a CAD/CAM machine, which designs and then makes the product. (CAD/CAM embroidery machine) Disadvantages of CAD Specialist Computer Aided Design software is very expensive to buy often in the tens of thousands of £'s range. Designers have to be trained to use the software.

Advantages of CAM Reduces the time required to make the textile product. Is very accurate, all products are made to the same specification Decreases cost of manufacture as not so many workers have to be paid Less waste as no mistakes therefore decreases costs Reduces repetitive work Can work 24/7 Disadvantages of CAM Very expensive to buy the machines and software that controls them. Workers have to be trained to program the machine. If the machine breaks it will probably need specialist parts to repair it and a long time to repair when it's not manufacturing products.

Consider how technology has transformed the world around us: Global communication and sharing of resources, time saving processes, access to a wealth of information, more control on tracking, collecting information in greater detail, personalised products and marketing, digital storage and printing. Can you think of any others?

Planning & communication Marketing

Drip feed Textiles revision #11:

Be prepared to: 1. List all the materials, equipment and

components needed in order to do the technique by hand.

2. Be prepared to be able to give step by step instructions for a variety of techniques (including being able to use diagrams to do this)

3. Be prepared to give at least two advantages and disadvantages for a variety of techniques

4. Know as a minimum the following techniques: applique, patchwork, quilting, embroidery (hand and CAD CAM), different printing techniques by hand and in industry, tie-dye and batik

Industrial printing methods:

In batch dyeing, fabrics are produced without dye.

They are then dyed to order in large batches according to the colours required.

Batch dyeing is used for colours that need to change frequently with fashion.

1) Silk screen printing by hand

2) Carousel screen printing (automated)

3) Flat bed printing 4) Rotary printing

Rotary printing is the fastest and is a common way of printing large quantities of fabric. The school equivalent of silk screen printing is stencilling. Another version is block printing (stamp)

1 2

3 4

Batik involves painting the fabric with wax using a tjanting tool. Wax is applied as a resist, where the colour is not wanted.

Applique The cutting out of shapes from one fabric and then sewing it on to another background fabric. A close machine zigzag stitch (satin stitch) is usually used to sew the shape to the background. More traditional applique is hand-stitched in place. Sometimes Bondaweb (iron on interfacing) is used to stick the fabric to the backing first. Applique adds texture and interest to a product. I can also strengthen and reinforce the fabric. It can be padded to raise surface even more. Reverse applique (also known as Molar applique or ‘cut away’ applique)is where the fabric is sewn to the back and the top fabric is cut away to reveal it.

Beads and sequins can be used along with embroidery to decorate a variety of garments and other textile items. Adding beads and sequins can be time consuming, as they are usually stitched on by hand. Beads and sequins can also be stuck to the fabric using glue. A lot of ethnic garments and accessories are decorated in this way.

Patchwork is where pieces of fabric are pieced and sewn together to create a larger piece of fabric. Traditionally this is done in a geometric pattern using squares or hexagons however far more complex pictures and patterns can be created with this technique. It is common to combine this technique with the technique of quilting. Patchwork is time consuming so sometimes the look of it is faked with printing!

Drip feed Textiles revision #12:

BIG TIP: NEVER refer to this technique as just being ‘CAD CAM’ you will get no marks for this unless you specifically state ‘Embroidery’ as well!

General order of work with most CAD CAM embroidery machines: 1) Find suitable image (suitable for theme and suitable for

CAD/CAM embroidery) 2) Import image into CAD/CAM embroidery software. Note in

school we use one called ‘PE-Design’. 3) Resize image to fit stitch area 4) ‘Punch’ to convert image into a stitch pattern. Reduce number of

colours if needed. 5) Export design to memory card or memory stick (depending on

the machine) 6) Place memory card or stick into the machine. Select your design

from the menu 7) Thread machine with appropriate colour for the stitching (check

design to see which colour is required first if a multi-coloured design)

8) Get fabric ready in the machine embroidery hoop and place hoop in the machine ready.

9) Slide a square of stitch and tear interfacing under the hoop to help reinforce/support the stitching

10) Press start button to stitch. Monitor stitching to check it is ok and change threads as and when needed.

11) Remove fabric from the embroidery hoop when the stitching is complete. Rip off the excess stitch and tear interfacing from the back.

12) Cut off any loose threads to finish

Machine we use in school

Industrial machines can stitch many designs at the same time in multiple colours without needing to manually change the threads. They are significantly faster and can stitch far bigger designs than we can in school.

CAD/CAM Embroidery Uses a special computerised machine Designs can be built into the memory or designed using special software. Advantages - Repeatable, good quality, quick to do. Disadvantages - Expensive to buy machine, if it goes wrong you may wreak the whole product.

Components: All the other bits that go into making a product in addition to the main fabric. These include fastenings and fabrics for decoration, paints, dyes and also the following items that might come up in the exam:

Drip feed Textiles revision #13:

Safety and quality marks. The Lion is for Children’s products

Social and cultural considerations that you might need to give opinions on:

• Gender images – how fashion/textiles addresses this

• Peer group pressure – how people react to the changing trends, the social implications involved of an ever changing society

• Fashionable celebrities – who sets trends and why are we so interested in these celebrities

• Brand loyalty – do we stick with brands for the look or the quality of the product – how fickle are we? And how do the companies look after us?

• Technology – New products made to involve gadgets. E.g. Mobile phone pockets in bags, wearable electronics

• Choice restriction due to: • Religious beliefs, customs (traditional

clothing) • Association of certain products with

undesirable issues, e.g. ‘hoodies’ linked with gang culture

• Financial issues good and bad! • War time rationing • Identity linked to specific items, uniforms • Gender related garments and perceptions

of these • Disabilities • Vegan and vegetarian issues • Modesty issues

Order of the whole design/make process

1. Analysis of task/brief and planning ahead 2. Research including inspiration and existing product analysis 3. Initial ideas and further research 4. Development of ideas 5. Testing of techniques and construction 6. Creation of template (pattern to make product with) 7. Prototype (toile) to test 8. Details to manufacturer including specifications, flow charts

etc 9. Product manufactured with aspects tested (quality control)

throughout process 10. Product packaged and shipped to shops 11. Shops market and sell product

Information on textile product labels: Fibre content – (highest fibre content first) Country of origin - where the product was made. Product details - type, size and style of garment. Safety advice - especially on children’s toys or clothing. Retailers logo - Retailers store and product number used for tracing products if they have a fault. Barcodes - Used to track the movement of the garment from the factory to the shop. Care labels – How to wash (see opposite!) Environmentally friendly, cruelty free, recyclable or Fair-trade - The label will often say if the garment was ethically produced. Legally textiles products must have care labels, safety instructions, size and fibre content.

A toile is a model/mock up of your product. It is used to test your idea allowing for modification to take place if needed. It is usually made from cheap fabric such as calico. In industry they make prototypes of products to test processes and create something to measure quality against.

Attempt every question (guesses can equal marks!)

If 4 marks, are they looking for 4 things

or 2 things plus explanations?

Consider this before answering.

Drip feed Textiles revision #14:

1 mark = approximately 1 minute unless it

specifically states otherwise.

Look for question that is assessing quality of written communication (QWC). This is usually worth between 8 – 12 marks and is usually decides your grade!

Ensure you: • Read question and highlight key words. Do not

confuse fibres and fabrics! • ANSWER QUESTION! • Check spelling • Use capital letters, commas, full stops • Use the word ‘because’ • If you do not know the answer still answer

question • The number of lines is a clue of how much to

write.

Read through all the questions on the

page before starting. Twice.

Highlight all the key words.

Key words to look out for: • Annotate: label a design or diagram using full

sentences aiming to cover everything raised in the question/criteria list

• Evaluate: give advantages and disadvantages • Complete: fill in the missing bits • Justify: give some reasons for something • Explain: describe and say why you think • Describe: give all the details about it • Label: identify a part • Link: connect two things together • List: present possible answers/reasons • Sketch: you must draw your answer

Think positive! You CAN do it!

Revise little and often in advance

Avoid making these common mistakes: 1. Spending too long on the designing 2. Unintentionally missing questions out

– especially the last one on the paper 3. Poor handwriting meaning the

examiner cannot read your answers 4. Finishing early and not spending the

remaining time checking your answers 5. Not reading the questions through at

least twice and misreading them

Drip feed Textiles revision #15: Design question Top tips: • Use their mood board to inspire you but

aim to be as original/creative as possible • Use the mark criteria list as a specification

to work to • ANNOTATE!!!!! • Do not colour the initial designs but do

annotate to suggest possible colours • Ensure both initial designs are different to

each other • Use the word ‘because’ a lot to justify

your choices • Final design- present alternative views. • Do not copy an initial idea for your final

design- it must be noticeably different

SEE THE PRESENTATION ON FROG FOR MORE DETAILED TIPS AND ADVICE!

What to do in advance of the exam:

• Come up with a range of possible suitable design ideas

• Extra revision of SMART, modern, technical and e-textiles, decorative techniques and of sustainable materials/fabrics

Silly mistakes students can make (AVOID THESE!): 1. Failing to design a TEXTILES product (garment) using materials you

have studied or materials they specify for you to use 2. Forgetting to keep to the theme/design brief 3. Not considering colour 4. Not annotating or only annotating the obvious features or

annotating irrelevant points 5. Forgetting that the product is 3D 6. Spending too long on the design work and failing to complete the

rest of the exam paper as a result 7. Missing out questions (unintentionally!)

Initial design ideas – last year’s exam marking: • Up to 6 marks for each design idea. Therefore

it is in your interests to do both designs! • Two sketches to show different initial ideas

for a textile product. If both ideas are similar, mark first as it stands; alter second (max 4 marks). Two different styles of the same product type, with different design features, can be awarded full marks. Ensure both of your designs are distinctly different or you are denying yourself at least 2 marks!

• Candidates should not be penalised if they do not use pencil. So do not panic if you have a pencil crisis!

• Designs should be neat and clear for full marks. That includes both your sketches and your annotations.

FINAL DESIGN: Marks will be given for: • use of the theme (2 marks) how you’ve used their images to inspire the designs • use of a range of decorative textile techniques (3 marks) Watch out for any specified techniques they might expect you to reference • use of fabrics and components (3 marks) Make reference not just to suitable F&C but use their properties to justify your choice. Keep strictly to textile materials on the AQA specification! • creativity and quality of design for the target market (4 marks) If they have specified a target market you need to make specific reference to this • effective use of colour (2 marks) Justify the colours you use and use shading and toning/texture effects where possible to achieve full marks • quality of presentation including different views of the textile product (2 marks) Note that they will only give full marks if alternative views are presented. Draw and write clearly.