Fabric – Woven Fabrics

WOVEN FABRICS Fabrics are made of yarns by weaving them in different combinations. It is mostly done by interlacing two sets of yarn or thread made of fibers called the warp and weft of the loom. It only stretches in the bias directions, between the warp and weft directions, unless the threads are elastic. Lengthwise stronger vertical yarns with more twist are Warp or Picks while widthwise filling yarns are termed as weft or ends. Sidewise edge of fabric is termed as Selvedge. THREE BASIC WEAVES There are three main types of weave: Plain, Twill and Satin Plain weave is a basic weave which is made when the thread is woven on one up and one down principle, some plain weave fabrics are Chambray, Chiffon, Gingham, and Organza etc. Twill weave is made when the thread is placed by varying the order of interlacing the yarns so that diagonal parallel lines are produced across the fabric. Satin Weave is a weave made when each warp yarn floats over four filling yarns and interlaces with fifth filling yarn.

Plain weave Twill weave Satin weave

Fabric – Weft Knit Fabrics

Knit stitch

Purl stitch

Tuck stitch

Knitted Fabrics Knitting is the process of construction of a fabric by interlocking loops of yarn by means of hooked needles. Knitted fabric consists of horizontal rows known as courses and vertical columns of loops known as Wales. Knitted fabrics are porous having insulated air pockets giving warmth when worn. Knitted fabrics are very absorbent, wrinkle resistant and lightweight. They shrink more than woven fabrics unless shrink-proofing techniques are used. Weft knit structures Weft Knit fabric consists of horizontal parallel courses of yarn generally characterized by the structural threads being perpendicular to the selvedge of the fabric. These are produced in either tubular or flat form; usually elastic & highly drapable. Some weft knitted fabrics are Circular Knit, Flat Knit, and Hosiery Knit. Whatever their structure, all knit fabrics are composed of three basic stitches: Knit & Purl, Tuck and Miss (float or non knit) which are foundation of all weft knitted structures. Plain or Purl Knit Stitch can be produced in flat knit, tubular, or circular forms. Basic knit stitch is a plain stitch while Purl is basically reverse of a basic plain knit stitch. This plain flat knit is also called jersey stitch. Knit stitch (technical face) is a V-shaped appearance where the shanks are above and the feet are below the head of preceding stitch. Purl stitch (the technical back) is of the semi circle appearance where the legs are below, and the feet are above the head of preceding stitch. The loops form vertical rows, also called Wales, on the fabric face, giving it a sheen, and crosswise rows, also called courses on the back. Tuck stitch Tuck stitch, is a knit stitch which creates an open space in the fabric. It is made when a needle rises to take a new loop without casting the old. It consists of a held loop and a tuck loop both of which are intermeshed in the same course. A tuck loop always faces the technical back of the knitted structure. Missed stitch Missed- stitch or Float stitch is so called as it produces a float of yarn on the fabric's wrong side. Also termed as a miss stitch as it is a length of yarn not received by a needle and connecting two loops of the same course that are not adjacent wales.

Missed stitch

Fabric – Warp Knit Fabrics

WARP KNIT Can be defined when structural threads of fabric running along the length of fabric approximately parallel to selvedge. One horizontal row of loops is made from many threads. It is not easy to unravel like weft knit. Not as elastic as weft knits. Some examples of warp knitted fabrics are Tricot and Raschel, Warp knit structures The six fundamental stitches in warp knitting are Tricot Knit, Milanese Knit, Simplex Knit, Raschel Knit, and Ketten Raschel Knit, and Crochet Knit. 1. TRICOT KNIT fabric is soft, wrinkle resistant and has good drapability. Tricot knits are used for a wide variety of fabric weights and designs. Some tricot fabrics are lingerie, loungewear, sleepwear, blouses, shirts, dresses, slacks etc. 2. MILANESE KNIT produces a fabric very similar to tricot. It can be identified by the fine rib on the face and a diagonal pattern on the back. Milanese fabric is superior to tricot in smoothness, elasticity, regularity of structure, split and tear resistance. 3. SIMPLEX KNIT fabric is made of fine yarn and is relatively dense and thick. It is a small part of warp knit production. Simplex fabric is used to make gloves, handbags, and sportswear and slip covers. 4. RASCHEL KNIT is done with heavy yarns and has an intricate lace-like pattern. It makes varieties of products like veiling, laces, power nets and carpets etc. 5. KETTEN RASCHEL KNIT is also known as the chain raschel. The fabric is finer, has a better hand, superior elasticity and cover. 6. CROCHET KNIT is hand knit crochet. It is made when thread used chains upon itself and cross links are formed with previously formed chain to generate fabric. This construction is used in a wide variety of fabrics ranging from nets and laces to bedspreads and carpets.

Fabric Type Stretch-ability Baby Rib Excellent 2X1 Rib Excellent Loop Terry Excellent Fleece Poor Interlock Poor Thermal Waffle Excellent Fine Jersey Good Melange Jersey Good Spandex Jersey Good Thick Knit Jersey Good Sheer Jersey Very Good

Stretch-ability of common Knitted fabrics

Fabric – Non-Woven Fabric

NON WOVEN FABRIC (Bonded or Laminated) is a fabric like material made from long fibers, bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile industry to denote fabrics, such as felt which are neither woven nor knitted. Non woven fabric materials typically lack strength unless reinforced by a backing. Non woven are typically made by putting small fibers together in the form of a sheet or web and then binding them either mechanically with an adhesive or thermally by applying binder.

Structure of Non woven material Common uses of Non Woven fabrics Industry End uses Agriculture Seed strip, green house cover etc. Apparel Interfacing, fusible, bra padding, gloves, shoulder pads etc. Automotive Battery separator, Carpet backing, insulation etc. Civil Engineering Road covering, landfill under liner etc. Construction Roofing and tile industry, insulation etc. Home Furnishing Quilt, mattress, window shade etc. Household Wipes, glove liner, vacuum cleaner bag, dust cloth, placement Industrial Filter, abrasive, cable insulation, lab coat etc.

Healthcare Surgical gown, bandage, dental bib, headrest, bedding under pad etc. Personal care Diaper, sanitary napkin, cosmetic applicator etc. Miscellaneous Mailing envelop liner, kites etc.

Fabrics – Fabric Manufacturing

Fabric manufacturing

Preparatory process - making of Yarn

Weaving or Knitting process (ascending order)

Fabrics – Fabric Processing and Manufacturing

Finishing process of Textiles Aesthatic-Improved Appearance Functional-Improved Performance Calendering Antiseptic Falling Antistatic Mercerization Crease Resistant Napping and Sueding Durable press Plisse Flame resistant Shearing Mothproofed Softening Shrinkage control Stiffning Soil release, waterproof, stain resistant

Oven Wrinkle free Various fabric processes affecting textile finished

Stages of dyeing Features and advantages Limitations and disadvantages Typical dyed fabrics

Stock and top dyed

Fabrics are soft heather like color; highest level of penetration

Most costly dyeing method; longer lead time; high wastage of material until final

finishing of fabric

Cheviot, covert, Melton, tweed

Yarn dyed Used to make fabrics with stripes, plaids and multi colored patterns

Second most costly dyeing method; long lead time but still shorter than stock dyed

fabric

Gingham, brocade, jacquard knits,

chambray

Piece dyed Least costly dyeing process; adaptable to most knitted or

woven fabrics; shorter lead times Only solid color can be produced Broadcloth, satin,

corduroy, drill, canvas

Garment dyed Closest to fashion season;

shortest lead times; elimination of raw material wastage

High wastage of garment due to wear and tear during dyeing process

Woven shirts, t- shirts, skirts, shorts, sweaters,

hosiery

Comparison of dyeing in various stages

Fabric – Fabric Characteristics and Properties

Properties Natural Man Made/ Cellulosic Man Made/Non Cellulosic

Cotton Flax Wool Silk Acetate Viscose/Rayon Acrylic Nylon Polyester Spandex

Abrasion Resistance Good Fair Fair Fair Poor Fair Fair Excellent Good Good

Absorbency 8.50% 12% 13.50% 11% 6.50% 11% 1.50% 2.8-4.8% 0.40% 15%

Flexibility Fair Poor Good Excellent Excellent Good Good Good Fair Good % Elongation at Break 3.0-10 3 20-40 20 25-45 15-30 35-45 16-75 19-55 400-700

% Recovery 75 65 99 90 48-65 95 92 82-100 81 99

Environment

Mildew Resistance Poor Fair Good Good Excellent Fair Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Renovation(Wash / Dryclean)

W or DC W or DC DC W or DC DC W or DC W or DC W or DC W or DC W or DC

Safe Ironing Limit (F) 400 450 300 300 325 350 300 350 325 300

Sunlight Resistance Fair Good Good Poor Good Fair Excellent Poor Good Fair

Handfeel Good Fair Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Good Fair Fair Poor

Pilling Resistance Good Good Fair Good Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor Excellent

Resiliency Poor Poor Good Fair Fair Poor Good Good Excellent Excellent

Specific Gravity 1.54 1.52 1.32 1.3 1.32 1.48-1.54 1.14-1.19 1.14 1.38 1.21

Static Resistance Good Good Fair Fair Fair Good Poor Poor Very Poor Excellent

Dry Strengh Good Excellent Poor Good Poor Poor-Good Fair Excellent Excellent Very Poor

Strengh Loss when wet 10% 10% 20% 15% 30% 30-50% 20% 10% 0 0

Thermoplastic No No No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes

Properties of major textile fibers and fabrics

Fabric – Common Construction & Conversion

SOME IMPORTANT CONVERSIONS Meter to yard X 1.0936 yards Yard to meter X 0.9144 meter Inch to centimeter X 2.54 centimeter Yard to inches X 36 inch Square yard to square meter X 0.836 sq. meter Square meter to square yard X 1.196 sq. yards Grams per Square Meter (GSM) to Grams per meter (GM/MTR) For 44” _GSM X 1.117 = _ GM/MTR For 58” _ GSM X 1.473 = _ GM/MTR For 60” _ GSM X 1.524 = _ GM/MTR Grams per Square Meter (GSM) to Grams per Yards (GM/YDS) For 44” _GSM X 1.022 = _GM/YDS For 58” _ GSM X 1.347 = _GM/YDS For 60” _ GSM X 1.393 = _GM/YDS

Common construction of Woven Fabrics

Fabric Common Construction

Corduroy 16X20 / 44X134; 60/2X30 / 73X288 42/2X20 / 50X183

Denim 42/2X16 / 60X49 8X14 / 79X49 10X12 / 61X40

Drill 16X16 / 70X48 20X20 / 88X40

Gabardine 40/2X42/2 / 136X53 44/2X44/2 / 132X63

Georgette 42X20 / 48X40 40X40 / 65X55 32X20 / 80X122

Oxford 40/2X30/2 / 40X40 30/2X30/2 / 50X40 16/2X16/2 / 45X45

Pique Voile 40X40 / 107X64 40X40 / 86X54 50X50 / 100X66 80X80 /105X90

Poplin 30X40 / 90X60 44/2X20 / 90X50 20X20 / 90X50 40X40 /120X66

Satin 40/2X30/2 / 40X40 40X40 / 93X59

Construction explanation

For example - Drill construction of 16 X 16 / 70 X 48 means

16 (WARP - yarn count) X 16 (WEFT - YARN COUNT)

70 (Number of warp threads in an inch) X 48 (Number of weft threads in an inch)

Fabric – Common Terms of Fabrics

Common Terms in Woven or Knitted Fabrics Dips are fabric or yarn when they are immersed in dye. Directional Print is a fabric printed with a design that has an obvious direction to it, often a motif that has a definite “up” or “down.” Fabric with such directional prints is cut one way keeping one directional print in a garment. Grain refers to the way threads are arranged in a piece of fabric. Greige or Grey fabric is an unfinished raw fabric before dyeing or finishing process, just removed from knitting machine or a loom. Fabric Selvedge/Selvage is derived from SELF-EDGE is the narrow tightly woven band on either edge of the fabric, parallel to the warp so that fabric will not fray or ravel. Shade batching is a process of selecting batches of fabric into homogeneous shade lots to obtain consistent color continuity in garment making. Shrinkage is the term used for constriction of fabric in length or widthwise when first washed, fabric shrinks to some degree until third wash. Raw fabric can be Sanforized to lessen shrinkage in garment form. Fabric weight is a term when fabric is graded by its weight per yard of fabric called as Oz. OZ is an abbreviation for ounces. Denim is weighed in oz. per square yard. Knit fabrics are weighed in GSM (grams per square meter). Basic difference between FULLY FASHIONED and CUT & SEW knits Fully Fashioned Knits are made from panels that are shaped during the process of knitting after which they are sewn together. Fully-fashioned knits are used for high quality knits. Pullovers and Sweater are fully fashioned knits. Cut & Sew Knits are made of flat panels which are cut from pre-knit fabric which are sewn together in the end. The seams in these knit fabrics tend to be bulkier than the ones in full-fashioned knits. T shirts, sweat shirts and baby suits are examples of cut and sew knits. Warp knits vs. weft knits Warp knits, Warp knits have a flat, smooth surface. Have little or no vertical stretch and varying degrees of crosswise stretch. Warp knits are run-resistant and don’t ravel. Weft knits Weft knits have moderate to great amounts of crosswise stretch and some lengthwise stretch. In most weft knits, the edges may curl. If a stitch in a weft knit is broken, the fabric will tend to run, but a weft knit ravels only from the yarn end knitted last. Properties of Knitted Fabrics Advantages: Stretchable, absorbent, light in weight, figure hugging yet comfortable and wrinkle resistant Disadvantages: It shrinks, some knitted fabrics lose their shape and sag, if one of the loops of a knitted garment breaks, and a hole is made which starts a run. Common knitted structures Single jersey, Double jersey, Rib, Broad rib, Simple rib, Tubular, Half milano, Full milano, Half cardigan, Full cardigan, Links, Skip stitch, Mesh, Cable, Jacquard, Intarsia, Racked stitch