Textile is one of the most common material used by humans. The bedsheet you were sleeping on, clothes you are wearing, carpet in your house, curtains on the window, throw rugs or tablecloth on the dining table - everything is made of textile.
In this lesson, we will learn:
Textiles refer to materials that are made from fibers, thin threads, or filaments that are natural, manufactured, or a combination. It is the basic raw material of a garment. The term "textile" originates from the Latin verb "texere" meaning "to weave". Originally, the word "textile" applied only to woven fabrics, but now it is commonly used for fibers, yarns, fabrics, or products made from fibers, yarns, and fabrics.
Textiles are made up of fibers that can be plant-based, animal-based, or synthetic.
Plant-based fibers include:
| Name | Description |
| Cotton |
It is a soft, fluffy fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. It is one of the most commonly used types of fabrics in the world. |
| Flax |
It is extracted from the bast beneath the surface of the stem of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum, in the family Linaceae. Flax fiber is made into thread and woven into linen fabric. |
| Hemp | It is a sustainable textile made of fibers of a very high-yielding crop in the cannabis sativa plant family. |
| Jute |
It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, family Malvaceae. It is composed primarily of the plant materials cellulose and lignin. It is partially a textile fiber and partially wood. It falls into the bast fiber category (fiber collected from bast or skin of the plant). |
| Sisal |
It is derived from an agave, Agave sisalana. The sisal fiber is traditionally used for rope and twine and has many other uses, including paper, cloth, footwear, hats, bags, carpets. |
| Nettle | The fibers come from the nettle plant stem. It lost its popularity when cotton arrived in the 16th century because cotton was easier to harvest and spin. During World War I, when Germany suffered a shortage of cotton and nettles were used to produce German army uniforms. |
Animal-based fibers include:
| Name | Description |
| Feathered fabrics | These are fabrics with ostrich feathers interwoven into them |
| Fur |
Genuine fur is obtained from animals such as mink, beaver, weasel, rabbit, or fox. However, nowadays there is faux fur, also known as fake fur, mock fur, and artificial fur, which are synthetic fibers and are 100% cruelty-free. |
| Silk | A natural fabric produced from silkworms, small creatures which mostly live on mulberry leaves. |
| Wool | A textile fiber obtained from sheep and other animals, including cashmere and mohair from goats, quivut from muskoxen |
| Camelids | It primarily refers to hair from the camelid (Camelidae) family, including llamas, alpacas |
Synthetic or man-made fibers include:
| Name of fiber | Description |
| Acrylic | It closely resembles the look and feel of wool fibers. It is lightweight, warm, and soft to touch. |
| Kevlar | is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber. It is five times stronger than steel, and therefore, has many applications ranging from bicycle tires and racing sails, to bulletproof vests. |
| Nylon | It is made of polymers known as polyamides which contain carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen. |
| Polyester | It is an artificial fiber that is derived from a chemical reaction involving petroleum, air, and water. |
| Rayon | It is a natural-based material that is made from cellulose obtained from wood pulp or cotton. |
| Spandex | Also known as lycra or elastane, it is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is made of a synthetic polymer called polyurethane which has extraordinary stretchability. |
1. Weaving, where two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth.
2. Knitting uses needles to continuously interlink or knot a series of multiple loops of yarn, called stitches, in a line or tube.
3. Crocheting uses a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials.
Both knitting and crocheting are methods of stitching yarns together, just in different styles. While knitting uses a pair of long needles to form the loops, moving a set of loops from one needle to another; the stitches are held on the needle. Crochet uses a single hook to hook the loops together directly on the piece.
4. Braiding or plaiting involves interweaving three or more strands, strips or lengths, in a diagonally overlapping pattern to form a flat or tubular narrow fabric.
5. Lace is made by interlocking threads together independently, using a backing alongside any of the above methods, to create a fine fabric with open holes in the work. Lace can be made by either hand or machine.
6. Carpet, rugs, and velvet, referred to as pile fabrics, consist of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. They are made by interlacing a secondary yarn through woven cloth, creating a tufted layer known as a nap or pile. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century, synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester are often used, as these fibers are less expensive than wool.
7. Non-woven textiles are manufactured by the bonding of fibers to make fabric. Bonding may be thermal, mechanical, chemical, or using adhesives.
A textile manufacturing process involves the production or conversion of textile fiber through a defined process in a product. This product can be yarn, fabric, or garment.
There are seven basic steps in textile manufacturing:
Step 1 Fiber production
All textiles are made up of fibers that are arranged in different ways to create the desired strength, durability, appearance, and texture.
Step 2 Yarn production
When the fiber has been harvested or produced the next step is to spin the fibers into a yarn or threads. This is also called spinning. Spinning can be done by hand, but this process is time-consuming and tedious. These days, most of the spinning is done by the spinning wheel. The fibers are drawn across the wheel, and as it spins, the fibers are collected on a cylindrical object called a bobbin. The bobbin holds the spun fibers, which are now connected into a long strand of thread or yarn.
Step 3 Fabric production
After the raw materials are converted into yarn, the individual threads are joined together to form a fabric. To prevent the yarn from breaking during these processes, it is important to strengthen the yarn and reduce friction. Sizing chemicals and lubricants are therefore added. Fabrics can be created in many different ways (as described in the earlier section: different fabric production methods), the most common being weaving and knitting.
Weaving is done on a machine called 'loom'. There are two sets of yarn - warp set and weft set.
A warp runs up and down and a weft runs back and forth across the width of the fabric.
A computer controls the loom and tells the weft how the fabric is to be woven. In addition to loom weaving, there are other methods like knitting and crochet for joining fabric threads. While both are traditionally associated with wool materials, crochet is also common with lace production. Both are traditionally done by hand.
Step 4 Pre-treatment
Pre-treatment processes can be carried out with fibers, yarns, or fabrics. It enables the subsequent processing of the material, which needs to be prepared to accept dyes and functional chemicals. This is done in a multi-step process. Exactly which steps the fabric goes through depends on the type, or blend of fiber, and how it will be treated afterward. In some cases, pre-treated fabrics are manufactured for later garment dyeing.
The most common steps involving chemicals for fabric are:
Step 5 Dyeing and printing
Dyeing and printing are processes employed in the conversion of raw textile fabrics into finished goods that add much to the appearance of textile fabrics. Dyes and pigments are used to provide color to the fabric and improve its appearance.
Step 6 Finishing treatment
This involves adding certain special qualities to improve the finished fabric. These qualities are improved water resistance, antibacterial properties, protective coatings, heat resistance, enhanced dye penetration, or specific fashion treatments.
Step 7 Manufacturing and preparing the final product
When the fabric has the desired color and properties, it is made into finished products such as sweaters, jeans, shoes, or other special items like carpets, furniture or car seats. This step includes processes such as cutting, sewing, and the addition of buttons and zippers, for example. Transport preparation, which includes protection from mold during transportation and storage, mostly using biocides which are chemical substances or microorganisms to deter, render harmless, and kill living organisms.
Textiles cater to all three basic human needs of food, clothing, and shelter. Textiles are used for making:
Technical textiles are textile materials and products that are used primarily for their technical performance and functional properties rather than their aesthetic and decorative characteristics. For example,
