Fabric-identification

A simple burn test is done to identify unknown fabrics. The burn test for the identification of fabric should be done only by skilled burners. It is usually done by many fabric stores and designers to determine the exact fiber content. Some fabrics ignite and some melt. Burn test fail to distinguish between cotton and other cellulose fibers. Some fabric also have finishes that effect burn results. With added chemicals, weighted silk may sometime react more like synthetic fiber. The following are effects of the fibers during or after the buring test. Make sure, informations provided is not guaranteed. Safety Precaution : The burning test for identifying fabric should be done with caution. Only use small piece of fabric and hold it with tweezers and not with fingers. Burning synthetic fabric can sizzle or drip very fast and it curls onto skin or fingernails causing a burn. If a burn occurs, submerge the burned are immediately in ice water. Fabric Cotton Hemp Reaction to Flame May flare wh en lit, burns quickly, brig ht flame, doesnt shrin k from flame " " Burns withou t flame or me lting; may fla re Burns slowly , curls away f rom flame Burns slowly , sizzles, curl s away from flame; may c url back onto fingernail " " " Burns quickl y, can flare e ven after fla me is remove d Bead None " After-Flame Continues to glow flame is rem ovedbut does not melt " " " May glow a bit longer tha n cotton after flame is rem oved Self-extingui shing " Ash Fine, soft gray ash Odor Smoke/Fum e Burning pape Gray or whit r e leaves, or wo smoke; no fu od me hazard " " " "

Jute Linen (Flax) Ramie Rayon

" " " None unless t here is a fabri c finish

" " " Soft, gray as h

" " Burning pape Light fume h r azard

Silk

Dark bead ea sily crushed Brittle, dark, easily crushe d

Dark gritty fi ne powder

Alpaca

Burned hair or charred m eat Harsh ash fro Strong odor m crushed be of hair or feat ad hers

Little or no s moke. No fu me hazard Dark smoke; moderate fu me

Cahmere Mohair Wool Acetate, Tri acetate

" " " Hard, brittle, uncrushable

" " Melts into ve ry hot bead; DRIP DANG ER

" " " No ash

" " " Hot vinegar or burning pe pper

" " " Black smoke; fume hazard

Nylon, Poly mide

Quick burnin g due to fabri c finish; shri nks to flame Quick burnin g, shrinks aw ay from flam e; may flare

Hard, grayish Burns slowly No ash uncrushable & melts; self -extinguishin g, DRIP DA NGER Hard dark ro und bead Burns slowly No ash , not always s elf-extinguis hing Continues m elting after fl ame is remov ed;self-extin guishing No ash

Celery

Fume hazard;

Polyester

Slightly swee Black smoke; t chemical od fume hazard or Strong acrid, fishy odor Black smoke; fume hazard

Acrylic, Mo dacryl, Poly acrylic

Flares at mat Hard, dark,irr ch-touch, shr egular shape inks from fla me, burns rap idly, hot sput tering flame; drip danger!

Fabric Storage
The storage area should be clean, cool, dry, and dark. If possible free it from drastic changes in temperature and humidity.

Fabric should be stored as clean as possible because dust particles cut fibers through friction and abrasion. Fabrics that cannot be cleaned should be vacuumed. However, samplers, painted and embroidered pictures, and beaded work should not be vacuumed. Try to store flat. If folding is necessary, avoid sharp folds by padding at the points of the folds. Cottons and linens should not have any direct contact with wood, blue tissue, regular tissue, or other wrapping paper. Fragile fabrics should be rolled over cloth-covered cardboard tubes. Should not be exposed to the light. Fabrics should be removed from storage periodically and it should be aired. Avoid folding tapestries and rugs. If necessary, it should be in the direction that is natural for it, usually parallel to the weft. Costume items should be stored flat and should not be crushed by heavier textiles stored on top of them. If hangers are used, it should be well padded.

Fabrics Glossary
Antique Satin - a satin with horizontal (weft) slubs which imitates spun shantung silk. It is 60% rayon (the face yarn fiber) and the 40% of acetate (the back yarn fiber). Often the warp and weft yarns are dyed with different colors to give an iridescent effect. Batik - is a dyeing method where the cloth is covered with wax designs. It is dipped into vegetable dye that dyes the uncovered cloth without melting the wax. The wax is removed with hot water after the design is finished. Brocade - a multi-use formal, Jacquard woven fabric with intricate raised woven designs resembling embroidery. It is often made with variety of thread colors depicting complex patterns and scenes with a shiny finish. Background weave is often satin. To the back of the fabric, the threads are not tied-down and are carried as "floaters". Brocatelle - a specific type of medium weight brocade utilizing four or more sets of threads, equally for warp and weft. It has large patterns in high relief to appear embroidered or puffy. It is woven finely for formal, refined and sophisticated wear. Calico - similar to broadcloth, made of cotton or cotton/polyester and usually printed in small "country" all-over with multi-colored floral patterns. Canvas - medium to heavy weight cotton fabric woven closely in plain or twill with relatively large threads. Available in variety of colors, stripes and few printed designs. It is also referred as "duck" or "sailcloth". It has many uses. Casement - a fabric for drapery either loose or tight, open or closed, plain or novelty weave. Given color, pattern and interesting texture through tyed complex-yarn arrangements and variations in weave. Usually it is semi-sheer, translucent or opaque. Cashmere - a soft fabric made of the wool grown beneath the outer hair of the Cashmere goat in Tibet and the Kashmir province in India. It is popular because of its softness. Chambray - made of cotton or linen, a lightweight fabric in plain, balanced weave using white threads across a colored wrap. Pronounced "sham-bray". Chevron - a regular and repeated zigzag pattern formed by reversing the twill weave. It is also known as herringbone. Crepe - a light soft thin fabric with a crinkled surface. It is made from silk, cotton, wool, or another fiber either in plain or satin weave. Damask - a formal satin base Jacquard fabric of linen, cotton, silk, or wool with reversible patterns. It is medium weight with variety in colors and patterns. Used in decorative fabric situation. Denim - a coarse twilled cloth, usually of cotton or cotton/polyester which is practical and sturdy. Navy colored is used as jeans fabric and cream or white is used as Drill. Embroidery - a surface ornamentation made with a thread or set of threads sewn onto a fabric. Finish - a substance or the mixture of substances added to textile materials to impart the desired properties.

Flannel - a fabric woven and then brushed to achieve a soft nap. It is made of wool or a blend of wool and cotton or synthetics. Flock - a material obtianed by cutting or grinding textile fibers to fragments. There are two types of flock, precision cut flock, all fiber lengths are approximately equal and random cut flock, the fibers are ground or chopped to produce a broad range of lengths. Flocking - a method of ornamenting cloth with adhesive printed or coated on a fabric. Finely chopped fibers are applied by dusting, air-blasting or electrostatic attraction. The fibers adhere to the printed areas and it is removed manually from the unprinted areas. Herringbone - a regual zigzag pattern fabric with a novelty or complex twill weave. It is woven or printed on light-weight to heavy-weight fabrics. Houndstooth - a medium to heavy weight woven twill fabric designed with continuous broken checks or fourpointed stars resembling projecting "tooth-like" corners. Jacquard - a weaving system which utilizes a versatile pattern mechanism to permit the production of large and intricate patterns. Lisserie - a fine Jacquard woven stripe which imitates silk and embroidery. The different figures and colors in the pattern comes from the warp. Matelasse' - a heavy-weight upholstery textile in Jacquard weave with double sets of warps and wefts. The surface appears to be puffy or cushioned and is also known as double cloth. Mohair - a fabric obtained from yarn made from the silky hair of the Angora goat. Nylon - a man-made fiber where the forming substance is a synthetic polyamide. It exhibit excellent strength, flexibility, elasticity and abrasion resistance. Ottoman - a heavy silk or rayon fabric with broad, round weft threads that produce a horizontal rib. Used for coats and trimmings. Peau de Soie - a soft and fine silk fabric of satin weave having ribbed or grained appearance. It is a French term which literally means "skin of silk". Pile fabric - a fabric with an extra warp or weft set, woven to produce a deep surface texture like velvet, terry cloth, frieze or corduroy. Pilling - fibers tendency to work loose from the fabric surface and form a balled or matted particles attached to the surface of the fabric. Plaid - a cloth having a crisscross design. The stripes in warp and weft directions cross at intervals to form different colors in square or rectangular patterns. It may be plain or twill weave. Plisse' - a blistered or puckered finish given to a sheer, thin or light-weight fabric with a caustic soda. Polyester - a man-made fiber where the forming substance is any synthetic polymer. It has high strength and are resistant to shrinking and stretching. It is also wrinkle resistant.

Rayon - a man-made fiber basically composed of regenerated cellulose. Rep, Repp - rib woven fabric (horizontal or vertical ribs) between poplin and ottoman in rib size and weight. It is durable and medium to heavy-weight. Woven from cotton, wool, or silk. Satin - a basic type of weave with up to eight weft threads are tied down with one floating weft thread. It is light to medium-weight with glossy face and a dull back. Scrim - a durable, open weave sheer cotton fabric used for curtains or upholstery lining or in industry. Shantung dupioni - originally a spun silk fabric with slubs and forms interesting textures. Today, shantung may be of natural or synthetic fibers. Fabrics imitating shantung are antique satin and antique taffeta. Suede cloth - a light or medium-weight synthetic knit or woven textile with brushed nap imitating suede leather. Tapestry - a Jacquard woven with multiple warps and wefts creating various color patterns or scenes. Used as wall hangings for decoration or somtimes to cover furniture Toile - a sheer fabric similar to muslin or percale in plain or twill weave obtained from cotton or linen. Tufted fabric - a pile fabric formed by tufting a yarn into a woven background. Example, some upholstery fabrics and all tufted carpets. Tweed - a coarse, rugged, and often nubby woolen fabric in plain balanced or variation (originally twill) weave. Used as casual suits and coats. Velour - a closely napped fabric with a soft, velvet-like texture, used for clothing and upholstery. It includes some velvet, and all plush-pile surface cloths. Velvet - a pile woven cotton, silk, and/or rayon fabric with a soft yet sturdy face. Very much like plush but with a shorter pile. The underside is plain. Vinyl - extruded polyvinyl chloride synthetic fabric flowed onto a knitted, woven, or non-woven base cloth imitating leather. It is medium to heavy-weight upholstery fabric. Voile - a light, plain-weave, sheer transparent fabric with tightly twisted yarns often having a stiff finish. Available in novelty effects like pique stripes, printed patterns and stripes. It is obtained from cotton, rayon, silk, or wool and used especially for making dresses and curtains.

Fabric Manufacturing Process

Cotton Fabric
Cotton fiber undergoes several process to reach the stage of final cloth. The processes are as mentioned below: Ginning Ginning is the method of separating the cotton fibers from the seedpods, and sometimes with the sticky seeds. This is done in the cotton field with the help of machines.

Spinning Spinning is the succeeding step to ginning. This process involves the making of yarn from the cotton fiber. The cotton yarns are made of different thickness in this stage. Weaving Weaving is the most important process in the making of cotton cloth. In this process, two yarn is placed to make warp and weft of a loom which successively turn them into a cloth. Fabric finishes and treatments After weaving the cotton fabric passes through different processing stages till it reaches to the state of final product. The stages are mentioned below, but it is not necessary for the fabric to undergo all the process for e.g. grain bags cloth are used unbleached.

Singeing - This process burns off the fibers sticking in the goods. Desizing - This process involves removing the size material from warp yarns in woven fabrics. Scouring - The cleaning part of the fabrics are involved in this process. Bleaching - The fabrics are bleached here to make it more whiter and lighter. Mercerizing - In this process, the fabric is immersed in alkali to make it more strong, shining, durable, shrink free and stretch free. Dyeing - This process involves the changing of the fabric color by the treatment with a dye.

Finishing - In this process, the fabric is treated with some chemicals or other useful agents to make it qualitatively more better, for e.g. cotton is made sun protected by treating it with UV protecting agent.

Leather Fabric
Pre-tanning

Animal skin is cleaned and salted to prevent decay. The hide or pelt then is sent to tannery for trimming and sorting. Next, it is soaked in water to restore moisture content, which is lost during salting process. It is treated mechanically with rollers and blades to remove fat/muscle and flesh (Fleshing). During liming the skin is soaked in lime solution to remove the hair, inter-fibrillary protein and epidermis. In De-liming the hide or pelt is washed in water containing ammonium chloride or ammonium sulphate to neutralise it. Bating involves treating the leather with digestive enzymes to remove non-fibrous protein. Scudding is done with a blunt knife to remove remaining hair roots, skin pigmentation, and surface fats. Lastly, it is put in sulphuric acid to lower the pH.

Tanning Tanning is the process where the leather gets the necessary feel and physical characteristics. In this process, the collagen, an insoluble fibrous protein, which carries the major property of the hide or pelt gets less susceptible to decay and are kept flexible. This is done by removing the water molecules from the gap of protein molecules and replacing it with chemicals that retain flexibility. The main tanning processes are mineral/chrome tanning, vegetable tanning and oil tanning.

Mineral/chrome tanning is the most common and modern method, which uses chromium salts. This makes leather water proof and stretchable.

Vegetable tanning, or bark tanning is the process where the hide is soaked in a solution of bark of oak/chestnut which is chopped or boiled. The leather becomes moldable and can be tooled. Moreover when dry, the leather will not stretch. Oil tanning is a process where fish and animal oil is used. The leather becomes very soft and flexible. It cope up with wetted condition without causing damage to the leather. Chamois leather is best example of oil tanning.

Lubricating, Dyeing and Finishing After tanning, the leather undergoes different processes according to the use of the final product.

Vegetable-tanned leather which are used for shoe soles is bleached, lubricated and then run through rolling machines to make it firm and glossy. Chrome-tanned leather, for shoe uppers, is split and shaved and then placed in a rotating drum for the dyeing process using several types of coloring materials to give color fastness and durability. Before or after dyeing, it is rolled in a fat liquor containing emulsified oils and greases. Next, the leather is pasted on glass or ceramic frames and then passed through drying tunnels with controlled heat and humidity.

In the finishing process, the leather is coated with grain surface which contains finishing compound. This is brushed under a revolving brush-covered cylinder. For smooth finish, the leather is treated with a mixture of waxes, shellac or emulsified synthetic resins, dyes, and pigments (to avoid painted look). Glazing is done to achieve polished surface.

Silk Fabric
From Cocoon to Yarn Silk from cultivated silkworms is more used though silk of wild worms is also valuable. The worms feed on mulberry leaves and increases their body size by nearly 10,000 times in a short span of time. The worm ceases to eat by the end of thirty days and attach itself to a piece of straw and begins to spin its cocoon. After the spinning of cocoon and before the hatching of the worm into a moth, the cocoon is soaked in hot water unraveling and producing long size thread. This fine thread is the basic component of silk yarn and fabric. Washing and bleaching of the silk threads The natural fiber extracted from the silkworm holds some glutinous substance (gummy substance or glue) which is removed by washing and bleaching. Weaving Weaving is a process where the fabric is created by interlacing the warp yarns and the weft yarns. It is either done by machines or hand. Hand woven fabric is better than the machine woven. It can make delicate designs with different colored thread. Modern machines use lances, projectiles, a jet of compressed air to shoot the weftyarn between the warp-yarns. It leads to greater yield and productivity. A good quality of silk begins with a warp of approximately 2,000 threads for one meter width. 1,600 threads or 1,800 threads are considered to be poor quality fabric. Loosely woven fabrics are difficult to sew. Dyeing, Printing and Finishing There are two main types of silk fabrics. One which is yarn-dyed or dyed-woven, like taffeta, duchess satin and

many pattern-woven fabrics. The other type is piece-dyed fabrics, which is carried out after weaving, like crepes, twills, etc. The dyeing process gives the silk different shades. Printing is giving pattern to the fabric. It is either done by block-printing method, roller-printing method or screen printing. Screen printing is widely used in silk fabrics. Embroidery process gives embellishment and the perfect finish to the fabric to make it look more beautiful. All fabrics has to be finished. It is here the fabric gets the desired appearance and feel. Finishing process is either physical or chemical. It give treatments like crease-proofing, water-proofing, fire-proofing, etc. Final soaking in a chemical solution This process helps to preserve the sheen and luster of the silk fabric. It adds weight and makes the fabric soft, smooth, easy to iron and wrinkle resistant.

Fabric Care
Dry Cleaning Dry cleaning is a process which involves solvents and little or no water for washing. Make sure the solvent is distilled to remove greases, oils, waxes and dyes. Poor solvent purity sometimes result in an objectionable odor in the garment and a 'graying' of the white cloths. Inform the type of stains present on the garment. Pre-spotting helps them to eliminate stains which would otherwise be heat set after the garment is cleaned. Be an informed and fair customer for the dry cleaners. Wet Cleaning Wet cleaning is a new process to replace dry cleaning. It uses water and the process make use of computer controlled machines, soap, conditioners and finishers. However, until this process proves to be effective in replacing dry cleaning, consumer should be cautious with their "dry clean only" garments. Professional Laundering Most dry cleaners offer professional laundering. The garments which are washable are professionally washed and then pressed. Shirts for men's and women's are often bleached and startch is used according to the manufacturers label. Home Laundering Home lanudering the garments is easier to control and even add life to it. Detergents should be well chosen as it usually contains wetting agents and emulsifiers. Most manufacturers use fillers to the product which takes more detergent with each wash. However, now detergent companies have started reducing fillers. Bleach should be added to only colorfast garments otherwise it may gradually remove the dyes or color. Whiteners are either bleach or bluing agents. Chlorine bleaches are safer on cotton/polyester and some man made fabrics. Using cold water is often more effective. Softeners often contains wax, which leaves a coating on the fibers. Thoughf if make the fabric feel soft but also reduces the absorbency of the fiber. Some softeners contain perfume which creats an allergy related problem for many people.

Pressing or Ironing Pressing after cleaning is also considered important. Pressing linen and silk items require skilled professional presser. Linen can be pressed with higher heat but should be pressed when damp. Silk requires lower temperature and it should be steam ironed, better if a press cloth is used. Wool requires steam press and a moderate temperature. Dry Clean Acetate Brocade Silk Brocade Challis Crepe (silk & Jersey) Foulard Gabardine (silk and wool) Rayon Voile (silk) Washer silk Sharkskin Pique Slipper satin Taffeta Pongee Velvet Ramie Velveteen Seersucker, Viscose Terry cloth Viyella Velour Wool Washer Rayon Machine Wash Hand Wash Acrylic Antique Fabric Batiste Antique lace Boucle Cambric Polyester Cotton knit Linen Chambray Dimity Denim Viyella (cold water) Jacquard Doeskin Voile(poly cotton) Knits Faille Woolblends Leno Lame Novelty knits Linen Gingham Noil Jacquard (poly and cotton) Plisse Madras Percale Spandex

Buyers Guide
On Fabric Quality

Check the fabric content to see what maintenance it requires to keep looking good. Make sure that its something you will have no difficulty doing and its something you want to do. Let your sense-of-touch be your judge. Fabric must feel pleasant inside and out. Squeeze a handful of fabric for wrinkle reaction. Before buying, ask yourself if its really something you need. Fabrics that drape smoothly flows smoothly. Quality made linen, organdy, organza and taffeta must look and stay crisp.

Things to remember

Buy always the best quality that you can afford. Don't ignore workmanship. Make sure you have the poise to carry through whatever you wear. Too tight clothing is not comfortable even if it looks extremely good on you. Too tight clothing tends to break fast. Check for stretching of the garment. Elasticity must be checked before buying.

Watch out for fabrics that may shrink, expand or discolor.

Fabrics that may shrink or expand

Cotton, Linen, Rayon

Fabrics that may discolor or bleed

Silk , cotton, linen

Fabrics and their properties

Woven Cotton : Including prints, solids, corduroy, cotton suede.

Preshrink all woven cotton before cutting to avoid the 1-2% residual shrinkage, i.e. wet the fabric thoroughly by hand or machine and dry in a dryer or let drip dry Most cottons are machine washable unless otherwise marked. Use warm or cool water rather than hot for best color performance. Most cottons are machine dryable one they have been preshrunk. Us a warm dryer rather than a hot one and do not overdry. A fabric softener will reduce wrinkles. Finishes, such as crease resistant, means that wrinkles should shake and hang out easily; permanent press and wash and wear finishes mean that little or no ironing is necessary after washing. Finish silk screened cotton with white backgrounds should be tested for color fastness by washing a scrap before laundering the garment. Wash separately in cool water and allow to drip dry or dry in a cool dryer. Quilted cottons-hand wash and drip dry. Cotton suede and cotton velveteen-if marked washable=hand wash in cold water and drip dry.

Cotton Knits :including doubleknits, singleknits, velours and terry.

Absolutely preshrink all of the above cotton knits before cutting. After preshrinking, machine wash and dry in warm water on the gentle cycle or hand wash in warm and drip dry. If velour is washed by machine in warm on the gentle cycle, dry by machine to restore the nap. Use a warm dryer. Finish silk screened cotton knits and velours-wash in cold water by hand and drip dry or machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle and dry in a cool dryer. Terry-wash by hand or machine in cool water. Drip dry or dry in a cool dryer. Use ball point needles on all knits for best performance.

Woven Cotton/Polyester :

Machine wash and dry in warm water on the gentle cycle. Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron.

Cotton/Polyester Knits :

See cotton knits. Possible shrinkage should be less. Most cottons are machine dryable once they have been preshrunk. Use a warm dryer rather than a hot one and do not overdry.

Woven Polyester :

No preshrinking is necessary. Machine wash in warm water on the gentle cycle. Dry in a warm dryer-a hot one may set wrinkles. If removed when dry, should need no ironing. Use synthetic or cool setting on the iron during construction.

Polyester Knits : including doubleknits, singleknits and warp knits.

See woven polyester. Use ball point needles for best performance.

Polyester/Nylon And Polyester/Rayon Knits :

No preshrinking is necessary. Machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle or wash by hand in cool water and do not wring. Drip dry or dry in a cool dyer and remove immediately when dry. Should need no ironing; during construction use a synthetic or cool setting. Use ball point needles for best performance.

Woven Nylon : Olana

No preshrinking necessary. Machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle or wash by hand in cool water and do not wring. Dry in a low to warm dryer and remove immediately when dry or drip dry. Should need no ironing; during construction, use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron. Use a fine needle for best performance.

Nylon Knits : including Antron jerseys, Olana jerseys and Banlons

No preshrinking is necessary. Wash by hand in cool water or by machine in cool water on the gentle cycle. Do not soak or wring. Drip dry or machine dry in a cool dryer and remove immediately. Interlock stitch knits can run. Always stay stitch raw edges and never stretch the raw edges while working on the garment. Use ball point needles for best performance.

Nylon/Acetate Knits :

See nylon knits.

Woven Acetate :

Acetate is usually dry cleaned. If marked washable, test a scrap for color fastness. If fast, hand wash in cold water and drip dry. Some woven acetate is guaranteed machine washable on the company board. If so, wash in cold water on the gentle cycle with gentle suds. Use a very cool iron.

Woven Acrylic : including challis, crepe and brushed wovens.

No preshrinking is necessary. Wash in warm water by hand or machine on the gentle cycle. Drip dry or dry in a warm dryer and remove immediately. Should need little or no ironing; during construction use a very, very low setting on the iron.

Acrylic Knits : including doubleknits, singleknits, printed jerseys and ribknits.

Doubleknits machine wash in warm water on the gentle cycle and dry in warm dryer. Singleknits hand wash in cold water and block to shape. Printed jerseys hand wash in cool water and drip dry or machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle and dry in a cool dryer. Ribbed knits hand wash in cold water and block to shape unless guaranteed machine washable on the company board. Use ball point needles for best performance.

Acrylic/Polyester Knits :

Doubleknits machine wash in warm water on the gentle cycle. Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron during construction. 50% POLYESTER/50% RAYON Hand wash cold or dry clean only. 100% RAYON VISCOSE Dry clean only.

Woven Wool And Woolen Blends :

New washable wools wash in cool water by hand or machine on the gentle cycle. Do not soak or wring. Drip dry. Regular wools and woolen blends dry clean.

Wool Knits : including doubleknits and singleknits

Dry clean only Use ball point needles for best performance.

Wool/Polyester Knits :

Hand wash in cold water and block to shape or dry clean. Do not soak or wring. Use ball point needles for best performance. Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron during construction.

Velvet Types :including velveteen, fancy velvet, panne and chenille.

Velveteen: dry clean unless marked washable. If so, hand wash in cool water and drip dry. Fancy velvet-dry clean only Panne and chenille types dry clean only.

Faux Furs And Faux Suedes :

Dry clean fake furs and fake suedes. Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron on the "wrong" side.

Burlap :

Preshrink if the item is going to be washed in the future. Wash in cold water.

Vinyl :

Wipe clean with a damp sponge. Vinylized finish cotton can be pressed on the cotton side with a cool iron.

Tapestries And Needlepoints :

Dry clean only.

Casements :

Those marked PVC, a synthetic, are hand washable in cold water. All others are dry cleanable only.

Fabric Comparison Chart 1

Identifying fabric is important. More important is the comparison of fabrics. This makes us know the true quality of a fabric by differentiating it from its substitutes. The following chart gives a complete information upon different types of fabric at a glance. It gives information about the weaves of the fabric, its characteristics and the uses, the important part of comparison. The fabric comparision chart table given below is divided into two parts. Part one gives the characteristics of fabrics like Acetate, Acrylic, Alpaca, Angora goat, Beaver,Broadcloth, Camel Hair, Canvas, Cashmere etc. For rest of the fabrics we have another table: Check out Fabrics Comparision Chart 2 to get details of other fabrics. Fabrics Acetate Acrylic Various weaves, knits Alpaca and weights. Various Angora goat weaves and knitted. Various Angora weaves and rabbit knitted. Beaver Broadcloth Plain weave. Weaves Characteristics Soft, crisp feel and durable. Durable, soft and wooly feel. Fine, silk-like, soft, lightweight, and warm. Uses Clothing, uniforms, lingerie, linings, interlinings. Used as replacement of wool. Men's and Women's suits, coats, and sportswear, linings, sweaters. Carpet, upholstery, curtain, and automobile cloth. Knit wear - gloves, scarves, sweaters, etc. for children and women. Fur coats, trimming fur and fabric garments. Shirts, dresses, particularly the

Smooth, very strong, and high luster. Long, very fine, light weight, extremely warm and fluffy. Soft, silky, shiny. Closely woven with smooth finish.

Camel hair Twill or plain Light weight, lustrous and soft.

Canvas Cashmere (Kashmir)

Plain.

Mostly rugged.

tailored type in plain colors, blouses, summer wear. Coats, women's suits, sports coats, sweaters, some blankets and put in some very expensive oriental rugs. Also used in (fine) overcoating, topcoating, hosiery and transmission belts. Hair canvas is an interfacing material in various weights. Knitted into sweaters for men and women, also women's dresses.

All weaves but mostly Soft, silky and very lightweight. plain or twill. All knits. Plain. Plain. Mostly plain but various weaves. Figured on Jacquard loom. Soft and very lightweight.

Challis Chiffon Crepe

Women's and children's dresses and blouses, kimonos, neckties, and sportswear. Lightweight, sheer, and transparent. Evening wear, blouses and scarves. Depending on weight, it is used for Crinkled and puckered surface with rough dresses of all types, including long feel and appearance. dinner dresses, suits, and coats. Reversible fabric with woven pattern. Sheds dirt.

Damask

Denim

Douppioni Drill

Flannel

Originally had dark blue, brown or dark Twill - right gray warp with a white or gray filling Pants, caps, uniforms, bedspreads, hand - may be giving a mottled look and used only for slipcovers, draperies, upholstery, L2/1 or L3/1. work clothes. Comes in heavy and lighter sportswear. weights. Irregular with many slubs. It is imitated in Plain. rayon and some synthetics Uniforms, work clothes, slip covers, Twill. Closer, flatter wales that gabardine. sportswear, and many industrial uses. Soft, with a napped surface that partially cancels the weave. Dull finish. Made in a Usually twill, Blazers, dresses, skirts, suits and variety of weights. Shrinks if not presome plain. coats. Boys suits, jackets, and shirts. shrunk. Sags with wear, unless underlined. Does not shine or hold a crease.

Check out Fabrics Comparision Chart 2 to get details of other fabrics.

Fabric Characteristics The table given below shows the comparison of only the characteristics of few fabrics. For example, water

retention is very high in cotton and the lowest in polypropylene. Same with the drying time taken, very long in cotton and vice versa in polypropylene. Cotton and wool shrinks more than polyester and nylon.

Cotton Water Retention Drying Time Heat Conduction (Wet) Comfort Level (Dry) Shrinkage Durability Colour Choice Paddling Suitability Camping Suitability

Polyester High Long High High High Medium High Low Medium

Nylon High Long Low Medium High Medium High Low High

Low Short Low High Low High High High High

Lowest Shortest Low Medium High Medium Low Medium Medium

Medium Short Medium Medium Low High High Medium Medium

Fabric Comparison Chart 2

This is in continuation of our previous table Fabric Comparison Chart. While in the previous table we had dicussed about characteristics, uses of some major fabrics like Acetate, Acrylic, Alpaca, Angora goat, Beaver, Broadcloth, Camel Hair, Canvas, Cashmere etc., the foloowing table shows the fabric charateristics of houdstooth, mohair, gabardine, georgette, nylon, organdy, organza, oxford, polyester, satin, sateen, tafetta, silk etc. Check out Fabrics Comparision Chart 1 to get details of other fabrics. Fabric Comparison Chart 2 Fabrics Weaves Gabardine Steep twill

Characteristics

Georgette

Plain.

Herringbone Twill. twill Broken twill Houndstooth weave. Plain or twill or knitted.

Mohair

Nylon

Uses Men's and women's Clear finish, tightly woven, firm, durable. Wears tailored suits, coats, extremely well. Inclined to shine with wear. raincoats, uniforms, and Hard to press properly. men's shirts. It is characterized by it's crispness, body and outstanding durability. It is sheer and has a dull face. It is usually created in wool and has varying Suitings, top coatings, qualities. sports coats. Weaned into an irregular check of a four pointed sportcoats, suits. star. Linings, pile fabrics, suitings, upholstery Smooth, glossy, and wiry. fabrics, braids, dress materials, felt hats, and sweaters. Very strong, resistant to both abrasion chemicals. Women's hosiery, knitted

Organdy

Plain.

Organza

Oxford

Polyester

Pongee

Rayon

Sateen

Satin

Spandex

Taffeta

Tussah

Velour

Evening dresses, trimming, millinery, Plain. underlinings for delicate, sheer materials. Men's shirts mostly. Plain variations - Warp has two fine yarns which travel as one and Summer jackets, shirts, usually basket 2 x one heavier softly-spun bulky filling which gives skirts, dresses, and 1. it a basket-weave look. Rather heavy. sportswear. It is lightweight, strong and resistant to creasing, shrinking, stretching, mildew and abrasion. It is Vary, depending on blend. readily washable and is not damaged by sunlight or weather and is resistant to moths and mildew. Dresses, blouses, summer Plain. Light or medium weight. suits. Its drapability and dyeability are excellent and it is fairly soft. Rayon does have a tendency to shrink but does not melt in high temperatures. It Clothing, hose. is resistant to moths and is not affected by ordinary household bleaches and chemicals. Lustrous and smooth with the sheen in a filling Sateen filling-face Dresses, sportswear, direction. Better qualities are mercerized to give weave. robes, pajamas. a higher sheen. Usually has a lustrous surface and a dull back. Slips, evening wear, Satin. Made in many colors, weights, varieties, coats, capes, and jackets, qualities, and degrees of stiffness. lining fabrics, millinery. It is lightweight and flexible. It resists deterioration from perspiration, detergent and Athletic wear and body oils. It is characterized by its strength and foundation garments. durability. It is smooth with a sheen on its surface. The Dressy evening wear: Usually plain with textures vary considerably. They have a suits and coats, slips, a fine cross rib. crispness and stiffness. ribbons, blouses, dresses. In lighter weights, It is coarse, strong, and uneven. Dull lustre and Usually plain but dresses. In heavier rather stiff. Has a rough texture with many slubs, also in twill. weights, coats and suits knots, and bumps. and ensembles. Thick, plush pile, The pile is characterized by uneven lengths Dressing gowns, dresses, with a plain or (usually two) which gives it a rough look. The waist-coats. satin ground, or two lengths of pile create light and shaded areas

It is elastic, easy to wash and is quite lustrous. It returns easily to it's original shape and is nonabsorbent. It is fast drying, resistant to some dyes. Made with tightly twisted yarns. Crispness is due to a finish with starch and calendaring which washes out, or a permanent crispness obtained with chemicals. Wrinkles badly unless given a wrinkle-free finish. Fine, sheer, lightweight, crisp fabric. It has a very wiry feel. It crushes or musses fairly easily, but it is easily pressed. Dressy type of fabric, sometimes has a silvery sheen.

or woven lingerie, socks and sweaters.

Collars and cuffs, artificial flowers, millinery, summer formals, blouses, aprons.

Velvet

Voile

Wool

sometimes knitted. on the surface. A rather pebbled effect. velvet may be crush resistant, water resistant, Pile, made with an Eveningwear, at home and drapes well. Has to be handled with care, extra warp yarn. wear. and pressed on a velvet board. Sheer and very light weight. To obtain a top Plain, loosely quality fabric, very highly twisted yarns are used. Dresses, blouses. woven. Voile drapes and gathers very well. It is very resilient and resistant to wrinkling. It is Clothing, blankets, winter renewed by moisture and well known for it's wear. warmth.

Check out Fabrics Comparision Chart 1 to get details of other fabrics.