Textiles in Today's Homes

Textiles in Today’s Homes

• Objectives
• Distinguish between natural fibers and manufactured fibers
• List characteristics of various fibers
• Describe construction process
• Identify appropriate textiles for various household uses
• Explain the benefits of textile laws
• Key Terms
• Textiles
• Fibers
• Cellulosic natural fiber
• Protein natural fiber
• Resiliency
• Manufactured fiber
• Generic name
• Trade name
• Yarn
• Blend
• Combination yarn
• Weaving
• Warp yarn
• Grain
• Weft yarn
• Wale
• Float
• Nap
• Knitting
• Tanned
• Bonded
• Structural design
• Applied design
• Finishes
• Tufted
• Needle punching
• Upholstery
• Comforter
• flammable
• Textiles
• Textiles are any products made from fibers, including fabrics
• Clothes, carpet, rugs, upholstery
• Curtains, tablecloths, towels, sheets
• It’s important to understand the characteristics of fibers and fabrics in textiles
• And how to care for them
• Understanding Fibers, Yarns, and Fabrics
• Textiles begin as fibers which are made into yarns, which are then made into fabrics.
• Fibers
• Fibers are the raw materials from which fabric is made
• Long, thin, hairlike
• Obtained from natural (plant or animal) or manufactured sources
• Cellulosic Natural Fibers
• Plant materials
• Pros
• Highly absorbent
• Launder well
• Seldom damaged by insects
• Cons
• Burn easily
• Can be stained by mildew
• Sun exposure can cause yellowing
• Wrinkle easily
• Protein Natural Fibers
• Come from animals (hair)
• Pros
• Burn slowly
• Good elasticity
• Resilient (return to original size & shape)
• Cons
• Require a lot of care
• Need to be dry-cleaned
• Manufactured (synthetic) Fibers
• Made from wood cellulose, oil products, and other chemicals
• Cellulosic and non-cellulosic fibers
• Generic names – describes a group of fibers with similar chemical compositions
• Trade names – used by companies to identify the specific fibers they develop
• Launder well, mothproof, nonallergenic,
• Yarns
• Fibers are aligned and spun (twisted) into yarns
• Staples – short fibers
• Filaments – long continuous fibers
• Can be made from one single fiber type
• Blend - Can be made with two or more different fibers
• Combination yarn - Two or more types of yarns combined
• Fabric Construction
• Fabric traits are determined by type, amount, size of fibers and how they are used to make yarns
• Woven Fabrics
• Weaving is the interlacing of two sets of yarn at right angles
• Warp yarns run lengthwise and form lengthwise grain
• Weft yarns run crosswise direction
• Grain is the direction threads run in a woven fabric
• Weaves
• Woven fabrics are made from three basic weaves
• Other weaves are variations of the 3 basics
• Three Basic Weaves
• Plain weave
• Simplest
• Weft yarn goes over and under warp yarn
• Variants
• Rib weave
• Basket weave
• Twill weave
• Creates the strongest fabrics
• Show soil less quickly
• Warp or weft yarn passes over two or more yarns
• Result is a wale – diagonal rib or cord pattern
• Can be even or uneven
• Satin
• Smooth and slippery
• Drapes well
• Less durable that other weaves
• Floats or segments of yarn on the surface of fabric
• Over 4 or more opposite yarns then under 1
• Other Weaves
• Pile
• Variation of pile and twill
• Yarn loops or cut yarns that stand away from fabric (nap)
• Jacquard
• Damask, tapestry, brocade
• Leno
• Curtains, thermal blankets
• Dobby
• Geometric shapes woven into fabric
• Upholstery and drapery
• Knitted Fabrics
• Knitting - looping yarns together
• Size and spacing and how loops are joined varies
• 1 to 2 needles = single or double knit
• Used in home fabrics as backing; lack stability and body needed for textiles.
• Other Fabrics
• Joining fibers using adhesives, heat fusion, entanglement of fibers
• Fibers interlock and hold together
• Felt
• Not very strong
• No stretch
• Vinyl
• Thin, nonwoven sheets
• Finished to look like woven fabrics or leather
• Backed with a knit fabric for stability and stretch
• Leather
• Tanned (treated with a special acid called tannin to soften, resist stains, fading and cracking)
• Very strong and durable
• Bonded nonwoven fabrics
• Layers of fabric are joined together with adhesive
• Heat sets bond
• Face fabric bonded to lining or synthetic foam
• Fabric Modifications
• Improves
• Appearance
• Feel
• Performance
• Durability
• Made through
• Design
• Dye
• finishes
• Design
• Structural
• Varying the yarns while the fabric is woven or knitted
• Size, texture and placement affect pattern
• Applied
• Printed onto surface of fabric
• Are on only one side of fabric
• Dye
• Gives color to fabric
• Stock dying
• Adding color to fibers
• Adding color to yarns
• Most common method
• Piece dying
• Adding color to fabric
• Least expensive
• Single color
• Finishes
• Applied only to fabric
• Appearance feel and performance can be improved
• Finishes:
• Antistatic
• Bleaching
• Crease resistance
• Flame resistance
• Moth resistance
• Napping
• Permanent press
• Preshrunk
• Sizing
• Soil release
• Stain resistance
• Waterproof
• Water repellent
• Textiles for Home Use
• Household textiles
• Depend on where and how used
• Consider...
• Appearance – overall visual effect
• Durability – capacity to be long-lasting under normal conditions
• Tightly woven fabrics  na bulky yarns are more durable
• Maintenance – care needed to keep fabrics clean and looking their best
• Follow care instructions
• Comfort
• Ease of construction
• Cost
• Textiles for Floor Treatment
• Major purchase
• Different construction methods, textures, fibers and finishes
• Construction Methods
• Woven carpets/rugs are made on a loom
• Weaves – Axminster, velvet, Wilton
• Tufted
• Looping yarns into backing materal and securing it with an ahesive
• Easy and less expensive
• Needle Punching
• Interlocking fibers by using felting needles
• Textures
• Pile – carpet texture
• Cut
• Level loop – wears the best
• Multilevel loop – cut and loop yarn combo
• Cut and loop
• Shag
• Twisted
• Addition of color can change texture
• Yarn thickness
• Density – high = more durable and look better
• Fiber Content
• Affects the quality of rugs and carpets
• Wool – ideal; resilient and durable but expensive
• Acrylic – looks like wool; resilient and durable
• Nylon – most common; durable resilient ; inexpensive
• Rayon – not practical; poor resilience and durability; very inexpensive
• Olefin – very resilient and durable; kitchens and bathrooms; mid price rance
• Cotton – attractive and durable, low resilience
• Finishes
• Added for functionality
• Antistatic, flame resistance, stain resistance, soil-release
• Textiles for Upholstered Furniture
• Upholstery – fabric, padding or other material used to make a soft covering for furniture
• Choose durability, stain resistant and easy to clean fabrics (wool, mohair, nylon, acrylic)
• Formality
• Formal – plain or textured satin, damak, velvet, velveteen, brocade, faille, mohair
• Informal – small print to large desings, chintz, polished cotton, gingham, sailcloth, burlap, denim, poplin, corduroy
• Textiles for Window Treatments
• Purpose and style of room
• Regulates natural light
• Grants privacy
• How formal is the room?
• Colors and patterns
• Match or complement furnishings
• Large patterns for large rooms, and small for small
• Cost and care
• More fabric means more cost
• Ready-made or made-to-order or make yourself
• Dry clean, wash at home
• Textiles for Kitchen
• Table coverings
• Tablecloths, placemats, napkins
• Informal everyday use? Formal use?
• Linen
• Towels
• Dishcloths, dish towels, lint-free towels
• Linen or cotton
• Should absorb water quickly and look attractive
• Textiles for Bath
• Towels
• Bathsheet, bath towel, hand towel, washcloth
• Cotton terry cloth - absorbent
• Bath mats
• Similar to towels
• Non-slip
• Tufted with laytex backing; yarn sewn to backing;
• Cotton, rayon, or blends
• Shower curtains
• Prevent water from spraying oustide shower
• Plastic or treated fabric
• Textiles for Bed
• Bed linens
• Sheets and pillowcases
• Cotton or cotton-poly blend
• Thread count – higher thread count the more closely woven and more expensive
• Blankets, bedspreads, comforters
• Suitable to seasons
• Attractive
• Comforters – filled bed coverings
• Wool or down feathers
• Polyester
• Textile Laws
• Textile Fiber Products Identification Act
• Fibers in a textile product must be labled in order of predominance by weight
• Wool Products Labeling Act
• Require all products containing any wool to include a label identifying the kind and amount of wool used
• Wool – virgin wool, never been manufactured
• Recycled wool
• Flamable Fabrics Act
• Prohibits sale of flammable fabrics (burn quickly)