Textiles

Textile

Any flexible material that is composed of thin films, fibers, yarns, or fabrics.

Global Textile Complex

Worldwide mix of related industries providing "soft" goods.

Fabric

A flexible planar substance made from solutions, fibers, yarns, fabrics, or any combination thereof.

Fiber

The smallest component, hair-like in nature, that can be separated from fabric.

Yarn

An assemblage of fibers that form continuous strand used in making fabric.

Nodes

Thick areas of flax fiber.

Keratin

A natural animal fiber in wool.

Stifling

Characterized by oppressive heat and humidity.

Lamb's Wool

Wool removed from animals less than seven months old.

Medulla

The inner region of an organ or tissue, especially when it is distinguishable from the outer region or cortex (as in a kidney, an adrenal gland, or hair).

Coloration

Any dyeing or printing process used to add color with dyes or pigments to a textile

Finish

Converting into a useable product

Scutching

a process in which bast-fiber plant stems are passed through fluted metal rollers to break up and remove the woody outer layers

Fibroin

the protein of silk fibers

Serviceability

Does the textile product meet consumer needs based on performance?

Sustainability

Does the production of the textile product reduce environmental pollution, not exploit workers or natural resources, and viable for a positive future?

Momme

a standard way to describe the weight of silk fabrics and is abbreviated mm; one momme weighs 3.75 grams

Virgin Wool

wool that has never been processed

Cuticle

A waxy covering on the surface of stems and leaves that acts as an adaptation to prevent desiccation in terrestrial plants.

Tow

Coarse broken flax or hemp fiber prepared for spinning

Bast Fibers

are from fibrous part of the plant stem

Retting

natural degeneration of fibers

Hackling

process of separating bast fiber bundles into individual fibers and removing short irregular fibers

Line

Narrow ridge of bone; less prominent than a crest

Hygroscopic

Absorbing moisture readily.

Fiber Crimp

Indicates waves, bends, coils, or curls along the length or knitting.

Fabric Crimp

Indicates bends in yarns as a result of weaving or knitting.

Lanolin

oil from sheep wool

How do you identify unknown fibers?

Visual inspection, burn test, microscopic appearance, or a solubility test.

Recycled Wool

wool that has been processed into fabrics, garnetted, and processed into another fabric

Cortex

outer region of an organ

Convolutions

enables fine cotton yarns of adequate strength to be spun.

Breaking

Maximum tensile force when the specimen is stretched to break

Linen

a fabric made from flax; noted for its strength, coolness, and luster

Cottonization

to cut a fiber into short lengths for processing on equipment designed for cotton

Sericin

the water-soluble protective gum that surrounds silk when extruded by a caterpillar

Wool

a fabric made from the hair of sheep

Washable Wool

Treated with chemicals to destroy the scales, decreases strength & durability, coat wool with a resin which forms a thin plastic skin over each fiber

Felting

A method for converting yarn into fabric by matting the fibres together.

Why study textiles?

to understand industry terminology and processes, recognize textiles with your senses, understand what a textile can do, and communicate textile information.

Various Goods

Piece, Gray, Soft, Coloration, Finish

Textile Categories

Apparel, Interior, Technical, Smart

Voluntary Programs

Size label, trade name or mark, certification, licensing, warranty

Common Properties of Plant Fibers

Seed, Stem or bast, leaf, root, husk, moss

Textile Performance Categories

Aesthetics, Durability, Comfort, Safety, Appearance Retention

Natural Fibers

a fiber produced naturally and harvested from animal, plant, or mineral sources

Staple Fibers

short fibers from 1/2 to 18 inches

General burning characteristics of wool, cotton, nylon, glass, and polyester

burns but doesn't melt, stops burning after removed from flame, black ash

Common Properties of Protein Fibers

resists wrinkling, hygroscopic, weaker when wet