Materials of Design and Decoration in Interior Design

Textile

Also known as fabric, or cloth.

Yarn

A flexible artificial material made up of a network of natural or artificial fibers formed by weaving or knitting.

Textiles

Twisted fibers that create a continuous strand.

Spun Yarns

Any material made of interlacing fibers.

Fabric

Composed of staple fibers twisted together.

Filament Yarns

Any material made through the various processes such as weaving, knitting, crocheting or bonding.

Cloth

Refers to a finished piece of fabric that can be used for varying purposes such as bedcovers, pillow cases.

Fiber

Composed of continuous strands made from either a spinneret generated synthetic fiber or from silk.

Durability

Includes abrasion resistance.

Tenacity

Basic element of textile. Fine hair-like strand that forms the basis of a yarn.

Tensile strength

The resistance of a material to breaking under tension.

Elongation

Degree to which the textile can stretch without breaking.

Fabric Absorbency

Moisture absorption helps avoid static build up.

Hydrophilic

Water Loving.

Hydrophobic

Water Fearing.

Hygroscopic

Absorb moisture without feeling wet.

Resiliency

Ability to return to its original shape after being bent, twisted or crushed.

Spinneret

Shower-head like device used for filament fiber extrusion.

Natural Fibers

From plant, animal, silk or mineral sources. These are produced seasonally and are susceptible to the forces of nature.

Synthetic Fibers

Man-made fibers. Most are thermoplastic.

Thermoplastic

Soften and melt when heated.

Blends

Combination of different types of fibers.

Plant Fibers

Fibers derived from plants.

Burlap

A fabric made from jute.

Cotton

Most widely used plant fiber.

Kapok

'Poor man's cotton' derived from a seed pod of a Java Kapok tree.

Linen

Made from Flax.

Green Cotton

Washed with mild soap and not bleached.

Shiny Cotton

Processed version that resembles stain.

Organic Cotton

Grown with no synthetic fertilizers.

Egyptian Cotton

Extra long staple cotton produced in Egypt.

Manila Hemp

Or Abaca, obtained from the outer layer of the leaf of a Musa textilis plant.

Flax

Oldest fiber ever woven into fabric.

Flax

Oldest fiber ever woven into fabric. Grayish in color with a silky luster. Advantage: Reflects heat better than cotton. Holds color better than any natural fiber. Can be bleached without fear of damage. Crisp and cool hand. Length: 300-600mm (12-24 inches). Usage: Table linen, drapery.

Jute

Resembles flax. Advantage: Very long and dimensionally stable fibers. UV protection, sound and heat insulation, low thermal conduction and anti-static. Disadvantage: Harsh, brittle, lints badly and wrinkles easily. Usage: Upholstery weight fabrics and home décor.

Ramie

Or China grass or Grass linen. Inexpensive fiber. Substitute to flax. Advantage: Exceptionally strong fiber. Natural luster. Unusual resistance to bacteria and molds. Extremely absorbent and dries quickly. Excellent abrasion resistance. x3-5 times stronger than cotton, x2 times stronger than flax. Disadvantage: Non-elastic and brittle. Stiff, it must be blended with softer fibers like cotton/rayon. Usage: Resembles fine linen if fiber is thin. Resembles canvas when fiber is coarse and bulky.

Jusi

Made from banana fibers. Usage: Formal settings.

Hemp

From the Cannabis Sativa plant. Advantage: Strong fiber. Usage: Ropes and sacks.

Piña

Made from the leaves of the Pineapple plant. Combined with silk or polyester to create a fabric. Usage: Barong Tagalog and formal wear.

Natural Rubber

1920s when latex (liquid rubber) could be extruded into fiber. Advantage: Highly elastic, flexible and impermeable to water and air. Disadvantage: Loses its strength through age. Deteriorates in sunlight.

Virgin Wool

Hasn't been previously processed.

Recycled Wool

New wool or felted fabric scraps that are shredded and re-used.

Ordinary Wool

May include reclaimed scraps from knits, broken threads and other sources that may have damaged fibers.

Wool

Sheared from domesticated sheep. Color varies from pale neutral to dark brown. Wool contains excess amounts of oil called lanolin which is removed during processing. Advantage: Exceptional resiliency and elasticity, flexibility. Good resistance against abrasion. Antiseptic. Pleasingly soft hand. Burns slowly and self-extinguishing. Disadvantage: Susceptible to damage by insects. Almost no resistance to alkalis. Wool must be dry cleaned. Very expensive. Length: 1"-18". Usage: Standard of carpets. Preferred in public areas of luxurious hospitalities.

Hair

From camel, goat, mohair, alpaca, llama, vicuna *the rarest, and horsehair.

Cashmere

From the Kashmiri Goat. Fiber of Kings. Arc of Covenant of the Old Testament is lined and curtained with it. Advantage: Very warm fiber. Usage: Not for Tropical climate.

Pashmina

Finest wool shorn from Himalayan Mountain Goats. Advantage: Extra ordinarily light and soft yet exceptionally warm.

Mohair

From the Angora Goat. Advantage: Resilient and resembles human hair. Usage: carpets, wall fabrics.

Ring Scarf

Pure wrap. Shahtoosh that is so fine and delicate.

Shahtoosh

Pleasure of Kings. From the fur of a Chiru, an endangered Tibetan Antelope. More luxurious than Pashmina.

Silk Fibers

Most beautiful of all fibers. Comes from cocoons of the silkworm. Advantage: Marvelous and natural luster. Filament is extremely fine and it is the strongest natural fiber. Wrinkle resistant compared to natural fibers. Burns slowly. Disadvantage: Fragile. Disintegrates or discolors in strong light. Subject to mildew. Deteriorates from bleaches and cleaning acids. Length: 600 yards. Usage: Pillows and table runners.

Hiking

Swells when damp and shrinks when dry.

Organzine

Or Thrown silk. Finest cultured silk yarn. Made from long filaments.

Thai Silk

From cocoons of thai silkworms. Finest fabrics in the world. Unique manufacturing process that creates gradation in color.

Sericulture

Growth of silk moths for their silk production. Labor intensive because it is done by hand.

Cocoon

Dried in an oven, killing the pupae inside while preserving the integrity of the cocoons.

Tram

Shorter strands with less luster and sheen.

Tussah

Silk made by wild uncultivated silkworms which is why it is rougher in texture. Naturally tan and cannot be bleached.

Duppion

Formed by 2 silk worms that spun their cocoons together in an interlocking manner.

Asbestos

Mineral with fluffy strands. Combined with cotton. Advantage: Completely fireproof. Disadvantage: Insoluble and have barbed edges. Lung cancer.

Metal Fibers

Threads of gold, silver or copper. Advantage: Do not tarnish. Not affected by saltwater or humidity. Usage: For sparkle, lending glitter to textiles.

Rayon

First synthetic fiber. Poor man's silk. Blended with cotton or wool. Usage: Woven backing of Velvet.

Viscose Rayon

Advantage: Blends well with other fibers. Absorbent. Dyes readily. Economical to produce. Light and abrasion resistant. Disadvantage: Loses strength when wet. Low resiliency and wrinkles easily.

Acetate

Developed by the Celanese Corp. Compound of Cellulose Acetate. Advantage: Washable, fast-drying and does not shrink. Flexible. Excellent draping qualities. Disadvantage: Needs special dyes. Thermo-plastic fiber which makes it easily damaged by heat and easily wrinkled. Usage: Woven into expensive textiles such as satins, brocades.

Tri-acetate

Developed by the Celanese Corp. Almost pure cellulose acetate. Advantage: Good resiliency compared to Acetate. Greater fiber stability and abrasion resistance. Shrink resistant and maintains a crisp finish. Disadvantage: Needs to be heat treated to prevent heat sensitivity. Usage: Permanent pleating. Textured knits and tricots.

Modacrylic

Developed by Union Carbide 1949. Made from natural gas, coal, air, salt and water. Advantage: Easily dyed. Washable and drip-dry. Resistant to acids, alkalis. Flame-resistant. Usage: Draperies and casement cloths.

Olefins

Developed by Hercules Inc. 1961. A by-product of petroleum. Advantage: Inexpensive. Outstanding resistance to stains and crushing. Lack of static generation. Lightest synthetic fabric. Excellent elastic recovery. Usage: Popular carpet fiber.

Nylon

Developed by E.I. Dupont de Nemours and Co. 1939. Made from petroleum, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen and hydrogen. Advantage: Strongest of all fibers. Highly elastic with good elongation and recovery properties. Good abrasion resistance. Does not absorb oil and most air-borne dirt. Easily dyed, washable. Repel fungus, mildew and mold. Disadvantage: Deteriorates when exposed to sunlight.

Acrylic

Developed by DuPont Co. 1950. Made from coal, air, water, petroleum and limestone. Advantage: Produces a fluffy wool-like effect. Resistant to sunlight, oil-borne and air-borne dirt. Durable, abrasion-resistant, mildew and moth proof. Exceptionally light providing bulk without weight. Dyes well. Disadvantage: Static and pilling can be a problem. Usage: Knitted into pile fabrics like fake fur.

Spandex

A manufactured elastomeric fiber. Advantage: Can be repeatedly stretched over 500% without breaking and still recover to its original strength. Can be permanently pressed- or soil-resistant, washable and does not discolor. Usage: Add stretch to fabrics without altering hand or appearance.

Aramids

Advantage: Alkalis, acids and solvents have visually no effect on them. Disadvantage: Difficult to dye and are not used as decorative purposes. Usage: Barrier fabric between the upholstery cushion and fabric in seating. Used in bullet-resistant vests.

Glass Fiber

Mid-1800s 1st produced as fiber form by Owens-Corning trade. Advantage: Resistant to flame. Strong and does not absorb moisture. Dyes well.

Fiberglas

Strong and does not absorb moisture. Dyes well. Disadvantage: Low abrasion resistance. Usage: Drapery or casement cloth. Allows lacy open-weave cloths. Semi-opaque casement textiles.

Polyester

Developed by Du Pont in 1953. Made from coal, air, water and petroleum. Advantage: Resistant to air-borne and oil-borne dirt. Low moisture absorbency. Wrinkle resistance. High strength and resilient. Abrasion resistant. Washable and drip-dry. Excellent crease resistant and easy to maintain. Usage: Knitted into upholstery-weight suede cloth. Hospital cubicle curtains. Pillow, cushion and comforter stuffing.

Saran

Advantage: Unaffected by sunlight, easy-to-care, wrinkle resistant, abrasion resistant. Usage: Outdoor Furniture. Curtains, drapery fabrics and wall covering.

Polypropylene

1st and most widely used Olefin. Advantage: Strong, light weight. Does not absorb moisture or air-borne dirt. Resistant to mildew, rot, moths and vermin. Usage: Upholstery for airplane seats.

Polynude Nylon

Chemical fiber with a similar make-up with Nylon. Advantage: Washable, wrinkle resistant and ease of care. Does not shrink. Resembles silk in luster, weight, color, feel and drapability. Can be ironed at heat like cotton.

Elastoester

Manufactured by Teijin Ltd. a Japanese textile firm. Advantage: Moderately resistant to bleach. Silk like hand. Disadvantage: Less elastic than spandex. Usage: Fitted furnishings.

Nomex

Trade Name. High temperature resistant-fiber used in firefighter's clothing and space suits.

Kevlar

Trade Name. High temperature resistant-fiber and is incredibly strong.

Felting

Matting together of fibers to form a web by moisture, pressure and heat. Induces shrinkage and increases density. Results in a continuous dense cloth that is firm, fuzzy and comparatively low in tensile strength. Can be cut, sewn and draped without hemming.

Films

Produced through extrusion through a wide dye, forming in molds or rolling between rollers.

Knitting

Blunt rods or needles are used to form a single continuous yarn into a series of interlocking loops.

Wales

Vertical rows of stitches.

Courses

Horizontal rows of stitches.

Cnytton

Old English word found in literature 1492.

Needles

Carved from bone or wood.

Spanish

1st to make steel needles.

1st Knitting Machine

Invented by Reverend William Lee. Produced 9 loops to 1" of width.

Plain Stitches

Produces a smooth-face material. Makes fine, thin, sheer fabrics.

Rib Stitches

Produces lines of wales on both sides of fabric making it very elastic.

Purl Stitches

Successive courses of stitches drawn to opposite sides of the fabric making it very elastic on both sides.

Tuck Stitches

Formed by holding one loop on a needle while taking on one or more additional loops and then casting all of them onto another needle.

Circular Knit

Made on a circular machine. Produces a tubular fabric without seams.

Flat Outerwear

Made by having needles arranged in a straight line.

Flat Underwear

Made on a machine with only 1 set of needles.

Ribbed Fabric

Made with 2 sets of needles to give a ribbed or corrugated surface to the fabric.

Jersey

Plain stitch knitted fabric.

Single Knit

Fabric knitted on a single-needle machine. Has less body than the double knit.

Double Knit

Fabric knitted with a double stitch on a double needle frame to provide double thickness that is the same on both sides. Has excellent body and stability.