Design and technology - textiles

Name 3 sources of fibres their properties and uses and their origins

Cotton, strong and absorbant but not very durable or warm - T-shirts jeans towels - china, India, Pakistan and USA

Wool, absorbant and warm but not very strong or durable -knitwear socks suiting - Australia,China New Zealand UK and USA

Silk, very absorbant strong warm and durable - shirts, dresses and ties - China India Uzbekistan

Name 4 synthetic-fibres, propietes, uses and origins

Polyester, strong and durable but not very absorbant or warm - school blazers, trousers

Acrylic very warm also strong and durable but not absorbant - knitwear

Nylon, very strong also durable but not very warm or absorbant - carpets, fishing nets

Elastane, strong and durable but not very warm or absorbant - sports wear swimwear

Oil producers including UAE USA Russia

Fibres are spun together to make yarn then made into fabrics being what?

Woven and knitted

What are the different weaves available and what are their properties?

Plain- Strong and hard wearing e.g. calico and drill cotton used for fashion and furnishing fabrics

Twill - strong and drapes well with a diagonal pattern on the surface used for jeans, curtains and jackets

Satin - fabric can be woven to give the surface a ‘ right’ side with a shine created by long float on the wrap or weft threads and the ‘wrong’ side that is Matt

Pile- woven in two parts that face each other and sliced apart down the centre once off the loom to create the pile, e.g. velvet

What are the different knitted fabrics and How are they made?

weft knit- created by looping long lengths of yarn together if a stitch is dropped it will cause a ladder to run down the length of the fabric used in socks, tights and jumpers

Warp knit- created by a knitting machine into locking the yarn along the left of the length of the fabric As a result they do not ladder used in swimwear underwear and Geotextiles.

What are non-woven fabrics And give two examples

Non-woven fabrics turn the fibres into fabrics without spinning them, but instead by felting or bonding them

Felted- the most common is made from wool fibres matter together using moisture heat and pressure. It has little strength drape or elasticity and is expensive but is warm and does not fry used in hats slippers and handcrafts.

Bonded- From of synthetic fibres bonded together with heat or adhesive they are cheap to produce easy to sell crease resistant do not fray and are stable washing Dry-cleaning but are not as strong as woven or knitted fabrics mainly used for interlining

When selecting a fabric it is important to choose the one that is fit for the purpose and will suit the needs of the end user what are the several things to consider?

Texture does it feel rough, smooth or soft?

Density, what is the weight in grams per centimetre? This affects physical properties such as stiffness and strength

Fineness, how many fibres are there in a cross-section of yarn?

Allergenic will it irritate the wear of skin in anyway?

Tensile strength- the ability to resist stretching or breaking under tension

Absorbency -the ability to absorb and hold liquid

Breathability- the ability to allow air to pass through easily so that clothing does not become too warm

Electrical conductivity- the ability to conduct electricity

Heat conductivity- the ability to conduct heat

A company social footprint measures their effects on people and communities text as factories can have a negative impact on communities in various ways. What are these various ways?

Noise, yarn, knitting and weaving manufacturing can be loud

Waste disposal this must be dealt with responsibly, especially any hazardous chemicals like some used in cotton production

Child labour the use of children in textile production remains a challenge for the clothing industry

Fibre dust the dust released in textiles processing can cause respiratory disease for those in close proximity

Workers rights consider consideration needs to be given to the working conditions and pay of skilled and on skilled textile workers

What is an ecological footprint?

It measures the impact of human activity on the environment and how much natural resource it needed a growing population means that more raw products are needed to fulfil their textiles needs

What are the issues with farming?

Growing natural fibres such as cotton or bamboo can lead to degration of soil. this leads to farmers expanding into other areas destroying natural habitats. Cotton production and processing uses a lot of water so rivers are often diverted which has severe impacts on ecosystems. You so fertilisers and pesticide in cotton production can cause pollution in rivers and drinking water causing health problems for workers and local wildlife. Rearing animals such as sheep or alpacas for their will also lead to expanding land requirements which can cause deforestation and lots of habitat.

What are the issues with drilling?

It requires large storage areas and refining plants to change the oil into materials needed for manufacturing. This process can be harmful for the environment. Oil Is non-renewable and when refined produces fabrics that do not Biodegrade easily.

What are the six Rs?

Reduce reducing the number of products created and you save waste going to landfill.

Reuse reusing products rather than buying new ones saves both ways being sent to landfill and energy as less is being manufactured.

Recycle some fabrics can be recycled into other products unwearable clothing can be shredded and reformed into household insulation or some plastic bottles can be reformed into filament fibres to create micro fleece.

Rethink consumers now have more knowledge and choice about buying environmentally friendly products causing designers and manufacturers to rethink their production techniques.

Refuse consumers may refuse to buy products that have been treated with synthetic pesticides which can lead to pollution of soil or water in the area.

Repair repairing broken or damaged textile products reduces waste and save energy on production.

Materials can be selected based upon their working properties. It is important to know and understand which material can be used for a specific purpose. What are these things To know and understand?

How do they look?

What are they commonly used for?

How are they manufactured?

How do they perform in use?

What makes them new unique? Are they the most durable the lightest?

What does function mean in textiles?

How a textile behaves is vital to the selection of fabric. Fashion fabrics are usually lighter weight and more decorative than furnishing fabrics. Other function such as warmth, durability strength and absorbency may all need to be considered when selecting the right textile for a job.

What does aesthetics mean in textiles?

Textiles used for soft furnishings and clothing need to be appealing to look at to attract the customer and keep up with fashion. Decoration can be woven knitted printed and embellished onto to create a particular aesthetic style with thickness finish and colour or contributing to the overall Look.

What does environmental issues mean in textiles?

Textiles made from plant or animal fibres such as wall or cotton Are renewable and easily biodegradable. Man-made textiles are made from oil base materials which are non-renewable And harder to degrade when putting landfill. Some consumers may wish to consider the environmental impact when buying products.

What does social factors mean in textiles?

Some textile products may not Be made in good working conditions. There may be issues with child labour poor working conditions and the use of hazardous chemicals. Selecting textiles from a fair trade background can help Ensure that the producers have maintained Standards are fair wages and conditions for employees making the product.

What does cultural factors mean in textiles?

When choosing fabrics it’s important to consider the elements that might cause offence do you suffer or animal skins may upset people whilst certain colours have different meanings around the world. The use of symbols and writing needs to be carefully checked for any mistranslation.

What does trend forecasting mean in textiles?

Trend forecasting allows future and emerging trends to be considered and identified. Information gathered from trade shows and online research can then be utilised by fashion and interior Design industries to help them decide on shapes, colour or styles that they design for future seasons.

What does availability mean in textiles?

Many textiles are available in stock form which means they can be ordered in book to arrive at a manufacturer quickly. Stock textiles Will generally be cheaper to buy than specialist materials. Other textiles may need to be specially decorated or woven for a particular design so would need to be ordered in advance from a specialist manufacturer.

What does cost mean in textiles?

There are several cost factors in the selection of textiles. The quantity of a fabric affects the price for example Corsa easier to produce cotton is cheaper than labour intensive silk decoration or specialist finishes will also add to the cost.

What does calculation of material cost mean in textiles?

Fabric is sold by the meter. When making garments, the length needed is worked out using the pattern pieces in the pan which ensures the minimum waste while still keeping with direction of the nap. When using a boat pattern, the length of fabric for different sizes of the finish garment is written On the back of the envelope.

Textiles are sold is different stock forms depending on the standard sizes and thickness is what are these stocks?

Rolls and bolts fabric is sold by the meter in the role or bolt and standard sizes on 90 cm 137 cm and 154 cm

Denier The unit of weight that measures fines used to describe the thickness of tights with 30 denier is thin and 100 is thick increasing commonly in increments of 10

Ply yarn is sold in coils reels or balls and apply is the number of threats span together to create a yarn

Name seven different fastenings

Buttons available in a range of sizes, colours and materials such as plastic wood and metal.

Zips fabric sides with plastic or metal teeth sold in a variety of lengths with open or closed ends.

Eyelets usually made of metal and used as straightening edge to small holes like lace holes in a shoe.

Buckle and adjustable fastening made of plastic or metal for straps

Hook and eye a two-piece fastening usually made of metal for either side of a joint such as at the top of the zip

Velcro a hook and fastening system that is usually made from nylon and can be repeatedly ripped open and closed

Press studs a two piece fastening made from plastic or metal