FMR 2nd quiz pt 1

Textile

• Is any material made of interlacing fibers. 

• Stand alone is an unfinished product 

• Created by processing, weaving or knitting textile fibers to produce materials for any use.

• an “ingredient” mixed with other materials, creating a finished product. 

• Categorise by industry it is used. 

  • i.e.: agrotextiles, automotive textiles, geotextiles medical textiles, etc

Fabric

• A flat-film mass consisting of fine-soft objects connected by intersecting, winding and joining. 

• cover all woven, knitted materials, and non-woven materials. 

• A finished product, that can be used by itself or with other materials to create a new product. 

• Meaning, fabrics with a more unique style of connecting exist outside the definition of a textile. 

• Common examples of non-woven fabric 

  • teabag paper, face cloths, synthetic fibre paper and shingling.

1. Plant-based fibers 

• such as cotton, linen, hemp, sisal, and ramie. 

• strong whether wet or dry. 

• dye easily and are easy to launder and press. 

• usually dense heavy fibers that are absorbent.

• they don’t usually wick moisture or dry quickly

Abaca

• It's a leaf fiber, composed of long slim cells that form part of the leaf's supporting structure. 

• Lignin content is a high 15%. 

  • Lignin is a class of complex organic polymer. 

• Prized for its great mechanical strength, buoyancy, resistance to saltwater damage, and long fiber length – up to 3 m.

• The best grades of abaca are fine, lustrous, light beige in color and very strong. 

• Once a favored source of rope for ship's rigging, abaca shows promise as an energy-saving replacement for glass fibers in automobiles

1. Coco coir

• A coarse, short fiber extracted from the outer shell of coconuts, 

• coir is found in ropes, mattresses, brushes, geotextiles and automobile seats.

• Among vegetable fibers, this has one of the highest concentrations of lignin, making it stronger but less flexible than cotton and unsuitable for dyeing

• Low tensile strength compared to abaca,

• has good resistance to microbial action and salt water damage.

Cotton

• The world's most widely used natural fiber 

•  still the undisputed "king" of the global textiles industry.

• It's almost pure cellulose, with softness and breathability that have made it the world's most popular natural fiber. 

• Length: varies from 10 to 65 mm, 

• Diameter: from 11 to 22 microns

• It absorbs moisture readily, which makes cotton clothes comfortable in hot weather

• high tensile strength in soap solutions means they are easy to wash.

Flax

• One of nature's strongest vegetable fibers

• one of the first to be extracted, spun and woven into textiles

• Like cotton, flax fiber is a cellulose polymer, but its structure is more crystalline, making it stronger, crisper and stiffer to handle, and more easily wrinkled

• Length:  up to 90 cm

• Diameter: average 12 to 16 microns 

• They absorb and release water quickly, making linen comfortable to wear in hot weather.

Hemp

• ong, strong and durable

• about 70% cellulose and contain low levels of lignin (around 8-10%). 

• Diameter: ranges from 16 to 50 microns. 

• conducts heat, dyes well, resists mnildew, blocks ultraviolet light and has natural anti-bacterial properties. 

• Shorter, woody core fibers ("tow") contain higher levels of lignin. 

• Easy to grow without agrochemicals, 

• used increasingly in agrotextiles, car panels and fiberboard, and "cottonized" for clothing

Jute

• Dubbed the "golden fiber"

• long, soft and shiny, 

• Length: 1 to 4 m and

• Diameter: from 17 to 20 microns. 

• It is one of nature's strongest vegetable fibers 

• ranks second only to cotton in terms of production quantity. 

• high insulating and anti-static properties, moderate moisture regain and low thermal conductivity. 

• The strong threads made from it are used worldwide in sackcloth - and help sustain the livelihoods of millions of small farmers.

Pina

• An indigenous woven fabric derived from pineapple leaves, specifically the Spanish Red pineapple variety due to its notable tensile strength. 

• Breathable. Being naturally lightweight, the fabric makes it ideal for sub-tropical climates and its accompanying humid weather. 

• Blends well with other such as silk, abaca and cotton, allowing the creation of hybrid fabrics that add another layer of character to the produced cloth. 

• also emerging as an alternative to leather as more and more consumers switch to more environment- and animalfriendly options. 

• A traditional Philippine fiber. 

Pineapples were widely cultivated in the Philippines since the 17th century for weaving lustrous lace-like luxury textiles known as nipis fabric

Ramie

• white with a silky luster, similar to flax in absorbency and density but coarser (25- 30 microns). 

• One of the strongest natural fibers, it has low elasticity and dyes easily. 

• Length: 

  • Strands range up to 190 cm

  • individual cells as long as 40 cm. 

• Trans-fiber fissures make it  brittle but favor ventilation. 

• Not widely known outside the East Asian countries that produce it, 

• lightweight, silky and made for summer. 

Sisal

• Lustrous and creamy white

• Length: 1 m in length

• Diameter: 200 to 400 microns. 

• Strong, durable and stretchable, does not absorb moisture easily, resists saltwater deterioration

• has a fine surface texture that accepts a wide range of dyes. 

• Too coarse for clothing and upholstery,

• replacing glass fibers in composite materials used to make cars and furniture.

1. Animal-based fibers 

• include silk, wool and hair fibers such as angora, cashmere, and alpaca. 

• tend to be light in weight relative to their bulk. 

• naturally elastic, resist wrinkling, and take dye well. 

• able to absorb moisture without feeling soggy. 

• needs special care from insects & laundering. 

Alpaca

• Soft and dense, or lustrous and silky, 

• used to make high-end luxury fabrics and outdoor sports clothing.

• It is partly hollow, from 20 to 70 microns in diameter 

• 22 natural colors. 

• It is light, stronger than sheep's wool, and provides excellent insulation. 

• Huacayo alpacas 

  • produce soft, dense, short fibers, 

• Rare suri

  • the fleece is lustrous, silky and straight. 

• Alpaca blends well with wool, mohair and silk.

1. Angora 

• Has a very thin, fine diameter and has a halo-like effect of fur around each strand, 

• creates a shiny quality on any items made with Angora. 

• Halo 

  • essentially refers to the yarn’s fluffiness, so each strand in a finished product looks like it has a layer of fluff surrounding it. 

• Fine, silky and exceptionally soft to the touch, 

• Angora rabbit 

• used in high quality knitwear. 

• Soft and luxurious like cashmere or alpaca, 

• often blended with other types of wool to add softness and its signature halo.

Halo

essentially refers to the yarn’s fluffiness, so each strand in a finished product looks like it has a layer of fluff surrounding it.

Camel

• The fine down fiber of the Bactrian camel 

• Diameter: averages around 20 microns

• Length: 2.5 to 12.5 cm. 

• highly insulative, but it can also be woven into very thin garments. 

• high-grade camel wool is nearly as soft as cashmere. 

• Rougher camel wool is frequently used to make carpets. 

• Owing to its quality and scarcity, camelhair is used in luxury textiles. 

• The best quality camel yarn is spun on drop spindles by women in nomadic households of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China

Cashmere

• It has natural crimp, allowing it to be spun into fine, lightweight fabrics. 

• small air spaces between the fibers, which makes it warm without weight, while thin cuticle cells on the fiber surface make it smooth and lustrous. 

• Its luxurious, rare and expensive: 

  • the wool of six Kashmir goats is enough to make just one cashmere sports jacket. 

• Obtained from cashmere goats, pashmina goats, and some other breeds of goat. 

• Finer, lighter, softer, and offers three times the insulating properties as sheep's wool 

Mohair

• A fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. 

• Both durable and resilient

• high luster and sheen, and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile. 

• takes dye exceptionally well. 

• Light and insulating, its tensile strength is significantly higher than that of merino wool (sheep). 

• Like wool, has surface scales, but they are thinner, making it smooth to the touch. 

• Light reflected from the surface gives mohair a characteristic luster. 

• Thin surface scales make mohair smooth to touch

Silk

• It's filament is a continuous thread of great tensile strength 

• Length: from 500 to 1 500 meters 

• Diameter: 10-13 microns. 

• In woven silk, the fiber's triangular structure acts as a prism that refracts light, giving silk cloth its highly prized "natural shimmer". 

• good absorbency, low conductivity and dyes easily. 

• Developed in ancient China

  • its use was reserved for royalty, silk remains the "queen of fabrics". 

• natural fiber produced by insects as a material for their nests and cocoons. 

• Most commonly from silkworms. 

• Made primarily of a protein called fibroin, silk is known for its shine and softness as a material. 

Wool

• textile fiber obtained from sheep and other animals.

• commonly from sheeps 

• Each year sheep grow a new fleece making wool a renewable resource. 

• biodegradable providing soil nutrients as it decomposes naturally. 

  • And as a natural product, wool requires less processing than man-made fibers. 

• Regulates and insulates heat 

• Breathability and antimicrobial qualities reduce the risk of your clothes taking on unpleasant body odor. 

• Hypoallergenic, naturally fire resistant, UV and stain resistant 

• Water resistant, wool repels moisture droplets.

• can absorb up to a third of its own weight in moisture without feeling wet. 

• Only when saturated with 30% of its own weight will it feel wet to the touch. 

1. Man-made fibers 

• varied in their origin and characteristics. 

• Plant cellulose 

  • used to make Rayon, Tencel, acetate, and triacetate. 

• Petroleum-based synthetic fibers 

  • acrylic, nylon, polyester, and spandex. 

• mimic and sometimes improve upon properties of natural fibers.

• Some characteristics: elasticity, soil and water resistance, moisture wicking, durability, color fastness and insulating properties. 

• Caution with possible environmental impacts. 

• For the most part, activist go after petroleum synthetic fibers. 

• But plant base synthetic fibers can also be extremely destructive to the natural environment. 

  • This is because processes like viscose fiber production use harsh and toxic chemicals. Many of these chemicals end up in natural waterways polluting ecosystems and the people who live nearby

Rayon

• Is a fiber from regenerated cellulose

• generally derived from wood pulp.

• Usually made from eucalyptus trees, but any plant can be used (such as bamboo, soy, cotton, etc). 

• To produce the fiber, the plant cellulose goes through a process involving a lot of chemicals, energy and water. Solvents used during the process can be very toxic to humans and to the environment. 

• There are three major categories of rayon (technically there are a lot more types). 

• Each category or rayon basically describes the manufacturing process.

1. Viscose processing 

• was the first synthetic fiber made public in 1939 with the intent to replace silk. 

• At this time there were two different types of rayon in production. 

  • viscose rayon 

  • cuprammonium rayon. 

• Because it is made of wood pulp on a chemical level viscose rayon resembles cotton ( which is not a synthetic fiber ). 

• This is why rayon and cotton have many of the same properties. 

Cuprammonium

• also known as cupro. 

• also made using the viscose process

• but instead of using tree pulp, cellulose from cotton plants is made into pulp for processing. 

• On a chemical and physical level cupro and viscose rayon are almost identical. 

• have an advantage because of its chemical composition, it  creates much finer yarns. 

• finer yarns create more luxurious fabrics. 

• more expensive than viscose.

Modal

• uses a very similar process to viscose. 

• a closed loop system so chemicals do not pollute the environment.

• Lenzing Modal 

• is made out of sustainably-sourced birch trees in Austria. 

• This means that the production does not lead to deforestation. 

Lyocell

• The newest rayon production system

• uses less harmful chemicals then viscose and modal. 

• Generally made from fast-growing cellulosic sources. 

Lenzing Tencel

is made from eucalyptus trees which grow quickly and require few chemicals to cultivate.

• Bamboo lyocell 

• can also be made using this process. 

• But, be careful for bamboo fabrics that are made using the viscose processing method, 

• not green or sustainable.

Nylon

• Produced as an alternative to silk, 

• the invention created a totally different class of synthetic fibers. 

• Commercial production of nylon began in 1939 by DuPont, 

  • after making its debut at the World's Fair. 

• Despite early marketing efforts that described nylon as "stronger than steel," 

  • was found to be highly susceptible to runs and tears, and lack of moisture-wicking properties also became a subject of concern. 

• It was found that when mixed with polyester, spandex, or cotton, the desirable attributes of this fabric were retained, but many of the undesirable aspects of this fabric were eliminated. These days, most nylon garments consist of a blend of various fabrics. 

• main ingredient: petroleum oil, 

• not biodegradable. 

As of 2008, around 12 % of the world's synthetic fiber production consists of nylon fabric.

Polyester

• Derived from a chemical reaction involving petroleum, air, and water. 

• thermoplastic, meaning it can be melted and reformed.

• hydrophobic. 

  • don’t absorb perspiration, or other fluids, leaving the wearer with a moist, clammy feel. 

• typically have a low level of wicking. 

• Relative to cotton, it is stronger, with a greater ability to stretch. 

• Cotton and polyester are commonly blended together to produce fabrics that exhibit properties that can’t be achieved using either fiber alone. 

• most popular synthetic fiber. 

• Became popular because of its permanent press capabilities, and easy care washing instructions. 

• Itchy on the skin and stinky. 

• Thou, new microfiber polyester feels much more like silk and is more comfortable on the skin but, still tends to get smelly 

DuPont

• was the first to market with spandex.

Spandex

• is an elastomeric fiber. 

• can stretch at minimum 100 times its original length, and then snap back to its original size. 

• must be in filament form to be stretchy. 

Elastane

• generic name for spandex. 

• generally cheaper because it does not offer manufacturing transparency.

1. “Sustainable” lycra 

• Bio-lycra is lycra made from plants, not oil. 

• Approximately 70% by weight of this general-purpose fiber comes from a renewable source made from dextrose derived from corn, Manufactured by Invista. 

• "LYCRA® T400® fiber with EcoMade technology is made in part from a combination of recycled materials such as PET bottles, as well as renewable plant materials. This means less waste is going into landfills. 

Acrylic

• made by DuPont first hit the US market in 1950. 

• cheaper, non-itchy alternative to wool. 

• machine washable. 

• low price and ability to home launder, 

• much success in stealing market share of the wool industry over the years. 

• Downsides: can be a lot of static build-up and pilling that you would not normally see in wool

Modacrylic

• mimics another animal fiber, fur. 

• cruelty-free replacement for vegans who want the look of fur without harming animals. 

• fairly expensive to produce. 

many garment manufacturers will label coats as modacrylic but actually use cheaper real fur from dogs

Microfibers

• are just regular fibers like acrylic, nylon, polyester, lyocell, and rayon, but with a much, much finer in diameter. 

• Some examples: faux suede and high absorbency towels. 

• first seen in Japan in the '80s. 

• better performance capabilities.

• feel softer, drape better, and are able to wick more efficiently. 

• fiber blends are also possible. 

• Downside: much more expensive, more difficult to work with and require special machines and processing.

Nanotechnology

• Microfibers where the beginning of nanotechnology. 

• manipulating individual atoms to change the performance of a fiber. 

• Advances in polymer chemistry and molecular engineering are what make nanotechnology possible. 

• Benefits: include better water and oil repellency for moisture control, more wrinkle resistance, and other performance benefits. 

• improves a fabric without affecting its final feel and look. 

• has infinite possibilities and applications in various industries.

Knit

• Created by the interlocking of yarns with the use of needles. 

• fiber content: determines its degree of stretch and recovery. 

• The stretch factor in a knit is usually described in terms of a percentage: how far a knit can stretch beyond its unstretched width. 

• Usually applied in beddings & cushions to create a cozy warm feel, “Hygge”.

1. Weft knitting 

• a method of fabric formation in which the loops are made in a horizontal way from a single yarn and each consecutive rows of loop build upon the prior loops consecutively. 

• The intermeshing of loops can take place both in a circular or flat form on a course-wise basis. 

• The fabric formed is very elastic, comfortable and warm to wear. 

• Properties can be varied depending on the types of yarn used.

• The curls along the course and wales direction are due to the fabric structure and the knit density. 

• Single jersey 

  • simplest and most economical weft structure to produce. 

  • has a good stretch in both wales and course direction with a potential recovery of 40% in width after stretching.

• Single jersey 

• simplest and most economical weft structure to produce. 

• has a good stretch in both wales and course direction with a potential recovery of 40% in width after stretching.

1. Warp knitting

• loops are made in a vertical way along the length of the fabric from each warp yarns. 

• there will be a needle for each yarn. 

• have a crisscross diagonal appearance which feels smoother than weft knits. 

• It shows less elasticity than weft knitting. 

• becomes favorable over weft in properties like soft and drapey, higher density, warm to wear. 

• Through this process many different types of yarn can be processed like combed, staple, carded and filament which is not possible with weft knitting

Woven

• Separate yarns cross each other at right angles. 

• A loom arranges one set of yarns lengthwise (called the warp), then crosswise yarns (called the weft) are interlaced, or woven right in, at right angles.  

• Stable fabrics and can hold shape overtime. 

• either yarn dyed or printed. 

• Varied look and feel depending on type, such as; Denim, Muslin, & Satin 

• Has a more universal and versatile application 

warp

yarns lengthwise

weft

crosswise yarns

1. Plain weave 

• the simplest weave

• cheap manufacturing cost, durability, and flat and tight surface 

• one of the most popular weave types. 

• every filling yarn moves alternately under and over every weft yarn. 

• The results of this process can resemble a checkerboard which you can see once you examine the fabric closely. 

• Taffeta, crepe, muslin, and organdy are some examples of this weave.

1. Twill weave 

• most commonly used weaves in textile processing. 

• Its diagonal line patterns make the twill weave easy to recognize. 

• This weave is created through moving the weft yarn over and under several warp yarns alternately which produce a diagonal ribbed pattern on the material’s surface. 

• It’s used to produce strong fabrics like gabardine, tweed, and denim

1. Satin weave 

• known for its silky and elegant appearance. 

• explains how the threads are mixed, and the yard used can be polyester or silk. 

• This weave is distinguished by four or more weft yarns hovering over one weft yarn or vice versa. 

• used nowadays for bridal gowns, evening dresses, ballet slippers, and more

Loom

• a device used to weave cloth and tapestry. 

• The basic purpose is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. 

• The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but the basic function is the same

Jacquard loom

• also called Jacquard attachment or Jacquard mechanism

• in weaving, device incorporated in special looms to control individual warp yarns.

• It enabled looms to produce fabrics having intricate woven patterns such as tapestry, brocade, and damask, and it has also been adapted to the production of patterned knitted fabrics. 

• Jacquard system 

• was developed in 1804–05 by Joseph-Marie Jacquard of France

Non-woven

• a fabric-like material made from polymer chips, short fibers or filament, boned together by variety of web forming means and consolidation technologies. 

• Made by molding, bonding, and felting. 

• Real and faux leather and suede belong in this group along with nonwoven interfacings and paperlike fabric such as Tyvek. 

• It is a new fiber product which features super softness, excellent breathability and planar structure. 

• characteristics of short process flow, high output, low cost, rapid variety change, wide range of raw material sources and more

1. Spunlace Nonwovens

• application of high pressure water jet to one layer or multi-layer of fiber web, entangling the fibers with each other, thereby reinforcing the web to some extent. 

• facial mask fabric, medical non woven fabric, wet wipe fabric, non woven filter fabric and etc. 

1. Heat-Bonded Nonwoven Fabrics

• mainly manufactured in several processes: 

  • adding fibrous or sticky reinforcement material into the fiber network, 

  • and then reinforcing the network into cloth via heating and cooling

1. Pulp Air-laid Nonwovens

• can also be called dustless paper or dry paper nonwovens. 

• uses the airlaid technology to open the wood pulp fiberboard into single fiber state, then uses air flow method to make the fiber agglomerate on the net curtain, and then consolidates the fiber web into cloth.

1. Wet Non Woven

• manufacturing process: 

  • open the fibrous raw material in the aqueous medium into single fibers, 

  • meanwhile forming a fibrous suspension slurry by mixing different fiber raw materials, 

  • transport the suspended slurry to a mesh-forming mechanism, 

  • the fibers are laid in a wet state to form a cloth. 

1. Spunbond Nonwovens

• is processed as follows: 

  • extrude and stretch the polymer to form a continuous filament, 

  • laid the filament into web, 

  • process the web into nonwoven fabric through their own bonding, thermal bonding, chemical bonding or mechanical reinforcement methods.

1. Meltblown Nonwovens

• manufactured by extruding melted polymer fiber through a linear die containing several hundred small holes to form long thin fibers which are stretched and cooled by passing hot air as they fall from the linear die, then the resultant web are blown onto a collector screen forming fined-filtered, self-bond nonwovens. 

• Usually added to spunbond in order to form SM or SMS webs.

1. Acupuncture Nonwovens

• a type of dry nonwoven fabrics. 

• The fluffy fiber is reinforced into cloth by needle puncture

1. Stitch Nonwovens

• another type of dry nonwoven fabrics. 

• The manufacturing process uses warp knitted loop structure to reinforce the fiber web, yarn layer, non-woven materials (such as plastic sheeting, plastic foil and etc.) or a combination thereof so as to form a nonwoven fabric

Dyeing

• the application of dyes or pigments on textile materials with the goal of achieving color with desired colorfastness.

• normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular chemical material.

• applied to the entire textile.

Printing

• color is applied to a localized area with desired patterns.

Piece Dyed Fabric

• dyeing is done in fabric stage that is after fabric is made with grey yarns

• For an example, a solid colored t-shirt is made of piece dyed fabric.

• Fabrics with solid or single color

• Color fastness is less than yarn dyed fabrics

• More cheaper

Yarn Dyed Fabric

• a fabric is woven using dyed yarns

• is done in sheet form or rope forms. 

• For an example – checks and stripes in shirting fabrics are yarn dyed fabric. 

• Color fastness is good

• color of the fabric does not fade away easily. 

• No color bleeding in yarn dyed fabrics

• More costly 

Printing

• a process of decorating textile fabrics by application of pigments, dyes, or other related materials in the form of patterns. 

• Although apparently developed from the hand painting of fabrics, such methods are also of great antiquity. 

• 4 main methods of textile printing 

• Block 

• Roller

• Screen

• heat transfer printing

Direct

• colored pastes are printed directly on the cloth. 

Discharge

• the cloth is first dyed with a background color, which is destroyed by reagents, or reducing agents, carried in a print paste. 

• This action may leave the discharged design white on a colored background, although print pastes may also contain coloring matters not destroyed by the discharging agent, producing a colored design. 

Resist

• the cloth is first printed with a substance 

• protecting these printed areas from accepting color. 

• When the cloth is dyed or pigment padded only those parts not printed with the resist are dyed. 

A special application of this technique, imparting plissé effects, is the printing of the fabric with a resist, followed by treatment with caustic soda.

Finish

• functional and aesthetic characteristics of the fabric achieved after all production and processing operations are complete.

Texture

• can range from soft to coarse 

Weight

• can range from light to heavy 

Firmness

• can range from soft to firm 

Colorfastness

• can range from weak to strong 

Various resistances

• (e.g., water, UV, fire, etc.)

• can range from low to high

Fabric wear rating 

• help to determine how strong or abrasion resistant a fabric is. 

• makes it easier to classify fabrics as being ideal for light, medium and heavy duty applications. 

• To make sure your fabric lasts as long as you want it to, it’s very important that you check the wear ratings before you purchase it. 

• A fabric’s abrasion resistance is usually measured using the Wyzenbeek or Martindale.

• Low wearing rating 

• shows signs of abrasion

• only suitable for sparsely used areas.

• High wearing rating

• extremely abrasion resistant 

• suitable for high traffic areas such as a living room. 

double rubs

Fabric wear rating is usually expressed in —

• Wyzenbeek Test (ASTM D4157) 

• the standard of measuring abrasion resistance for fabric in North America. 

• With this method, a piece of cotton or wire is placed on a special machine and rubbed against the fabric being tested in a back and forth motion along the warp and weft until signs of wear are present.

• measures back and forth abrasion

• Delicate Duty: 

• Less than 3,000 double rubs. Recommended for more decorative use as in curtains, drapes or pillows.

• Light Duty: 

3,000-9,000 double rubs. Usually better suited for formal or occasional use furniture.

• Medium Duty: 

• 9,000-15,000 double rubs. Versatile. Good for living or family rooms. 

• Heavy Duty: 

• 30,000+ double rubs. Ideal for living rooms, family rooms or heavily trafficked areas. 

• Contract Upholstery Minimum: 

15,000 double rubs is considered the minimum for general contract, commercial upholstery projects.

• Heavy Duty: 

• 15,000-30,000 double rubs. 

• Suitable for single shift offices, conference rooms, hotel rooms and dining areas.

• Extra-Heavy Duty: 

• 30,000+ double rubs. 

• Recommended for constant use as in hospital waiting areas, airport terminals, fast food restaurants, theaters and stadiums. 

Martindale

• (ASTM D4966) 

• an internationally recognized way to measure a fabric's abrasion resistance. 

• a special oscillating machine rubs the fabric in a rotating figure-eight pattern with a piece of worsted wool or a wire screen. 

• this test measures abrasion resistance in multiple directions. 

• One figure-eight is one cycle. 

• The results are shown as the number of cycles completed before the fabric starts to show wear and tear. 

• If two or more yarns break, the fabric pills, or holes form, these are counted as signs of wear.

• Light Use: 

Anything below 20,000 Martindale cycles

• General Use: 

• 20,000+ Martindale cycles 

• Heavy Duty Use: 

• 40,000+ Martindale cycles

• standard width of a fabric bolt

• from 35 inches to 108 inches. 

• average bolt 

• fall within the 40 to 60-inch range

• with specialty fabrics falling on the outer reaches of the range.

• width of the fabric or WOF

• distance between the outermost warp threads. 

• When you manufacture fabric on a loom, there are threads running in two directions, the warp and the weft. 

• If you think of the fabric like a large grid, the warp threads run top to bottom, and the weft threads run left to right. 

• usable width of the fabric

the measurement between the warp thread on the left edge to the warp thread on the right edge, minus any selvage.