They are made from polymers, extracted
from coal and oil.
Some synthetic fibres are
polyester, nylon or acrylic
Regenerated fibres
regenerated fibre is fibre that is
produced from raw materials that
form fibres naturally.
E.g wool pulp or cotten linter
Fibres are woven, kitted, felted or
bonded into fabrics
Woven Fabrics
Yarn strength: warp
yarns are stronger
compared to weft
Selvedge is
where the fabric
is double-back to
prevent fraying
Properties of fabrics
Cotton
Cool to wear
Very absorbent /
dries slowly
Soft handle
Good drape
Durable
Creases easily
Can be washed and
ironed
E.g jeans, t-shirts
and towels
Linen
Fresh and cool to wear
Very absorbent /
dries slowly
Stiffer handle
Good drape
Durable
Creases badly
Can be washed and
ironed
E.g summer clothing, tea
towels and table clothes
Wool
Warm to wear
Absorbent / dries slowly
Breathable / repels rain
Soft or coarse to handle
Can shrink, should be dry cleaned
Good drape
Not durable
Creases drop out
E.g jumpers, suits and
blankets
Silk
Warm to wear
Absorbent
Soft handle
Good lustre and drape
Durable
Creases drop out
Dry clean
E.g evening wear and ties
Polyester
E.g raincoats, fleece jackets,
children's nightwear,
medical textiles and working
clothes
Low warmth
Non-absorbent, dries quickly
Soft handle
Good drape
Easy care
very durable
Crease resistant
Can be recycled
Care Labels
What to include on a care label
Fibre content
(50% cotton
50% lycra)
Product details (size,
type, style)
Country of origin
(made in chine)
which
standards
the
products
meet
(faitrade)
Safety advice
(keep away
from fire)
Care
instructions
(how its
washed,
dried,
ironed etc)
Fabric finishes
Physical finishes
Brushing
Wire rollers brush the
surface of the fabric
Fabric has a
napped (raised)
surface and
handle is softer)
Embossing
Engraved rollers create
relief pattern on the fabric
Texture and
appearance change to
the pattern of
embossing
Calendering
Heavy rollers press the surface
of the fabric
Fabric is smoother and
has improved sheen
Pressing
Presses
smooth the
surface of
the fabric
There is
improved handle
and a smoother
surface. Pressing
is often on wool
fabrics
Shrinkage
Fabric is steamed and
placed over a vibrating
conveyor belt
This reduces further
shrinkage later (in use
and care)
Permanent creases
Fabric is moistened with
steam, then dried with
powerful drier's while
pressure is applied
Puts a permanent crease in centre front and
centre back of trouser legs. Handle of fabric is
not affected and ironing is easier
Chemical finishes
Water repellent
Silicone is
sprayed onto the
fabric surface
Droplets of water remain
on the surface; air can pass
through. This is not
waterproofing and fabric
will let water through if
saturated
Stain resistant
Stain-resistant resins are
applied to the surface of
the fabric (e.g. Teflon)
Dirt is prevented
from clinging to the
surface
Crease resistant
Resins are
applied to the
fabric
Fabric are crisper but
crease less
Flame Resistant
Chemicals are
applied to yarn and
fabric
This prevents fabrics
from easily igniting
Shrink Resistant
Fibre scales (found on wool)
are removed with chlorine,
or resins block the scales.
Shrinkage in washing is
reduced; used in wool products
Anti-Allergen
Chemicals such as Chitosan are
applied to the fibre or fabric
Reduces irritant from the fibres and doesn't
change the appearance or handle of the
fabric.
Decorative techniques
Dying
Tie dye
Tritik
Batik
Saturation
Fabric paints, crayons
Appliqué
Printing
Block
Stencils
Screen
Sublimation
Iron transfers
Machine and hand embroidery
Components
Buttons
Sequins and beads
Decorative trims
Fringe and tassels
Lace trims
Metal components
Zips
Seams and Hems
French seam are used
for delicate fabrics like
underwear
Flat-Felled seam used on jeans
or trousers to make the seam
stronger
Plain or open seam used for
prototypes as its easy to
unpick
Tuned hem which is
visible on the outside
of the garment
Blind hem is invisible an can be
hand sewn or machine stitched.
Ways of neatening a seam
Binding
Pinking shears
Over locker or
zig-zag stitch
Turned edges
Blanket stitch
Construction Techniques
Darts
A way of
shaping a
fabric to the
contours of
the body
Box Pleat
Fabric is
turned in
on itself.
Used to add
value
Knife Pleat
Fabric is folded in
the same direction
Gather
Used to add volume
and shape the
garment
Tacking Stitch
Used to hold two pieces
together temporarily. Use a
contrasting thread
Interfacing
Stiffen fabric, such
as the interfacing
used in shirt collars
Strengthen a certain
area of the fabric, for
instance where
buttonholes will be
seen
Keep fabrics from
stretching out of
shape.
Prototype
Definition = a prototype of
toile is a mock up of a
product.
It is usually produced from a
cheap fabric such as calico
(canvas). this will develop form
your design ideas and
specification. you will make a
prototype at full scale before
you make the final product.
How can you test a prototype?
Try it on
Safety Testing
Test the products
care e.g washing
the component
Checking it
against the
specification
Why would you test a prototype?
To check the
manufacturing
process
Size testing
Testing fitness
for purpose
Obtaining customer
feedback
What faults could you find out
from testing your prototype?
Incorrect size
or shape
Incorrect
seam
allowance
Faulty stitching
Accidental
damage - this
could be from the
machinery
What is quality assurance/control?
Quality assurance is all the
steps put in place through
design and manufacture to
ensure your product is the
best that it can be
How to write a specification
ACCESS FM
A - aesthetics (meaning appearance)
C - cost (meaning price range)
C - customer (meaning the person who
wants to buy it)
E - environment (meaning where
it is used and how eco-friendly it
is)
S - safety (meaning how
safe it is)
S - size (meaning how
big it is)
F - function
(meaning what
job it does)
M - materials
(meaning what
materials would you
need to make it)
Aesthetics,
cost,
customer,
environment,
safety, size,
function and
materials
Production methods
One-off production
In one-off production a single
product is designed and made to a
client's specification. Labour and
materials costs are high, and a high
level of design and manufacturing
skills are needed. E.g a wedding dress
Off the peg
A ready made garment in
standard sizes. One
standard size template
Sub assembly
A pre made
collection of
parts
Consistent
quality,
may be
fewer
faults
Speeds up
production
process
Specialist machinery
and specially trained
machinists can be used
in certain stages
Can be bought in
May be on a
separate line of
manufacture that
feeds into the
main production.
Batch Production
In batch production set qualities of a product are
manufactured to order. Batch production
requires a high level of design, pattern making
and sampling skills. materials are cost-effective
and manufacturing costs are lower than one-off
production. Garments are designed to fit a range
of standard sizes and shapes. the quantity varies
from a set of four cushions made by a
designer/maker to 20,000 jumpers made for a
department store.
Mass Production
Mass production is the industrial-scale
manufacture of large quantities of
products, usually on a production line.
Standardised production methods mean it
is suitable for products that rarely need
to be redesigned. Mass production is used
for products that are needed in very large
numbers, E.g socks
Ethical Textiles
Fair trade
A consumer label that
guarantees a stable
price for products and
a fair wage for
workers in less
developed countries.
Ethical trade
The buying and
selling of goods and
services from
businesses that are
morally and socially
responsible
Life cycle analysis
Looking at all the stages in
the life of a product in order to
find out information about
how it is made, used and
disposed of.
Landfill site
A large excavated area
where rubbish is dumped,
and then covered with
earth once full.
Sustainability
Why should we use sustainable design?
A better quality of life for us all
Cleaner environment
Waste less
Pollute less
Create fun ideas and
products for society
Looking
after our
planet
Re = THINKING
Concerns
for Global
Climate
Change
The 6 R's
Repair
When a product
breaks down or
doesn't work
properly try to fix it.
Reuse
Use a product to make
something else with all or
parts of old products
Rethink
Do we make too many
products? Design in a way that
considers people and the
environment
Reduce
Cut down the
amount of material
and energy you use as
much as you can
Refuse
Don't use a material or
buy a product if you
don't need it or if it is
bad for the
environment or people
Recycle
Reprocess a product or
material to make
something else
Environment issues
We use
energy in
everything
we do
The product of textile
products adds to pollution
in manufacture,
distribution and use
Energy used in
making textile
products creates CO"
and contributes to
global warming.
Global warming
When we
burn fossil
fuels (coal,
oil, gas,
petrol and
diesel),
carbon
dioxide is
released.
This carbon dioxide
traps the sun's heat in
the atmosphere
leading to an increase
in temperatures
The more products we
want, the more energy we
use to produce and
transport them. So we
produce more CO".
It has been
calculated that if
everyone on
earth lived the
lifestyle of
people in
developed
nations then we
would need at
least 3 planets to
meet our needs.
What has this got to do with textiles?
The desire to be 'in
fashion' creates a vast
market for new
products. People buy
new clothes because
they want them, not
because they really
need them. in
developing countries we
only actually wear
about 20% of the
clothes we own, the
rest remain at the back
of our wardrobes
70% of the world's
population has no access
to new clothing
New products use up
huge resources of raw
materials and energy
in their design,
manufacture,
distribution, sale and
use.
The manufacturing of
synthetic fibres such as
polyester and nylon uses
up oil and creates toxic
pollutants
Cleaning fibres, dyeing,
bleaching and finishing
fabrics requires vast
quantities of water and
energy and often
causes pollution from
chemicals used.
Transporting raw materials and
components to factories, and finished
goods to shops, adds to global warming
through the CO" emissions of vehicles
How can you help?
Wash at 30c to reduce energy requirements
and CO" emissions. Doing this could help
prevent the effect of global warming.
Why not fur?
Cruel to animals
Threat to
endangered species
Unethical
Interruption of
natural foo
chain
Animal rights
Opposition to
hunting
CAD & CAM
CAM
Machines and processes
that are controlled and
programmed by
computers to do a whole
range of product
processes.
Advantages
The
results
are
consistent
(always
the same)
Enables very high
accuracy levels.
Speeds up
production
of
products
Complicated
shapes can be
cut more
easily by
machine than
by hand
Quick
changes/modifications
Disadvantages
The
software
itself is
expensive
so initial
costs are
high.
Staff need to be trained
how to use the software
and machinery, which adds
to costs.
Can be complicated -
scared of ICT!
CAD
There are systems for creating,
modifying and communicating ideas
for a product.
It includes the computer
aided design of the pattern
pieces and lay plan for a
product too.
Laser Cutter
Used
lots in
schools
Accurate and
detailed designs
Can be used to cut -
sheet plastic, wood,
fabric, metals and
paper