Fibres and textiles

• Made from animal fleece
• Made of protein molecules
• Produce short fibre or staple with a crimp or kink which, with the scales on the fibre, traps air, creating warmth.
• The first step in making wool fabric is shearing it from sheep, then its quality is checked and it is prepared for spinning.
• May be soft or course depending on the sheep breed.
• Examples applications:
  • Coats, jumpers, suits, blankets, carpets and upholstery.
  • Grey faced Dartmoor wool is suitable for carpet and rug making, while Merino is suitable for fine knitted jumpers.
• ADVANTAGES: Warm, absorbent, breathable, durable, repels rain, hangs well and creases drop out.
• DISADVANTAGES: Dries slowly, susceptible to moth attack, can feel itchy, washes poorly, can shrink and heavy when wet.

• 'Bolls', the fruit cotton plant's fruit are machine-harvested.
• Saw teeth remove waste from the seed pod and the resulting fibre is called lint.
• Cellulose makes the fibre strong, durable and absorbent.
• As the cotton fibres dry they form interlocking flat, twisted, ribbon-like shapes, ideal for spinning.
• Example applications:
  • Towels, denim, socks, underwear, T-shirts and bedding
  • Short fibres make bandages and insulation
• ADVANTAGES: Cool, absorbent, soft, resists abrasion, withstands frequent washing at high temperature, good drape, durable, does not stain easily, static and cling resistant, available in various weights, can be ironed at high temperatures and good colour retention.
• DISADVANTAGES: Creases easily, burns, shrinks and dries slowly.

• Polyester is a synthetic fiber derived from coal, air, water, and petroleum. Polyester fibres are formed from a chemical reaction between an acid and alcohol.
• Simple chemical molecules (monomers - a molecule that can be bonded to similar molecules to form long chains) are joined to form polymers by polymerisation.
• The polymer chains are spun into a yarn.
• Example application:
  • Raincoats, fleece jackets, children's nightwear, medical textiles and working clothing.
• ADVANTAGES: Strong when wet or dry, dries quickly, resistant to abrasion, soft, hangs well, crease and stain resistant, easy care, can be recycled and resist bacteria.
• DISADVANTAGES: Damaged by acids, low warmth, poor absorbency, does not breathe and not environmentally friendly.

• Formed by polymerisation of at least 85% acrylonitrile or vinyl cyanide
• The double bond between the first two carbon atoms is broken and the molecules join in a chain.
• Example application:
  • Imitation wool knitwear, upholstery fabrics, sportswear, fleece jackets and blankets.
• Acrylic can either be wet or dry spun. They use solvents to dissolve the polymer and then solidify them for their spinning process.
• ADVANTAGES: Warm, dries quickly, good drape, durable, crease resistant and easy care.
• DISADVANTAGES: Poor absorbency, feels stiff and can irritate skin.

• Weft knitting is the most common type of knitting, it is the process of making a fabric by forming a series of connected loops in a horizontal or filling-wise direction.
• It can be produced on both flat and circular knitting machines or by hand.

Uses:

• Tailored garments, like jackets, suits, or sheath dresses are made from weft knitting.
• Interlock knit stitch is wonderful for making T-shirts, turtlenecks, casual skirts, dresses and children's wear.
• Seamless hosiery, knitted in tubular form, is produced by circular knitting machines.
• Circular knitting is also used for the production of fabrics used in sports having high stretch ability and also dimensional stability.
• Knitted hats and scarves are used in the winter season are made through weft knitting.
• Industrially, metal wire is also knitted into a metal fabric for a wide range of uses including the filter material in cafeterias, catalytic converters for cars and many other uses.

Advantages

• Stretchy, comfortable, fast production

Disadvantages

• Ladders easily

• Warp knitting is the process of making a fabric with a machine by forming the loops in a vertical or warp-wise direction; the yarn is prepared as warp on beams with one or more yarns for each needle.
• The fabric has a flatter, closer, less elastic knit than weft knit and is very often run resistant.

Uses:

• Tricot knit a type of warp knitting is used in the making of light weight fabrics usually inner wear like panties, brassieres, camisoles, girdles, sleepwear, hook & eye tape, etc.
• In apparel warp knitting is used for making sportswear lining, track suits, leisure wear and safety reflective vests.
• In household warp knitting is used for making mattress stitch-in fabrics, furnishing, laundry bags, mosquito nets and aquarium fish nets.
• The inner linings and inner sole linings of sports and industrial safety shoes are made from warp knitting.
• Car cushion, head rest lining, sun shades and lining for motorbike helmets are being made from warp knitting.
• For industrial uses PVC/PU backing, production masks, caps and gloves (for the electronic industry) are also made from warp knitting.
• Fabrics for printing and advertising are also produced from warp knitting.
• The warp knitting process is also being used for the production of bio-textiles. For example, a warp knitted polyester cardiac support device has been created to attempt to limit the growth of diseased heart by being installed tightly around the heart.

Advantages

• Fairly stretchy, retains heat, does not unravel

Disadvantages

• Can lose shape, curls at edges

• Depends on the choice of fibres and fabrics, and the user's activities and size.