1.6.6

Textiles

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Textiles: Fibres

Textiles are categorised into several types: plant-based natural fibres, animal-based natural fibres, synthetic fibres, blended and mixed fibres, woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, and knitted textiles.

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Plant-based natural fibres

  • Plant-based natural fibres have the following characteristics:
    • These plant fibres can be spun together to make yarn.
    • Fabrics are extracted from plant-based materials that are renewable but take a long time to grow.
    • The most common type is cotton.
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Animal-based natural fibres

  • Animal-based natural fibres have the following characteristics:
    • These animal-based fibres can be spun together to make yarn.
    • Fabrics are taken from animal-based materials that are renewable but take a long time to extract.
    • The most common type is wool and silk.
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Synthetic fibres

  • Synthetic fibres have the following characteristics:
    • Synthetic fibres are readily available and easy to maintain.
    • Synthetic fibres are durable and have a high resistance to wear and tear.
    • Synthetic fibres absorb very little water and dry very quickly.
    • Synthetic fibres can be very lightweight and wrinkle resistant.
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Blended and mixed fibres

  • Blended and mixed fibres have the following characteristics:
    • Blended fabrics are created by combining one or more fibres together to make a new fabric.
    • They tend to be easy to clean, care for and comfortable.
    • Common examples include polyester/cotton and Nylon/wool.

Textiles: Weave

Textiles are categorised into several types: plant-based natural fibres, animal-based natural fibres, synthetic fibres, blended and mixed fibres, woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, and knitted textiles.

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Woven textiles

  • Woven textiles have the following characteristics:
    • Woven textiles are produced by weaving yarn a technique that dates back thousands of years.
    • There are many types of woven textiles the most common being plain weave.
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Woven textiles cont.

  • The woven cloth are made up of two sets of thread woven 90 degrees to each:
    • The warp threads run horizontally the length of the fabric.
    • The weft runs across the fabric from selvedge to selvedge.
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Non-woven textiles

  • Non-woven textiles have the following characteristics:
    • Non-woven textiles are made directly from fibres without being spun into yarns.
    • These fabrics tend to be bonded together from a web of fibres held together with heat or adhesive.
    • Non-woven textiles can be given special properties to make them heat resistant.
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Examples of non-woven textiles

  • Common examples of non-woven textiles are:
    • Surgeon’s garments.
    • Dishcloths.
    • Crime scene investigator overalls.
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Knitted textiles

  • Knitted textiles have the following characteristics:
    • Knitted textiles is a traditional technique that has been used for hundreds of years and incorporates interlocking yarn loops to make a fabric.
    • There are two types of knitted fabric called warp and weft knit.
    • Knitting can be done by machine or by hand.
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Weft and warp knitting

  • Weft knitting fabrics are made by hand or by machine and tend to be quite stretchy due to the loose knitted yarns.
  • Warp knitting fabrics are made by hand or machine and tend to be more complex in shape due to the interlocking yarns.
  • They tend to be less stretchy and hold their shape for longer.

Jump to other topics

1Core Technical Principles

2Paper & Board: Specialist Technical Principles

3Timber: Specialist Technical Principles

4Metal: Specialist Technical Principles

5Polymers: Specialist Technical Principles

6Textiles: Specialist Technical Principles

7Designing & Making Principles

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