Textile Finishing Processes Quiz

Pre and Post Treatment on Fabrics

• Textile finishing is a process that prepares manufactured textiles for consumers, enhancing surface appearance and adding other desirable qualities.
• To achieve desired functional properties, the fiber or fabric is subjected to physical and chemical treatments.
• An example is a "wash and wear" finish, which makes a cotton fabric crease-free or wrinkle-resistant.

Textile Finishes - Types

• Mechanical Finishing: These methods use physical principles like friction, temperature, pressure, and tension.

  • Calendering: Passing cloth between rollers under controlled heat and pressure to create textures like smooth, supple, compact, flat, and glazed.
  • Compacting: Employing heat and pressure to shrink man-made fibers and knitted fabrics, producing a crepe or bulky texture.
  • Embossing: A calendering process, using a heated metal bowl engraved with a pattern, to create raised patterns on fabric.
  • Sueding: Abrading fabric on one or both sides to create a fibrous surface, improving appearance, giving a softer hand, and masking construction flaws.
  • Raising/Napping: Raising fibers on the fabric's surface using teasels or rollers, creating warmth, a softer hand, and a more compact feel. This is often seen in blankets and flannels.
  • Shearing: Removing loose threads to improve fabric finish.
  • Decatizing: A process to set fibers, enhancing luster and improving hand feel, often involving hot water or steam.
  • Wool Glazing: Finishing wool fabrics after raising, using a special machine for finishing and functional outcomes.
  • Sanforizing: Controlling fabric shrinkage using a sanforizer to achieve optimal dimensional stability.

• Chemical Finishing: These use chemicals to change fabric properties.

  • Softening: Improving fabric softness, considering the substrate's properties.
  • Elastomeric Finish: Enhancing elasticity, specifically crucial for knitwear (achieved with silicone-based products). Fabric should regain shape after being stretched.
  • Crease Resistant: Applied to easily wrinkled fabrics (like cotton, linen, rayon) to prevent wrinkling and maintain creases/pleats.
  • Flame Retardant: Applied to combustible fabrics (children's sleepwear, carpets) to prevent highly flammable textiles from bursting into flames.
  • Anti-pilling: Reducing the formation of tangled fibers and 'pills' on fabrics.
  • Stain and Soil Resistant: Preventing soil and stains; resistant to oily or water-born soil.
  • Waterproof: Keeps water from penetrating, but can be uncomfortable as it traps moisture next to the body.
  • Anti-static: Reducing static electricity accumulation.
  • Antibacterial: Applying antimicrobial agents to the textile to prevent growth of micro-organisms.
  • UV Protection: Protects skin from UV radiation, usually by deflecting UV rays.
  • Color Fastness Improvement: Resistance to color change or transfer .

Textile Finish Requirements & Factors

• Must be suitable for all fiber types and suitable intended use.
• Should have desired durability for intended use.
• Cannot negatively affect fabric's look, feel, strength, comfort, or abrasion resistance
• No yellowing of white fabric.
• No changes to fabric color (if already dyed or printed).
• Easy application/removal, with good storage and shelf life.
• Compatible with other components, if necessary.
• Easily correctable if applied incorrectly.
• Sustainable (doesn't harm the environment).

Fabric Printing

• Textile Printing: Applies color to fabrics in defined designs or patterns. The color bonds with the fiber, making it resistant to washing and friction.
• Digital Textile Printing: Uses direct-to-garment or DTG technology, specialized/modified inkjet technology for printing on textiles and garments.
• Heat Transfer: Uses heat to transfer an image from a wax sheet (or dye) to a garment/object
• Sublimation Printing: A digital printing process using heat, pressure, and time to transfer dye onto different materials. The inks turn into a gas and the fabric absorbs them creating a permanent and vibrant print.
• Rotary Printing: A continuous method using a perforated cylindrical screen and colored pigment/dye to print on fabrics.
• Screen Printing: Ink is forced through a mesh screen on a surface; blocking certain areas to create a stencil and printed design.
• Block Printing: Uses engraved wooden blocks to create patterns on fabrics.

Test your knowledge on textile finishing processes, including the various physical and chemical treatments used to enhance fabric properties. Learn about mechanical finishing techniques like calendering, compacting, embossing, and sueding. Discover how these methods improve the appearance and functionality of textiles.