Textile Fibers and Fabrics Guide PDF

**Wool** - Long fibers are used in worsted fabrics. - Durable with moderate abrasion resistance. - Resists wetting but slow to dry. - Resilient and resists wrinkling. - Attacked by moths. - Poor conductor of heat, good insulator. **Silk** - Natural protein fiber from moth larva...

**Wool** - Long fibers are used in worsted fabrics. - Durable with moderate abrasion resistance. - Resists wetting but slow to dry. - Resilient and resists wrinkling. - Attacked by moths. - Poor conductor of heat, good insulator. **Silk** - Natural protein fiber from moth larvae. - Luxury fiber with inherent luster. - Only natural filament fiber. - Good moisture absorption and drape. - High strength for a protein fiber. - Sericulture is the production of silk. - One silkworm yields about 1000 yards of filament. - Staple silk is less valuable. - Silk noils are less expensive and lower quality. - Fiber is solid, smooth, with irregular diameter and triangular cross-section. - Strongest natural fiber but loses strength when wet. - Avoid direct sunlight. **Man-Made Fibers** - Cellulose-based (wood pulp): Rayon - Synthetic (petroleum-based): Nylon - Three spinning process steps: - Preparing a viscous dope. - Forcing dope through a spinneret. - Solidifying the fiber. - Generic vs. Trademark: - Spandex vs. Lycra - Lyocell vs. Tencel - Two categories: - Regenerated cellulosic - Synthetic/thermoplastic **Regenerated Cellulosic Fibers** - Rayon: - First man-made fiber (\"Artificial silk\"). - Highly absorbent, soft, weak (weaker when wet). - Lyocell: - Newer fiber (Tencel). - Properties like cotton. - Acetate: - Thermoplastic. - Silk-like appearance. - Weak fiber when wet or dry. **Synthetic/Thermoplastic Fibers** - Common properties: - Heat sensitive. - Chemical resistant. - Low moisture absorbency. - Electrostatic, Pilling, Oleophilic. - Nylon: - First synthetic fiber (DuPont, 1939). - Durable, elastic, low moisture absorption, color scavenger, abrasion-resistant. - Polyester: - Most consumed fiber. - Variable strength and elasticity, low moisture absorption, low heat resistance. - Blends well, \"wash and wear.\" - Recycled polyester is stronger. - Olefin: - Waxy feel, same strength wet and dry. - Wicking ability. - Acrylic: - Imitates wool, warm, pills easily. **Special Use Man-Made Fibers** - Elastomeric fibers: - High elongation (400-800%) and recovery. - Rubber: - Natural or synthetic. - Excellent elongation and recovery. - Spandex: - \"Lycra\" (DuPont). - Resistant to body oils, perspiration, durable. **Yarns** - Yarn is a strand of textile fibers used for knitting or weaving. - Two types: - Spun yarns (staple fibers) - Filament yarns (continuous filaments) **Yarn Size** - Cotton count: - Indirect system (higher number = finer yarn). - Based on hanks (1 hank = 840 yards). - Denier: - Direct system (higher number = larger yarn). - Weight in grams of 9000 meters. - Tex system: - Direct system - Weight in grams of 1000 meters **Yarn Twist** - Twist binds fibers, adds strength. - TPI (Twist per inch). - Loose twist: Warmth. - High twist: Durability. - Crepe twist yarns: High twist for unique fabric hand. - Direction of Twist: S and Z twist. **Filament Yarns** - Long, continuous filaments. - Smooth filament yarns: Uniform, high luster, no protruding ends. - Monofilament yarns: Single coarse filament, low melting rate. - Bulk Yarns (BCF): Bulked continuous fibers for natural appearance. **Spun Yarns** - Staple fibers held by twist. - Protruding fiber ends, comfortable. - Ring spinning: Standard for spun yarns. - Process: Fiber opening, carding, combing, roving, drawing, spinning. - Combing removes shorter fibers for higher quality. - Drawing combines slivers. **Important Industry Organizations** - NCTO: Represents the U.S. textile industry. - AATCC: Develops test methods for textile quality control. - ISO: Sets standards for textiles, raw materials, and testing. **Trade Publications** - Textile World: Trade and policy information. - Nonwovens Industry Magazine: Global nonwovens industry. - Fibre2fashion: B2B for the textile complex. - Eco Textile News: Environmental magazine for the textile supply chain. **Textile Trade Shows** - Première Vision New York: Fabrics, leather, accessories. - International Textile Alliance: Fabric, leather, trim presentations. - Interwoven: Home textiles, accessories. - The price of fuel affects the price of textiles  - Petrochemicals- Man made fibers   - Fertilizers pesticides- natural fibers  - Staple fibers- Short fibers, measured in inches or centimeters  - Filament fibers- Long fiber, measured in yard, meter and kilometers    - Four main natural fibers:  1. Cotton  2. Flax (linen)  3. Wool  4. Silk  - First man-made fiber: Rayon  - Making man-made fibers is very capital intensive. It takes lots of money, equipment, and labor.  - Have some control over the fiber when its man-made  - Major fibers; large companies  - Smaller companies developing niche fibers  - Fruit of the loom, inc. (Located in Bowling Green, Kentucky).  - Sustainable Fabric makers:  1. Makers Row  2. Wazoodle  3. Hemp Fortex  4. ZS fabrics  5. Organic fabric company  - Making yarn from fibers  - Spun yarn from staple fibers  - filament yarn from filament fibers  - Can be dyed at fiber or yarn stage    Fabric manufacturing   - Producing flat pr circular textile            - Woven   -Knit  -Non-woven   - Dyeing and finishing often occur at this level    - Most companies specialize in one category of product  - For example, knits at lower price point or wovens at a higher price point  - Dyeing and finishing also occur at this level    - Three major end-uses for textile producers  - -Home furnishings  - -Apparel  - -Industrial fabrics (seatbelts)    - Retail- link between manufacturer and consumer  - Wide variety of retailers  - Much more e-commerce    - You and  I are the end consumer  - The government is the largest consumer  - You have to find out what the consumers want, or product will not sell    - In the US \$170 is the average people spend on clothes per month  - In 2023 their was a 5% increase from 2021 ( This was after covid and people were going back to work)  - The amount spent on clothing has increased for three years in a row  - The amount spent on clothing varies by generation ( Gen Z spends 1,200 per years on clothing and services)  - US biggest trading partner for apparel goods is China followed by Vietnam  - China exports the most textiles and finished goods than any other country.  - Americas biggest trading partners are Canada and Mexico.  - America has a highly productive workforce.  - The US has no required paid vacation    Textile complex:  - Lots of changes in manufacturing jobs  - Decline in manufacturing because of new equipment  - The US apparel manufacturing industry had a 90% fewer employees in 2020 vs. 1990   - Over the years many jobs have been outsources to less expensive labor markets  - America represents 3% of manufacturing  - Textiles, apparel, retail, Etc.  - The home furnishing job sector has grown  - America purchases approx. 20 billion garments a year ( About 70 garments per person).  - We purchase more now because of fast fashion which is made worse by ecommerce  - The amount Americans spend on apparel has lowered.    Early developments of U.S textile industry.  - When the pilgrims came to America they encouraged other colonists to bring sheep. To help keep warm.  - They were eager to produce their own fabric and reduce dependance on England.  - England thought colonist should be supplying them with goods.  - Two agricultural products that the Brits were interested in growing well in America  1. Tobacco   2. Cotton  - After the revolution wool, cotton, and flax production grew.  - Flax was very popular it was more affordable  - The first congress put tariff on cotton to protect American production.  - A Tariff is a tax on imported goods.  - Imports - Goods or services bought from other countries  - Exports- Goods or services sold to other countries.  - If we have a weak dollar it makes our products look more interesting and they are cheaper.  - If we have a strong dollar we can purchase more from others.  - Embargo- Complete ban of imports or exports to one country (Like Cuba)      Key developments in production  - In 1789 Samiel slater brought plans for cotton mill to America.  - He moved his family to America and his mill opened in 1791 in Rhode island.  - The spinning Jenny was invented  - A multi-spindle spinning frame.  - It was invented by James Hargraves in 1764  - Greatly reduced amount of work needed   - In 1795 Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin.  - In 1813 Francis Cabot Lowell made a functional power loom.  - In 1847 more people were employed in textile mills than any other industry.  - Migrants became a larger source of labor.    - People say we are going to see a growth in natural fiber production.  - Natural fibers are better for the environment. ( leather and fur amongst other natural fibers break down)  - Man made fibers do not break down    War of 1812  - Placed new demand on U.S textile industry because of British embargoes.  - Large growth at this time, we had to become much more reliant on ourselves.  - Brits dumped cheap cotton on the market.  - They were selling cotton for less than its worth to undermine the American cotton industry.    Shifts from farms to mill towns  - Workers migrated from farm towns to towns with textile mills which allowed them to make cash wages.  - This began to change, in New England, from a rural society to an urban industrial society.  - The textile industry changed the employment of women.  - Women could now make their own money and have some independence.  - Spinning mills modeled after English factory system.  - U.S leaders wanted to avoid duplicating the horrors of English factory system.  - Many mill owners built boarding houses and dormitories and staffed with matrons who supervised the young women workers.  - The women were closely monitored.  - Typical factory day:  Rise at 4:30 am   Work till 7pm  Two half-hour meal breaks  - Often sent most money they made back home.  - Even though America was trying to avoid English factory conditions, abuses occurred.  - Farm workers were used to working all day.  - So they didn't have a lot of sympathy for factory workers.  - In 1845, an early union was formed (Lowell Female labor Reform Association).  - By 1853, the workday was shortened to 11 hours.    Basic economies & political systems  - An economy is the sum of all we produce and all we consume.  - An economic system is the way of organizing the production od goods and services that people want and distributing the products to the end consumer.  - An economic system determines how things are allocated ( How much of something is produced bought or sold)  - Control of economic activity and ownership of factory productions    Market directed system  - In a market-directed system consumers have the opportunity to make the choices they wish from an assortment of goods and services at any given time.  - Its individual ownership who is determining this not the government  - Firms have the freedom to respond to consumer demand in ways that are beneficial to them.  - Also firms can try to stimulate consumer demand.  - Price becomes regulator of supply and demand.  - This system rewards companies that sell the most product and respond best to consumer desires  - Perfect market-directed economies do not exist.              - The middle class including merchants and manufacturers, became bigger and more prosperous from the beginning od the 19th century  - The upper class was more powerful economically and politically.  - At the beginning pf the 19th century, cotton relatively minor industry  - It was the leading manufacturing industry by the beginning of the civil war  - Between 1820 and 1930 approx. 62 million people immigrated to the U.S.  - Many immigrants from Europe  - Important labor supply for textile mills and later garment production.  - The emergence of isolationism and nationalism began particularly after ww1  - As a result we became more interested protecting  markets from imports by imposing quotas, tariffs, ect  - Other countries responded by imposing their own trade restrictions  - International trade was already greatly divided before WWI and further divided by war  - The world between war ISOLATIONISM  - Isolationism- A policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interest of other  groups especially the political affairs of other countries.  Causes for isolationism  - Many resented participation in WWI and loss of life  - Cost of war \$\$\$  - Treaty of Versailles and League of nations (New president) ( Wilson had promised to stay out of war)  - Told Germany to pay reparations but that didn't go well. Led Germany to high inflation.  - The U.S has previously surpassed Great Britain as worlds leading manufacture.  - Trade became more volatile  - During the Great Depression textile trade slumped.  - The first half of the 20th century international trade actually declined.  - Also, very strong competition had emerged in the same time frame.  - Japan had become a leading exporter if cotton textile products.  - In the 1930\'s Britian, the U.S and other countries passed protective measures against Japan textile products.  - Japan was one of the first countries to come out of the Great Depression.    Early Years after WWII  - US had the advantage after WWII  - Our manufacturing complex was still completely intact   - U.S textile & apparel producers were so confident they provided technical assistance to Japanese industry.  - Japan recovered really quickly.  - By 1953, Japan exported more textile and apparel than either U.S or Great Britian.  - Imports were less than 1% of U.S textile consumption buy textile companies were worried.  - Increase trade brought growing concerns about protecting domestic markets.  - Leaders in major trading countries initiated two efforts right after WWII    Establishment of the international Monetary Fund (IMF)  - Establish rules by which exchange rates between currencies could be determined  - Until that time, governments could manipulate the value of currency.  - Foster economic growth and high levels of employment.  - Provide temporary financial assistance to countries to help ease payments.  - Ensure the stability of the International money system.       Establishment of GATT ( General agreement on tariffs and trade)  - GATT was established in 1947.  - Its primary goal was to promote unrestricted trade especially through reduction of tariffs.  - Basically it was just a set of rules on how to conduct international trade.  - You had to be a member   - The world changed a great deal from the 1940\'s to the 1960\'s  - There was big growth in international trade.  - U.S began importing a lot of goods textile apparel products, particularly from Japan and Hong Kong.  - Many European countries were not following GATT guidelines causing a great deal of U.S frustration.    The MFA (Multifiber arrangement)  - The MFA regulated world trade in apparel and textiles from 1974 to 19994  - It expired January 1, 2005  - The MFA was important it set up boundaries with quota and tariffs for developed countries to do business With developing countries.    Why MFA was needed  1. Major technological changes development & increased usage of manufactured fibers in the 70\'s  2. Economic change- Growing number of developing countries began to produce and export textile products  3. Trade openness.  - The MFA was an umbrella agreement   - You only conducted bi-lateral agreement. Every country had to be negotiated separately.            World trade Organization  - January 1, 1995, The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established  - Currently WTO has over 160 members representing 98 percent of world trade. Over 20 countries are looking to join WTO.    WTO objectives  - Administrative trade agreements.  - Acting as a forum for trade negotiations  - Settling trade disputes  - Reviewing national trade polices  - Cooperating with international organizations  - Assist devolving countries in writing trade policy\'s        NAFTA- North American Free Trade Agreement  - Signed in 1992 ratified in 1993  - Reduced trading cost increase business investments and  helped north America become more competitive in the global marketplace  - All tariffs were eliminated January 2008  - Between 1993 and 2009 trade tripled from 297 billon to 1.6 million  - Was renegotiated to USMCA  - Became in effect for all countries on July 1 2020  - Creating a more level playing field for American workers especially in manufacturing.  - New protection for US intellectual property  - Strengthen food and agricultural trade.        DR-CAFTA (Dominican republic- central America free trade agreement)  - Signed into law on June 30 2005, in US  - DR  - Costa Rica  - 1st went into effect in 2006  - The agreement removes trade barriers between the U.S and these countries   - Poor nations   - Fear of losing American jobs   - Fear that the labor rights provisions were too weak  CPTPP  - In Jan 2018 1 country in the TPP started working on revised TPP that's now called CPTPP  - The group represents approx. 13.4% of global   - It included the highest and most detailed standards for intellectual property of any trade agreement.  - Specific benefits vary greatly from country to country.  - It includes the 10 members of the association of Southeast Asian nations Plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.  - The new free trade zone will be bigger than both the US-Mexico-Canada agreement and the   - India was also part of the negotiations but pulled out over concerns that lower tariffs could hurt local producers.  - RCEP is expected to eliminate a range of tariffs on imports within 20 years.  - Members of RCEP make up almost one-third of the worlds population and represent almost 30% of global gross domestic product  - Trade will be bigger than USMCA and EU combined largest trading block in history.  U.S. Textile & Apparel Industries Within the Global Economy  - Internation trade has always had some impact on the US textile and apparel industry  - Now er are much more global economy so can focus on just the US market  - Reasons for shift:  1. Sustained economic growth since WWII  - World trade has increased by 45% since 1950  - In general consumers had more money to spend  - Fewer restrictions on international trade   - Long run decline in tariffs  2. The movement of many developing countries toward varying staged of economic development.  - Many developing countries trying to improve their economic status  - Apparel production is often attractive as an exporting country  - Usually developing countries have a surplus of low-cost labor  3. Increased global Communications  - Advanced in communication technology have reduced the time & distance demands of international trade.  - The web, Video conferencing, etc. has made conduction business much easier.  4. Easy access to most parts of the world through improved transportation system  - Transportation systems have improved drastically in the last 70 years  - As a result of these improvements product developers and buyers can travel much easier.  5. Intuitional arrangements on the part of business and government   - Institutional arrangements facilitate both exchange of goods and services and transfer of payment for those goods and services.  - Conversions of currencies  - Procedures for clearing shipments from one country to another particularly the forming of the European union.(EU)  Highlighted terms are test terms  - A number of companies are also horizontally integrated  - Horizontal integration- happens when a firm expands into production  - Yarn processing  - Yarn spinning   - Fabric production  - Fabric finishing  What products use textiles:  - Fashion and clothing  - Technical  - Household  Serviceability concept of textiles  - Serviceability-describes the measure of a textile products ability to meet a consumers needs  - Must understand target market and relating target market needs to produce serviceability.  - Aesthetics - Appearance or attractiveness of a textile product  - Is it pleasing or appropriate for its end use?  - Does it make the right statement for target market  - Durability- How product withstands use  - Length of time suitable for end use \-- strength.  - Will the consumer be satisfied with the durability?  - Comfort & safety- How well does it interact with the environment  - Is it comfortable while you\'re wearing it?  - Comfort depends on your target market and occasion  - Safety - Will it protect your body from harm  - Is it safe to wear?  - Is it safe to store  - Appearance retention  - How will a product retain its appearance during wear and use?  - How long will it retains its new look?  - Resistance to soiling, shrinkage, abrasion, piling, snagging, etc.  - Care  - Treatment needed to maintain original appearance and cleanliness.  - Recommended care procedure?  - Cost and frequency of care process  - Target market preference?  - Environmental impact  - Effect on the environment of production, use, care, and disposal of textile products.  - Sustainability - Typically describes practices and polices that reduce environmental pollutions and do not exploit people or natural resources  - Life cycle impact of products  - Not exploiting laborers  - Cost   - Original cost to purchase.  - Maintenance cost- cleaning, pressing, etc.  - Disposal cost  - Reasonable for the product (is the cost reasonable for the care required)  - Importance of cost to consumer  - Fiber  - Smallest component of a textile fabric  - Base unit of a textile structure  - Fiber vs. Fabric  - Textile fibers are at least 100 times longer than the diameter (wider)  - Textile fibers need to be flexible, strong, elastic, and durable  - Textile fibers can be classified as natural or man-made  - Most frequently, textile fibers are spun into yarn, which is then woven or knitted into fabric.  - The properties of textile fibers are the major determinant of the characteristic and performance of a finished fabric  - Fiber properties  - Length- Fibers come in two lengths  1. Staple fibers- short fibers measured in inches and centimeters  2. Filament fibers- Long fibers measured in yards, meter, kilometers, etc.  - Luster  - Refers to the light reflected from a surface  - Increased light reflection occurs from a smoother surface, less crimp, flatter cross-sectional shape.  - Matte or dull fabrics reflect little light and used more frequently for less formal look  - Shiny (Bright) fibers/fabric reflect lots of light  - Luster of man made fibers can be varied during manufacturing  - Yarn structure, finish, and fabric structure can enhance or decrease luster  - Hand  - Is the way the fabric feels to the touch  - Textile characteristics  - Often times bought by preference  - Physical shape  - The shape of fiber covers cross-section, surface contour, irregularities, and the average length or textile fibers  - Drape  - A fabric characteristics is the was a fabric falls over a 3D form like a body of table  - Pilling  - Formation of balls of fiber on the surface of a fabric  - Aesthetically unpleasing  - Abrasion resistance   - When a fiber is worn out or damaged when being rubbed against another surface, then it is referred to as abrasion,  - Fiber properties-Elongation  - Ability of a fiber to be stretched or extended  - Elasticity  - Elasticity is the ability of the fiber to stretch and return to its original shape  - Resiliency  - Ability of a fiber to return to its original shape after bending, twisting, compression  - Impacts wrinkle recovery, crush resistance, appearance, care  - Strength  - Indicates the resistance sustained by fibers the yarns or the fabric to break when force is applied to them  - Typically denote as either \"tensile strength\" or Tenacity when referring to textiles  - Flexibility  - Capability of fiber to bend easily and repeatedly without breaking  - Drape  - Comfort  - Thermoplasticity   - Describes a fibers sensitivity to heat  - Fibers that melt or glaze at relatively low temperature are considered thermoplastic  - Heat Conductivity  - How well a material conducts heat  - The lower the rate of conductivity the better insulator the fiber  - Moisture absorbency  - The ability of fiber to take in moisture   - Hydrophilic- Water loving fibers  - Hydrophobic-water fearing fibers  - Wicking  - The ability of a fiber to transfer moisture along its length.  -   Fibers  2 primary divisions  1. Natural  2. Manmade    Natural fibers  - Have been used for a long time   - Once they were the only fibers we had until the 20th century  - Where do Natural fibers come from?  - Protein fibers- Animals (wool or silk)  - Cellulose fibers- Plans ( Cotton or flax or ramie)  - Characteristic common to natural cellulosic fibers  - Good absorbency  - Good conductor or heat  - Stronger when wet  - Low resiliency (wrinkle easily)  - Flammable  - Heavy dense fibers  Cellulose fibers  - Cotton   -  the most important fiber in the world  - Its a cash crop for so many countries  - Requires specific climate to cultivate  - Used for textiles since before 5,000 BC  - Long staple fiber (up to 1.5\" in length) Are considered higher quality  - General properties:  - Wrinkles  - Great at absorbing moisture  - Burns easily  - Stronger when wet  - The boll is where the fiber is produced in the plant  - Although some naturally colored cotton is produced majority or raw cotton is a creamy white color  - Convolutions are the ribbonlike twist and turns found in mature cotton fiber  - Bast fibers  - Fibers that come from the stem of plant   3. Flax  4. Ramie  - Flax  - Comes from the stem of a plan (bast)  - Flax - Staple fiber  - Flax is the fiber name, linin refers to the fabric made from flax fiber  - It takes more steps to produce than cotton  - Flax characteristics  1. Wrinkles   2. Absorbs moisture  3. Good conductor of heat  4. Strong than cotton  5. Stronger when wet  - Flax us a relatively brittle fiber little flexibility  - Fairly expensive  - Great to wear In hot and humid climates  - Ramie  - Ramie is also known as China grass  - Remember the multifiber arrangement  - Can be harvested multiple times a year  - Very brittle  - Doesn't hold color well  - More often blended with other fibers  - Protein Fibers  - Silk & Wool  1. Resiliency- wool has the best resiliency  2. Weaker when wet- Changes in structure  3. Harmed by alkali- perspiration harms  4. Inherently flame resistant  5. Specific gravity- Fabrics lighter than cellulosics of the same thickness  -