The Properties of fabrics

When choosing fabrics for a specific textile item, it’s important to select a fabric on its properties. Considerations such as fibre structure, construction and the process applied after construction.

Woven fabric has four main properties such as; it won’t stretch significantly but will when pulled diagonally. It can also be resilient as well as not insulating well; it can also have some degree of drape.

When testing a fabrics suitability it’s important to remember what the fabric will be used for as well as testing to make sure it’s suitable. It’s important to test the method of weave, fabrics grain, construction, type of yarn, if it’s crease resistant, the elasticity, comfort, weight and stiffness or ability to drape.

There is also a way to enhance the properties of an existing fabric, to combine benefits or two or more fibres. This is by blending fibres which breaks down the negative points of fabrics. It’s done at the spinning stage, when spinning yarn. Often chosen blended fibres include: linen and polyester, wool and nylon, cotton and nylon.

 By Abigail Stephenson
Photographs provided by fashion Capital.

For other articles in the learning about textiles technology, click below:

Part one: what are textiles?
Part two: The inspiration behind the ideas of design
Part three: drawing and modelling
Part four: planning
Part five: influences on design
Part six: fibres
Part seven: construction
Part eight: properties of fabrics
Part nine: care of fabrics
Part ten: components
Part eleven: disassembly
Part twelve: application of colour
Part thirteen: measuring and marketing
Part fourteen: assembly
Part fifteen: industrial production techniques
Part sixteen: systems in production
Part seventeen: aesthetics and ergonomics
Part eighteen: evaluation and quality
Part nineteen: marketing