Fashion Design

Fibers & Fabrics

1 Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
Fiber
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
2
Fabric
A natural or synthetic
filament that can be spun
into yarn.
A cloth made by weaving,
knitting, or felting fibers.
Natural Fibers
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
3
Fibers derived from plants or animals:

Cotton
Silk
Wool
Mohair
Cashmere


Linen
Silk
Ramie
Bamboo
Hemp
Synthetic Fibers
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
4
Fibers created by extruding fiber forming
materials through spinnerets into the air
forming a filament:

Polyester
Nylon
Acrylic
Metallic
Spandex
Olefin
Synthetic fibers are also referred to as man-made or
manufactured fibers. They are most commonly made
from petroleum-based products.
Cellulose Fibers
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
5
Natural Cellulose Fibers fibers that are
still recognizable as being from the original
plant because they are only processed as
much as needed to be cleaned for use.
Examples of natural cellulose fibers:

Linen Silk Cotton
Modal Lyocell Rayon
Manufactured Cellulose Fibers plant fibers that are
processed into pulp and extruded in the same manner as
synthetic fibers. Examples of manufactured cellulose
fibers:
Woven Fabric
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
6
Woven fabrics are composed of two sets of yarns, the
warp and the weft.
Cloth is created by weaving the warp and the weft over
and under one another. The manner in which the warp
and weft are woven over and under one another
determines the weave of the fabric.
There are five basic weaves: Plain, Basket, Twill, Satin,
Jacquard
Woven fabric only stretches on the bias unless it is
made from elastic fibers.
Woven fabric frays unless hemmed or treated with
pinking shears.
Warp & Weft
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
7
The warp yarns run
the length of the
fabric.

The weft yarns,
also called the fill,
run perpendicular
to the warp yarns.
Plain Weave.
Wikimedia Commons, 2007.
Plain Weave
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
8
Plain Weave.
Wikimedia Commons, 2007.
Plain weave is a simple
over-under pattern. It can
be identified by its
checkered appearance.

Examples of plain weave fabrics:

Poplin
Organza
Chiffon
Taffeta
Grosgrain

Basket Weave
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
9
Basket Weave.
Wikimedia Commons, 2007.
Basket Weave is a variation
of plain weave. It is a simple
over-under pattern created
with an equal number of
warp and weft yarns woven
as a group. The image
shown is a 2 x 2 basket
weave. Basket weave
fabrics, like plain weave
fabrics, also have a
checkered appearance.
Twill Weave
10 Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
3/1 twill, as used for denim.
Wikimedia Commons, 2008.
A twill weave can be
identified by its diagonal
lines. The diagonal rib
created by the stair-step of
the twill weave is called a
wale.

Examples of twill weave fabrics:
Denim
Chino
Herringbone
Houndstooth
Drill
Gabardine
Serge
Tweed
Satin Weave
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
11
Satin weave.
The History and Principles of
Weaving by Hand and by Power,
1878. {{US-PD}}
Satin weave is characterized by long
floats of warp yarn. The warp yarn goes
over four weft yarns before being woven
under a single weft yarn. There is a
simple 4 over, 1 under pattern. This
pattern creates long floats of warp yarn
that create a soft hand and light-
reflecting sheen.

Satin fabric is made from long filament
fibers in either polyester or silk. When a
satin weave is used on a fiber with a
short staple, such as cotton, it is
referred to as sateen.
Jacquard Weaving
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
12
Jacquard weaving is done on a
specialized loom called a Jacquard
loom. The Jacquard loom is a
mechanical loom that was invented
by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801.
The jacquard loom simplifies the
process of weaving complicated
textile patterns with its punch card
system.

Fabrics created using jacquard weaving:

Matelasse
Brocade
Damask

Silk brocade fabric,
Lyon, France, 1760-1770.
Wikimedia Commons, 2006.
Knit Fabric
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
13
Schematic diagram of a knit fabric.
Wikimedia Commons, 2005.
A fabric made
interlocking loops of one
or more yarns together
by hand with knitting
needles or by machine.

Examples of knitted fabrics:

Tricot
Jersey Knit
Double Knit
Stockinette
Balbriggan
Rib Knit
Identifying Fabrics
Fabrics are identified by both fiber
and weave/knit.

Example: Taffeta can be made from both silk
and polyester. A taffeta fabric would need to be
identified as polyester taffeta or silk taffeta.

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
14
Swatch Book Directions
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission. 15
knit
woven
Fabric Swatch
1. Neatly cut fabric swatch into 2 x 2 square with pinking
shears
2. Affix swatch into the designated box using double-sided
tape
3. Indicate whether the fabric swatch is knit or woven by
placing an X in the appropriate box

Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Images and other multimedia content used with permission.
16
Swatch Book Directions
4. Fill in the remaining blanks with the proper information.

Fabric Name: What is the name of the fabric?

Fiber Content: Is the fabric made of a single fiber?
Is the fabric a blend of fibers?

Care: Can it be machine washed?
Should it be hand washed?
Can it be machine dried?
Should it be line dried?
Should it be dry cleaned?

Uses: Is the fabric best suited for home dcor or apparel?
Is it best suited for tops, bottoms, dresses, or outer wear?

Description of fabric hand and appearance:
How does the fabric feel to the touch?
What does the fabric look like?
Use descriptive words.
Concentrate on the appearance of the fabric and its weave,
not the print that may be on the fabric.