How are Fabrics Made from Fibers

The term fabric indicates cloth. The threads or yarns are woven to make the basic cloth which is then used accordingly. Fabrics are made out of different raw materials - fibers like silk, cotton, leather, fur, wool, and man-made fibers. Fibers make up a fabric. The word fabric is derived from the Latin word fabrica which denotes workshop. Fibers are obtained from different sources like plant, animal and man-made. The fibers are then woven and in some cases blended together. Weaving, knitting, plaiting, braiding, tufting, and bonding are the methods of weaving fabrics.

Natural and synthetic fibers are used for weaving a fabric. Polymers are used for making synthetic fabrics. Plants like cotton and jute are used for making natural fabrics. Animal products like leather, wool, and fur are used for making natural fabrics.

Names of popular fabrics: Cotton, Silk, Linen, Acrylic, Rayon, Olefin, Nylon, Polyester and Wool.

Methods

Weaving

Fabrics can be made by hand or machine made. Knitting is a traditional method. A loom is used to weave fabrics on a large scale. Warp and Weft indicate the position of threads. Weft threads are positioned sideways. Warp threads make up the entire length of the fabric. The weft threads are interlocked with the warp threads. This process locks the threads and makes the fabric.

Braiding

The process of braiding involves two sets of yarns and is a simple method. The yarns get interlaced in a diagonal manner. There are two types of braiding- two dimensional and three dimensional. Circular and flat braids constitute a two-dimensional system. The three-dimensional method is generally used in industry.

Knitting

Knitting is a process of making fabric. The process of knitting involves interloping of yarn. The loops are referred to as wales and courses. The words warp and weft are used in knitting also. The interlacing of yarns in horizontal and vertical manner is done with the help of needles which form loops. Knit fabrics are used all over the world especially in cold countries. It is also used for medical purposes like bandages.

Bonding

Bonding involves the use of textile; paper etc; to make and bond fibers, filaments, polymers and combination of sheets. The finished product differs from the texture of the ingredients.

Tufting

Fabrics like carpets are made using the method of tufting. A strong base contains loops through which the yarn is let through vertically and horizontally. Large-scale production ensures quality products.

Leather undergoes many processes to become fit for making fabrics. Pre-tanning, tanning, lubricating, dyeing, and finishing are the steps involved to get good leather. The leather is then coated with materials like wax, synthetic resins, and pigments. The process of glazing is also done to achieve the shining look.

Silk

Silkworms produce silk which is used to make silk fabrics. Silk is popular because of the texture. The silkworms form a cocoon. The threads are procured from this cocoon by soaking it in hot water. The threads are then woven using hand looms or machines. The fabric made from handloom is better than the machine made one. Silk is used widely in Asian countries like India and China. The famous Kancheepuram silk saris are made using traditional looms in the village of Kancheepuram.

Synthetic fibers

Technological development and the progress in the industry made it possible for the man to make fabrics from synthetic fibers. The fibers are formed by forcing the materials through spinnerets. Nylon, rayon, and polyester are popular fibers. They are less costly and durable. Blended fibers consist of a combination of fibers.

Written for the steemit education channel. The human society is long associated with fabrics. Starting from the animal skin wraps to the now trending fashion wear, fabrics are part of the human lifestyle. Children need to know the history of fabrics. They can be taken on field trips to cloth mills (if located near schools) to understand the process. Otherwise, they can be shown videos of cloth factories so that they can easily understand the process.

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