What are Textiles?

Recently, I was told I did not have enough knowledge to teach a materials class. I was surprised at first, and a tad upset, but I assume the individual was going off a brief conversation while discussing the class dynamics, specifically textiles.

Here is what I do know. Textiles are the most universal and efficient method to introduce texture, and patterns to a design. This could also add color to the interior by the reflective surface and the various styles of the materials. In the design industry, today the market can offer styles of textiles ranging from contemporary, traditional, and transitional. These textiles are available in natural fibers and synthetic fibers that typically are man-made. Pricing the textiles, the function of capacity of the textiles and the aspects of the textiles technically, can dictate the selection process.

The primary consideration for the designer is the process of spinning the yarn and the construction. This is how the designer will determine the durability of the textiles used in each job. Spinningthe yarn conditions the character or profile of material. This is called the denier or thickness of the yarn thread. The texture of the yarn can be twisted, slubbed, or smooth. The constructionis the process of creating a weave that is tight, close-set or open-set cloth. These range from a sheet sample of material to a netting sample like stocking or webbing. It is also measured by the thread knots per square inch.

Construction is the interweaving of the yarn. This yarn is the warp or filler yarn that is laced to create a weave. This process creates a knit, a hooked loop, or tufting of the materials. When I worked for the rug department at my previous job, I learned that this was a process of creating carpets punched by lines of needles that inject yarn into the fabric backing, usually woven or rubberized. This can be said for textiles in a fabric capacity as well.

Another construction process used for nonwoven fabric is the process of felting where loose fibers adhere to each other under high pressure. Determining if a textile is durable or maintainable it will depend on the fibers used and how the fiber is spun and constructed. These fibers can be classified in two ways, the synthetic fiber or the natural fiber. Each style has a subdivision.

Synthetic fibers are cellulosic fibers that are an organic compounds found in vegetation like plants. These examples are acetate, rayon, or triacetate.

Non-cellulosic fibers are made from polymers or glass products. These non-cellulosic fibers are the most common products used in more than one resource than just textiles. These are nylons, acrylics, olefin, polyester and a few others. One can tell if a fiber is unnatural by the way he or she observes a glassy or twinkly sheen when looking at the surface or hand of a textile at an angle.

Natural fibers can also come from plants or animals. Natural plant fibers are hemp, flax, jute, cotton, and ramie, which is a bark from the nettle bush. Animal fibers consist of wool, hair, and silk. Other natural fibers can come from metal like gold leafing or threads, copper, and silver. These natural fibers were used over 5000 years B.C., yet because they are so durable and resilient, these natural fibers are still used in today’s manufacturing of textile fabrications.

Hemp is the most durable of natural fibers and originally this fiber was exclusively used for ropes, and burlaps. Today hemp is used in some of the finest fashions for the durability and the ability to manufacture this fiber extremely soft. A way to sample this and other textile breakthroughs are through testing the fibers whether natural or synthetic for longevity and sustainability. Testing is the only assurance that manufacturers have in a product that will last the standard five to eight year lifespan of performance. Some of the performance issues are soil resistance and flame retardant. This characteristic is achieved by chemical applications like Scotchgard and Zepel. Both products can protect textiles surfaces from liquid, soil, and flame damage to the weave.

Weaving, as mentioned before, is achieved through construction. This is the process to loom by hand or machine and create a lacing effect of fibers. The shuttle will loom yarn through raised warp yarns creating a weave in and out. There are three methods in weaving a textile the first is a plain weave (later this was called taffeta), the second is satin, and the third is twill. Twill is used to create durable garments like a tweed jacket or bag. All three basic weaves are the same variation of the plain weave. The only difference is how dense the loom weaves the yarn with different fillers creating a selvage as a return. There are five different weaves available with basic taffeta, satin, twill, pile, and leno. The most durable—historical— fiber used in modern textiles is hemp and will continue to improve with age.

Well, that is what I know and I am sticking to it.