Textiles chap 1,2,3,4

Describe a core-spun yarn

A core-spun yarn has a central filament of spandex or polyester with staple fiber that has been spun around the core. Spandex central filaments are stretch yarns. Polyester central filaments can be rigid yarns.

Buying fabrics by sample

A sample is an actual duplicate of the fabric being purchased. The fabric delivered must conform in all details to the sample.

What is the difference between buying fabrics by specification and buying fabrics by sample?

A specification is a written document describing a fabric in great detail. The fabric delivered must conform to this written description. A sample is an actual duplicate of the fabric being purchased. The fabric delivered must conform in all details to the sample.

What is the difference between absorbency and wicking?

Absorbency is the ability to take in moisture. Wicking is the ability to transfer moisture.

Why are bicomponent fibers produced?

Bicomponent fibers are produced to provide specific properties within a single fiber.

A cross-country skier must choose between a 100% wool jacket and a 100% polyester fleece jacket of similar construction. a. Which should the skier choose for warmth and comfort? b. for quick-drying properties?

Both will be equally warm but the polyester fleece jacket will provide the same level of warmth without weight. If the jacket is likely to get wet, the skier should select the polyester jacket because it does not absorb moisture as readily as wool and will dry much more rapidly.

Why are chenille yarns not adaptable for use in most children's clothing?

Chenille yarns have a high percentage of untwisted fiber on the yarn surface. This exposed fiber is subject to wear out rapidly from rubbing and abrasion. Active children require fabrics that can withstand rubbing and abrasion.

What fiber properties would contribute to comfort

Comfort: absorbency, wicking, crimp, hand (cross-sectional shape and surface contour)

Name three different systems expressing the size of yarns.

Denier, tex, cotton count, worsted count, woolen count, linen (lea) count, metric count.

What fiber properties would contribute to a. durability?

Durability: strength, abrasion resistance, resiliency, elasticity

Describe fabric

Fabrics are the actual cloth made by combining yarns, usually by knitting or weaving.

Describe the following terms: fiber,

Fibers are hair-like substances. They are the smallest part of the fabric.

Why can filament yarns be made with no twist or very little twist?

Filament yarns are composed of continuous fibers of infinite length. Each continuous fiber is part of the yarn, thus twist does not increase the yarns strength.

Why are microdenier fibers so popular for lingerie?

Garments of ultrafine fibers have enhanced drape and softness as well as a silky hand without serious loss of strength.

Why does static cling usually not occur with hydrophilic fibers?

Hydrophilic fibers usually possess enough moisture to dissipate the static charge and thus eliminate the problem.

What fibers tend to pill much more

Hydrophobic fibers tend to pill much more than hydrophilic fibers

Why is pilling much more of a problem with hydrophobic fibers rather than with hydrophilic fibers?

Hydrophobic fibers tend to pill much more than hydrophilic fibers because the hydrophobic fibers have a greater attraction for each other and thus tend not to fall off the fabric surface.

Briefly explain why some fabrics are made of two fibers and others are made of only one fiber type.

If one fiber possesses all of the necessary properties (e.g., strength, abrasion resistance, and inexpensive), then only one fiber type is used. Otherwise a blend is used

What are microfiber yarns, and what are their special characteristics?

Microfiber yarns are produced from extremely fine manufactured fiber filaments. They may be processed as spun yarns or used as filament yarns. The most important attribute of microfiber yarns is their softness and flexibility. In filament form, they are very silk-like in appearance and touch.

A fully integrated textile mill purchases fiber and sells finished fabric. What types of companies does the mill purchase fiber from and what types of companies does the mill sell to?

Mills buy from chemical fiber companies and sell to apparel manufacturers, furniture manufacturers, etc.

the fiber manufacturer is trying to convince you to use 100% polyester when developing a blouse fabric you are designing. State two reasons why you might reject polyester for this fabric.

Polyester is hydrophobic. Polyester has a propensity to pill. Polyester has a propensity toward static cling.

Why is polyester frequently used in fiberfill for apparel and home textile items?

Polyester is very resilient and can be heatset in a permanent crimped configuration (thermoplastic) to provide bulk and loft.

How do private label department and/or on-line buying organizations enhance career opportunities for textile professionals?

Private label buying groups need to create the designs, establish the standards, perform the buying, and monitor and control all aspects of the products that are manufactured for them.

What kinds of problems can static electricity cause for the consumer?

Problems static electricity can cause include pilling, attraction of lint, and garment cling.

describe remnants

Remnants are 1 to 10 yards.

Describe seam slippage.

Seam slippage is the sliding apart rather than the breaking apart of a seam in a sewn fabric.

What kind of fabrics is seam slippage likely to occur on?

Seam slippage may occur on fabrics made from filament yarns where the seam allowance is insufficient or where the yarns per inch of fabric are low. The filament yarns by their nature slide easily.

fabric put-up called "shorts"

Shorts are pieces of 1 yard to 50 yards.

How would a 50% micro-polyester/50% wool-blended fabric differ from a comparable 100% wool fabric?

The blend would have a better hand (feel like expensive wool), better drape, be more lustrous, and cost less.

From whom does the converter buy

The converter buys greige goods from textile mills

What is the difference between a private label and an exclusive brand?

The main difference is control and ownership. A private label is sold exclusively by the retailer and an exclusive brand is a national brand with distribution through one retailer.

Compare a fabric made with polyester filament microfiber with a similar fabric made of filament silk fibers.

The polyester filament microfiber will be similar in hand, luster, and drape to the filament silk fiber. The polyester microfiber will not be as absorbent but will be more washable, wrinkle resistant, abrasion resistant, and will cost less

Briefly explain how the term "Fair Trade" is used.

The term is used to indicate that a product was produced without labor exploitation, by using environmentally sustainable practices, and that the producers received fair prices for their products.

permanent crease can be inserted in pants containing thermoplastic fibers. Why?

Thermoplastic fibers can be molded by heat. Once the fabric is folded and the temperature is raised to a point where molecules rearrange themselves into the "crease," the fiber will remember the creased arrangement when it is cooled.

What are some of the problems in sourcing imported products?

They often cost less than comparable products made in the United States.

Why are fabrics and apparel imported from foreign countries popular with American consumers?

They often cost less than comparable products made in the United States.

How can the thickness of manufactured fibers be controlled?

Thickness (cross section) depends on the size of the opening in the spinnerette through which the fiber solution is forced.

What does wicking do

Transfers moisture

Why has the use of wool declined in the past decades?

Wool has been replaced by manufactured fibers such as polyester or acrylic in many end uses. Additionally, the cost to buy and maintain wool garments is prohibitively expensive.

What are the two types of yarn made from wool fiber? Describe some major differences.

Woolen yarn: fuzzy fiber ends, uneven diameter, bulky and thick, good insulating properties, wrinkle resistant, does not hold creases. Carded processed only. Worsted yarn: smooth, even diameter, tight twist, less insulating than woolen, wrinkles more easily than woolen, holds creases better than woolen. Carded and combed processes used.

Exclusive brand

a national brand with distribution through one retailer.

woolen yarn

a slightly irregular bulky wool or wool-like yarn that has not been combed

Worsted yarn

a yarn made from wool or wool blends that received the combing step to remove short fibers and better align the remaining fibers

cotton—HWM rayon similarities

absorbent, durable, poor resiliency, pilling, and static resistant; differences: rayon has more luster and longer staple length if cut

What is a bicomponent fiber?

bicomponent fibers contain polymers from two different generic fibers or fiber variants.

filament fibers

fibers of longer length

The same manufacturer wants you to use polyester for the blouse fabric (in Question 4). State two reasons why you WOULD use 100% polyester for that fabric.

good strength good abrasive resistance good resiliency

wool—acrylic similarities:

hand, fair strength; differences: wool can only be dry cleaned, it is expensive and hydrophilic

silk—acetate similarities:

highly drapable hand and poor resiliency; differences: silk is stronger, more abrasion-resistant, more expensive and more color-resistant to pollution gases

private label

is sold exclusively by the retailer

What are the three most widely used fibers in the United States?

polyester, cotton and nylon

to whom does the converter sell?

sells finished fabric to apparel manufacturer, furniture manufacturer, etc.

staple fibers

short fibers measured in inches or centimeters

microfiber yarns are

soft and flexible In filament form, they are very silk-like in appearance and touch.

How can a hydrophobic fiber be comfortable against the skin on a hot day?

some hydrophobic fibers can remove moisture by wicking the moisture along their outer surface.

Describe a type of yarn that would have a high likelihood of pilling.

spun yarn, low twist, short staple fiber, fuzzy rather than smooth

What is absorbency

the ability to take in moisture

Textile Mills

the factories where cloth is made

Describe seam slippage.

the sliding apart rather than the breaking apart of a seam in a sewn fabric.

What is the primary reason for imparting twist in the making of spun yarns?

twist is required to hold the fibers together and prevent the short staple fibers from falling apart.

greige goods

unfinished fabrics

Describe yarn

yarns are continuous thread-like strands composed of fibers that have been twisted together.

chenille yarns

yarns used to create a pile-like surface wears out rapidly from abrasion and rubbing