Introduction to textiles

Textile is very close to us or we can say that the textile products are an
integral part of our day to day life. They provide the basis for the clothing
industry, home furnishings industry and various other industries.
The basic ingredient for the development of a fabric is the fiber. From a
fiber yarns are made and then these yarns are woven or knitted to form
fabric.
A fiber is therefore a building block of all the textiles. They may be drawn
from natural or chemical methods i.e. they can be natural or manmade.
The natural fibers are: cotton, wool, silk, jute etc and the man made
fibers are: nylon, polyester, acrylic, spandex, rayon etc.
Definition of Fibers.
A morphological term for substances characterized by their flexibility,
fineness and high ratio of length to cross sectional area.

A unit of matter, either natural or manufactured, that forms the basic

element of fabrics and other textile structures.

It is defined as one of the delicate, hair portions of the tissues of a

plant or animal or other substances that are very small in diameter in
relation to there length.
All rights
Fiber: Fibers are very fine hair like structure used for making yarns and
then fabric.
Fibers = A smallest unit of textile materials. Usually classified by
flexibility, fineness, and a ratio between length and diameter (L/D ratio)
A natural or synthetic filament that can be spun into yarn.

fiber or textile fiber

A unit of matter which is capable of being spun into a yarn or made
into a fabric by bonding or by interlacing in a variety of methods
including weaving, knitting, braiding, felting, twisting, or webbing,
and which is the basic structural element of textile products.

 It is a smallest textile component which is microscopic hair like

substance that may be man made or natural.
They have length at least hundred times to that of their diameter or
width
Yarn is a continuous strand of fibers
Kinds of Fibers
There are two kinds of fiber and most sources of fiber contain
a mixture of both types:
1. Soluble: Water soluble fiber consists of pectin, gums, mucilages,
and some hemicelluloses.Soluble fiber does dissolve in water as
well as in the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Insoluble: Insoluble fiber consists of lignin, cellulose and the
remaining hemicelluloses.It does not dissolve in water as well as
in the liquid environment of the stomach and intestines, but it has
the ability to absorbe water.

Textile fibers may be staple or filament. Staple

fibers are relatively short, measured in millimeters
or inches. Filament fibers are relatively long, measured
in meters or yards. Most natural fibers are
staple; the only natural filament fiber is reeled or
cultivated silk.

Staple Fibers = Fibers from natural or synthetic fibers which were

cut into short fibers. Normally, natural fibers are staple fibers
(expected silk fibers). These fibers have 5-500 millimeters long.
Filament Fibers = Fibers from natural or synthetic fibers which
have infinite length.
Silk Fibers are the only one natural fibers classified in this
definition since their length between 700-1500 meters depending
to their races.
All natural fibers , except silk are staple fibers that are made into
spun yarn. Staple fibers are short fibers.

 Filament fibers are a continuous fiber of extremely long

continuous strand. All manufacture fibers and silk start off as
filament yarn. Filament fibers can be cut into staple length and
spun into yarn to modify some of the fibers characteristics.

Yarn is a continuous strand of fibers

Yarns = The combinations of fibers using some twisting (Z and S twists)

in order to make strong and stable yarns
Yarns are uninterrupted threads of textile fibers that are ready to be
turned into fabrics
Classification of fibers can be done by:
Type (Natural and manufactured)
Length (Short staple, long staple, continuous filament)
Size (Ultra fine, fine, regular, course)
PROPERTIES OF TEXTILE FIBRES
Of all the natural fibres, only a few like wool, cotton, linen, silk have been very
popular for textile purposes. These properties can be divided into two groups:
1) Primary properties or essential properties and
2) Secondary properties which are desirable but not essential.
I Primary Properties
The properties discussed below are termed as primary properties, which are most
common properties of popular natual fibres. After the introduction of the man-made fibres,
more particularly with synthetic fibres, these properties no longer have much importance as
all these properties can be induced in the fibre. At present, primary properties or fibre
characteristics include the chemical composition, molecular structure, fibre length ad
fineness.
1) Staple

Staple length is used to express the dimension i.e.,

length only. The fibre must be long and fine enough.
In a particular fiber, the longer the fibre, stronger and
finer is the yarn. Similarly fine fibres are more useful
for soft, smooth and uniform fabrics. With course

fibres.
2) Strength

It is essential that the fabric should be durable enough.

For durability, the fabric must be strong enough. The
strength of the fabric is more influenced by the
strength of the fibre present in the fabric. Also, strong
fibres can withstand the tension for its conversion into
yarn and then into fabric. The strength indicates the
resistance sustained by the fibres, the yarns or the
fabrics to break, when force is applied on them. The
strength may be tensile strength, bending strength,
bursting strength etc as per the direction of application
of force.

3) Elasticity

The third essential property of the textile fibres is

elasticity. Elasticity is the property indicating the
ability of the material to regain original shape, after
being deformed by application of force. The desirable
feature of any type of fabrics is that the fabric must
not distort its shape, during its application. This
indicates that the material should have a high
elasticity. Higher elasticity indicates higher recovery
from deformation. Elasticity or elastic recovery is
generally influenced by the extent of stretch, time
during which material is kept in its stretched condition
and time to recover.

4) Uniformity

Uniformity of the staple is the fouth essential

property. It is essential that there should be limited
variation in length and diameter between fibre to
fibre. Or in other words the fibre should be more
uniform which will ensure uniformity in the yarn as
well as in th fabric.

5) Spinnability

Spinnability is the fifth essential property. It indicates

that the individual fibres must be capable of being
spun into a yarn and then fabric with sufficient
strength. For better spinnability, the fibre must have
better cohesiveness i.e., they must hold together to
prevent slippage.

II Secondary Properties
Filament: Long continuous fibre strands of indefinite length measured in yards or
meters.
1. Abrasion resistance: It is the ability of a fibre to withstand.
2. Absorbency or Moisture Regain: It is the amount of water a bone dry fibre will absorb
from the air under standard conditions of temperature (70F) and moisture (65% relative
humidity).
3. Flexibility: It is the ability of a fibre to blend easily.
4. Chemical reactivity: It is the effect of acids, alkali, oxidizing agents, and solvents.
5. Cohesiveness: It is the ability of fibres to cling together during spinning. Not important in
continuous filament.
6. Dyeability: It is the fibres receptivity to coloration by dyes.

7. Elongation: It is the ability to be stretched, extended, or lengthened. It varies at different

temperatures and when wet or dry.
8. Hand: It is the way a fibre feels: silky, harsh, soft, crisp, dry.
9. Luster: It is the light reflected from a surface. More subdued than shine light rays are
broken up.
10. Electrical conductivity: It is the ability to transfer electrical charges.
11. Heat sensitivity: It is the ability to soften, melt, or shrink when subjected to heat.
12. Feltability: It refers to the ability of fibres to mat together.
13. Flammability: It is the ability to ignite and burn.
14. Heat conductivity: It is the ability to conduct heat away from the body
15. Hydrophilic: Fibres are able to absorb water easily or water loving.
16. Hydrophobic: Fibres that have difficulty in absorbing water and are only able to absorb
small amounts are called hydrophobic. Example: All man made fibres except rayon.
17. Hygroscopic: Those fibres, which absorb the moisture from air.
18. Loft or compression resiliency: It is the ability to spring back to original thickness after
being compressed.

Classification of fibers:
Classification of Fibre by Source
According to the source from which textile fibres are obtained,
fibres are broadly classified in two:
1. Natural
2. Manmade.

1. Natural Fibre
The textile industry uses many fibres as its raw materials. Textile
fibres are classified according to the source and the length of the
fibres.Natural fibers include those produced by plants, animals, and
geological processes. They are biodegradable over time. They can be
classified according to their origin:
a) Vegetable fibers There are generally based on arrangements of
cellulose, often with lignin. Examples include cotton, hemp, jute, flax,

ramie, and sisal etc. Plant fibers are employed in the manufacture of
paper and textile (cloth). All cellulosic fibres and cotton, in particular,
are water loving or hydrophilic. Hence, cellulosic fibres are often used
in towels, sportswear and medical dressings.
b) Animal fibers These consist largely of particular proteins. Instances
are spider silk, sinew, catgut, wool and hair such as cashmere,
mohair and angora, fur such as sheepskin, rabbit, mink, fox, beaver,
etc. Animal fibres, or protein fibres, are those found in the hair of
animals. Again, only certain animals have hair of sufficient quality and
quantity to be commercially viable for production. Due to its enormous
flexibility in manufacture and its important qualities as a textile, sheep
wool is the main protein-based fibre used by most societies.
In Australia, wool production has been,and still is,an enormously
successful venture: Australia is one of the worlds leading wool
producers.Other animal fibres, such as camel, cashmere, mohair,
angora and silk, are mainly regarded as specialty fibres Their
production is too expensive and their properties too specific to yield
main-stream market success. Furs and leathers, although not
generally used as fibres for yarn production, are also important
protein-based textile materials and are used in many applications
across the world.
c) Mineral fibers comprise asbestos. Asbestos is the only naturally
occurring long mineral fiber. Short, fiber-like minerals include
wollastonite, attapulgite and halloysite.

 Any hair like raw material directly obtainable from an animal,

vegetable or mineral source that can be convertible after
spinning into yarns and then into fabric.
Under them there are various categories:
(1) plant
(2) animal
(3) minerals
Natural Fibers
Natural fibers are textile fibers made from plants or animals
Natural Cellulosic Fibers are divided into three major categories.
1. Seed/ Fruit fibers from the seed pod of the plant
2. Bast fibers from the stem of the plant
3. Leaf Fibers from the leaves of the plant

 Seed Fibers : cotton, coir, kapok and milkweed

Bast Fibers: flax (linen), jute, ramie, hemp, and kenaf
Leaf Fibers: pina and sisal
Plant fibers:
Cotton from seedpods is the plant fiber most commonly used in
textiles (shown above). Can be woven & dyed easily
Coir from coconuts is durable.
Hemp, jute, and flax from stems grow in bundles. Flax is the most
common, found in linen
Manila and sisal from leaves deteriorate more quickly.Manila is
from abaca leaves, related to the banana tree
Cotton

Many cottons are also blended with other natural fibers, such as linen,
for particular properties.
Cotton is a soft fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant.
Cool, soft and comfortable, cotton is presently the world's most used
fiber. Every part of the cotton plant is useful and we see its application in
industries such as apparel, home furnishings, medical and surgical,
automobile, etc.
Flax (Linen) (Tisi)
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is laborintensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued
for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather. Linen textiles
appear to be some of the oldest in the world: their history goes back
many thousands of years.
Flax is the fiber name; linen is the fabric name,Worlds oldest textile
fiber,Cellulosic fiber from stem of flax plant,Stiff, wrinkles (folds)
easily,Absorbent (leaky), cool to wear in heat,

Other usesDish towels,Tablecloths End Uses of Cellulosic Fibers

Appearl for its comfort, dye ability and wash ability Towels and sheets for
its absorbency, dye ability and washability Curtains, upholstery
slipcovers, bedspreads and table linens for its sunlight resistance, wash
ability, affordability, and mild abrasion resistance
Hemp
CLOTHES SHOULD BE MADE FROM HEMP. Hemp clothing is
extremely strong and durable over time. You could hand clothing,
made from pot, down to your grandchildren. Today, there are
American companies that make hemp clothing; usually 50% hemp.
Hemp fabrics should be everywhere. Instead, they are almost
underground. Superior hemp products are not allowed to advertise
on fascist television. Kentucky, once the top hemp producing state,
made it ILLEGAL TO WEAR hemp clothing! Can you imagine being
thrown into jail for wearing quality jeans?
Jute
Jute is a long, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong
threads.
Jute is comprised mostly of cellulose plant material AND lignin (a wood
derivative). It is thus a ligno-cellulosic fiber partially a textile fiber and
partially wood. The fibers are off-white to brown, and 14 meters (312
feet) long. Bangladesh is the worlds largest exporter of jute. Jute is
grown in the same land-water area as rice and is a very difficult crop to
grow and harvest. Other important jute export countries include India,
China, Burma (Myanmar), Pakistan, Nepal and Thailand.
Coir
Brown coir is used in floor mats and doormats, brushes, mattresses,
floor tiles and sacking. A small amount is also made into twine. Pads of
curled brown coir fibre, made by needle-felting (a machine technique
that mats the fibres together) are shaped and cut to fill mattresses and
for use in erosion control on river banks and hillsides. A major proportion
of brown coir pads are sprayed with rubber latex which bonds the fibres
together (rubberised coir) to be used as upholstery padding for the
automobile industry in Europe. The material is also used
for insulation and packaging.
The major use of white coir is in rope manufacture. Mats of woven coir
fibre are made from the finer grades of bristle and white fibre using hand
or mechanical looms. White coir also used to make fishing nets due to
its strong resilience to salt water.

In horticulture, coir is recommended as substitute for sphagnum

moss because it is free of bacteria and fungal spores, and is sustainably
produced without the environmental damage caused by peat mining
however, it may not have the same pH or nutrient levels. Coir is also
useful to deter snails from delicate plantings.
Pia
Pia is a fiber made from the leaves of a pineapple and is commonly
used in the Philippines. It is sometimes combined
with silk or polyester to create a textile fabric.
Much of the appeal of the traditional Barong Tagalog draws from its
sheer material of pia fabric quite remarkable for its scintillating sheen
and strength.
Products of the hand looms, these fine woven materials of pale ecru,
(their natural color) some with almost the soft, delicate texture of a
spider's web, demand the services of only the highly skilled and
exceedingly patient weavers. In fact, in the Visayan provinces of Aklan
and Iloilo, weaving gossamer fabrics for the Barong Tagalog is as much
a craft as it is a commitment. The weavers are mostly old and not so old
women whose dedication and skills they have inherited from their elders.
This is because in Iloilo and Aklan, weaving is a legacy of the ages.

Animal fibers (made of proteins):

Wool from sheep, cashmere and mohair from goats, angora from
rabbits, and hair from alpacas, llamas, and camels are commonly
used in textiles.
Shimmering (shine) silk from caterpillar (worm) cocoons is longer
and not as easily shed.
Triangular structure scatters light like a prism
Mineral Fibers:
Fiberglass is a fibrous form of glass.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral with a crystalline
structure.
Very durable

 Pipe coverings, brake linings, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, fireresistant work clothes, shingles, siding, insulation
When its broken, fibers shatter into tiny fragments that
become airborne. If inhaled, they cut the lungs and scar
tissue may become cancerous.
Fiber Classification
Synthetic (artificially produced) Fibers
Until the nineteenth century only plant and animal fibers were used
to make clothes and textiles.
Half the products produced today are artificially produced.
Regenerated fibers or Polymers
Polymers are monomers joined together
Artificially produced fibers include rayon, acetate, nylon,
acrylics, and polyesters.
Regenerated Fibers (derived from cellulose):
Rayon is the most common of this type of fiber. It can imitate
(duplicate) natural fibers, but it is stronger.
Celenese is cellulose chemically combined with acetate and is
often found in carpets.
Polyamide nylon is cellulose combined with three acetate units, is
breathable, lightweight, and used in performance clothing.
Synthetic Polymer Fibers:
Petroleum is the basis for these fibers, and they have very different
characteristics from other fibers.
Non-cellulose
Monomers in large vats are joined together to form polymers. The
fibers produced are spun together into yarns.
They have no internal structures, and under magnification they show
regular diameters
nylon
Examples of synthetic polymer fibers:

 Polyesterfound in polar fleece, wrinkle-resistant, and not easily

broken down by light or concentrated acid; added to natural fibers
for strength.
Nyloneasily broken down by light and concentrated acid;
otherwise similar to polyester.
Acrylicinexpensive, tends to ball easily, and used as an artificial
wool or fur.
Olefinshigh performance, quick drying, and resistant to wear.
Natural & Synthetic Comparison
Man-made fibers are not damaged by microorganisms like natural
fibers
Man-made fibers can deteriorate in bright sunlight and melt at a
lower temperature than natural fibers.