Fabric Formation

Woven Fabrics

Woven fabrics are made by using two or more sets of yarn interlaced at right angles to each other. Much variety is produced by weaving. Woven fabrics are generally more durable. They can be easily cut into different shapes and are excellent for producing styles in garments. However the raw edges ravel or fray easily and need to be protected. Fabrics having more fabric count (number of wrap and weft yearns present) keep the shape well. Low count fabrics are less durable and may snag or stretch.

Woven fabrics are manufactured in different widths depending on the end use. The fabrics used for apparels usually contain 90 cms width. The Sheeting materials are generally made having a width of 160 cm/140cms and 150cms/180 cms.

Knitted Fabrics

Knitting is the construction of an elastic, porous fabric, created by interlocking yarns by means of needles. Knitted fabrics can be made much more quickly and easily than woven fabrics at comparatively less cost. Knitted fabrics are generally light in weight, comfortable in wear even during travel, but yet require little care to keep their neat appearance. The tendency of knits to resist wrinkling is another factor to boost up their popularity. Knitted fabrics are used for designing active clothing such as sports clothing. Their elastic nature permits for abundant physical activity. Knitted fabrics are produced by two general methods. Warp knitting and weft knitting. They are made as flat or tubular fabrics depending on the end use. Tubular fabrics may not have any seams at the sides where as flat fabrics are treted just like woven fabrics.

Laced Fabrics

Lace is an open work fabric consisting of a network of threads or yarns formed into intricate designs. Laces are developed for beauty and adornment. Lace which looks so delicate is made out of strong yarns looped or twisted together in a more complicated manner than any other methods of construction. Thus they are expensive too. They are manufactured in many widths, shapes and in limitless variety of patterns.

Hand made laces are more expensive than machine made laces. As expensive goods are preferred only by few, the machine made laces are more popular among consumers. Laces are produced either in the form of a fabric or in a shape suited for a particular end use. They are mostly used as trimmings, on apparels and home furnishings.

• Trimming Laces: A wide variety of patterns are available in laces used for trimmings. They are produced having narrow width ranging from 1 cm or less width. They are available at various costs and certainly with in the range of average consumer. They are used as decorative materials, apparels and other household materials.
• Nylon Net Laces: Generally these fabrics contains a net back ground on which patterns are made. These fabrics are machine made less expensive and are mostly used as curtains.

Woolen fabrics

Woolen fabrics are made from woolen yarn over wide range. These are generally made in plain weave and sometimes in twill weave. They are loosely woven fabrics. They are characterized by extreme softness and not very durable when compared to worsted. These fabrics are used for coats and for other household purposes.

Worsted fabrics

Worsted's are woven from long tightly twisted fibres of 2-8" in length these fibres are usually woven in to a design or in twill weave, and are given a smooth finish which brings out the luster of the fabric and the design of the weave. Bread cloth and light weighted flannels are examples of fabrics made with worsted yarns for warp and woolen yarns for filling.

Blended Fabrics/Textile Composites

It is important to observe that production of staple yarn is not limited to composition from one kind of fiber the staple of two or more kinds of fibers may be combined for blended at different stages. When different types of fibers are blended, the properties of these fibers are also combined in the blended yarns. Textile composites are generally used for high technology products for industry, the military and aerospace.

Stitch-Through Fabrics

Stitch through or stitch bonding is a relatively new technique for constructing fabrics in which two sets of yarns or masses of fibers are stitched together into a fabric structure by another set of yarns.

Films

Non Woven

Masses of fibers can be held together into a fabric by interlocking of fibers by mechanical action or by fusing fibers together with heat, adhesive or chemicals. Examples of a few fabrics constructed by these means include felt, bark cloth, spun lace, spun bonded and needle-punched fabrics and bonded webs.

Knotted Fabrics

Some fabrics are created by knotting yarns together. Lace, nets, macrame and tatting are produce by knotting.

Braided Fabrics

Fabrics may be created by plaiting together yarns or strips of fabrics. The components are interlaced in a diagonal pattern over under one another to form a flat or tubular fabric of relatively narrow width.