Fibres Research

Fibres are categorised under 3 main groups, natural, cellulosic and synthetic fibres.

1. Natural fibres are fibres that comes from natural sources like animals and plants. Some of the examples are silk and wool, which comes from animals and also cotton and linen which comes from plants.
2. Cellulosic fibres are fibres that are produced from dissolving natural wood pulp: wood > pulp > fibre > yarn > fabric. Fibres that goes through this process is also known as regenerated fibres. The examples are viscose or rayon.
3. Synthetic fibres are fibres and fabric are made from chemicals that comes from oil and coal. Examples are polyester, acrylic, nylon and microfibres.

NATURAL FIBRES

Properties of silk: Lightweight, comfortable to wear, takes dyes well, cool in summer, insulates, strong, drapes well, has a sheen/lustre.

Properties of wool: insulates, breathable, absorbent, takes dyes well, durable, good crease resistant, biodegradable, recyclable.

Properties of cotton: soft, absorbent, breathable, takes dyes well, cool in summer, conducts heat, non-allergenic, creases easily, biodegradable, recyclable.

Properties of linen: absorbent, durable, strong, breathable, takes dyes well, light weight, washes and irons well, creases easily, biodegradable, recyclable.

CELLULOSIC FIBRES

Properties of viscose (or rayon): blends with other fibres, breathable, strong, soft and comfortable, light weight, breathable.

Other regenerated fibres include: modal, cupro/tencel, lyocell, acetate and triacetate.

SYNTHETIC FIBRES

Properties of polyester: crease resistant, durable, stain resistant, stretch and shrink resistant, easily washed and dried, can be blended with other fibres.

Properties of acrylic: washes easily, moth resistant, oil and chemical resistant, drys quickly, takes dyes well particularly bright colours, blends well with other fibres to give various cotton and wool like appearances.

Properties of nylon (or polyamide): durable, good crease resistant, non-absorbent, mould and chemical resistant apart from acid, very static which can attract dirt and affects the drape of the fabric, can be blended with other fibres such as cotton, wool, and other synthetic fibres.

Properties of microfibres: (heightened function and properties due to the fineness of fibre) extremely light weight, protects from wind and low temperatures, absorbs moisture, drapes well, very soft, breathable, keeps body at a constant temperature, crease resistant.

FIBRE BLENDS

Blending fibres together can improve quality as the properties would be united. It could change the appearance of the fabric and give unique effects. It is also cheaper and the process is more efficient. There are also two categories for blending fibres, natural blends and synthetic/natural blends.

1. Natural blends:
   • silk + cashmere
   • silk + wool
   • cashmere + wool
   • wool + cotton
   • cotton + linen
2. Synthetic/natural blends:
   • wool + polyester
   • wool + nylon
   • wool + acrylic
   • cotton + polyester
   • cotton + viscose

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

METALLIC FABRIC

• Metallic fabric are basically synthetic fibres made out of fibres that are metal, metal coated, or of a core covered by metal which is usually aluminium. The examples above showed menswear collections that involves metallic fabrics. It gives a very pleasant and bold aesthetic – if you know how to style them.

SMART FABRIC

• SMART fabric is a kind of textile that has technology woven in it. They are being grouped into two categories: aesthetic and performance enhancing. The examples above shows both categories in terms of enhancing the aesthetics of fashion and also performance enhancing for the Adidas sportswear collection which would allow the wearer to run for a longer distance due to the cooling sensation.

LUMINOUS FABRIC

• Luminous fabric is also known as fibre optic fabric. As seen above, under normal lighting you can see that the fabric is slightly reflective and when it goes into the dark, it literally shines and glows which is absolutely stunning.

3D PRINTED FABRICS

• 3D printed fabric are basically fabric that are printed with the 3D printing machine. They can be designed through Auto-cad and the pieces would be sewn together to create a three dimensional effect on the garments as shown in the above examples. It allows fashion designers to push boundaries of conventional fabric construction to create interesting and distinctive designs.

Lastly to end off this post, here is a chart for laundry care instructions on the symbols and washing instructions.