Inglese per la moda - Fabric Types and their properties

Cotton: Plant fibre. Cotton fabrics are very

 soft and comfortable. They absorb

perspiration, Thus they keep the body fresh.

However, they wrinkle, stain and shrink

easily so they are often treated with finishes

so that they are more resistant.

Silk: Insect fibre. Silk fabrics are versatile in

 their use, soft, comfortable, resistant to wear

and tear. It absorbs moisture, which makes it

cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It

is easily dyed, retains its shape, drapes well,

caresses the figure, and has a shimmering

surface.

Wool: Animal fibres (sheep, goat, rabbit,

 llama, etc.). Woollen fabrics have a soft feel

and fuzzy surface, are very warm, has very

little shine or sheen, will not hold a crease,

and are heavy and bulky. Worsted wool

fabric are is smoother than woollen fabric,

takes shine more easily, holds a crease

well is lighter and less bulky, and wears

longer than woollen garments.

Linen: Plant fibre (flax). Linen is the strongest

 of the vegetable fibres, 2 to 3 times the

strength of cotton. It is considered to be one of

the most elegant and refined fabrics. Highly

absorbent and a good conductor of heat,

good for cool garments. It wrinkles easily but

also presses easily. Linen has poor elasticity

and does not spring back readily. It tends to

show wear on collars and hems or wherever

constant creasing occurs.

Hemp and Ramie: Plant fibres. Very similar to

 and often mistaken for Linen. Hemp

withstands water better than any other natural

fabric. Ramie has a high lustre and is resistant

to bacteria and molds (muffe). It is a very

strong fibre which dries quickly. Woven into

other fabrics to improve their quality and

durability.

Synthetic fibre fabrics are man-made

 manufactured and are usually made of

filaments extruded as liquid and formed into

various fibres. For this reason they are

usually coloured in the liquid state (before

becoming filament) as it is difficult to dye a

woven synthetic fabric.

Rayon: Made from cellulose (wood pulp),

 was manufactured as artificial silk in 1894

and was named “rayon” in 1924.

It has the qualities of silk and cotton. It is

 strong, extremely absorbent and can be

made to resemble natural fabrics. It drapes

well, has a soft, silky hand, and has a

smooth, napped, or bulky surface. Rayon will

wrinkle easily and may stretch when wet and

shrink when washed. Viscose and synthetic

Velvet are produced from Rayon.

Nylon: Nylon is stronger yet weighs less

 than any other commonly used fibre. Well

known from the 1940’s for knitted hosiery. It

is elastic and durable. It is smooth, non-

absorbent and dries quickly. Dirt doesn’t

cling to it nor is it weakened by chemicals or

perspiration. Extensive washing and drying

in an automatic dryer can eventually cause

pilling.