Fabric Structures
Woven Fabrics
Woven fabrics are constructed by weaving which interlaces the yarns. The horizontal yarns are called weft yarns and the vertical yarns are warp yarns.
You can remember this by thinking - the weft yarns run from weft to right (left to right) and warp to wall (warp yarns run up the same direction as a wall). You can also exaggerate your mouth movement as you say the words and you will notice your mouth moves in the same direction as the word. There are many different types of weaves but a plain weave is the most common. |
There are many different types of weaves. The most common weave is a plain weave because it is the cheapest and easiest to produce. You might recognise this pattern as "over, under, over, under, over, under" Other examples of weaves have a different method, such as "over, over, under, over, over, under" for a twill weave. The way the fabric is woven, impacts the look, strength, lustre, cost and other properties of the fabric.
•Plain weave •Twill weave •Satin weave |
Knitted Fabrics
Non-woven Fabrics
Non-woven fabrics are created by bonding (sticking) fibres together. These fibres can be either natural or manufactured.
The fibres are usually stuck together (bonded) by heat or chemicals. Non-woven fabrics can be produced quickly and at a low cost. Non-wovens can be either durable or disposable fabrics, depending on their end-use. They have many uses that you might not typically think of. For example: - Medical supplies (masks, surgical gowns, medical wipes, etc.) -Nappies -Sanitary pads and tampons -Tea bags -Wet wipes -Filters -Protective apparel -Commercial & construction fabrics (such as geotextiles, agricultural and automotive fabrics) |
Above is an example of a durable, non-woven geotextile, used for drainage application during roadway construction.
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