Ch. 52Fibers, Fabrics, and

Clothing Care

Introduction

• Fabrics (textiles) part of everyday life

• Textiles begin as fibers

• Fibers made into fabrics

• Fabrics made into clothing and other products

Fibers

• Natural– Plants or animals– Cotton, silk, linen, wool,

and mohair are most common

– Silk = material produced by silk worm

– Cotton used for thousands of years

– Grown mostly in southern states

– Linen = flax plant– Ramie = china grass– Wool = fleece of sheep– Mohair = fleece of angora

goat

Fibers

• Synthetic– Made from chemicals– Substitutes for natural

fibers– Acetate– Acrylic– Nylon– Polyester– Rayon– Spandex

How Fabrics Are Made• Fibers are twisted

together to make yarns• Yarns made into fabrics• Woven, Knitted, or

Bonded• Weaving

– Yarns laid in one direction are passed under and over yarns laid in the opposite direction

– Lengthwise = warp– Crosswise = woof– 4 main kinds of weaves:

• Plain• Twill• Satin• Pile

Knitting

• Knits can be fine or bulky (depending on size of yarn

• Yarn is looped to make fabric

• Uses only one strand on yarn

• Crocheting is similar• Advantage of knits is that

they can stretch and return to original size/shape

Non Woven Fabrics

• Produced by bonding/fusing

• Heat and water• Example: felt• Fabrics do not ravel

when cut

Dyeing and Printing

• Fibers are the color of the source they come from

• Fabrics are usually bleached or colored

• Fibers can be colored before they are made into fabrics

• Dye bath method• Printing method

Fabric Finishes/Pretreatment

• Often added to fabric• Special treatment to alter

the fabric’s appearance or performance

• Resistance to wrinkling• Shine• Water resistant• Flame resistant• Brushed for softness• Preshrunk

Fabric Care and Care Labels

• Washing by hand• Washing in machine• Dry cleaning• Fiber content is

significant• Read care labels• Federal law requires

all clothing (except hats, shoes, and gloves) have one

Laundering Clothes

• Machine washing– Sort first– Place clothes in washer– Adjust the water temp. and

level– Don’t overload with clothes– Add detergent– Be careful with bleach– Take action ASAP with stains

• Hand washing– Use a laundry or kitchen sink– Fill ½ way with proper temp.

of water– Use detergent to agitate and

clean clothes with hands– Lay flat or hang to dry

Drying Clothes

• READ the label• Avoid drying dark

clothing in sun light• Delicates dry at

cooler temp.• Don’t overload the

dryer• Take out as soon as

dry

Ironing and Pressing

• Ironing– Use small household iron– Adjust to proper temp/fabric

setting– Use starch on heavy wrinkles– Use water to create steam and

remove wrinkles

• Pressing– Setting an iron on a garment

and then lifting straight up– Pressing is done to prevent

damaging the shine of certain fabrics and the surface

Storing Clothing

• Clothes last longer when stored properly

• Hang or fold and place neatly in drawers

• Crowding creates more wrinkles

• Store away from light• Use a dirty clothes

hamper/sorter to prevent soiling

Assignment

• Make a Tips for Removing Stains Sign to be placed in your laundry room at home!

• Use the chart on page 533 as an example.

• Make it easy to read and colorful.