Of IWNOIS • COUEGE Of AGRICULTURE • COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICEIC ~ \ 1JB1VERSITY 0

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byMarjorie

Mead

LATING COpy

TODAY'SFABRICS

CONTENTS

FIBERS ............................... ................ 3

Natural Fibers ......................................... 4

Man-Made Fibers ....................................... 5

FABRIC CONSTRUCTION .............................. 5 yarns.................................................. 5

Construction Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 9

FABRIC FINISHES .................................... 12

Basic Finishes .........................................12

Texturizing Finishes ...................................13

Special or Functional Finishes ..........................14

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION ........................... 14

LAUNDRY PROCEDURES .............................16

Sorting Clothes ........................................16

Pretreating Clothes .................................... 17

Washing and Rinsing .................................. 17

Drying Clothes.........................................18

Ironing................................................18

DRY CLEANING .......................................19

CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE OF TODAY'S FABRICS .............................21

This circular was prepared by Marjorie Mead,

Extension Specialist in Clothing.

Urbana, IDinois September, 1965

Cooperative Extension Work, University of Illinois, College, of Agriculture, and U.s. Department of Agriculture, cooperating. JOHN B. CLAAR, Director. Acts approved by Congress May 8 and June 30, 1914.

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TODAY'S FABRICS Today's market offers you a wide variety of fabrics, many of which re­quire a minimum amount of care. Whether you're buying ready-to-wear or fabric by the yard, you'll be able to find something for everyone in your family and for every occasion.

Shopping for fabrics or garments can be confusing. You need to know what affects the wear and care of garments so you can buy wisely. Some information will be given on the labels or hang tags that come with garments; fiber content must, by federal law, be stated on labels. But whether or not other information is supplied, such as kind of care or permanency of finish, is entirely up to the manufacturer.

The purpose of this circular is to help you answer the following questions about the factors that affect the way garments perform and the care they require.

1. What fiber or blend of fibers was used for the fabric and how much of each is present?

2. What yarns were used in the fabric and how was it made? Is the fabric woven, knitted, felted, or of lace?

3. What finishes were used and how do they affect the fabric? 4. How was the garment constructed? Since the basic unit of fabric is the fiber, let's begin by learning about

fibers. From fibers yarns are made, then fabrics, and finally garments.

FIBERS A fiber is a threadlike structure which may come from natural sources,

such as plants or animals, or which may be man-made from chemicals. All fibers are grouped generically (by families) according to their nat­ural or chemical sources. Each fiber has characteristics which make it similar to other fibers in its generic group. It also has characteristics which make it unique. Knowing something about each generic group will make it easier for you to learn about new fibers as they appear on the market. You'll be able to compare similarities between the older, more familiar fibers and the newer ones.

The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act of 1960 requires that all textile fiber products carry a label giving the generic name and per­centage by weight of each fiber used. A trade name may also be listed but can't take the place of the generic name.

3

4 CIRCULAR No. 917

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Some natural and synthetic fibers as seen under a microscope.

Any textile fiber may be used alone in a fabric or in a blend with another fiber or fibers. Fabric made from one fiber has the characteristics of that fiber, of course, unless it was changed during fabric construction or finishing. When two or more fibers are used, some of the character­istics of each will be modified or lost. Each fiber makes a specific con­tribution, such as adding strength, softness, or wrinkle resistance. At least 15 percent of a fiber must be present, however, if it's to affect a fabric's characteristics.

Natural Fibers The fibers that come from natural sources are cotton, flax (linen),

silk, and wool. Cotton and linen fibers consist of cellulose, the basic material of all plants. Silk and wool fibers are composed of protein and come from animals. Each of the four natural fibers makes up a generic group. The most important characteristics of each fiber are given in the chart on pages 21 to 23.

Because cotton and linen have a common origin, garments made from them have some of the same qualities. The same thing is true of silk and wool. For example, both cotton and linen garments are durable and easy to care for. And wool and silk garments are noted for their resiliency (that is, they spring back into shape after being wrinkled from wear).

Through the use of finishes (see page 12) natural fibers can be given advantages that make them resistant to creases, stains, and insect damage. This enables them to compete with synthetic fibers, which have these characteristics by their very nature.

5 TODAY' S FABRICS

Man-Made Fibers The number of man·made or synthetic fibers is growing constantly.

As each fiber is developed it is classified generically according to its chem­ical composition. The important characteristics of several generic groups of man-made fibers are given in the chart on pages 21 to 23. Only fibers commonly used in clothing are included. There are others which are used primarily for home furnishings and industrial purposes. The chart applies to home furnishings as well as to clothing.

Man-made fibers have certain properties which are common to most of them. One of the most important is thermoplasticity, which means that synthetic yams and fabrics can be molded and set by heat. This makes it possible to achieve embossed designs, crush-resistant pile, du­rable pleats, and dimensional stability (ability of a garment to hold its shape). Synthetic garments are heat sensitive, however, and will glaze or melt if ironed at too high a temperature or if cigarette ashes are drop­ped on them.

Most synthetic garments resist pulling and rubbing when worn be­cause they have good strength and abrasion resistance. And, except for rayon and acetate, they are practically as strong when wet as dry. Thus agitation and rubbing during laundering won't cause holes. Synthetics also have good resilience and elasticity, which gives them good wrinkle resistance and recovery.

Synthetic fabrics are highly resistant to moths, mildew, insects, and mold, thus simplifying regular garment care and seasonal storage. And they don't absorb much moisture, which makes them easy to wash, quick to dry, and resistant to water-borne stains. Low absorbency, however, makes fabrics hard to dye and causes static electricity to build up.

FABRIC CONSTRUCTION

Yarns A yarn is a continuous length of fibers or filaments which have been

twisted together. Twisting helps hold the fibers or filaments together, adds strength, and makes it possible to achieve unusual textures.

Length oj fibers A yarn's strength and appearance are affected by the length of the

fibers used to make it. Fibers that are comparatively short are known as staple fibers. Cotton, linen, and wool are naturally staple fibers; man­

6 CIRCULAR No. 917

Examples of staple (top) and filament (bottom) yams.

made fibers, though naturally long, are cut into staple lengths for some purposes. Yarn made from staple fibers is fuzzy looking and uneven in thickness because the fibers are short and unequally distributed. So fabrics made from staple yams have a soft and fuzzy texture.

Silk and man-made fibers - called filaments - are long and smooth. Yam made from filaments is smooth looking and even in thickness be­cause the filaments used are smooth and as long as the yam itself. So fabrics made from filament yams have a silky feel and are smooth and lustrous. Filament yarns are stronger than staple yams because each filament has to be broken to break the yam. It takes less force to break a staple yarn because some of the fibers merely slip apart - not all of them break.

Texturing yarns Texture refers to the appearance and hand (feel) of a fiber, yam,

or fabric. Smooth, rough, shiny, dull, soft, and hard are all terms com­monly used to describe texture. All fibers, yams, and fabrics have an inherent texture, but a special texture can be imparted to them during manufacture by spinning or by reforming fibers. Man-made fibers are well adapted to texturing by reformation because of their thermoplastic­ity. A brief discussion of each method of texturing yams follows.

Textured yarns produced by spinning. Crepe is an example of textured fabric that results from twisting yams tighter than usual during spinning. Other novel textures can be produced by twisting fibers or yarns around a central yam or filament. By varying the direction of twist, the number of single yams used, and the rate of speed used for

7 TODAY'S FABRICS

Textured yams produced by spinning - ratine (top), boucle (center), slub (bottom).

twisting the singles around the central yarn, looped or slubbed fabrics such as boucle and ratine can be made.

Fabrics with novel textures usually aren't as durable as fabrics with a smooth surface. The loose ends and loops catch and snag, and fabrics lack abrasion resistance. To some homemakers, however, the beauty of textured fabrics may be as important as durability, or more so.

Textured yarns produced by reforming fibers. In recent years dif­ferent kinds of textured yarns - called textured, bulk, or stretch yams­have appeared on the market. They are made from synthetic fibers or filaments that have been twisted, coiled, crimped, curled, or looped.

Bulking yams increases their volume without increasing their weight. It softens filament yams so that sweaters and other synthetic garments have some of the soft feel of wool. Bulked yams are also more resistant to pilling.

Textured yams that stretch are made into fabrics that provide com­fort and ease of movement. Fabrics made from these yams will stretch, then return to their original size and shape when released. Three meth­ods are used to impart stretch to yarn or to fabric: heat-set yarn stretch, elastomer yam stretch, and piece goods stretch.

With heat-set yarn stretch, fibers are reformed by coiling, curling, or crimping and, as the name implies, are set by heat. Fibers will stretch and return to the form in which they've been set. Nylon has been used most for making stretch yams this way, but now polyesters, acrylics, and

8 CIRCULAR No. 917

Textured yarns produced by reforming fibers: top, coil (Helanca); center, crimp (Ban-Ion); bottom, loop (Taslan).

acetates are being used. Cotton must be chemically treated before it can be made to stretch by heat setting.

Elastomer yarn stretch begins with spandex, an elastic rubberlike substance which can stretch to 500 percent of its length. Staple fibers (polyesters, acrylics, cotton, and wool) are twisted or spun under ten­sion around a core of spandex. The yarn is then released and the spandex core returns to its original length, pulling the fibers around it into a more compact form. The core-spun yam assumes the hand and ap­pearance of the outer fibers.

With piece goods stretch, the stretch is imparted after the fabric is woven. The width of the fabric is chemically compacted and heat set. There is still some question about the durability of this kind of stretch, although it has been used with good results on cotton and blends of cot­ton with polyesters, rayons, or linen. Attempts are being made to use piece goods stretch with wool fabrics.

9 TODAY'S FABRICS

The three basic weaves are the plain (left), the twill (center), and the satin (right).

Don't confuse the many trade names of these textured yarns with the names of fibers or finishes. Some names of textured yarns are Fluf­lon, Superloft, Saaba, Ban-Ion, Textralized, Spunnized, Taslan, Agilon, and Helanca. These names are often on labels with the name of the fiber. For example:

Ban-Ion 100% nylon

Construction Methods Yarns of natural and synthetic fibers may be made into fabric by

weaving, knitting, felting, or lace making. Each method produces a unique type of fabric, affecting durability, use, and appearance.

Weaving Woven fabrics are made by interlacing two or more sets of yarns.

The yarns, which cross each other at right angles during the interlacing process, are known as warp (those running lengthwise) and filling (those running crosswise). Weave is the pattern in which the yarns are inter­laced to make fabric. The three basic weaves are the plain and its vari­ations, the twill, and the satin. Less common but interesting are the leno, used in marquisette; jacquard, used in brocade; dobby, used for

10 CIRCULAR No. 917

making small geometric patterns; and pile, used in velvet, corduroy, and terry cloth.

Durability of woven fabrics is determined by eveness and closeness of weave, thread count (the number of warp and filling yams per square inch), and similar thickness of yarns. The plain weave is used most be­cause it is simple, inexpensive to make, and strong. The twill weave can be used to make firmly woven fabric because it allows more yams to an inch of fabric than does the plain weave. The satin weave is weak because it has few interlacings and long floating yarns which catch easily and break. Satin garments should be reserved for dressy occasions where they won't receive hard wear.

Care for garments made from woven fabrics according to the fiber content, finish, and construction. The chart on pages 21 to 23 includes important care recommendations for individual fibers.

Knitting Knit fabrics are made by forming yarns into loops which are then

interlocked. Closely knit fabrics of good-quality yarn hold their shape well. Many are finished by chemical or mechanical means to prevent sagging, shrinking, or stretching. Care for knits according to fiber, con-

Knitted fabric.

11 TODAY'S FABRICS

tent, finish, and fabric and garment construction. Read labels carefully and follow the manufacturer's suggestions. Care requirements might in­clude machine washing, hand washing, or dry cleaning.

For additional information, see "Selection and Care of Sweaters and Knit Apparel," Illinois Circular 902.

Felting and bonding Felt is made from fibers that are blended together by applying heat,

moisture, agitation, pressure, and sometimes chemicals. It is not very strong because of the way it's made. True felt is made of all or at least part wool fibers. Bonded fabrics are made of short fibers held together by a bonding agent (resin). Felt and bonded fabrics should usually be dry cleaned because of their fiber content and construction.

Lace making Lace may be used for an entire garment or as a garment trim. The

range in price and quality of lace is vast, depending on fiber content, intricacy of design, and type of manufacture - by hand or by machine. Today, machines have largely replaced the hand-making of lace.

Read labels for care recommendations.

An example of lace.

12 CIRCULAR No. 917

FABRIC FINISHES The term finish applies to all processes that follow the manufacture

of fabric until the fabric appears on the bolt or is made into a garment. Finishes sometimes have as much or more influence on the performance and care of fabrics as do fiber content and fabric construction. Some finishes, such as dyeing, printing, or glazing, are visible, while others, such as moth resistance or shrink resistance, can't be seen or felt. A fabric may be given more than one finish - it can be dyed, for example, and also be made moth resistant and shrink resistant.

Be sure to read the labels and hang tags on fabrics and garments for information on finishes used. It's a good idea to make a file of the labels and hang tags that come with your purchases so you will have a handy reference for care requirements. Write a brief description of the garment on the label to help you remember the item to which it belongs.

Not all labels or hang tags give adequate information about finishes used, but a reliable manufacturer will tell you the following:

1. The type of finish used and how it affects the use and care of the garment.

2. What the finish is supposed to do. You'd probably be told, for example, that a garment has been given a wash-and-wear finish.

3. Specific instructions if special care is required. 4. How long the finish should last. For example, finishes may be

nondurable (must be renewed or replaced after the first washing or dry cleaning), durable (will last through several washing or dry cleanings), or permanent (will last for the life of the fabric) .

Finishes are grouped according to their contribution to fabric. There are three general types: basic finishes, texturizing finishes, and special or functional finishes.

Basic Finishes Basic finishes are applied to gray goods (fabrics as they come from

the loom) as they are being converted to the final product. The finishes are used to make fabrics more attractive and durable, even though you may not be very aware of them. You don't need to know about many of the basic finishes as far as use and care of clothing are concerned. Some of the more familiar ones are mentioned here, however, to help you increase your knowledge of textiles.

Bleaching - destroying natural coloring in fibers to whiten them.

13 TODAY'S FABRICS

Fiber content: 100 0/0

COTION This garment has been. given a water repellent finish. It is not waterproof It is resistant to wind and 'rain, perspiration and ordinary spots (not grease stains). Maximum repellency will be A reliable manufacturer will give you insured by takin~ this garment to a rehable dry complete information about finishes cleaner who is equipped used.to maintain the water repellent finish.

Manufactured by JOHN DOE RAINCOAT CO.

000 Street, New Yorlc City, N. Y.

Dyeing - coloring fabric.

Printing - stamping a colored pattern on the w,arp threads or on fabric after it is woven.

Mercerizing - treating cotton yarns or fabric with caustic soda under tension to make cotton stronger, more lustrous and absorbent, and easier to dye.

There are several other basic finishes, some of which are used exclu­sively on a specific fiber. Examples are degumming silk to remove some of the natural gum, carbonizing wool to remove vegetable matter, and delustering rayon to reduce its natural sheen.

Texturizing Finishes T exturizing finishes give a particular texture to fabric. They will

not always be mentioned on labels or hang tags, but you'll learn to recog­nize many of them over the years when shopping for fabric or garments. You will also learn to judge the permanence of some; for others you'll have to rely on labels and the manufacturer's reputation.

14 CIRCULAR No. 917

Two well-known texturizing finishes are:

Embossing - pressing a two-dimensional figured design into a fabric by using hot engraved rollers.

Glazing - treating cotton fabric with a resin, starch, glue, or shel­lac and highly polishing it with a smooth hot roller. This gives the fabric a smooth sheen. After several washings, glazed fabric will lose some of its gloss.

Texturizing finishes can affect the type of care garments require and if they do, the effects should be stated on the label. Embossed designs, for example, are not permanent to laundering and you should be told about it.

Special or Functional Finishes Special or functional finishes improve a fabric's performance, hand,

or appearance. Their use should be stated on labels and hang tags. Some of these finishes are:

Moth-resistant - treating wool to make it resistant to moths and carpet beetles.

Wash-and-wear, minimum-care, wrinkle-resistant - treating cotton, rayon, and linen to reduce the amount of ironing needed. This treat­ment works with varying degrees of success. It does not completely elim­inate ironing.

Shrink-resistant - treating fabric mechanically or chemically to control shrinkage. The term Sanforized applies to cotton or linen and means there will be less than 1-percent shrinkage. Dylanize, Wurlan, and Bancora are names of shrink-resistant processes used on wool.

Sometimes special or functional finishes have a bad effect on fabrics. They may make fabric less durable and strong and not as easy to sew. Fabric also may not drape as well (that is, it may lose some of its ability to fall into graceful folds). Occasionally an objectionable odor may be evident or the fabric may have been finished off grain. If any of these disadvantages affect the fabric so much that it can't be used for an ac­ceptable garment, don't buy it.

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION A garment made from fabric that is easy to care for may still pre­

sent care problems because of the way it is constructed. Following are some of the points of garment construction you should keep in mind when buying or making garments.

15 TODAY'S FABRICS

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Examples of stitching tension that is too tight are shown at top (upper tension) and center (lower tension). Stitching tension should be uniform or balanced as shown at bottom.

Stitches should be unifonn, and the upper and lower tensions should be balanced. Thread and stitch length should be appropriate to the fabric. Lightweight, delicate fabrics such as some silks generally require a finer weight of thread and shorter stitch than do heavy cotton and wool fabrics.

Seams must be sufficiently wide and finished so they won't fray or pull out. This is a special problem in loosely woven fabrics and in many of the synthetics. Tape reinforcements should be used on knits to pre­vent stretching, particularly at the shoulders and waistline. Seams should be pressed flat and smooth.

Hems should be inconspicuous from the right side of the gannent. They should be even and appropriately wide for the fabric and gannent design. A hem should lie flat and have a smooth crease at the hemline.

Fastenings such as buttons, hooks and eyes, snaps, and slide fasteners should be able to withstand the kind of care given the fabric. Buttons, hooks and eyes, and snaps should be reinforced from behind to relieve strain and prevent tearing. Buttonholes should be long enough so they

16 CIRCULAR No. 917

won't stretch or tear during buttoning, and the stitching or binding around them should be firm and neat.

Trimmings and findings such as seam tape, shoulder pads, ribbon, lace, and belts should also be able to withstand the kind of care given the fabric. If not, they should be removable.

Garment design should not make pressing or ironing difficult if a garment is to be cared for at home.

LAUNDRY PROCEDURES Good laundry practices will help you keep your clothes looking their

best if you pay proper attention to fiber content, fabric construction, finishes, and garment construction. Following is a discussion of general laundry procedures. For more detailed information, see "Better Wash­days," Illinois Circular 836, and "Home Laundering: the Equipment and the Job," USDA Home and Garden Bulletin 101.

Sorting Clothes Sort your clothes by color. Separate white or light-colored fabrics

from dark-colored ones. White nylon needs special attention to keep it white because it is easily discolored when washed with colored fabrics. Wash it with white only.

Sort by degree of soil-light, moderate, or heavy. Lightly soiled articles require less agitation time and slightly less detergent than more heavily soiled articles. Don't let synthetics become heavily soiled before washing them, or they might not get clean enough. And don't wash syn­thetics with heavily soiled articles, because soil from the wash water rede­posits on synthetics very readily.

Sort by water temperature required. Hot water (120 0 to 140 0 F.) is best for white cottons, linens, and heavily soiled articles. It causes wrinkling in synthetics and may cause some color to run. It is best for removing soil and sanitizing fabrics. Moderately hot water (about 120 0

F.) is good for lingerie and bright- or dark-colored clothes that don't run but that might fade with continued use of hot water.

Warm water (about 100 0 F.) is good for colored fabrics that run and for washable silks and woolens. Synthetics wrinkle less at this tem­perature.

Cold water (80 0 F. or less) has the least cleaning power and does not sanitize fabrics. It should only be used for lightly soiled articles and fab­

TODAY' S FABRICS 17

rics that wrinkle or shrink in hotter water. Use plently of liquid or cold­water detergent. Granular detergents should be dissolved in hot water before adding them to cold water.

Sort by washing-machine capacity. Your washing machine will not agitate the clothes well if you load it too full. If clothing is heavily soiled, make the wash loads smaller. Synthetics wrinkle less if washed in small loads.

Sort by construction and size of articles. For better agitation and cleaning, mix large and small articles in each load. A bulky item such as a bedspread fills the machine and should be washed alone. Sheers, delicate fabrics, and garments with construction problems need special handling and less agitation than sturdier articles.

Pretreating Clothes Remove stains by treating them as soon as they occur so they won't

set or soak into the fibers. For directions on removing specific stains, consult a reliable stain removal chart such as USDA Home and Garden Bulletin 62, "Removing Stains From Fabrics."l

Soak heavily soiled articles to loosen some of the stains.

Treat heavily soiled areas and perspiration stains by rubbing or brushing the area with a liquid detergent or with a heavy solution of of soap or synthetic detergent (syndet) and water.

Washing and Rinsing Measure laundry supplies carefully according to directions. Too

little soap or syndet won't get your clothes clean. Too much won't get them any cleaner than the recommended amount and may not rinse out, which could cause the clothes to yellow or scorch when ironed.

Use the right water temperature and washing time for the load. Soil redeposits on clothes if they are washed for too long.

Bleach only if necessary. Good laundry procedures reduce the need for much bleaching. There are different types of bleaches available, and each is effective when used as directed.

Liquid chlorine bleach (for example, Purex, Fleecy White, and Clo­rox) may be used as a presoak before the clothes are put into the wash­

1 Copies of this bulletin may be purchased by writing to the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. The cost is 15 cents.

18 CIRCULAR No. 917

ing machine or may be added in diluted form to the load during the washing part of the cycle.

Peroxygen bleach (for example, Snowy, Dexol, and Lestair) prevents discoloration from building up but is not very effective for removing discoloration.

Reducing bleach (for example, Tintex and Rit Color Remover) can only be used on white articles and is safe for any fabric that can with­stand washing in hot water.

Use a water softener if the water is hard. Soaps .and syndets will clean your clothes better with soft or softened water.

Rinse clothes thoroughly so that all soap or syndet is removed. Two or three rinses are necessary. Fabric softener may be added to the last rinse for all articles in the laundry.

Drying Clothes If you're using a dryer, load it so the clothes tumble freely. Don't

overload. Be especially sure that easy-care fabrics have tumbling room. To prevent heat-setting wrinkles, remove clothes from the dryer as soon as it stops. Don't delay even for a few minutes.

If you're using line drying, hang dresses · and blouses on rustproof hangers so they will keep their shape. Drip-dry garments should be hung directly from the rinse water without wringing or squeezing. Hang other articles in such a way that they're not pulled out of shape. Colored clothes and synthetics should not be hung in direct sunlight.

Ironing Clothes should be evenly damp for ironing. If you use a dryer, iron

the clothes before they dry completely because they will be evenly damp. Line-dried articles should be dampened, loosely folded, and left in a moisture-proof bag for several hours before ironing.

Many clothes may be ironed when completely dry if a steam iron is used.

Use the right temperature for each type of · fabric. If you're not sure about the fiber content of a garment, test for ironing temperature on an inside seam. Begin with the lowest heat setting on the iron and gradually increase the heat until you find a temperature that smooths the fabric without scorching, shriveling, or shine.

19 TODAY'S FABRICS

DRY CLEANING Dry-clean fabrics when the label recommends dry cleaning, when

fabric, trimming, or interfacing is not washable, and when styling makes pressing difficult.

Self-service dry cleaning has become popular for getting dry cleaning done inexpensively. Although machine cleaning isn't designed to give clothing a professional pressed look, you can get good results with articles that don't require careful pressing (for example, sweaters, knit dresses and suits, nonelectric blankets, draperies, and slip covers) .

Wear wrinkles aren't always removed during machine cleaning, but the process itself doesn't add new wrinkles. Some coin cleaning estab­lishments provide a water spray to be used on the clothes before they're put into the machine. The water helps remove wear wrinkles.

Some things should not be cleaned by this process. Among these are:

Raincoats -:- they have water repellency and the machine can't re­place it.

Electric blankets - insulation may be damaged.

Pillows and comforters - they may lose their shape and resiliency.

Leather - it becomes brittle.

Rubber - it loses its elasticity.

Felt-it may shrink.

Metallic yarn - it may tarnish.

Plastic - it may dissolve or become stiff or soft.

Flock and lacquer prints - the pattern may disappear.

Stiffened fabric - it may become soft.

Embossed fabric - it may lose its texture.

Follow these procedures to get the best results with coin-operated dry cleaning machines:

1. Tum cuffs down and pockets inside out. Close zippers. 2. Tum sweaters and other knitwear inside out. 3. Sort articles by weight and color. Don't mix heavy items with

lighter ones if you can avoid it. Separate dark-colored garments from light-colored ones, because dark fabrics pick up lint easily. Put articles together that won't cause much damage if colors run. For example, put reds and oranges together. If you do mix the load, put light-colored garments in a pillow case and close it with safety pins.

20 CIRCULAR No. 917

4. It helps to spray spots caused by food or perspiration with water. Don't use water on oil or grease spots, however, and don't spray if the fabric shows watermarks. Take garments to a professional dry cleaner for stains of unknown origin or for stains such as blood or milk that may not dissolve in dry cleaning solvent. The solvent in a coin-operated ma­chine could set these stains.

5. Prevent curtains and draperies from twisting by folding the panels once from top to bottom and pinning the ends with large safety pins.

6. Put small items such as ribbons, ties, or cloth belts in a nylon net or a mesh bag.

7. Take all garments out of the machine immediately after it stops and hang each garment on a hanger. Creases and pleats improve with hanging. Most items will be ready to wear when they come out of the machine. Some garments may need touching up with an iron. It's usually best to let the garments hang overnight before pressing them.

Coin-machine dry cleaning establishments vary considerably in the services they offer. Some provide helpful services such as spot cleaning or pressing. These features add to the advantages of using this kind of dry cleaning.

Fibers Used in Today's Clothing: Characteristics and Recommended Care

The fibers are arranged according to physical characteristics that they have in common. Fabric characteristics and gen­eral care recommendations apply to all of the fibers in each group except where a specific fiber is referred to.

Generic (family) name

Cotton

Linen

Silk

Wool

Trademark names

None

None

None

None

Fabric characteristics

Natural Fibers

Both cotton and linen are durable, but they crease and wrinkle easily unless treated with a wrinkle-resistant or wash-and-wear finish. Cotton is very versatile. Linen has natural beauty and luster which gives it a reputation of elegance.

Both are resilient, wrinkle resistant, and com­fortable to wear. Silk is beautiful and luxurious. Wool has great insulating capacity which makes it warm.

General care recommendations

Care is limited only by dye, finish, and garment construction. ~ Garments stand frequent hard laundering.

~ Avoid chlorine bleaches if wash-and-wear or -< wrinkle-resistant finishes were used, unless the

C/J~

label says it is safe to use bleach. '"%j > :=

tant finish is used. 8 C/J

Mildew can be a problem unless a mildew-resis­tzj

Dry-clean unless garments are labeled washable. Use warm, not hot, temperatures for washing and pressing. Press with moist heat (steam iron or damp press cloth), especially wool. Dry heat may damage fibers. Avoid chlorine bleaches. Protect from moths and carpet beetles. To keep wool from shrinking and felting, agitate as little as possible when washing by hand or machine.

t-:>

J\:)Fibers Used in Today's Clothing - Concluded J\:)

Generic (family) name

Rayon

Acetate

Triacetate

Trademark names

Regular: Bamburg Cupioni Coloray Colorspun Jetspun

Modified, Stable, or High Modulus:

Avril Zantrel Poly­

nosic Lirene

Celanese Estron Chromspun Celaperm

Arnel

Fabric characteristics

Man-Made (Synthetic) Fibers

Rayon is moderately durable. It lacks resil­ience, so will wrinkle easily unless finished. In blends, it contributes softness and may reduce cost. Regular rayon is weak when wet or in condi­tions of high humidity; it shrinks or stretches. Coloray, Colorspun, and Jetspun are solution dyed and highly resistant to fading. Avril, Zantrel, and Lirelle are more shrink and stretch resistant, and stronger when wet and dry than regular rayon.

Acetate fabrics are soft and silky, which makes them drape well. These features, along with low cost, make them silk substitutes. Some acetates are sensitive to fading from atmospheric gases. Chromspun and Celaperm are solution dyed and highly resistant to fad­ing. Acetate is very sensitive to heat. Triacetate can take higher temperatures and can be heat set, which makes it highly resis­tant to shrinkage, stretching, and wrinkling. Triacetate has good pleat retention.

General care recommendations

Avoid chlorine bleaches if resin-finished unless the label says it is safe. Regular rayon requires careful handling when wet. Avril, Zantrel, and Lirelle may be washed and ironed without special care. (')

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Use low temperatures in washing, drying, and pressing. Both fibers will dissolve in acetone, paint re­mover, and fingernail-polish remover.

Acrylic

Modacryllc

Nylon

Polyester

Rubber

Spandex

Oleftn (polypro­

pylene)

Orion Acrilan Creslan Zefran

Dynel Verel

Caprolan Nylenka Antron Cadon

Dacron Kodel Fortrel Vycron

Lastex

Lycra Vyrene Glospan

Herculon Reevon

Fabrics made from all of these fibers have good pleat retention and are nonabsorbent and wrinkle resistant. They resist shrinking, stretching, moths, and mildew. Nylon is the most durable of these fibers, fol­lowed by the polyesters. All fabrics made from these fibers tend to accumulate static electricity in dry, cold weather. They are all sensitive to heat in ironing, but Dynel and Verel are more sensitive than the others. Acrylics are warm, soft, and lightweight. Their feel enables them to compete with wool. Modacrylics are used mainly in synthetic furs and carpeting. Polyesters have a tendency to pill, but some are resistan t.

Both rubber and spandex have a high degree of stretch and recovery. Rubber is sensitive to perspiration and body oils. Spandex is strong and very lightweight. It resists perspiration, cosmetic oils, and lotions.

Excellent in knits. Not widely used yet, but has been seen in some sweaters and hosiery. Used in carpet­ing and home furnishings. Strong and abrasion resistant. Lightweight. Resists insects and mold. Free from pilling.

Fabrics made from all of these fibers should be washed under moderate temperatures. High tem­peratures may cause acrylics to yellow. Use low temperatures in drying and pressing. Remove oily stains before washing, because wash­ing may set them. Dynel and Verel are partially dissolved by ace­tone and fingernail-polish remover. White nylon garments require special care to keep them white. Wash them with white articles only. Most garments made from these fibers require little pressing, and sweaters do not require block­ing.

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Avoid overstretch, such as results from wearing ~ the same girdle every day. o

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Wash rubber and spandex garments frequently to remove body oils. Spandex garments may be machine washed with warm water and dryed at the lowest heat and shortest cycle. A void chlorine bleaches.

Follow instructions on labels and hang tags.

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