Fabric is a textile material produced by weaving or knitting textile fibers. The earliest instances of cotton, silk and linen fabrics date back to around 5,000 BC in India, Egypt and China. Textiles can be derived from animal sources like wool, silk and pashmina, plant sources like cotton, and mineral sources like glass fiber. Fabrics are classified based on fiber used and can be natural like cotton, synthetic like polyester, or for various uses like apparel, home furnishings, or upholstery.
3. What is Fabric?
• Fabric is a textile material produced by
weaving or knitting textile fibres.
• Most fabrics are knitted or woven, but some
are produced by non-woven processes such as
braiding, felting, and twisting.
4. History
• Textiles have been an integral part of human
daily life for thousands of years, with the first
use of textiles, most likely felt, dates back to
the late Stone Age, roughly 100,000 years
ago.
• However, the earliest instances of cotton, silk
and linen being to appear around 5,000 BC in
India, Egypt and China.
5. Manufacture
• Textiles can be derived from several sources:
animals, plants and minerals are the traditional
sources of materials.
• By far, animal textiles are the most prevalent in
human society, and are commonly made from
furs and hair. Silk, wool, and pashmina are all
extremely popular animal textiles.
• Plant textiles, the most common being cotton,
can also be made from straw, grass and bamboo.
• Mineral textiles include glass fiber, metal fiber
and asbestos.
6. Production Methods
• Weaving is a textile production method which
involves interlacing a set of longer threads (called
the warp) with a set of crossing threads (called
the weft).
• Knitting and crocheting involve interlacing loops
of yarn, which are formed either on a knitting
needle or on a crochet hook, together in a line.
• Braiding or plaiting involves twisting threads
together into cloth.
7. Classification
• Fabric can be classified based on various criteria. On
the basis of fiber used for manufacturing, it can be
classified as :
• Natural fabrics such as Cashmere, Cotton, Hemp, Jute,
Linen, Ramie, Silk, Wool
• Synthetic or Man-made fabrics like Acetate, Acrylic,
Chiffon, Denim, Georgette, Lastex, Nylon, Organza,
Polyester Fabrics, Rayon, Satin, Velvet etc.
• It can also be categorized on the basis of its usage for
making Apparel, Curtains, Drapery, Home Furnishing,
Quilting, Upholstery among others.