Fibers to Yarns to Fabrics... and more!

Delia Tacheny
INT 323 - Textiles, Materials, and Sourcing

Weekly Summary

This week, we read Chapters 5, 6, and 7 moving from various fibers to various fabrics and everything in between.

First, we learned about textile fibers of which the two primary categories are Natural Fibers and Manufactured Fibers:

Natural fibers are obtained from plants, animals, and mineral and can be labeled as natural cellulosic fibers (from plants) or natural protein fibers (from animals). The reading continued to dive into a multitude of fibers and their properties. To name a few examples, Cork, Cotton, Flax, Hemp, Jute, Ramie, and Sisal are all common natural cellulosic fibers. Silk, Wool, Alpaca, Mohair, Angora, Camel's hair, Llama, and Cashmere are all protein/ animal fibers. 

Manufactured fibers are made using raw materials derived from natural products, minerals, synthetic chemicals and or a combination of any of these. Manufactured fibers can be categorized by regenerated fibers, synthetic fibers, mineral fibers, or biopolymer fibers. The production process begins with a fiber-forming solution that is then extruded through what is called a spinneret. The shape and size of the spinneret can be adjusted to change the physical and aesthetic properties of the fiber. Some examples of regenerated fibers include acetate, rayon, and azlon; synthetic fibers include, acrylic, modacrylic, nylon, olefin, polyester, and polyurethane, spandex, and PVC. 

Each fiber exhibits different properties which determines what fibers should be used for what products. 

Next, we learned about the process of yarn-making and the various yarn-like structures. "Yarns are produced as spun yarns, monofilament yarns, filament yarns, or textured filament yarns. Spinners produce spun yarns, fiber producers manufacture monofilament yarns, and throwsters produce filament yarns" (pg. 73). We learned about various processes such as the Cotton system and the Woolen and Worsted systems. 

Spun yarns as well as most other yarns are twisted and can be defined by their "tpi" (turns per inch). The direction of the twist is either a S twist (counter-clockwise) or a Z twist (clockwise). Simple yarns can be classified as Single, Ply, Cord, Cable, or Rope. Novelty yarns have names such as Slub, Spiral, Corkscrew, Nub, Seed, Ratine, or Boucle. 

Last, we learned about fabric and weaving. Most fabrics are made through the interlacing of two sets of yarn at right angles to one another. One set is known as the warp yarns which are held under tension while the weft/ filling yarns interlace throughout the warp yarns. Fabrics are woven on looms; the most common would be a simple or dobby loom.

There are a variety of weave options such as the plain weave, a basket weave, and a rib weave. A twill weave is also a category of weave in which one of the sets of yarn floats over a number of the other sets' yarns in a certain pattern. Jacquard fabrics are an example of typically more complex patterns and weaves, and the Jacquard loom uses a system of hooks and cords instead of a harness which allows each warp thread to operate independently of the others. Pile yarns, though I won't go into detail, are a type of weave that adds some dimension of height to otherwise flat fabrics by interlacing three sets of yarns to make a "pile." It is best for fabrics to be grain-straight; if a fabric is off-grain in which the warp and wefts are not perpendicular, the fabric can become bowed or skewed.

Overall, these three chapters were a great progression in learning the process of fibers to fabrics, and all the variations that exist. 

Yates, M., & Concra, A. (2019). Textiles for residential and commercial interiors / Mary Paul Yates ; Adrienne Concra. Fairchild Books, Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.

One Step Further

Rather than one step further, I decided to take one step back and research a brief history of textile production. The term "Textile" derives from the Latin word "texere" meaning "to weave" and the history of textiles dates back to the beginning of human existence; people for all of time, since the Fall, have needed clothes and textile goods. Around 3400 BC the Egyptians developed the art of spinning linen and weaving. Around 2640 BC, China discovered and developed the process of harvesting, farming, and spinning silk. There are records from the 6th and 7th century BC indicating the use of flax and wool fibers/ fabrics from an excavation of Swiss lake inhabitants. it is the Industrial Revolution however, with the invention and widespread use of machinery that expanded the Textile processing industry. India, Japan, China, and Africa (as I'm sure many other civilizations) each have their own unique history of textile production (History of Textiles).

History of Textiles. Textile School. (2018, September 9). https://www.textileschool.com/182/history-of-textiles-ancient-to-modern-fashion-history/

Research Initiative: Sustainable Building

In our research assignment for the week, we were asked to read about three initiatives, all related to the impact of sustainable building design. 

The Carbon Leadership Forum is an organization that wants to eliminate embodied carbon/ greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and infrastructure that potentially cause harm to the environment. They seek a community of fellow professionals who support their cause and engage in research to provide better awareness to the general public in hopes of impacting legislation and making an impact in the sustainable design realm. 

"The goal of the Carbon Leadership Forum is to eliminate carbon in buildings and infrastructure by inspiring innovation and spurring change through collective action" (carbonleadershipforum.org). They research polices, data and tools, materials, and life-cycle assessments to become better informed so they can then educate and inform others. 

"Architecture 2030’s mission is to rapidly transform the built environment from the major emitter of greenhouse gases to a central solution to the climate crisis. For nearly two decades, we’ve provided the leadership and designed the actions needed to achieve the CO₂ emissions reductions for a high probability of limiting planetary warming to 1.5°C." (architecture2030.org). Architecture 2030 has specific goals and plans of action to also reduce carbon emissions. In fact, by 2030, they are seeking to see a drastic reduction in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from the built environment. By 2040, they'd to completely phase-out fossil fuel emissions. Overall, they also would like to advance sustainable design in communities and cities. They have multiple tools and education resources for helping designers achieve high levels of sustainability.  

"This is HBN’s dream: All people and the planet thrive when the environment is free of toxic chemicals. We invite you to join us as we bring this dream to life" (healthybuilding.net). The Healthy Building Network is another organization related to sustainable design, but rather than such a heavy focus on carbon emissions and the built environment, the Healthy Building Network really seeks to protect people and the environment from toxins of all sorts in the variety of products manufactured and used on a regular basis. Through research and policy work, data tools, and education, the Building Network wants to create a better and healthier environment lifestyle for us as humans as we spend time inside the build environment.

Architecture 2030. (n.d.). https://architecture2030.org/

Carbon Leadership Forum. (2023, May 1). https://carbonleadershipforum.org/

Healthy Building Network. (n.d.). https://healthybuilding.net/work