Corduroy Fabric- Can it be Worn in Summers?

Sometimes it happens that we unknowingly put a fabric in certain category. For example, we say cotton, linen etc. are summer fabrics whereas wool, cashmere etc. are winter fabrics. Have you ever thought of the fabrics that are categorized as winter fabrics but are made from summer fabrics? Corduroy Fabric is one such fabric which is popularly called a winter fabric but is originally made from cotton- it is a cotton fabric with texture.

So, do you wear your corduroy skirt and pants in summers or pack all of them to be used in winters alone? Can you, in fact, wear corduroy in summers? To know this, first of all you'll have to know about the basic corduroy fabric.

What is Corduroy Fabric?

Fabric characteristically having parallel, lengthwise cords or ridges is the corduroy fabric. It looks much like twill fabric but there is a basic difference in appearance. Twill has diagonal rows while corduroy has parallel ridges. While weaving, its fibers are normally twisted resulting in long, parallel ridges. Initially, corduroy was made from cotton only. Now many other fibers, such as polyester, rayon and acrylic are also used to make corduroy fabric but essentially it remains a cotton texture fabric. Also, the modern versions of corduroy are composed of tufted cords, sometimes exhibiting a channel (bare to the base fabric) between the tufts. In essence, corduroy is a ridged form of velvet.

How is Corduroy Fabric Used?

Corduroy fabric is mostly used for making casual to business casual clothing usually for colder climates. They are widely used for trousers but not very uncommon to be seen as skirts, jackets, caps, bags and even upholstery for chairs and sofas. In fact, the application of corduroy fabric is decided by the width of cords appearing on it. The width of the cord is usually referred to as “wale”. The Corduroy fabrics having narrow wales are generally softer to touch, and are often used for shirts, skirts, jackets or caps. Corduroy with wide wales is commonly found on pants or furniture.


Can We Wear Corduroy in Summers?

Although considered to be a fall/winter fabric, corduroy can even be worn in summers, of course, if you do not go by strict fashion norms. However, the fabric for summer has to be chosen very cautiously. It should be narrow wale (thin width cord), lighter weight corduroy (if superlight, it's best) in a light color, something like white, beige, pink etc. For choosing such corduroy you must know how to count the wales? Corduroy fabric’s wale count per inch varies from 1.5 to 21. However, the traditional standard falls between 10 and 12. 11-wale corduroy, that is to say 11 wales per inch, is the corduroy with narrower wales. There are pincord, pinwale, and needlecord types of corduroy from among which pincord is the finest cord with a count above 16 and has a feel that is as soft as velvet and it is superlight. So, if you find this corduroy, wear it in summers without any other consideration!

Coated Fabrics: Benefits and Drawbacks

The most significant development of our times, in the field of fabrics, can be called the development of specialty fabrics. These specialty fabrics have many characteristics that make them suitable for specific applications. Coated fabric is one of the important specialty fabrics of our times.


Many chemicals and materials such as PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride),PE and other Poly olefins, PU (Polyurethane), acrylics, rubber (natural or synthetic) and waxes are used in the coating process of fabrics. Color dyes and pigments can also be added to these chemicals for giving desired colors and shades. Through coating, many characteristics are given to the fabrics, such as water resistance, fire retardance, UV resistance, flexibility, surface gloss, surface texture, etc.

Different types of coated fabrics are there which include PVC coated fabrics, Teflon coated fabrics, Rubber coated fabrics, Vinyl coated fabrics and the newly developed Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) coated fabrics. These coated fabrics are used for manufacturing various products including protective clothing, gaskets and seals for automotive industry, conveyor belts, bags, tents and tarpaulins, roofing membranes, sporting tents, light weight sport field covers, agriculture coverings, automotive interiors and many other such highly functional products.

Although coated fabric provides high functionality to many industries, its disposal poses a threat to the environment. They can't be recycled even by applying high temperature or pressure or by dissolving in solvents. They have to be burned, of course after having taken precautions to save the environment from such disposal. However, innovations are being introduced in the field of coated fabrics also. The TPO coated PP fabrics come labeled as “PVC free”, “halide free”, “Green product” etc. They are lighter than PU or PVC or rubber coated fabrics and are melt recyclable. We can hope that in near future more such innovations take place so that the useful coated fabric also become environmental friendly.

Jacquard – Complex Patterns for Beautiful Fabrics

From among the decorative fabrics, jacquard fabric holds a very important place. Jacquard is a very beautiful fabric with unique patterns woven into the fabric itself. Jacquard is, in fact, one of the various types of fabric weaves which is used to make complex fabric patterns on the specially designed jacquard looms.

The Jacquard Loom was invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801 which was controlled by punchcards. Many cards were strung in a continuous row to develop a pattern. These mechanical Jacquards were smaller in size and could control independently only a few warp ends and thus the process had to be repeated many a times across the loom width. The larger capacity machines and multiple machines allowed relatively greater control and also needed fewer repeats. The electronic jacquard looms, introduced in 1983, had greater capacity which could handle more than 10,000 warp ends simultaneously. These computer-controlled machines significantly reduced the time wasted in changing punched paper designs. But they were viable for those factories only which manufactured jacquard fabric with specialized designs, due to the cost involved in installing these machines.

Jacquard weaving uses many types of fibers and fiber blends and create complex patterns on fabrics. The jacquard loom can be programmed to raise each warp thread independently of the others giving a very high level of warp yarn control. There are many types of jacquard fabrics that are used for fine jacquard clothing and upholstery. The examples of jacquard fabrics include brocade, damask, matelasse and tapestries etc.

Linen Fabric- So Common Yet So Unique!

Some of the fabrics are more than liked in summers. Linen fabrics are one of them. Linen is so familiar term to all of us but do we really know enough about this smooth, cool durable fabric? Did you know, apart from making garments and home furnishings, linen is also used for making many other things including paper? Yes indeed! Paper made of linen can be very strong and crisp. This is why, many countries including the United States, print their currency on paper made from 25% linen and 75% cotton! Does this interest you to know more about this fine fabric- the linen fabric!

What is Linen?
Linen comes from one of the strongest plant fibers- the flax, which is obtained from the stems of the plant Linum usitatissimum. Flax fibers are of two varieties- longer line fibers and shorter tow fibers. The fine and regular long flax fibers are spun into yarns for linen fabrics of which 70% goes into making clothing with extraordinary coolness. They are also used for high quality textile furnishings. Shorter flax fibers make heavier yarns that are used for kitchen towels, sails, tents and canvas. Lower fiber grades are used as reinforcement and filler in thermoplastic composites and resins used in automotive interior substrates, furniture and other consumer products.

Why Linen is Unique?
The 'so-cool-to-touch' linen fabric is about two to three times stronger than cotton yet it is soft and smooth when felt against skin. There are many properties of linen fabric that go to make it unique.

• Linen is a very good conductor of heat- the reason for its being so cool.
• It is smooth, soft and lint free- in fact, wash it more and it will get more softer.
• It has high natural luster having shades of ivory, ecru, tan, or Grey- if its pure white then it is heavily bleached linen.
• It has a crisp and textured feel. However, it can range from stiff and rough, to soft and smooth.
• If properly manufactured, linen fabric can highly absorb and rapidly lose water- it can gain up to 20% moisture without even feeling damp- that's why it is one of the the finest cool summer fabrics.
• It is very durable and strong- in fact, it is more stronger when wet than when dry.
• It is abrasion resistant and also resistant to moths and carpet beetles.
• It can be easily taken care of as it resists dirt and stains and also don't have lint or pilling tendency. It can be dry cleaned, machine washed or steamed without any concern.

However, as it is said that nothing comes with all good, linen too has some features that call for a little concern. Linen has poor elasticity. As such, it wrinkles very easily and wears away if folded and ironed at the same place repeatedly like collars, hems, and any area that is iron creased during laundering. Regardless of its tendency to wrinkle, linen has become the most favorable fabric for elegant summer clothing, otherwise what's the justification of 70% linen production being used for making apparels? In fact, a lot of linen garments nowadays are designed to be wrinkle free that can be air dried on a good hanger and worn without the need of ironing.

Fabric Painting- Creating Magic on Fabrics

Fabric is such a medium that can be used in a wide variety of ways to express oneself. Wear it as clothing to make your own style statement or make them into astonishing home furnishings to decorate homes- they are always amazing! Not only fabrics come in a variety of colors and textures, they can even be embellished in different ways to make them all the more beautiful. Embroidery is the most accepted and widely adopted means of embellishing them. However, fabric painting has there since ages and is one of the adoring crafts that people love to do with fabrics. In fact, fabric painting is one of the means that can be used in innumerable ways- the only need is to let loose one's imagination.

Mostly, natural blended fabrics such as 50-50 cotton-polyester blends are chosen for doing fabric painting. There is a set process for fabric painting where it is first washed and dried to let it shrink and for cleaning any dirt, dust, or textile finishing chemicals from it. Then paints are chosen from among fabric paint tubes, fabric paint pens, paint pots and brushes. Designs are also chosen according to one's interest which include free hand designs, that is to paint without any design laid out beforehand. Many draw the designs with pencils on the fabric to be painted and others use iron on transfer method in which they use a colored transfer pen to trace over a simple lined picture. The design is then applied by placing the drawn lines directly onto the fabric and gently pressing a hot iron on top. The fabric is then painted through different techniques like stamping, reverse stamping, screen painting and others. Once fabric painting is finished, it is allowed to dry for about at least 24 hours to 72 hours so that it is thoroughly dry and set. The finished item is then again washed and dried.

However, there are certain considerations that should be kept in mind while fabric painting. This will be clear with tips for fabric painting. So read these tips and create magic on fabrics with fabric painting.

Nano-Camo: Chameleon-like Camouflage Outfits in the Offing

In the near future, just in five to ten years, the adventurous people can see some of their fantasies come true. They can own outfits that will turn blue when at sea and brown when in a desert environment. The same effect could be used in making everyday chic fashion clothing for fashionistas that automatically changes color to fit different visual settings. Sandia National Laboratories researchers have demonstrated that, in theory, they could cause synthetic materials to change color just like certain fish species which blend with their environment by changing color.

The Basic Principle Underlying Nano Camouflage Clothing
The researchers have followed the mechanism that the fish use to change colors. The power source for the whole process depends upon the basic cellular fuel called ATP, which releases energy as it breaks down. Around 50% of the power is absorbed by the motor proteins, the tiny molecular motors that can move along surfaces. When fish change colors, motor proteins aggregate and disperse skin pigment crystals carried in their “tails” as they walk with their “feet” along the microtubule skeleton of the cell. They rearrange the color display through this.

The on/off switch
The scientists are also introducing on/off switch to control the motion of the motor proteins. The effect is controllable, and even reversible. “We essentially reengineered the protein structure to introduce a switch into the motor,” says the principal investigator George Bachand. “So we can now turn our nanofluidic devices on and off.” Previous efforts at regulating motor activity have used fuel intake as a control mechanism which operated on the principle- the less the fuel, the slower the process. However, the Nano-camo switch operates independently of fuel changes, resembling the improvement in early automobile technologies when a simple ignition switch took over for more complicated rheostats.
So, just wait and watch for the amazing chameleon-like camouflage 'Nano-camo' for fashionistas and environmentalists.

Fabric Weaving Process

Fabric is manufactured in a variety of ways. The basic principle, however, is something like that of making birds nest where the straws are interconnected to make a web like structure. Fabric is also interconnection of yarns or threads that is achieved by many different processes. Weaving is one of the major processes for fabric construction where two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced with each other to form a cloth. The lengthwise set of yarns running from the back to the front of a weaving loom is called warp. The crosswise yarns are filled in the warps and thus they are known as the filling or the weft.

Both, warps and wefts have to be specifically prepared before weaving is done. The preparation includes operations such as spooling, warping and slashing. In spooling, the yarn is wound on larger spools (cones) that are placed on a rack known as creel. From the creel, the yarns are wound on a warp beam, which looks like a huge spool. These yarns are unwound for slashing, or sizing which is done to prevent chafing or breaking of yarns during weaving. The sized yarns are then wound on a final warp beam and are ready for the loom. The weft yarns have to be spun into desired size by giving them the right amount of twist needed for the type of fabric they will make. Weaving essentially includes four major operations that are performed in sequence and are continuously repeated. These operations are shedding; picking; beating up; and taking up &letting off.

Shedding involves raising up of alternate warp yarns in order to insert the filling yarn into the warp to form a shed. Shedding is automatically performed by the harness on the modern weaving looms. In picking, when the warp yarns are raised through shedding, the weft yarn is inserted through the shed with the help of a carrier device. A single crossing of the filling from one side of the loom to the other is called a pick. Various methods are adopted for carrying the filling yarn through the shed in different kinds of looms. A shuttle loom uses a shuttle which contains a bobbin of filling yarn. It leaves a trail of the filling at the rate of about 110 to 225 picks per minute (ppm).

As the shuttle looms are very slow and noisy, many shuttle less looms have been developed which include projectile loom; rapier loom; water jet loom; air jet loom etc. In projectile loom, the picking action is done by a series of small bullet like projectiles. Rapier looms have one or two rapier devices that travel along the width of the loom to carry the weft from one side to the other. Water jet and air jet looms, as the names suggest, use a jet of water and air respectively to carry the weft yarn across the loom. All these shuttle less looms have speeds ranging from 200 to 600 ppm. There are circular looms also that are mainly used for making tubular fabrics with the help of a shuttle device that circulates the weft in a shed formed around the machine.

Beating up, also called battening, beats each weft yarn against the portion of the fabric that has already been formed which results in a firm and compact fabric construction. As the shedding, picking and battening processes are being done, the new fabric is wound on the cloth beam, which is known as 'taking up'. At the same time, the warp yarns are released from the warp beam which is known as 'letting off'.

Home Decor and Fabrics

We all want our homes to look unique. As such, all of us put unimaginable efforts to make it look like heaven. Home furnishings play a major role among all the other interior decor items that we use to embellish our homes.

Fabrics are, in fact, used by interior decorators as a useful accessory that hides any flaw of the house including architectural defects. Apart from this major purpose, home furnishing fabrics are used for providing privacy, insulation from heat and cold as also from noise. The amazing fact about fabrics, when used for home decor, is that they can be reused and recycled very easily. They can be changed without much investment too.

Although fabrics serve many purposes, they have to be chosen carefully as what one kind of fabric can provide, the other can not. Some fabrics absorb heat and light while others do not. Some are naturally resistant to fire and dust whereas some others are given special finishes such as moth resistance and anti bacterial properties. This goes to prove that there is a wide range of fabrics with different properties that can be used as per the requirement of various home furnishings. For example, upholstery fabrics are strong, durable, have resistance to seam slippage and shape retention capability. Similarly, kitchen linen fabrics are stain and flame resistant and curtain fabrics are light resistant.

Not only fabrics provide functionality but they can also assist in providing different interior decorating styles based on the fabrics selected. For example, chenille fabric and printed flocked fabric, when used with a creamy white background color, can give a trendy look to any room where as corduroy fabric when used in curtains and cushions can give a contemporary stylish look to the same room. Jacquard and brocade fabric can be used for traditional appearance of any home while knit fabric can give traditional as well as contemporary look depending upon the colors, forms, and textures of the chosen fabric.

Fabric SigNature DNA- Unique Technology to Fight Fraudsters

There is a good news and a bad news, in fact a news that is good for the fashion and fabric industry and bad for the fraudsters. A revolutionary new DNA-based technology- unique label incorporating Signature DNA taggant- has been developed to put a stop to fakes and track down counterfeiters.

Counterfeit textile and clothing have become a trouble with billions of dollars worth of seizures and losses incurred all around the world. In such a situation, the textile suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and brand owners have the added burden of testing end products for determining their authenticity so that the end-user can be assured of getting genuine products.

Although many technological measures are used for this purpose such as holograms and other hard-to-copy trademarks, heat transfer labels, invisible inks, unique threads and merchandise-tracking technology, they all become useless if the companies are not able to control their labeling supply and conduct regular audits. It is, in fact, very difficult to make out the difference between genuine and fake products just by seeing them because counterfeiters also use technology and digitally reproduce identical labels within a few hours of the launch of an item.

Keeping all these factors in view, SigNature DNA has been developed to fight the fraudsters. This new DNA-based technology applies a unique SigNature DNA marker to inks and yarns in a label or piece of fabric. A mark is individual to a brand, just like DNA. This makes it the only label in the world that can't be copied, re-engineered or counterfeited. Forensic testing can be done to determine whether a garment or label is authentic by the presence of the brand’s SigNature DNA. As it is recognized by law as positive-proof of authenticity, evidence is admissible in a court of law which is quiet an effective way to check the fraudsters. This is a great achievement that'll benefit the textile and related industries as brand identity is of great value to them.

Crocheted Fabrics - An Introduction

Man has always been attracted towards beauty and in his pursuit of beauty, he has discovered many beautiful things too. Crocheted fabric is one such inventions of men which are made from simple materials like yarn or thread using a crochet hook. Crocheting is very similar to knitting as it is simply pulling loops of yarn through other loops. However, in crocheting, only one loop is active at a time with the exception of Tunisian crochet. It also differs from knitting in respect of its crochet hook which is used instead of knitting needles.

Development of Crocheted Fabrics
It is believed that primitive man did crocheting with the help of bent forefinger and as such there is no material evidence of its existence in those ages. However, crocheting as a tradition was prevalent in Arabia, South America, or China though there is no decisive evidence regarding this. It became popular in 19th century in Europe as craft. With industrialization, when the inexpensive cotton threads became readily available, crocheting saw a boom in its popularity. It saw a downtrend after World War I but again became popular after World War II when people regained their interests in various crafts. The crocheting patterns reappeared in many magazines and in the present times, it is such a popular craft that most of the yarn stores offer crochet lessons along with the traditional knitting lessons apart from full magazines dedicated to the craft of crocheting.

Crocheting Process
Crochet patterns are based on mathematical structure and are quite difficult to understand when viewed in a two-dimensional presentation. Crocheting is done by placing a slip-knot loop on the hook, pulling another loop through the first loop, and repeating this process a number of times till a chain of required length is created. The chain is used in two ways- it is either turned and worked in rows, or joined to the beginning of the row with a slip stitch and worked in rounds. Rounds can also be made by working many stitches into a single loop. Stitches are made by pulling one or more loops through each loop of the chain. At the end of a stitch, there is always only one loop left on the hook.

Types of Crochet
There are many types of crochets that include Filet crochet, Tunisian crochet, broomstick lace, hairpin lace, and Irish crochet among others. Filet crochet is a type of crocheted fabric or a crocheted lace made with chain stitch and the double crochet stitch. It is mainly used to create decorative items such as doilies, tablecloth, coasters, placemats etc. Tunisian crochet is the most unique as it keeps many loops active while crocheting and thus it is sometimes equated with knitting also. Broomstick lace uses a crochet hook and a long slender item like a knitting needle and the fabric made from this type of crochet is used for clothing and blankets. Hairpin lace is made with the help of two parallel metal rods. Strips are made by this method and then joined together to create a lightweight fabric. In Irisish crochet, motifs are made separately and then assembled into a mesh background.

Keep Cool with Summer Fabrics!

Beat the Heat with Natural Fiber Fabrics this Summer! Your comfort in the hot season depends largely on your fabric choice. To stay cool, dry and comfortable, choose fabrics that are made up of smooth and absorbent fibers. Avoid Spun fibers, or napped, pile or fuzzy fabrics. Go for open, smoother, looser weaves or knits like mesh or seersucker. Light-colored and lightweight fabrics are good choices as far as summers are concerned.

Cotton: The all time favorite cotton is the best deal in summers. It is soft, breathable, soaks sweat, allows the body heat to escape, thus giving you cool feeling. It is available in lots of qualities, colors and blends. As it wrinkles a little, you can opt for cotton and polyester blend with a bigger proportion of cotton. Cotton will keep you cool and polyester don't needs ironing.

Linen: Pure linen that comes in different weights from ultra thin to heavy, is ideal for summer clothing- lighter ones for blouses and dresses and the heavier for summer jackets and slacks. Linen is strong, durable, absorbs perspiration and dries quickly, doesn't lint and softens as it ages. It feels cool and comfortable more than any other fabric. However, it wrinkles a lot so you can go for the luxurious blend of linen and cotton.

Rayon: Rayon derived from cotton linters or wood pulp, comes in many types-viscose, high wet-modulus, lyocell (tencel) etc. and is often blended with other natural and synthetic fibers. A comparison of rayon with other fibers show that rayon is a a good conductor of heat and thus is appropriate for summer clothing. It is one of the most absorbent fabrics, even more than cotton or linen.

Denim: Denim is also a popular fabric for summer times. It is made from tightly woven cotton and is breathable, sweat-absorbent just like cotton. However, when compared to pure cotton, denim is more heavier than it. Therefore, one must go for lightweight denim in order to keep cool in summers.

Lightweight wools: Not many people know that, with correct engineering, wool can be made to act as a very cool fabric for summer heat. The astonishing and interesting fact about summer suits is that they are made of light weight wool apart from cotton and linen. Wool has excellent insulating properties and as such it keeps wearer warm in winter and cool in summer provided the fiber diameter, length, spinning technology etc. are appropriate to produce 'Cool wool'.

Table Linen for Memorable Wedding

Planning and organizing a memorable wedding party requires a good amount of attention. Table decoration is an integral part of any wedding ceremony. As such, a thoughtful selection of table linen is a must for such an important occasion. However, there are so many fabrics available these days that everyone seems to be puzzled about how to find wedding table linens. I've made an attempt to categorize some of the fabrics that can lend a special feel to your special moment.

The popular fabric choice for wedding table linen is the formal one made of damask, linen, or lace, in neutral colors like white or ivory - plain, monogrammed or embroidered. You can always deter from this formal choice and decide the look you want for your wedding table linen.

Pintuck fabric – They can be defined as narrow, sewn rows of fabric. Pintuck fabrics have interesting diamond or square patterns on them. They'll give a little bulge to the table without looking odd. However, choose your glass crockery with wider bases because the tucking on the fabric might make it difficult to balance things on it.


Bichon fabric - This fabric has a "crushed" or "wrinkly" texture, and thus, sometimes, it is referred to as crushed linens. These fabrics are a little shiny and are made of more delicate fabrics, therefore costs more than some other luxury linens.

Dupioni- It is also called Shatung Silk. Dupioni has an interesting stubbled texture with a slight sheen. Its unique double weave lets the two colors shine through at the same time. It is crisp to touch and doesn't wrinkle badly. In fact, many bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses are also made of this royal fabric.

Lamour – They are shiny linen, very soft to touch. Lamour is best when looking for a little shine in your event.


Bengaline – It is a poplin-like fabric having a crosswise corded effect. Therefore, it adds texture to the table design. It also has a shiny surface which makes it perfect for special occasions.

Organza or Chiffon Fabrics: If you want a softer effect, use sheer fabrics like organza or chiffon. Sometimes fitted linen is used on tables. If you want to have an overlay on the top of such regular poly cotton or damask table linen, then also, sheer fabrics are the best choice.
When you've selected the fabric of your choice, just follow some table decorating ideas and make your wedding a memorable event for yourself and your guests.

Rayon Fabrics- A Comparison with Other Fabrics

The generalized classification of textile fibers are done as natural fibers and man made synthetic fibers. However, not all manmade fibers are synthetic fibers. Rayon fiber one of such manmade fibers. The two categories of cellulose fibers- rayon and acetate are man made rather than synthetic because they are manufactured by using natural materials like cotton linters and wood pulp instead of using chemical elements.

Types of Rayon
There are two types of rayons- viscose rayon and high-wet-modulus (HWM) rayon, categorized on the basis of two principal methods of making rayon. Whatever the method used for making rayons, they are essentially made from cotton linter or wood pulp usually obtained from pine, spruce, or hemlock trees. Cotton linter is the residue cotton fiber which cling to cotton seed after the ginning process.
Wood chips or cotton fibers are used to make viscose solution, which is forced through a spinneret into sulfuric acid to produce cellulose filaments. After extrusion from spinneret, the viscose rayon fibers are processed to make filament or spun staple yarns through various spinning processes, such as Pot Spinning, Spool Spinning, and Continuous Spinning. Different varieties of yarns such as monofilament yarns, multifilament yarns, spun yarns etc. are made that are further woven into a wide variety of fabrics. Spun rayon yarns can be used for making fabrics similar to cotton, linen or wool. Rayon filament yarns can make fabrics like silk. Various finishes are also applied to these fabrics that give numerous properties to viscose rayon

Properties of Rayon- A Comparison with Other Fabrics
Strength: The tensile strength of viscose rayon is greater than wool but only about half as great as that of silk.
Elasticity: Viscose rayon has greater elasticity than cotton or linen but less than wool or silk.
Resilience: Viscose rayon lack the resilience like that of wool and silk and creases readily. However, resistance to creasing depends on the kind of yarn, weave and finishing process. For instance, extremely fine filaments used in multifilament rayons and any crepe surface produced by tightly twisted yarns have greater resistance to creasing.
Drapability: Viscose rayon have a good quality of drapability as it is a relatively heavyweight fabric.
Heat Conductivity: Viscose rayon is a good conductor of heat and thus is appropriate for summer clothing.
Absorbency: Viscose rayon is one of the most absorbent fabrics, more absorbent than cotton or linen. Only wool and silk exceed rayon in absorbency.
Shrinkage: Viscose rayon fabrics tend to shrink more than cotton fabrics of similar construction. Spun Viscose rayon fabrics shrink more with repeated laundering than fabrics made of the filament yarns.
Washability: Viscose rayon fiber, due to its smoothness, produces such fabric that sheds dirt. Some of them wash easily. Finishes given to them decides whether they'll become yellow on washing or dry cleaning. Since viscose rayon temporarily loses strength when wet, it must be handled with care when washed.

Lycra Spandex- The Wonder Fabric for Comfort and Fit

It's generally believed that natural fabrics are the most comfortable ones. I am not opposing the fact. I just want to highlight the characteristics of Spandex, which is a synthetic fabric yet very comfortable and gives a great fit to our garments.

Spandex is an elastic fiber, and it was introduced by DuPont under the trade name "Lycra" in 1958. The brand name, Lycra, got so famous that it became the synonym of spandex and now all the varieties of spandex were known as Lycra. It was developed as the alternative to rubber but proved to be so good that it left rubber far behind. It has better resistance to heat, oil, and abrasion in comparison to rubber. However, the quality due to which spandex is loved so much is its stretchability. It can be stretched to almost 500% of its length. It is lightweight, soft, smooth, supple, durable and has higher retractive ability i.e. it can bounce back in its original shape in a very effective manner. As such, it never leads to bagging and sagging of the garment.

All the characteristics of spandex are due to the variety of raw materials that are used to make the stretchable spandex fiber - prepolymers which produce the backbone of the fiber, stabilizers which protect the integrity of the polymer, and colorants. Apart from the basic prepolymers, catalysts etc. stabilizers, such as antioxidants, are added to protect the fibers from damaging sources like heat, light, atmospheric contaminants, and chlorine. These fibers are manufactured in four different ways- melt extrusion, reaction spinning, solution dry spinning, and solution wet spinning. However, solution dry spinning alone produces over 90% of the world's spandex fibers.

As far as application of spandex is concerned, it is widely used in making of active sports wear, work wear and garments that provide support such as hosiery, bra, corsets etc. The level of comfort and wicking ability of Spandex can't match any other fabric. Not only they are used in work wear and swim wear but also are gaining popularity for making apparels for plus sized population. Due to its many qualities, spandex give support as well as freedom of movement and ease to such people. The new seamless spandex not only supports a fuller figure, it also provides the illusion of a more toned frame.

Microfiber Fabric- The Miraculous Cloth for Cleaning

Most of the cleaning cloths are not upto the mark in the sense that either they don't wipe away dirt particles, oils & grease fully or leave lints on the cleaned surface. The invention of microfibers in Sweden in the mid-1980s had solved these small looking but great problems regarding cleaning. Microfibers are synthetic fibers that are made of polyester, nylon or such other polymers. The Microfiber fabrics are exceptionally strong and super fine - four times finer than wool, three times finer than cotton and twice as fine as silk.

Microfiber fabrics are great for cleaning purposes- residential or commercial. They are extremely dense and have lots of small nooks and crevices that allow them to hold water up to seven to eight times their own weight. Further, due to their electrostatic properties which attracts dirt, fats or grease, the dirt gets collected on the cloth and stays there only. As the dust particles do not float in the air, they are a boon to allergy sufferers. They also pick up bacteria from the surface which is being cleaned and reduce the number of bacteria by 99% whereas a conventional cleaning cloth reduces them only by 33%.

Microfiber products used for general cleaning are made from split conjugated fibers of polyester and polyamide and those used for commercial cleaning are made from 100% polyester microfiber. These fabrics are exceptionally soft and hold their shape well and have exceptional ability to absorb oils. Although microfiber mops are more costly than conventional mops, they are economical as they last for longer and require less effort to use, leading to labor saving and cost saving.

From being used as cleaning cloth only microfiber fabrics are now used for many other products including apparel garments, upholstery, blankets, bed coverings, sportswear etc. due to their characteristics softness, durability, strength, easy maintenance, water resistance and moisture wicking ability.

Synthetic Fibers Industry- Becoming Eco Aware

With the declaration of 2009 as the International Year of Natural Fibres by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a doubt is raised as to whether synthetic fiber has gained so much of significance in the recent years that a whole year has to be dedicated to natural fibers. This year will be dedicated for promotion of benefits of natural fibers as against the disadvantages of synthetic fibers. This also makes it necessary to do an analysis of synthetic fibers industry as to what is being done by it in order to contribute to world's sustainability and for reducing its carbon footprint.

Synthetic fabrics had been liked by masses due to their low cost, easy manageability and technical competence. However, with rising costs of energy, transportation, and raw materials and growing concern for environment, the challenge before this industry is that of making available eco-fabrics at competitive prices.

The synthetic fibers industry has already started changing its attitude by focusing on business with the aim of sustainable development. REACH, the regulation that will monitor the usage of chemicals, has already come into effect in the European Union which is being studied by other countries that are expected to follow suit. The artificial fibers manufacturers have increased the use of more renewable raw materials like cellulosic fibers. Some companies are already using polymers recycled from post-consumer waste, such as polyethylene terephthalate bottles. New researches are underway to explore new raw materials from quickly growing plants like sugar cane, grass and straw. Retailers too have started providing eco labels giving information about the eco friendly processes and materials used for making the final garments.

The Synthetic fibers industry is an indispensable part of textile industry and with growing demand for technical textiles and nonwovens as well as for managing demands for ever increasing global population, it will survive but with eco-friendly options.

New Smart Fabrics for New Year

Fresh and New Year 2009 is here! I wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year! New is always charming, always better from the old. Something new is being developed at every moment- a new life, a new song, a new dish, a new cloth! From being made from natural fibers like cotton, jute and wool, the fabric companies introduced new clothes made of synthetic fibers. Then these synthetic fabrics were improvised upon and introduced with new features for comfort in all seasons- warm fabrics for winters, cool fabrics for summer and water repellent fabrics for rainy season. Now with all its research and development, textile industry has introduced new and innovative smart fabrics- the hi- tech textile. Let's have a look on some of the new textiles in this new year!

New Electronic Wearables

Health Smart fabrics: Fabrics enriched with vitamins, algae or nutrients spare us from taking them orally. Electrical wearable are also there for tracking heart rate, ECG & body temperature or warn against allergy causing elements. This is not all, smart bras can detect breast cancer at early stages. Now these doctors in form of fabrics can be with us all the time! Some fabric companies are researching for sensors which can measure conductivity, electrolyte level, temperature and pH of the users' sweat, so very useful for sportswear.

Heat Modifying Textiles: No need of different clothes for different seasons now. Heat Modifying fabrics can make the heat pass out when body gets hot and as it gets cold, they keep back the heat. Some of them are made with electric wiring to regulate the body temperature. Researches are on for Inherently Conductive Polymers (ICP) so that fabric can make the body warm or cold without any electrical wiring, lets see whether we can wear it in 2009!

Interesting Smart Wearables: Forget those anti bacterial ointments and powders, just wear underpants treated with silver for permanent anti-bacterial treatments and also get rid from odor. If you have that common embarrassing problem of emitting gas, then wear underpants that filter out the smell of emitted gas through a triangular pocket strategically placed over the bottom containing carbon for filtering out smelly gases.

Progress is not only made in the field of electronic wearables, smart products too are there for your convenience. Get a new smart fabric keyboard this year and roll up to keep it in your pocket. Use it with your pocket PC or blueberry. Now your office moves with you! Are you a music enthusiast, get a bag made of smart fabric and operate your MP3 in bag through its straps, keep your hands free for other works! There are many more smart fabric products for your use. So, what are you getting this new year!

Business Opportunities with Fabrics

If, for a couple of minutes, I take it for granted that you are genuinely interested in fabrics and want to do something with fabric or related to fabric- some activity that can generate income for you, then what are the options available with you?

Starting a fabric business: If you have interest, experience, formal education in textile technology or entrepreneurial skills- you can well consider to be a fabrics businessperson. But of what kind? Well you can be a fabrics manufacturer, fabrics trader, fabrics wholesaler or fabrics retailer. How you'll decide what you can be? For that, you'll have to assess your resources. If you don't have much capital to invest but have an excellent network in textile market, you can start with trading and gradually move up the ladder. If you can afford a good amount of capital and a retail store or a warehouse, you can be a retailer or a wholesaler respectively. But if you have enough money, you can get into fabrics manufacturing industry directly and produce fabrics! Whatever, you choose to be, you should take your business decisions only after taking fabrics industry overview.

Starting home based business of fabric art products: There are many crafts persons who have converted their hobbies into their home businesses. Fabric handbags, dolls, book covers, quilting, embroidered fabrics, or any other fabric art work - whatever is your passion- it can be converted into income-generating hobby. The first thing to consider is how much can you do the work yourself as initially you may not be able to outsource the work. You can start with simple designs and move onto more complicated ones as you improve your skills gradually. To take a class is also a good idea and a wise investment. Now comes the selection of fabrics. What fabrics will suit your craft item and from where can you source them will take a good amount of your time and energy. You can refer to some trade journals, magazines or online information about fabrics for crafts.

Starting a fashion business: If you are interested in fashion and are creative enough, you can opt for fashion design business also. If you feel like, you can be an expert by taking a course too. Whether you create fashion wears for selling through wholesalers or you run your own boutique, you will need a good source of fabric, either from local wholesaler or from companies listed in any online fabrics companies directory. You'll have to ensure certain things including reliability of the fabrics supplier, quantity available according to your requirement, fabrics varieties availability as it is concerned with the dynamic fashion industry, support services especially timely delivery of supplies and competitive pricing without compromising with the quality of fabrics.

One of the very important aspect is the strategy for marketing your products. If your target is the local market only, then you can go for selling through local shops, boutiques, trade fairs, flea markets, etc. However, if you want your business to go places then internet offers a multitude of options. You can set up your own website or can go for online global marketplace and sell your products through auction sites. Further, if your business has grown to such a level that these sites restrict your flight then you can opt for listing yourself in product directory of any textile B2B marketplace.