FABRIC WIDTH and SHRINKAGE

FABRIC WIDTH and SHRINKAGE 

(Part-1)

The knowledge of fabric width is more important for those who handle the fabric either in textile mills or garments stitching industries.

Cause roots for change in fabric width:

Fabric is woven in the loom by interlacement of warp (lengthwise threads) yarns and weft (width wise threads) yarns with the planned weave patterns,  that is plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, etc.,. The fabric taken out from the loom is called “Gray" fabric has width equals to reed width of the loom. The yarns placed in this fabric are subjected to tension controlled by warp beam, healds movement and taken off roller.

The width of the finished fabric which is sold does not the same as the loom finished gray fabric. The below are the reasons.

• The gray fabric is further taken for dyeing preparatory processes like desizing, scouring, bleaching, mercerisation, etc. The gray fabric is subjected to these treatment processes. In these treatments, the gray fabric gets contracted and yarns get closer, in turn the fabric width gets reduced. 

• The aboved treated fabric is further taken for dyeing. That is coloring the fabric. This is also a wet treatment process, the fabric subjected to contraction in turn width is still reduced to maximum limit.

• After the dyeing process, the fabric is taken for technical finish that is performance finish fabric based on end use applications. Most of these finishes include wet treatments.

• The other important factors need to be noted is that, the fabric is subjected to heat, tension and pressure in the above wet treatments.

• On the other hand, the fabric width can be fixed or altered by other technical finishes like stentering.

Factors influencing change in width are as below.

• Fabric construction type:The contraction of fabric width depends upon the type of weave or interlacement methods. Some fabrics are woven, some fabrics are knitted and some fabrics are non woven.

• Fiber content type: The change in the fabric width is varying based on fiber content in the fabric. Example, 100%cotton fabric contracts more than polyester fabric or blended fiber fabric.

• Fabric construction level: In space between yarns in woven fabrics and gauges fixed in the knitted fabrics, thickness of the fabric, etc,.

To be continued …

✍️Veeranna

Blogger 

APPAREL QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE

APPAREL QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE 

Quality is an essential “Nature” of the product. It may be any of the below factors of that product.

• Inherent property

• Distinguishing characteristics 

• Superiority

• Excellence

• Perceived value of that product. 

Exact characteristics that are perceived as “Quality features" are vary according to the standards of each individual.

Apparel quality and performance:

Apparel quality and performance are subject to below factors of the individual.

• Experiences

• Understandings

• Standards

• Expectations.

The term individual indicates for 

• Person (male or female)

• People ( Group or Team)

• Organization or institute

For some individual, quality is goodness or luxury. For other individuals, quality is durability, beauty, labels or high prices.

The apparel performance may be based on quality characteristics that can be incorporated into a product line are those that customers desire and are willing to pay for and that can be cost-effective.

Perceived quality: The quality can be perceived by the individual is an integral part of the apparel. This includes the intrinsic cues and extrinsic cues. 

Intrinsic cues/Intrinsic quality: It relates to the innate and essential parts or inherent nature of the appare. And are created during the product manufacturing based on styling, fit, materials and assembly methods.

In general, customers are not well informed about properties of fibers, yarns, fabrics, finishes and garment assembly processes to evaluate intrinsic quality and performance of apparel. Therefore, an objective analysis of the intrinsic quality or performance of apparel is often not possible.

Extrinsic cues/Extrinsic quality: Extrinsic cues originate from outside the product and are not inherent parts of the product. Prices, brand names, reputations of retailers or stores, labels, visual merchandising techniques, and advertising are common extrinsic cues.

For customers,extrinsic cues seem to be less complex to understand the apparel quality than intrinsic cues. 

Manufacturers and retailers frequently used extrinsic cues to influence perceptions of product quality, value and performance.

✍️Veeranna P Badiger 

     Blogger