6 Fibre to Fabric

Chapter

Introduction :

Food, clothing and shelter are the basic needs of a human being. The way food is so important
for our survival, similarly clothing is also equally important to cover body during different seasons.
We wear clothes for modesty and beauty. Weaving is done to make garments. Variety of clothes
are available in shops. In this lesson we would learn about clothing related aspects.

Objectives

After reading this lesson, you will be able to

l Describe and classify fibres
l Learn about various tests to identify various fibres
l State the characteristics of fibres
l Define a yarn
l Explain the methods of manufacturing fabrics

5 Marks questions

1. What are fibres ? Explain how do you classify them ?

Ans. A hair like strand used for making fabrics is called fibre. Some fibres are very small. These
are called staple fibres. eg. cotton, jute, wool, etc. While some fibres are long. They are
called filament fibres. eg. silk, nylon, rayon, polyester.

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 Based on the origin, these fibres are divided into various types. They are :
a. Natural fibres : Some fibres are obtained from various plants or animals or worms.
They are called natural fibres. eg. cotton, jute, silk, wool, coconut, fibre.
b. Man-made fibres : These are made from chemical substances. eg. rayon, polyester,
nylon, acrylic.
Rayon manmade fibres were made in the last part of 19th century. Natural fibres are
obtained from plants and animals. Cotton, jute, coconut fibre are plant related fibres. Wool
is obtained from goats, sheep and rabbit hair. Even from camel hair, wool is available. Silk
is obtained from worms.

2. What is fabric ? How do we make fabric ? Explain.

Ans. Fabric is the material used to make clothing. This fabric is used in house as curtains for
windows, pillow covers and bed sheets.
Weaving is the process of interlacing two sets of yarns at right angles to each other to form
a fabric. The yarn that forms the length of fabric is called warp and the yarn interlaced at
right angles with the warp is called weft. The yarn can be interlaced in many different ways
which is called weaving. These different types of weaving are classified as follows.
a. Plain weave : It is the most simple and inexpensive method of weaving. In this, warp
and weft yarns alternate with each other. Each weft yarn goes over one warp yarn.
eg. mulmul, cambric, organdie, silk etc.
b. Till weave : This is used to get many designs. They get diagonal line effect on the
fabric. It is a strong weave. Fabrics like denim, jeans, material are made by this
weave.
c. Satin weave : In this weave long lengths of warp yarns are there between the wefts.
Warp yarns are seen very clearly on the surface of fabric. Therefore light reflects from
these yarns and shines the fabric. These are very soft and smooth.
d. Knitting : This is another type of weaving. In this there is interlocking of loops. This is
used for making sweaters, T-shirts, socks and banian.

3. Explain the characteristics of different fabrics.

Ans. Fabrics are dependent on fibres. Based on their origin the characteristics are as given below.
a. Cotton fabrics : These made up of staple fibres, gets dirty quickly, absorbs moisture
easily and convenient to dry in summer. They conduct the heat away from the body
and keeps it cool, stronger when they are wet. So they can be rubbed hard while
washing.
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 b. Wool : It has both short and long fibres. Coarser fabrics like blankets, etc., are made
of short fibers and finer fabrics like fur suits is made of long fibres. They have less
lustre and get wrinkled. It is water repellent in nature. It takes more time to absorb
moisture. Even if it absorbs water, it is not seen. It is a bad conductor of heat. Therefore
it is used more in winters. Since they are weaker fibres, needs to be careful during
washing.
c. Silk : It is made from filament fibre. So they are delicate fabrics. These fibres are
smooth and shiny. Does not look dirty even after many wears. They can absorb large
amount of water, without feeling damp. Fibres become weak when wet. So needs to
be careful while washing.
d. Rayon : It is a man-made fibre. So can be obtained in any length. Smooth and shiny so
sheds off dirt easily. Absorbs water readily. Good conductor of heat, therefore gives
coolness to the body. It loses strength, so needs to be careful during washing.
e. Nylon and polyester : These are made from manmade fibres. Smooth and shiny, so
resistant to dirt. These are poor conductors of heat. Doesn’t absorb moisture, hence
difficult to use in summer. These are very strong fibres. Does not lose strength when
wet so easy to wash. But cannot be used more in industrial sector.

3 Marks questions

1. Write about the tests to identify fibres.

Ans. The main tests used to identify fibres are :
a. How the fibre catches fire
b. Type of flame
c. Smell
d. Ash
Different fibres are identified based on their characteristics. They are :
i. Cotton and rayon : Catches fire easily. Burns with a bright yellow flame. It gives smell
of burning paper and light feathery ash.
ii. Silk and wool : Does not catch fire easily. We can observe smell of burning hair and
black crushable bead.
iii. Nylon, polyester and acrylic : Catches fire easily. Burns with sputtering. Do not have
definite smell. Hard, uncrushable bead is formed.

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2. Write on yarn making.
Ans. A continuous strand made up of a number of fibres which are twisted together is called yarn.

The process of making yarns from fibres is called spinning. Spinning can be done by using
a takli, a charkha or a spinning machine. Staple or filament fibres can be used for spinning.
Staple fibres cannot be used for making fabrics. Hence yarn is made from fibres and that is
used for making fabrics. Strong yarns can be made from filament fibres.

3. What is weaving ? How many types and what are they ?

Ans. Weaving is the process of interlacing two sets of yarns at right angles to each other from a
fabric, weaving is divided into four types.
a. Plain weave
b. Twill weave
c. Satin weave
d. Knitting.

4. Write on moisture absorption and heat conductivity of fibres.

Ans. Fibres Moisture absorption Heat conductivity

a. Cotton Absorbs well Good conductor of heat

b. Wool Moisture repellent Bad conductor of heat
c. Silk Absorbs water without getting dump Good conductor of heat
d. Rayon Absorbs well Good conductor

e. Nylon, Does not absorb water Poor conductors of heat

polyester

5. Classify fibres based on their origin and give examples.

Ans. Fibres are classified based on the origin in the following way :

a. Natural fibres : These are obtained from plants and animals. eg. cotton, jute, coconut
fibre, wool, silk.

b. Manmade fibres : These are made from chemical substances. eg. Rayon, polyester,
nylon, acrylic.

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6. How do you classify the natural fibres ?
Ans. Natural fibres are classified in the following way based on the source.

a. Vegetable fibres : These are obtained from plants. eg. cotton, jute, coconut fibre.

b. Animal fibres : These are obtained from animals. Normally wool is obtained from the
skin of sheep or goat. Even rabbits and camels hair is used.

c. Fibres from worms : Normally silk is obtained from the secretion of silk worms.

7. Write the examples for natural and manmade fibres.

Ans. a. Natural fibres – cotton, wool, jute, silk, coconut fibre.
b. Manmade fibres – rayon, nylon, polyester, acrylic.

8. Give examples for staple and filament fibres.

Ans. a. Staple fibres : Wool, cotton, jute, coconut fibre.
b. Filament fibres : rayon, nylon, silk, polyester.

9. Write on strength of fibres.

Ans. Cotton fibres are strong when wet, so they can be scrubbed well. Similarly nylon and polyester
fabrics also can be washed in the same way. But wool, silk and rayon fabrics become weak
in wet condition. So proper care needs to be taken while washing.

10. Write on knitting.

Ans. Knitting is interloping of one or more set of yarns. It can be done either by hand or by
machine. Usually sweaters, T-shirts, banians and knickers are made by knitting. They have high
water absorption capacity. They are good conductors of heat.

11. Write on blends.

Ans. Blends are made from more than one kind of fibres. Cots wool is made from cotton and
wool. Terewool is from cotton and terene. Blends are made at yarn stage, where two types
of fibres are mixed, pulled out and twisted together to form yarn.

Fill in the blanks.

1. Fibres are used to make fabrics.
2. Long fibres are called filament fibres.
3. Small and short fibres are called staple fibres.
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 4. Coconut fibre is a natural fibre.

5. Nylon and acrylic are manmade fibres.

6. Interlacing of two sets of yarns at right angles to each other to form a fabric is called weaving.

7. Cotton and wool blend is called cotswool.

8. Terene and wool blend is called terewool.

9. Many fibres are made for getting yarn.

10. Different fibres are used to make blends.

11. Yarns cannot be made from staple fibers.

12. Making of yarns is called spinning.

13. Making of yarns from fibres is called spinning.

14. Weaving increases the strength of fibres.

15. Softness of yarns is dependent on the method of twisting fibres.

16. Widthwise fibres are called wefts.

17. Lengthwise fibres are called warps.

18. Making of fabric by interlacing warp and weft yarns is called weaving.

19. Woollen fabrics gives warmth to the body.

20. Nylon clothes are weak fabrics.

21. Woollen clothes become strong when wet.

22. Towel making needs nylon.

23. Knitting is used to make t-shirts and banians.

24. Manmade fibres are made from chemical substances.

25. Wool is obtained from sheep and goats skin.

26. Hair burning smell comes from burning of silk fibres.

27. When nylon is burnt hard, uncrushable bead is formed.

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Identify the correct answer and write it in the brackets.

28. Fabrics obtained from staple fibres are ... ( d )

a. silk b. rayon c. Polyester d. Cotton

29. Fabrics in the bad conductor of heat are ... ( b )

a. silk b. nylon c. Rayon d. Cotton

30. Fabrics with strong fibres are ... ( b )

a. cotton b. nylon c. Wool d. Rayon

31. Less lustrous fibres are .... ( c )

a. nylon b. polyester c. Wool d. silk

32. We need to wear these fabrics in summer ... ( a )

a. cotton b. nylon c. Wool d. Polyester

33. When rayon burns ... ( b )

a. smells like hair burn b. paper burning smell c. No smell d. Cannot identify smell

Match the following.

34. 1. Filament fibres ( c ) a. short fibres

2. silk ( e ) b. vegetable fibres
3. wool ( d ) c. Long fibres
4. staple fibres ( a ) d. Animal fibres
5. cotton ( b ) e. Fibres from worms

35. 1. shiny fabric ( e ) a. length forming fibres

2. diagonal live effect ( d ) b. knitting
3. warps ( a ) c. Plain weave
4. knotted loops ( b ) d. Twill weave
5. less expensive weave ( c ) e. Satin weave

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