Chapter 44: Fabrics and

Their Care
Objectives: Compare different
types of fibers, fabric construction,
methods, and finishes.
 Define the following key terms.
 Fibers—very fine, hairlike strands of
various lengths.
 Yarns—fibers that have been twisted or
grouped together.
 Natural fibers—fibers that come from
plants or animals.
 Manufactured fibers—fibers that are
formed completely or in part by chemicals.
 Blend—a yarn made from two or more
different fibers to take advantage of the
best features of each.
 Fabric finishes—special treatments that
improve the appearance, feel, or
performance of the fabric.
 Colorfast—the color remains the same
over time.
 Mildew—a fungus that shows up as black
dots on clothes.
 Woven fabrics: Weaving involves
interlacing two sets of yarns together at
right angles.
 Plain weave is the most common weave.
You often see it in shirts and sheets.
 Twill weave produces fabrics, such as
denim, that are stronger than those of
plain weave.
 Satin weave produces smooth fabrics with
a sheen but they are less durable. Some
blouses and evening apparel are made
from this weave.
 Plain—over and under 1; twill—over and
under two; satin—over and under 3.
 Knits are constructed by pulling the loops
of yarn through other loops of yarn,
creating interlocking rows. Knit clothes
are comfortable and don’t wrinkle easily.
 Other fabric construction methods:
nonwoven—felt; made by matting or
bonding fibers with heat, moisture, or
adhesives.
 Other Construction Methods
 Bonding—fusing one fabric to another;
quilting—putting a fluffy layer between two
layers.
Answer the following questions:
1. How are fibers related to yarns?
Fibers are twisted or grouped together to
form yarns.
2. What is the key difference between
natural fibers and manufactured fibers?
Natural fibers come from plants or
animals. Manufactured fibers are made
completely or in part from chemicals.
4. Name three natural and three
manufactured fibers. List two
characteristics of each.
Natural
Cotton: Comfortable in warm weather;
strong; absorbent; shrinks; wrinkles.
Linen: (flax) Stronger than cotton;
absorbent; comfortable; wrinkles easily.
,
Wool: (fleece of sheep) warm; resists
wrinkles; repels water; shrinks easily; dry
cleaned.
Silk—(cocoon of silk worm) lightweight;
resists wrinkling; damaged by perspiration,
deodorant, and high ironing temperatures.
Ramie—(stems of China grass) strong with
natural luster; absorbent; washable, stiff
texture = usually blended with other fibers.
Manufactured Fibers
Rayon: Absorbent; soft; comfortable;
drapes; shrinks; dry cleaning
recommended.
Polyester: Resists wrinkling and shrinking;
not absorbent; washable; dries fast;
attracts oily stains; tends to pill (form balls
on surface of fabric).
Nylon: Strong; lightweight; holds shape; Not
absorbent; static electricity; washable;
dries quickly; sensitive to heat; white
nylon-yellow.
Acrylic: Soft; warm; resists wrinkling; not
dried at high temperatures; some pilling
and static electricity; resists fading.
Spandex: Often combined with other fibers;
no bleach or high drying temperatures.
4. What is a blend? Give an example.
A yarn that is made from two or more
different fibers. Ex: polyester and cotton
5. Compare the construction and
characteristics of woven and knit fabrics.
Woven fabrics: Are made with two sets of
yarns interlacing at right angles. Are
stronger than knit and hold their shape
better.
Knit fabrics: Are constructed by pulling
loops of yarn through other loops of yarn.
Stretch with movement and return to
original shape.
They do not wrinkle easily.
6. Give four examples of different purposes
for fabric finishes.
To improve appearance.
Improve feel.
Improve performance of fabric.
To add color or design.
To make water repellant.
To make softer, shinier, or crisper.
To make wrinkle-resistant.
Add soil-release finish.
7. What are two advantages of colorfast
fabrics?
The color will remain the same over time.
Dye will not leach into other laundry.
8. Why is it important to take proper care of
clothes?
They will look good and last longer.
9. Describe three ways to treat a stain.
Rinse with cold water.
Use stain-removal towelette.
Soak with detergent o plain water.
Pretreat before washing.
10.Explain how to hand wash a garment.
Soak in sudsy water.
Gently squeeze suds through garment.
Replace soapy water with fresh to rinse
garment.
Repeat rinse until no suds remain.
11. What is mildew? When might it become
a laundry problem?
A fungus that appears as small black dots
when laundry is left in the washer too
long.
Clothes may develop a sour odor that is
difficult to remove.
12. Why should some garments be pressed
rather than ironed?
Garments such as knits should be pressed
rather than ironed to avoid stretching.
13. How is dry cleaning different from regular
laundering?
Dry cleaning uses special chemicals, rather
than water and detergent, to clean
clothes.
14.Describe how to store a wool sweater to
keep it in the best possible condition.
Be certain sweater is stain-free and cleaned
before storage.
Fold rather than hang the sweater to avoid
stretching.
Store in a dry place.
15. Why are natural fibers often the most
comfortable to wear?
They absorb moisture and allow air to reach
your skin. They keep you cool in warm
weather and warm in cold weather.
16. Which fabrics made from manufactured
fibers are likely to pill?
Polyester and acrylic
17.What is the advantage of a fiber blend?
It combines the best feature of each fiber.
18. What qualifies as a fabric finish?
Special treatments that improve the
appearance, feel, or performance of a
fabric.
19. Why would you wash a garment
with “like colors”?
To prevent its dye from running into
other items.
20. When is the best time to treat stains?
As soon as possible.
21. List three factors to consider when
sorting laundry.
Care instructions.
Color.
Weight of items.
Linting.
Amount of soil.
22. Identify three actions you can take to
deal with clothing stains.