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A textile is any type of material
made from fibers or other extended linear materials
such as thread or yarn (1). Classes of textiles include
woven, knitted, knotted (as in macrame) or tufted
cloth, and non-woven fabrics such as felt. Materials
such as fiberglass, which are made from fibers dispersed
in a matrix of another material are considered composite
materials rather than textiles.
The production of textiles is an ancient craft, whose
speed and scale of production has been altered almost
beyond recognition by mass-production and the introduction
of modern manufacturing techniques. However, a Roman
weaver would have no problem recognizing modern plain
weave, twill or satin.
Many textiles have been in use for millennia, while
others use artificial fibers and are recent inventions.
The range of fibers has increased in the last 100
years. The first synthetics were made in the 1920s
and 1930s.
Sources and types
Textiles can be made from a
variety of materials. The following is a partial list
of the materials that can be used to make textiles.
Animal origin
- Alpaca
- Angora rabbit hair
- Camel hair
- Cashmere
- Mohair
- Silk
- Vicuña hair
- Wool: divided into woollen
and worsted
Vegetable
- Bark cloth has various uses,
and is used in sheets.
- Coir: the fibre from coconuts.
- Cotton
- Grass, rush and straw
- Hemp (mostly used in rope
making)
- Jute
- Kapok
- Linen, made from flax
- Nettle: processed in a similar
manner to flax.
- Ramie
- Seaweed: a water soluble
fibre (alginate) is produced. This is used as a
holding fibre in the production of certain textiles:
when the cloth is finished the alginate is dissolved,
leaving an open area.
- Sisal
Derived from plant products
Mineral
- Asbestos
- Glass fibres can be used
in the manufacture of textiles for insulation and
other purposes.
- Metal fibre, metal wire
and metal foil have some uses in textiles, either
on their own or with other materials (see, for example,
goldwork embroidery).
Synthetic
- Acrylic fiber
- Lurex
- Spandex, tactel, lycra and
other 'stretch' fabrics
- Nylon fiber
- Polyester fiber
- Polypropylene (comes under
various common trade names such as Olefin or Herculon)
Production methods
- Braiding/Plaiting
- Crochet – usually
by hand.
- Embroidery – threads
which are added to the surface of a finished textile.
- Felt – fibres are
matted together to produce a cloth.
- Knitting – by hand
or on knitting machines.
- Knotting, including macrame:
used in making nets.
- Lace – again both
hand made and machine made.
- Pile fabrics – carpets
and some rugs
- Velvet, velveteen, plush
fabrics and similar have a secondary set of yarns
which provide a pile.
- Weaving – the cloth
is prepared on a loom, of which there are a number
of types. Some weaving is still done by hand, but
the vast majority is mechanised.
Processes
- Carding
- Bleaching – where
the natural or original colour of the textile is
removed with bleach.
- Dyeing – adding colour
to textiles: there is a vast range of dyes, natural
and synthetic, some of which require mordants.
- Waterproofing and other
finishings.
- Starching
Uses
Textiles have been used in
almost every possible context where their properties
are useful. In cleaning
- Bags and other means of
carrying objects
- Balloons, kites, sails,
parachutes and other transport use. Early airplanes
used cloth as part of the construction.
- Clothing
- Flags
- Furnishings, including towels
and table cloths
- Geotextiles
- Industrial and scientific
uses, including filtering
- Nets
- Rugs and carpets
- Tents
- Towels
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