textiles

Question 1

what are the three types of textiles?

Answer 1

natural, synthetic and blended

Question 2

natural

Answer 2

• 100% processed from plants or animals
• can be harvested from plants and animals
• renewable resources
• biodegradable and recyclable
• often absorbent and strong when dry but poor resistance to biological damage

Question 3

synthetic

Answer 3

• 100% man-made
• made from polymers
• mainly come from coal and oil so non-renewable
• less sustainable than natural
• generally resistant to biological damage, can be changed by heating to form different shapes and textures, not very absorbent

Question 4

blended

Answer 4

a mixture of natural and synthetic

Question 5

give an example of a blended textile

Answer 5

polycotton-polyester and cotton

Question 6

what are the 4 methods where textiles can be joined to each other?

Answer 6

knitting, weaving, webbing and felting

Question 7

cotton

Answer 7

• natural
• A: white fluffy ‘ball’ from the cotton plant
• pros: soft, strong, absorbent, easy to wash, hardwearing, comfortable to wear, non-static, fairly cheap
• cons: creases easily, high flammability, poor elasticity, can shrink when washed
• U: clothing, towels, bedding

Question 8

wool

Answer 8

• natural
• A: animal fleece, commonly from sheep
• pros: warm, crease resistant, can shrink, soft, absorbent, good elasticity, low flammability
• cons: can shrink when washed, dries slowly, can feel itchy, fairly expensive
• U: jumpers, coats, suits, carpets

Question 9

silk

Answer 9

• natural
• A: fibre from the cocoon of the silkworm
• pros: soft, fine finish, gentle, drapes well, smooth, resistant to shrinking and stretching, absorbent, low flammability
• cons: expensive, creases easily, weak when wet
• U: luxury clothing, soft furnishings, upholstery

Question 10

polyester

Answer 10

• synthetic
• A: can replicate lots of fabrics, lots of different colours
• C: tough, strong, can be blended with others, durable, non-absorbent, resistant to creases and biological damage but not warm
• U: clothing, backpacks, sportswear, curtains

Question 11

polyamide

Answer 11

• synthetic
• e.g nylon
• A: versatile, easily coloured
• C: hard wearing, hard to tear, lightweight but strong, crease-resistant, warm, non-absorbent but easily damaged by sunlight, good elasticity
• U: clothing, parachutes, sportswear

Question 12

elastane

Answer 12

• synthetics
• e.g lycra
• many different finishes
• extremely elastic, strong, hardwearing, lightweight, keeps shape well, resists sun / biological damage
• but highly flammable, not very absorbent, not biodegradable
• sportswear, combined with other fibres to add stretch

Question 13

blended fabrics

Answer 13

• made by spinning two or more types of fibre together to produce a yarn
• they are blended to combine different fibres with desirable properties

Question 14

polycotton

Answer 14

• made from cotton and polyester
• more durable, cheaper and stronger than cotton alone
• less likely to crease or shrink
• not as breathable and is highly flammable

Question 15

woven fabrics

Answer 15

• made by interlacing two sets of yarn at right angles to each other
• weft runs along the width of the fabric
• warp runs along the length of the fabric
• tend to be very strong

Question 16

plain weave

Answer 16

• most basic and cheapest way to produce
• made by passing weft yarn over and under warp yarns
• strong, hard-wearing, holds its shape well
• pattern is identical on both sides of the fabric

Question 17

non-woven fabric

Answer 17

• made directly from fibres that have not been spun into yarns
• bonded fabric and felted fabric

Question 18

bonded fabric

Answer 18

• made from webs of fibres that are bonded together with glue, heat, stitches or needle-punching
• fabrics don’t fray but are weak
• uses: disposable cloths, tea bags, clothing

Question 19

felted fabric

Answer 19

• felt made from matting wool fibres together by using moisture, heat and pressure
• inelastic
• pulls apart easily
• uses: jewellery, hats, crafts, carpet underlay

Question 20

knitted fabrics

Answer 20

• made by interlocking loops of yarn together, not interlacing

Question 21

weft knitting

Answer 21

• weft-knit fabric is made by hand or machine using a yarn that forms interlocking loops across the width of the fabric
• stretchy and warm
• can lose its shape and unravel easily

Question 22

warp knitting

Answer 22

• warp-knit fabric made by machine using yarn that forms vertical interlocking loops
• less stretchy than weft-knitted fabric
• retains shape better and less likely to unravel

Question 23

mixed fibres

Answer 23

• when a fabric is made up of two or more different types of yarn
• two different types can then be knitted or woven together to make a mixed fabric