MYP Design Textiles and Fibres Notes

Every Fabric Starts as a Fibre a Few Centimetres Long

1. A fibre is a single hair-thin strand, and it is the smallest unit a textile designer chooses.
2. Staple fibres are short, measured in centimetres, and have to be twisted together; filament fibres run continuously for hundreds of metres.
3. Natural fibres grow on a plant or an animal, so cotton comes from a seed pod, linen from a flax stem, wool off a sheep and silk from a moth caterpillar.
4. Synthetic fibres are made by forcing molten polymer through tiny holes in a spinneret, which is why polyester and nylon arrive as endless filaments.
5. Fibre length shows in the finished cloth: staple fibres leave fuzzy surfaces that trap air and feel warm, filaments give smooth shiny fabric.

Four Natural Fibres and What Each Is Good At

1. Cotton is soft, absorbent, cheap and washes hot, which makes it the default for t-shirts, bedding and tea towels.
   1. It creases badly and takes around 10,000 litres of water per kilogram to grow, so it is not the easy green choice it looks.
2. Wool is crimped, so it traps air and insulates, and it still warms you when damp, which is why it holds on in outdoor clothing.
   1. Its scales lock together in hot water and agitation, so a jumper shrinks and felts in a hot wash.
3. Silk is a smooth filament with a natural sheen, strong for its weight, expensive, and easily marked by water and sunlight.
4. Linen comes from flax stems, is stronger than cotton and conducts heat away from the body, which is why it suits hot climates.
   1. It creases the moment you sit down, and flax needs far less water and pesticide than cotton.

Three Synthetics That Fixed Specific Problems

1. Polyester resists creasing, dries fast, holds a pressed pleat and costs little, which is why school uniform and sportswear lean on it.
   1. It melts rather than burns and sheds microplastic fibres in the wash, both of which belong in an honest evaluation.
2. Nylon is the toughest of the common fibres and resists abrasion, so it takes rucksacks, ropes, tights and parachute canopies.
3. Elastane, sold as Lycra or spandex, stretches to five or six times its length and pulls straight back.
   1. You almost never see it alone: 2 to 5 per cent mixed into a fabric is enough to make jeans move with you.
4. Synthetics are made from oil, do not rot, and can be recycled only where a garment is a single fibre type, which is rare.

From Yarn to Fabric: Three Routes, Three Behaviours

1. Fibres are first twisted into yarn, and a tighter twist gives a stronger, smoother, less fluffy thread.
2. Weaving crosses two sets of yarn at right angles, the warp running down the length and the weft across.
   1. Woven cloth is strong and holds its shape, barely stretches along warp or weft, but stretches on the 45 degree bias, which is how a dress hangs on the body.
3. Knitting loops a single yarn through itself, so the loops open under load and the fabric stretches in every direction.
   1. Knits trap more air so they insulate better, but they ladder if one loop breaks and they lose shape over time.
4. Bonding skips yarn entirely and mats fibres together with heat, glue or needles to make felt, interfacing and disposable wipes.
   1. Bonded fabric is cheap and does not fray, so it needs no hem, but it tears easily and is usually single use.

Blends and Finishes Buy Properties the Fibre Lacks

1. A blend mixes two or more fibres in one yarn or one fabric to combine their good points.
2. 65 per cent polyester with 35 per cent cotton gives a shirt that breathes reasonably, creases less and survives a hot wash, which is why it dominates uniform.
3. Blending has a cost: a mixed fabric cannot be separated at end of life, so a poly-cotton shirt is far harder to recycle than a pure cotton one.
4. A finish is applied to the surface after the fabric is made, and it can wash out over time.
   1. Common finishes include waterproofing on coats, flame resistance on children's nightwear, stain resistance on sofas and antibacterial treatment on socks.
5. Check the care label wording, because a finish rated for 20 washes is a different promise from a fibre that is naturally water resistant.

Choosing Fabric: Work Backwards From How It Will Be Used

1. Write down what the fabric must survive: load, rubbing, water, heat, washing and how it should feel.
2. Pick the fibre for the properties, then pick the construction for the movement you need.
3. Polyester would be a dangerous oven glove because it melts onto skin, which shows why comfort alone never decides a fabric.
4. Cost per metre, available widths and whether you can actually sew it on a school machine all belong in the decision too.

Reading a Care Label as Design Research

1. The percentages on a care label are a free materials list for a product someone has already solved.
2. Compare labels on three versions of the same garment at different prices and the pattern in the fibre choices usually explains the gap.
3. Washing symbols also tell you what the finish can take, which is evidence for a durability specification point.