FABRIC FINISHES
Chapter 13
Clothing & Textiles
FINISHING PROCESSES
 Finishes  any special treatments applied to improve a fabric’s appearance,
texture, or performance
COLOR AND DESIGN FINISHES
 Gray goods  when fabric first comes from the loom (no color)
DYEING TEXTILES
 Dyes  compounds that penetrate and color fibers
 Natural dyes
 Used for centuries
 Obtained from plants, insects, shellfish, and minerals
 First synthetic dye was discovered by accident in 1856
FIVE DIFFERENT METHODS USED FOR
DYEING
 Stock dyeing  natural fibers are dyed before they are spun into yarns
 Solution dyeing  used when manufactured fibers are produced, dye is added to
the liquid solution that goes through the spinneret
 Yarn dyeing  yarns are dyed before weaving or knitting
 Piece dyeing  fabric is dyed after weaving or knitting
 Garment dyeing  the fabric is cut and sewn into the finished product and then
the entire garment is dyed
COLORFASTNESS
 Fabric that doesn’t fade, whether its been washed or exposed to chlorine or
sunlight
PRINTING TEXTILES
 Color is transferred to the surface of a fabric to form a pattern
 Four most common printing methods
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Screen
Rotary screen
Roller
Heat transfer
 Other methods that you can try yourself are…
 Tie-dyeing
 Painting
PRINTING TEXTILES
 Screen printing
 See how Screen Printing is done at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbzKLUl48Yk
PRINTING TEXTILES
 Roller printing
 See how it’s done at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8W2g-YvjPw
PRINTING TEXTILES
 Rotary screen printing
 See how it’s done at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R04Dbm3ZRAE
PRINTING TEXTILES
 Heat-transfer printing
 See how its done at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4byFS15S8s
TEXTURE FINISHES
 Calendaring  fabric passes between two heated rollers that smooth the fabric
and improve the luster
TEXTURE FINISHES
 Glazing  resin applied during calendaring to produce a high polish or glaze on
the surface
 Embossing fabric is given a raised design on the surface
 Embossing fabric example below…
TEXTURE FINISHES
 Cire (suh-RAY)  a super-glossy finish is obtained by applying wax or some other
substance before calendaring
TEXTURE FINISHES
 Moiré (Mwah-RAY)  a watered or wavy pattern is obtained by calendaring two
layers of fabric slightly off grain
TEXTURE FINISHES
 Napping  rotating wire brushes raise the short fiber ends of staple yarns to
create a soft and fuzzy surface called the nap
TEXTILE FINISHES
 Stone washing and acid washing  pumice stones are added to a massproduction laundering process
TEXTILE FINISHES
 Mercerization  gives cotton added luster, strength, and drape ability. It also
improves fabrics affinity for dye. Fabrics and yarns are treated with a caustic soda
or lye solution
TEXTILE FINISHES
 Sizing  starches or resins are added to the fabric for extra body, usually only a
temporary finish
PERFORMANCE FINISHES
 Antibacterial or antiseptic  checks the growth of bacteria and fungi, such as
mold and mildew
 Antistatic  by absorbing small amounts of moisture from the air, this finish
reduces the fabric dryness that causes static electricity
 Crease-resistant  Applied to fabrics that wrinkle easily (cotton, rayon, linen)
 Durable press  garments maintain a pressed appearance despite repeated
washings and wearings
 Flame-resistant and flame-retardant  reduce flaming or burning of fabrics
exposed to a flame or high heat
PERFORMANCE FINISHES
 Mothproof  repels moths and other fiber eating insects
 Shrinkage control  MINIMIZES shrinking
 Soil release  dirt and stains release more easily from the fabric
 Water- and stain-repellent  yarns are coated with a chemical that repels water
and other liquids
 Waterproof  fabrics have been coated or treated so that no water penetrates