Enhancing a Fabrics Property

Garment Technology

Enhancing a fabrics performance:

* Blending > Swing tickets to show difference in cost price

* Finishing

* Dyeing > How colourfast is the garment?

* Printing > How colourfast is the garment?

Blending Fibres:

* Can improve a fabrics property and appearance

* Can make a garment more cost effective to manufacture

Performance

* Washcare – add polyester or viscose to cotton to improve washability and crease resistance

* Shrinkage – improved by adding man-made fabrics. Pre-washing a fabric or garment can also improve shrinkage.

* Strength and durability – Add polyester or nylon

* Stretch and recovery – Add lycra

Improve Comfort

* Improving a fabric absorption, stretch and thermal insulation properties will add o its comfort properties

* Adding a natural fibre will improve comfort

* Adding cotton will increase absorbency

* Adding a % of lycra will improve stretch and recovery

* Adding wool or a specialty hair fibre will increase a fabrics insulation properties

Appearance

* Improving a fabrics appearance, colour, texture, handle or lustre can produce a more luxurious product which also creates a separate marketing tool eg. Add cashmere or silk to wool or cotton

* Improving how the fabric absorbs dye or a print can give a cleaner colour or sharper print

* Adding wool to acrylic can improve the handle and feel of the garment

Cost efficiency

* Cheaper cost price >

* Add acrylic to wool

* Add wool to silk

* Add wool to cashmere

* Add polyester to cotton

Example

* Linen blended w/ cotton is more economical and doesn’t crease as much. It also still has the advantage of being made from natural fibres

* Adding polyester to cotton makes it more cost effective, the cotton makes it absorbent whilst the polyester provides crease-resistance and can reduce shrinkage.