Properties and Performance of Textiles: Fibres, Yarns, Fabrics and Finishes
What you must understand
Performance questions are answered from the fibre upward. Know the fibre classification - natural (cotton, linen, wool, silk) and manufactured (regenerated such as viscose and lyocell; synthetic such as polyester, nylon, elastane, acrylic) - and the properties each contributes: absorbency, strength, elasticity, abrasion resistance, flammability, thermal behaviour, lustre and pilling tendency.
Then move through yarn structure (staple versus filament, ply, twist direction and amount, fancy yarns) and fabric construction: woven (plain, twill, satin and their derivatives), knitted (weft and warp, single and double jersey), nonwoven, and bonded or laminated structures. Construction explains why the same fibre can behave differently: a twill denim is abrasion resistant; a single jersey is extensible.
Finishes modify performance: mercerising, calendering, brushing, water repellency, flame retardancy, anti-pilling, and mechanical or chemical softening. Understand that finishes may trade one property for another.
Traps in questions
- Describing a fibre as "good" or "bad" without context. Performance is always relative to end use.
- Confusing properties (inherent behaviour) with performance (behaviour in a specific use).
- Forgetting that blends are chosen to compensate for weaknesses - cotton/polyester balances absorbency with durability and quick drying.
- Overlooking care and aftercare as part of performance, including shrinkage and colourfastness.
Rule of thumb
Use the chain Fibre → Yarn → Fabric → Finish → End use. Justify each link with one property and one consequence. For example, elastane (high extension) in a close-fitting knit (extensibility) gives recovery for activewear, but requires care advice about heat sensitivity.