Textiles, Fashion and Design
What this domain tests
This domain covers fibres, fabric construction, finishes, care, the design process and the fashion industry. The exam tests property-to-use reasoning: you must link a fibre’s behaviour to a product’s performance and justify design choices against a brief.
Core rules and concepts
- Natural fibres include cotton and linen (cellulose), wool and silk (protein). Regenerated fibres include viscose. Synthetic fibres include polyester, nylon and acrylic.
- Cotton is absorbent, strong when wet and breathable but slow to dry. Wool has crimp, insulates even when damp and felts with heat, moisture and friction. Polyester is strong, quick-drying and thermoplastic but has low moisture regain.
- Fabrics are woven (warp and weft), knitted (interlocking loops, giving stretch) or non-woven (bonded fibres).
- EU textile labelling rules require fibre composition and correct fibre names. Care labelling is widely used but is not universally mandatory in the same way as composition labelling.
- The design process moves from brief analysis and research through ideas, prototype, making and evaluation against the specification.
Worked example
A designer must choose a fibre for a close-fitting base layer for hiking. Compare cotton and polyester.
Polyester is the better choice. It has low moisture regain, so it absorbs little sweat, and capillary action moves moisture to the outer surface where it evaporates quickly. It is strong and durable. Cotton is more absorbent, but it holds moisture against the skin, feels cold when wet and dries slowly, which increases chilling after exercise. The answer should still note that polyester is oil-based and less breathable unless engineered, so the specification may require a modified or blended fabric.
Traps that cost marks
Do not say “natural is always better”; sustainability depends on farming, processing, durability and washing. Do not confuse water-repellent with waterproof. Do not describe knitted fabric as woven, and always link a fibre property to the end use.
Key points
- Cotton and linen are cellulose; wool and silk are protein fibres.
- Wool insulates when damp; polyester dries quickly.
- Weaving uses warp and weft; knitting uses interlocking loops.
- EU rules require fibre composition labelling.
- Justify fibre choice by linking properties to the design brief.