Textiles, Apparel, and Fashion
This domain tests fiber identification, fabric construction, finishes, care labeling, and consumer decision-making in apparel - the technical base for textiles and fashion courses.
Fibers
- Natural: cotton and linen (cellulose; absorbent, flammable), wool (protein; scales cause felting; warm even when damp), silk (protein; fine, strong filament).
- Manufactured fibers split into regenerated (rayon, lyocell, acetate - made from cellulose) and synthetic (polyester, nylon, acrylic, spandex, olefin). The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act requires generic fiber names and percentages on labels.
Yarns and fabric construction
- Staple fibers are short and spun; filament fibers are long and continuous. Blends combine properties, such as cotton for absorbency with polyester for strength and wrinkle resistance.
- Woven fabrics interlace lengthwise warp yarns with crosswise weft (filling) yarns; plain, twill, and satin are basic weaves, and satin is a weave, not a fiber.
- Knits interlock loops: wales run vertically, courses horizontally. Knits stretch more and can run or ladder; nonwovens such as felt and interfacing are bonded rather than woven.
- Finishes: mercerization (cotton luster and strength), sanforization (shrinkage control), durable press, water repellent vs waterproof, flame retardant.
Care and consumer choices
- The FTC Care Labeling Rule requires permanent care instructions - washing method, bleach, drying, ironing, and warnings.
- Evaluate garments for fiber performance, construction quality, fit, and care cost; the fashion cycle moves through introduction, rise, culmination, and decline.
Worked example
A student needs a swimsuit or athletic top that stretches and dries fast. Reasoning: choose a knit of polyester with spandex - synthetic filament fibers are hydrophobic and strong, and the knit structure supplies stretch and recovery, while cotton would stay wet and heavy.
Traps that cost marks
- Classifying rayon as synthetic when it is regenerated from cellulose.
- Confusing satin (a weave) with silk (a fiber).
- Assuming higher thread count always means better quality - fiber and finishing matter.