Obj. 2.01 Characteristics of Fibers and Fabrics Apparel and Textile Development Level 1

There are eight characteristic by which fibers and fabrics are evaluated (judged or assessed). Abrasion resistance Absorbency Durability Elasticity Resiliency Strength Warmth Wicking

Abrasion resistance The ability of a fiber or fabric to remain intact when it is rubbed or scraped. Abrasion resistance is the ability of a fabric to resist surface wear caused by flat rubbing contact with another material* The Wyzenbeek test rubs fabric along the warp and the weft. This is a Wyzenbeek machine at right. At left is a piece of abraded fabric. jamestowndistributors.com livinghomefurniture.com

Absorbency The ability of a fiber to soak in and then hang on to liquids (particularly water or sweat) http://firstclassbusiness.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/firstclassbusiness.org-absorbent-fabric.jpg

Durability Able to resist wear, decay, etc. Something that will last through its intended life or use is durable. Silk is not durable. Denim (from your jeans) is durable. http://www.denverfabrics.com/pages/denim/denim.aspx

Elasticity The ability of something to stretch and then return to its original shape. Spandex is elastic. Elastic is elastic. Rubber bands are elastic. Paper is definitely not elastic. http://upcomingvfxmovies.com/gallery/content/CGI_Characters/elastigirl.jpg

Resiliency The ability of a substance or item to spring back into shape after it has been stretched or deformed. Spandex is resilient. Wood is not. Resilience is related to elasticity. They’re like first cousins

Strength How sturdy something is. It is measured by how much weight it can hold and how long it can endure before breaking. Bulletproof vests are strong. Lace is not strong. Tensile strength is one way that the fabric is measured. Tensile strength is defined as “A fiber strength measured by exerting force on the goods until they break.” Image Courtesy Texas Advanced Computing Center

Warmth A fabric’s ability to hold in heat determines its warmth. Wool is warm. Fleece is warm. Cotton is not warm. Knit fabrics are often warmer than woven fabrics. The air space in the knit holds warmth. http://www.burgeegear.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Royal-Blue-Fleece-Jacket.jpg

Wicking The ability of a fabric to move moisture (sweat) away from the skin to the outer layer of fabric where it can evaporate more easily thus helping to keep the skin dry. http://www.textileglossary.com/terms/wicking.html Underarmor wicks. Dryfit wicks. Cotton does not wick. https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ71kSGbu7WFwrZ7EBi_9j41Fruyai2L5qhxgUXtdWILxB4IYJa

A bonus term – Hand Hand defined: “The way the fabric feels when it is touched. Terms like softness, crispness, dryness, silkiness are all terms that describe the hand of the fabric.” From http://www.fabriclink.com/dictionaries/textile.cfm Photos from N.C. State University College of Textiles http://www.tx.ncsu.edu/tpacc/comfort-performance/subjective-evaluation-of-fabric-hand.cfm