1. FASH 15 textiles
finishing

2. finishing—an overview
finish—any process that is done to fiber, yarn or fabric either before or after fabrication to change:
appearance—what is seen
hand—what is felt
performance– what fabric does
all finishing processes add to cost

3. finishing—an overview

4. fabric production—fiber processing
EXAMPLE:
cotton polyester blend
cotton fibers are processed separately from polyester fibers
polyester produced as filament tow, crimped, cut or broken into staple fibers
cotton needs considerably more processing—grown, picked, ginned, baled, shipped, grade assessed

5. fabric production—yarn processing
fibers are aligned, blended & twisted
cotton & polyester bales are opened
fibers are loosened and aligned
cotton bales blended to ensure fabric performance and quality
fibers often combined in drawing or roving stage
once fibers are blended, appropriate amount of twist is added to yarns
spun yarns wound on bobbins
shipped to mill for fabric production

6. fabric production—yarn preparation
involves several steps
sizing (mixture of natural starches & synthetic resins) coats warp yarns to reduce abrasion & tension of weaving
fabrication follows sizing—fabric woven, knitted or created in some other manner
preparation & pretreatment of fabric next—
improving absorbency
reducing shrinkage
removing impurities
whitening

7. fabric production—fabric preparation
handling —refers to the physical form of fabric during finishing—width, length & fabrication
singeing—burns any fiber ends projecting from surface of fabric
desizing—sizing added to warp yarn removed
cleaning—warp sizing, dirt & oil are removed
scouring—general term referring to removal of foreign matter or soil from fabric prior to finishing or dyeing

8. fabric production—fabric preparation
bio-polishing—use of cellulase enzyme treatment to remove fuzz from spun cellulosic yarns
bleaching—process of whitening fibers, yarns, or fabrics by removing irregular natural color
optical brighteners—also used to whiten off-white fabrics—not bleaches; mask yellow by absorbing light
mercerization—treating cellulosic fabric or yarn with an alkali to increase luster, strength, and affinity for dyes
tension
slack

9. fabric production—fabric preparation
ammoniating finish—less expensive alternative to mercerization used on cotton & rayon; treated with weak ammonium solution at high temps
coloration—color normally added at this stage
special purpose finishes—usually follow dyeing to avoid interference with fiber dye absorption; wrinkle resistance, soil-release, & fabric softening appropriate for cotton/poly blend
drying—especially frequent with cellulosics to minimize mildew & weight

10. fabric production—fabric preparation
tentering—supplies lengthwise & crosswise tension to fabric while it dries to produce uniform length & width

11. fabric production—fabric preparation
tentering—supplies lengthwise & crosswise tension to fabric while it dries to produce uniform length & width
loop drying—drying fabrics with soft finish (towels & knits) without tension on loop frame
heat setting—fabric placed on tenter frame and passed through oven to set and special purpose finishes
calendaring—mechanical finish performed by series of rollers between which fabric passes; simple, friction, moire, schreiner, embossing

12. fabric production—reworking
includes inspecting fabric for defects & flaws
fabric inspection—done by moving fabrics over an inverted frame in good light
repairing—corrects flaws marked by inspectors when economically feasible
Broken yarns clipped
Snagged yarns worked into fabric
Defects marked so adjustments can be made

13. finishing steps for wool
crabbing—finishing process used to set wool fabrics; immersed in hot water then cold water & passed through rollers
decating—produces a smooth, wrinkle-free finish and lofty hand on woolen & worsted fabrics; comparable to steam ironing
carbonizing—treatment of wool yarns or fabrics with sulfuric acid; destroys plant matter and allows for more level dyeing
pressing—woolen fabric placed between metal plates that steam & press

14. environmental concerns & sustainability
finishing transforms a harsh, unattractive fabric into an attractive one—environmentally the impact can be significant
uses significant quantities of energy & water, potentially hazardous chemicals
systems are in place for air-pollution control, pollution prevention, & pollution reduction
less hazardous chemicals used
reclaim & reuse of chemicals
excess use of chemicals, water & energy being regulated