Materials in Sewing
Materials are the things you manipulate to form a product. Essentially, materials are the stuffs you measure, cut, and sew up to make a garment or the items you use to make a good design on a finished garment.
Unlike tools and machinery, they get used up in the sewing operation. Although, materials like buttons, zippers, etc. can be reused but not when they are still parts of a sewn clothing.
In sewing, we can put the materials into two broad categories: fabrics and non-fabric materials. While fabrics are the cloth(s) measured, cut, and sewn into clothing, the non-fabric materials are those used either to aid fastening or structure up or decorate.
Fabrics are the flexible materials that can be cut and sewn into clothing (or similar articles like curtains, upholstery, etc.) and are made by interlacing yarns (which are made of fibres) or by bonding fibres together directly.
Fabric to the tailor is somewhat different from fabric to the textile producer. While the tailor sees fabrics as cloth pieces with unique texture, breathability and behaviour to heat and light, the textile producer sees fabrics as the products of combined fibres whether they be heterogenous or homogenous, woven or non-woven.
In the context of practical sewing, there are just too many kinds of fabrics. Examples are lace, wool, linen, denim, silk, cotton, polyester, satin, virgin wool, cashmere wool, ankara, kente, adire, chino, chiffon, crepe, calico, canvas, brocade, etc.
Some common fabrics types are:
Cotton fabric: cotton fabrics are made entirely from cotton fibres. They are cool to feel and fairly firm. They have a dull appearance. They are breathable. They absorbs moisture well but takes a long time too dry. Under a microscope, a cotton fabric is flat and has a characteristic twist and resembles a twisted ribbon.
Linen fabric: linen fabrics are made entirely from linen fibre. They are very breathable with a cool crisp handle and dull appearance. Under a microscope, the fibres are rounded and smooth with swellings or nodes at intervals. They are stronger than cotton. They increase in strength when wet.
Wool fabric: wool fabrics are made entirely from wool fibres. They are highly insulating and naturally flame-retarded. They have "lofty" or "springy" handle. Under a microscope, the fibres are covered with scales that overlap and point towards the tip of the fibre. They absorb moisture without feeling wet to touch. They "felt" (shrink and mat) when agitated in hot water.
Silk fabric: silk fabrics are made entirely from silk fibres. They have a smooth and rich lustrous appearance. They are soft and resilient to handle. Under a microscope, the fibre appears as de-gummed and very fine. They loose strength when wet. Just like wool, silk does not burn but smoulders. They regulate temperature, i.e. they are cool in summer and warm in winter. They are sensitive to sunlight and perspiration.
Viscose rayon fabric: unlike cotton, linen, wool, and silk fabrics, the fibres of viscose rayon are made from wood-sourced semi-synthentic fibres. Because they are made from plant matter, they are breathable. They have a smooth, fairly soft feeling and a smooth lustrous appearance. Under a microscope, the fibre is rounded with grooves running length wise. It looks like transparent rods streaked with wavy lines. They loose strength when wet.
Acetate fabric: just like viscose rayon, acetate fabric is made from wood-sourced semi-synthentic fibres. They are breathable. They are silk like. They drape well. They have smooth and soft feel. They may be dull or lustruous. Under a microscope, the fibres appear rounded with one or more surface ridges which look like thickened lines. They loose strength when wet but not a rayons. They are naturally resistant to mold and mildew.
Polyester fabric: polyester fabrics are completely synthentic. They have a smooth slippery feel. They loose no strength when wet. They shrink from flame and melts giving a slightly sweet or aromatic smell.
Nylon fabric: just like polyesters, they are completely synthentic. They are smooth and slippery. They are water resistant. They are tough but weighs almost nothing. They degrade faster when exposed to sunlight.
Non-Fabric materials comprise all the materials are used to add extra functionality and beauty to a finished clothing. They can be categorised into three main groups: fasteners, structural materials, and decorative materials.
Some non-fabric materials are:
Structural materials: structural materials are the materials used with the fabric to give it support. These includes interfacing materials, elastic bands, boning materials, and stay tapes. Interfacing materials give the fabric shape, strength, and stability. Examples of interfacing materials are buckram, pellon, etc. Elastic materials give the section of the clothing wherein it is used a stretchy property. Examples of elastic materials are elastic bands, elastic ribbons, etc. Boning materials give three dimensional structure to the garment. Examples of boning materials are rigid plastic strips, flexible plastic strips, etc. Stay tapes are narrow, stable materials sewn into a seam to prevent it from stretching out of shape (like a neckline or shoulder seam). Examples include static-ribbons and fusibles.
Fasteners: fasteners are the materials that aid in opening and closing of clothing. They include zippers, buttons, hooks and eyes, snaps (press studs), hook and loop (velcro), toggles, frog closures, eyelets and grommets.
Decorative materials: decorative materials are attached to a finished garment to add beauty to the garment. There are just too many decorative materials for garments. Examples are appliques, tassels and pompoms, decorative buttons, sequins and beads, ribbons, etc.
- Materials in sewing could be fabrics or non-fabrics.
- Fabrics are flexible materials made from fibres that can be cut and sewn into clothing.
- Fabrics are flexible materials made from fibres that can be cut and sewn into clothing.
- Some common fabrics are cotton, linen, wool, silk, viscose, acetate, polyester, and nylon.
- Non fabrics materials are the materials used to provide necessary extra functionality to a clothing. They could be structural, fastening, or decorative materials.
- Structural materials are used to provide shape, strength, or elasticity. E.g. elastic band, plastic boning strip, etc.
- Fasteners are used to open and close the garment. E.g. buttons, zippers, etc.
- Decorative materials are use to beauty to a garment. E.g. appliques, beads, ribbons, etc.