What is Fabric? Briefly describe on different types of Fabric

Fabric is a planar substance which is constructed from solutions, fibers and yarns. There are three principle techniques turning from yarn to textile fabric. These are interweaving, interloping and intertwining. Textile fabrics can also be formed from web of fiber by bonding, fusing or interlocking to make non-woven fabrics. Each method or techniques of joining the yarns or fibers together creates different type of fabric.

Types of Fabric

There are three principal methods of mechanically manipulating yarn into textile fabrics:

1. Interweaving - It is the intersection or interlacement of two sets of straight threads, warp (ends) and weft (picks or filling), which cross and interweave at right angles to each other.

2. Interlooping - It consists of forming yarn(s) into loops, each of which is typically only released after a succeeding loop has been formed and intermeshed with it so that a secure ground 54 loop structure is achieved. The loops are also held together by the yarn passing from one to the next. Knitting is the most common method of interloping. 

3. Interwining and Twisting - It includes a number of techniques, such as braiding and knotting, where threads are caused to intertwine with each other at right angles or some other angles. These techniques tend to produce special constructions whose uses are limited to very specific purposes.

From the three principle techniques and also non-woven process, we can classify fabric as follows-

1.      Woven Fabric

2.      Knit Fabric

3.      Braided Fabric

4.      Non-Woven Fabric

Common types of fabric

Woven Fabric

It is the method of interweaving (Interlacing or Interlacement) of two set of yarns, warp yarn and weft yarn which cross and intersects each other at right angles. In woven fabric warp yarns remain in longitudinal and weft yarn in transverse and they interlaced with one another according to the desired design or the class of structure.

Different Types of woven fabrics are found according to the number of warp yarn on the weft yarns goes over at a time and also in which combinations. So, Basic types of woven fabrics are-

1.      Plain Weave Fabric

2.      Twill Weave Fabric

3.      Satin & Sateen Fabric

4.      Basket or Hopsack weave Fabric

5.      Pile weave Fabric

6.      Jacquard Weave Fabric

Knit Fabric

Knit fabric consists of interlooping of each yarn forming into loops and intermeshed with it so that a strong and ground loop structure is made. By the yarn passing from one to next these loops are held together.

According to the direction of forming loop to be interloped with one another, knit fabric is divided into two groups-

1.      Weft knitted fabric - loop form into horizontal direction

2.      Warp Knitted fabric – loop form into vertical direction

According to the appearance of face and back side of weft knitted fabric, it is divided into two-

A)     Single Jersey – All face loops & Back loops are different from each other.

B)     Double Jersey – All face loops & Back loops are same on the both sides.

According to the arrangements of loops weft knitted fabric also derived as four-

        i.            Plain fabric  (Single Jersey)

      ii.            Rib fabric  (Double Jersey)

    iii.            Purl fabric  (Double Jersey)

     iv.            Interlock fabric  (Double Jersey)

 Braided Fabric

Braided fabric consists of a number techniques including braiding and knotting. In Braided fabric, threads are caused to intertwine each other at right angles or other angles. It is a simple form of narrow fabric where three or more yarns are interlaced both diagonally and lengthwise.

Braids are divided into two types-

1.      Flat Braids – narrow flat tapes

2.      Round Braids – tubular in form, may be hollow or center core of some material

Non-Woven Fabric

From the web of fibers which are bonded by mechanical, thermal or chemical process into textile fabrics called non-woven fabric. Nonwovens are flexible, porous products consisting of one or more fiber Layer.

Nonwoven may be classified as-

a)      Disposable or Non-durable goods­– like diapers, medical dressing, household wipes, protective clothing etc.

b)      Durable goods– like apparel interfacings, carpets, automobile headliners etc.

Special Types of Fabrics:

Besides these basic types of Fabric there are verities of fabrics are found in special fabric production. Some of them are given as follows-

Multi Component Fabrics- Here at least two layers of material or fabric have been combine to produce a new fabric like as Bonded Fabrics, Quilted Fabrics, Laminated Fabrics etc.

Gauze Fabrics- Here warp yarn work as a group usually pairs of two, in which weft yarn inserted between them before twisting each other. Curtain, shirting & dress goods are made with this.

Pile Fabric- Fabric with cut or uncut loops which stand up densely on the surface called woven Pile Fabrics. For example- Fleece, Terry Cloths, Velvets are made with this mechanism.

Net or Mesh Fabric- This fabric is an open mesh form of fabric construction where yarns are held together by knots or thermoplastic fused yarns at each point e.g. Mosquito Nets, Fishing Nets etc.

Lace Fabric- It is an open work fabric consisting of a group of yarns formed into complex designs. Basically it is an important trimming which is used for table cloth, curtains, dresses etc. 

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