MATERIALS & RESOURCES 1

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1. TEXTILES & LEATHER

PRINCIPAL USES OF TEXTILES FOR THE INTERIOR

1. Sheers or Glass Curtains

Sheers or glass curtains may hang permanently over the glass window to filter the light, thereby giving softness to
the room and providing daytime privacy. Fabric should be sheer enough to permit light and frequently a view,
should be sunproof as to colorfastness and splitting and should wash or clean well without shrinkage. Batiste,
ninon, and chiffon are three popular examples.
3. Drapery
Drapery serves as a stationary side drapery or can be designed to draw for privacy. Fabric should drape
gracefully, clean without shrinkage. Examples are silk, antique satin, and other medium to lightweight fabrics.
4. Upholstery
Upholstery covers furniture permanently, adds beauty and comfort, conceals, or emphasizes furniture, and adds
to or sets the theme or mood of the room. Fabric used for upholstery should have a tight weave, durable.
comfortable and cleans well. Common upholstery fabrics include heavyweight fabrics such as matelasse, tweed,
tapestry, velvet, boucle, frieze, and leather; medium weight fabrics such as damask, brocatelle and canvas;
lightweight fabrics such as antique satin, chintz, linen, homespun and moiré.
5. Slipcovers
Slipcover may cover worn upholstered furniture, protect more expensive fabrics and brighten or change a are
room’s atmosphere. They are generally efficient when durable, tightly woven, nonsnag and nonstretch. Pliable
or lightweight fabrics make fitting and sewing easy. Sailcloth, ticking, chintz, whipcord and cordoruy are good
choices for slipcover.
6. Wallcovering
Fabrics can be used on walls to add beauty or to solve a decorative problem. The fabric should be a tight weave
with firm body. Canvas, burlap, moiré, ticking, heavy cotton or linen, velveteen, and damask are often employed
for wall coverings.

1.1. DEFINITION
The term ‘Textile’ is a Latin word originated from the word ‘texere’ which means ‘to weave’
A textile, also known as fabric or cloth, is a flexible artificial material made up of a network of natural or artificial
fibers ( thread or yarn) formed by weaving or knitting, or pressed into felt. It also refers to the yarns, threads and
wools that can be spun, tufted, tied and otherwise used to manufacture cloth.

The production of textiles is an ancient art, whose speed and scale of production has been altered almost beyond
recognition by mass-production and the introduction of modern techniques. Many textiles have been in use for
millennia, while others use artificial fibers and recent inventions. The range of fibers has been increased in the
last 100years. The first synthetics were made in the 1920s and 1930s.

1.2 BRIEF HISTORY

Yarn, fabrics and tools for spinning and weaving have been found among the earliest relics of human
habitations.
5000 BC - Linen fabrics have been discovered in Egypt. Woolen textiles from the Bronze Age in
Scandinavia and Switzerland have also been found.
3000 BC - Cotton has been spun and woven in India
1000 BC. - silk has been woven in China
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4 centuryAD - Constantinople began to weave the raw silk imported fro m China. A century later silk
culture spread to the Western countries, and textile making developed rapidly.
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14 century - splendid fabrics were woven on hand looms of the Mediterranean countries in practically all the
basic structures known to modern artisans, and there have been no change in the fundamental processes
since that time, although methods and equipment have been radically altered.

1.3 FIBERS & YARNS

1.3.1 Fiber - the basic element of the textile. A fine, hairlike strand that forms the basis of a yarn. Fibers are
 found in nature or manufactured ( synthetic) and are categorized by their strength.
Staple fibers – short fibers, somewhat randomly arranged and loosely twisted, resulting in softer
yarns. These are typically measured in centimetres or inches. All natural fibers except silk are staple
fibers.
Filament fibers – long and continuous fibers, usually measured in meters or yards, laid parallel
to one another and lightly twisted to produce smooth, strong yarns. Because synthetic fibers are produced
by extruding chemical solutions through a shower-head like device called a spinneret, they are filament
fibers. However, they can be cut to staple fiber lengths.

1.3.2 Yarn – formed by twisting fibers together to create a continuous strand. Yarns are classified into two types:
spun and filament.
Spun yarns – composed of staple fibers twisted together.
Filament yarns – composed of continuous strands made from either a spinneret generated synthetic fiber
or from silk. These are commonly referred to as bulked continuous filament (BCF) and are typical of
nylon and polypropylene fibers.

1.4 CLASSIFICATION OF FIBERS

1.4.1 Natural – fibers from animal, plant or mineral sources. Plant and animal based fibers are produced
seasonally and are susceptible to the forces of nature – wounds, insects and too much water or the lack
of it.
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1.4.2 Synthetic - man-made and thoroughly modern, most having been developed in the 20 century.
Although centuries ago the method by which silkworms extruded silk was noted as a technique that could
possibly be adopted for synthetic fiber production, rayon – the first synthetic fiber – began commercial
production in 1939. Most synthetic fibers are thermoplastic, meaning that they soften and melt when
heated.
1.4.3 Blends – mix of natural & synthetic fibers.
1.5 CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURAL FIBERS
1.5.1 Plant Fibers
1. Cotton – the most widely used plant fibers. It is a vegetable or cellulosic fiber which comes from the
balls of cotton that grows prolifically in warm countries. Grading of cotton is dependent on the natural
color, length of staple fibers, softness and crimpness(waviness of the fiber). The thread appears
spirally twisted under a microscope. When the twist is very tight, cotton, becomes stronger fiber than
wool.
 Continuous exposure to sunlight causes its fibers to disintegrate and is subject to mold and mildew
in humid or damp climate.
 It burns a slow rate and is one of the most versatile and most durable fibers.
 It is relatively dimensionally stable but, like other cellulosic fibers, has low elasticity and resiliency.
It is also one of the densest fibers.
 Known for comfort, cotton wicks away moisture along the fiber through the fabric.
 Flammable and easily wrinkled, this fabric is use more in the apparel than in commercial interiors.

2. Kapok - like cotton, it is derived from a seed. It is taken from the seed pod of the Java kapok tree.
Too brittle to spin into fiber but soft enough to be used as cushioning, kapok was once used
extensively for stuffing pillows and seat cushions.
 It is very lightweight and non absorbent, making it popular as a stuffing for personal flotation
devices, because kapok can support 30times its weight in water.

3. Flax (Linen) – Probably the oldest fiber ever woven into fabric. It is a vegetable fiber found in most
part of Europe, northern America and Argentina. Its yarn is grayish in color with a silky luster. The
final fiber is about 300mm to 600mm, averaging to about 18”.
 The natural, untreated fiber does not support flame.
 Reflects heat better than cotton and holds their color longer under strong light conditions more than
any other natural fiber.
 It can be bleached without fear of damage. Flax has crisp and cool on hand, used for table linens,
draperies, slipcovers, etc.
 Linen, which is made from flax, is less soft and absorbent than cotton but more resistant to mildew.
 It is extremely strong, virtually non-elastic and tends to be brittle. Linen does not lint and resists
fraying and seam slippage.
 One of the major disadvantages of linen is that it wrinkles and creases readily.
 4. Jute – fiber which resembles flax, but is made from the stem and stalk of the jute plant which
primarily grows in India. Fiber is very long, and dimensionally stable.
 It is harsh, brittle, lints badly and wrinkles easily, limiting its use primarily to carpet and linoleum
backing.
 It has been woven with aesthetic success into upholstery weight fabrics.
Burlap is a fabric that is often made from jute. Jute reacts to chemical similarly to flax and cotton. It
has excellent resistance to micro-organism and insects.
5. Hemp – comes from a plant located in the temperate zone. It is a course fiber originally used in
ropes and sacks, but it is now being used by designers in clothing. Taken from the stems of the
Cannabis Sativa, plant which are processed to dissolve the gum or pectin and separate the fibers
which are then processed again and woven into yarns and fabric.
6. Manila Hemp – also knows as Abaca, derived from the Musa Textilis plant. It is mainly grown in the
Philippines ( where it is a chief export product) but is also found in smaller amounts in Africa,
Malaysia, Indonesia and Costa Rica. The fiber is obtained from the outer layer of the leaf.
Processing occurs when it is separated mechanically decorticated into lengths of varying from 1-
3mtrs. Mature plants are processed much the same flax as hemp. The liner fibers are used for
weaving cloth. The outer course fibers are used in the matting and durable cordage; the latter is
considered the finest rope made.
 It is very strong with great luster and very resistant to damage from salt water.
7. Ramie – an inexpensive fiber from East Asia plant, oftentimes used as substitute of flax, it
can be spun or woven into fabric. sometimes called China grass linen, ramie is produced from a
perennial shrub.
 It is an exceptionally strong fiber and has a natural luster comparable to that of silk and
an unusual resistance to bacteria and molds.
 It is extremely absorbent and dries quickly and has excellent abrasion resistance and has been
tested to be three to five times stronger than cotton and twice as strong as flax.
 Ramie fabrics can resemble fine linen if the fiber is thin, or they can be heavy like canvas if the
fiber is bulky and course. It also tends to be non-elastic and brittle.
Because of its stiffness, ramie is often blended with softer fibers such as cotton and rayon.
8. Natural Rubber – Rubber in fiber form dates form the 1920s when it was discovered that latex(liquid
rubber) could be extruded into fiber. Rubber is unique among the natural fibers because it is highly
elastic, flexible and impermeable to water and air. It tends to lose its strength through age and
deteriorates in sunlight.

9. Jusi – made from banana fibers.

10. Piňa – made from the leaves of Pineapple plant.
1.5.2 Animal Fibers
1. Wool (Sheep) – Wool fiber is sheared from domesticated animals, primarily sheep. The greatest
quantity of textile wool comes from Australia. the fibers vary in length form 1”-18” depending on
where it is obtained. Worsted require long fibers which are hard-twisted into thread or yarns. Softer
wool requires softer fiber. Color varies from pale neutral to dark brown.
 Like other animal hair, wool contains excess amounts of oil(lanolin), which is removed during the
fiber processing.
 Exceptional resiliency and elasticity, it is and excellent fiber for use in carpets. Wool carpet
remains the standards by which synthetic fiber carpets are judged.
 Since its flexibility is also very good, wool can be reshaped by steaming or pressing.
 Susceptible to damage by insects, however treatments are available to make wool fabric
unpalatable to moths.
 Has almost no resistance to alkalis, which are ingredients in most detergents, for this reason, wool
has be dry cleaned.
 Good resistance to abrasion, is antiseptic, has pleasing soft hand and can be blended.
 Burns slowly and is self extinguishing; stops burning when the flame source is removed, thus
cigarette burns are quickly extinguished with minimal noticeable damage.
 Wool carpet is often preferred in the public areas of luxurious hospitality facilities, such as hotel and
casino lobbies.
 2. Hair – from camel, goat, mohair (from the angora goat and is highly resilient and strong. Mohair’s
luster, not softness, determines its value). Alpaca (a camelid; Alpaca fleece is very rich and
silky with considerable luster); llama (also a camelid); vicuňa (the rarest) and horsehair

1.5.3 Silk Fibers

This is considered the most beautiful of all fibers due to its marvellous, natural luster. The fiber comes
from the cocoons of the silkworm. Sericulture is the growth of silk moths for their silk production. The
process is quite labor intensive, which accounts for the expense of the fiber. Liquid silk is excreted from
the head of the silkworm to form a cocoon around its body. Cocoons are dried in an oven, killing the
pupae inside while preserving the integrity of the cocoons. The silk is then carefully unwrapped for use
as fiber.
Average length of each filament is about 600 yards. Its filament is extremely fine though quite strong in
relation to its size.
 It is the strongest natural fiber, surpassed only by nylon in strength.
Many grades of silk:
1. “Organzine” of Thrown Silk – the finest cultured silk yarn and made from the longest filament.
2. Tram. Spunsilk or Bourette - uses shorter strands(or broken strands) and have less luster and sheen.
3. Tussah – wild silk made from the cocoons that feed on oak or other trees. It possesses a rough
quality and is light brown in color. It cannot be bleached white. Used for weaving rougher textiles
such as pogee, shikj and shantung.
4. Duppion – silk made from 2 silkworms that spin cocoon together. It appears irregular like linen.
 Silk is more wrinkle resistant than the natural cellulosic fibers.
 Is fragile and disintegrates or discolours in strong light.
 Natural affinity to dyes but deteriorates from bleaches and other cleaning acids, subject to mildew and
rot in humid climates.
 Swells when damp, and shrinks when dry – a condition called hiking.
 It also burns slowly.
1.5.4 Mineral Fibers
Asbestos – mineral with fluffy strands which are generally combined with cotton to produce a
textile. The only mineral found in fiber form, asbestos is completely waterproof and is used for firefighters;
apparel, ironing board covers, and in other hazardous industry applications. However, because of serious
diseases associated with exposure to asbestos. Most application is no longer legal. Currently, the apparel
worn by a firefighter have to be constructed from materials that will withstand intense heat. Aramid fiber is
a synthetic fiber that is highly regarded for its strength and heat resistance.

1.5.5 Metal Fibers

Threads of gold, silver or copper woven into filmy casements or wall hangings. These fibers do not
tarnish. It may also be a manufactured fiber composed of metal, plastic-coated metal, metal coated
plastic or a core completely coated with plastic. Metal usually is aluminium foil.
 Not affected by saltwater or humidity.
 Used mainly for sparkle, lending glitter to textiles made from other brands ( i.e. Lurex)

1.6. CHARACTERISTICS OF SYNTHETIC FIBERS

1.6.1. Cellulosics- Manufactured cellulose fibers come from plants that are processed into a pulp and then
extruded in the same ways that synthetic fibers like polyester or nylon are made. Rayon or viscose is one of
the most common "manufactured" cellulose fibers, and it can be made from wood pulp

1. Rayon - the first synthetic fiber, it is derived from the pithy sections of plant stalks, and in refining,
remains almost pure cellulose. Called the “poor man’s silk” or “artificial silk” when spun and woven on
the silk system, and bears resemblance to-linen when spun and woven on the linen system. It is
frequently blended with cotton or wool. Rayon can be found as the woven backing of Velvet which bears
nylon, cotton or a silk face (pile).
 Viscose rayon blends well with other fibers, is absorbent und therefore dyes readily, and is economical
to produce. it has reasonable light and abrasion resistance. However, it is not particularly strong and
loses strength when wet. It is also subject to mildew but will rot under prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Rayon has a low resiliency, and so it wrinkles easily.

2. Acetate and Triacetafe — both developed by the Celanese Com., they have similar chemical
compositions but they behave differently as fibers.
a. Acetafe - compound of cellulose acetate (derivative of cellulose) developed by the Celanese
Corp in 1924. Generally heat-treated against wrinkling, is washable, fast-drying, and does not
shrink. Acetate fibers are flexible, resulting in fabric with excellent draping qualities. However, it
needs special dyes. It has a luxurious hand, and woven unto expensive textiles such as satins,
failles, crepes, brocades and damasks. However, This is a thermoplastic fiber, easily damaged by
heat and easily wrinkled.

- b. Tri-Acetate - Almost pure cellulose acetate developed by the Celanese Corp. in 1954. This has
good resiliency as a fiber as compared with Acetate. Triacetate is processed differently than
acetate, resulting in a fiber of greater stability and abrasion resistance. It can be heat treated to
prevent the heat sensitivity inherent to acetate. This is shrink resistant, and maintains a crisp finish,
thus, permanent pleats can be set in triacetate.It is used for textured knits and tricots. Very few are
used in the home furnishings market.

1.6.2 Non- Cellulosics - Designating or of synthetic fibers made from materials other than plant derivatives.

1. Nylon - developed by E.I. Dupont de Nemours and Co. in 1939. Requires elements of petroleum,
natural gas (carbon), air (nitrogen and oxygen), and water (hydrogen). It produces long chain molecules
which are spun and stretched after cooling. Strongest of all fibers, it is highly elastic with good elongation
and recovery properties. Its great strength, high resiliency, and good abrasion resistance makes it the
most popular carpet fiber. It does not absorb oil and most air- borne dirt, is easily dyed and is washable. It
is also known to repel fungus, mildew and mold, and is dimensionally stable. This fiber deteriorates when
exposed to sunlight.

2. Acrylic - Developed by the DuPont Co. in 1950 under the trade name Orion, it is derived from elements
of coal, air, water, petroleum and limestone. It uses Staple fibers which are crimped before cutting and
then mechanically bulked for an insulative, fluffy, wool-like effect, Acrylic is resistani to sunlight, and oil-
bome and air-bome dirt. It is durable, abrasion-resistant, mildew and moth-proof. It is exceptionally light,
providing bulk without weight, generally knitted into pile fabrics such as fake furs, otherwise blended with
other fibers Such as polyester or nylon. Acrylic fibers accept dyes well, providing a good selection of
colors

3. Modacrylic - Developed by the Union Carbide in I 949. It is derived from elements of natural gas, coal,
air, and salt and water. Fibers easily dyed- are washable and are drip-dry. Resistant to acids and alkalis.
Flame-resistant used for draperies and casement cloths.

4. Olefins (Polypropylene and Polyethylene) - Developed by the Hercules Inc. in 1961 from a by-product
of petroleum. Olefin is relatively inexpensive and very popular for use as a carpet fiber. Because of its
outstanding resistance to stains and crushing and its !ack of static generation, olefin continues to
increase in popularity as a carpet fiber.

Today, the most widely used olefin fiber is polypropylene. Polyethylene was the first olefin fiber to reach
commercial importance, being used as upholstery for airplane seats for many years. Olefin fibers in
upholstery textiles are strong, light in weight and generally bulked. It does not absorb moisture or air-
borne dirt; it is also resistant to mildew, rot, moths and vermin. Olefin is one of the lightest synthetic
fibers and has excellent elastic recovery.

5. Polyester - The initial research by Du Pont that led to the discovery of nylon also led to the invention
|of polyester in 1953. It is a derivative of coal, air water and petroleum. Among its many characteristics
are its resistance to air-borne and dirt, low moisture absorbency, wrinkle resistance, high strength and
resiliency, abrasion resistance, and dimensional stability. Washable and drip-dry, it also has excellent
crease resistance and is easy to maintain. Usually made into fine voile-like casement fabrics, it is also
knitted into upholstery-weight suede cloth.
Polyester is frequently blended with other fibers to enhance their performance. Hospital cubicle curtains
are often made of polyester. Dacron, Fortrel, Kodel, and Trevira are popular trade names for different
types of polyester.

6. Glass Fiber - Although glass has been used for centuries, it was not until the mid-1800s that it was
first produced in fiber form. One of the most important characteristic of this fiber is that it is inherently
resistant to flame. Strong and does not absorb moisture, it also has a very low abrasion resistance. It also
has the ability to dye well. Best used as drapery or casement cloth. It allows flexibility of weave from lacy
open-weave cloths, to semi-opaque casement textiles to light textured-weave textiles. Gwens-Coming’s
trade name for its glass fiber product is Fiberglass.

7. Polynude Nylon - Chemical fiber with make-up similar to nylon. This fiber outperforms existing
synthetics in washability, wrinkle resistance and ease of care. It does not shrink. It resembles silk in
luster, weight, color, feel and drapability but can be ironed.at high heat like cotton.

8. Saran - used for outdoor furniture upholstery and screening. When it is woven with other materials, it
can be used in curtains;-drapery fabrics and wall covering. It is unaffected by sunlight, easy-to-
care, wrinkle resistant, and abrasion resistant. It has high crease retention, and dyeability. It is usually
blended with rayon and modacrylic with Saran dominating.

9. Spandex- a manufactured elastomeric that can be repeatedly stretched over 500% without breaking
and will recover to its original length. This permits manufacturers to add stretch to fabrics without altering
hand or appearance. Bounces back without sag whether on warp, fill or bias direction. Can be permanent
pressed or soil-resistant, washable, and does not discolor. Can be blended with most fabrics.

10. Aramids - among the various modem synthetic fibers, aramids have unique _ properties. Alkalis,
acids, ard solvents have virtually no effect on them. Aramids are marketed under the trade names Nomex
and Keviar., Nomex is a high temperature-resistant fiber used mostly in apparel such as firefighters’
clothing and space suits. Keviar is also a high-temperature-resistant fiber and is incredibly strong,
stronger than comparably sized steel. It is used as a barrier fabric between the upholstery cushion and
fabric in seating. It is also used in bullet-resistant vests. Aramids are difficult to dye, but because they are
not used for decorative purposes, this is not
usually considered a drawback.