SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
CLASS NOTES on Introduction to Textiles (part -1)
Introduction to Textiles
Food, shelter and clothing are the basic needs of everyone. All clothing is made from “Textiles” and our
shelters are made more comfortable and attractive by the use of textiles.
From earliest times, people have used textiles of various types for covering or modesty, warmth,
personal adornment, to display personal wealth and even for biomedical and technical purposes.
The word “textiles” comes from the Latin term ‘textere’, meaning of which is “To weave”. Today
the word textile is more generalized to refer to product made from fibres. The products include
primarily woven, knitted, braided, non-woven etc.
Textiles are generally soft to touch, flexible, capable of being transformed into desired shapes
without resistance, and durable over a reasonable period of times. They derived these properties from
fibres and yarns that form the building blocks arranged or interlaced in various forms. The yarns, in turn,
are formed by twisting a bundle of fibres together or from continuous filaments.
Hence, understanding of textiles primarily requires knowledge of fibres and subsequently
knowledge of yarns.
Fibres: Introduction and Definition
❖ Fibres have been defined by Textile Institute as “units of matter characterized by flexibility,
fineness, and a high ratio of length to diameter (known as ‘aspect ratio’)”. They have length at
least hundred times to that of their diameter or width (typical value may range from 200 to
several 1000.
❖ Therefore, Textile fibre can be defined as a unit of matter which is capable of being spun into a
yarn or made into a fabric by bonding or by interlacing in a variety of methods including
weaving, knitting, braiding, felting, twisting, or webbing, and which is the basic structural
element of textile products.
❖ It is a smallest textile component which is microscopic hair like substance that may be naturally
occurring or manufactured from naturally existing materials or tailored from basic organic or
inorganic components.
❖ Textile fibres are utilized in producing clothing, domestic and industrial products. For many
thousand years, the usage of fiber was limited by natural fibers viz. flax, cotton, silk, wool etc.
for different applications. Flax is considered to be the oldest natural fibre since ancient times.
❖ So, Fibre, also spelled fiber, is a class of materials that are continuous filaments similar to
lengths of thread. or are in discrete elongated pieces, commonly considered as staple.
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
Introduction to Yarn and Fabric
❖ “Yarns” are produced by twisting or spinning of the textile fibres and in turn a “Fabric” is a
planar structure produced by interlacing or interloping of yarns as well as by bonding of fibres
directly.
❖ Yarns basically belong in two forms: Continuous Filament and Staple.
Yarn Arrangement in a FABRIC (Woven)
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
General Characteristics of Textile Fibres
Illustration of some of the most essential and other desirable properties that must be considered for
selection of a fibre for use as a textile materials:
1. Dimensional and physical characteristics –
Length
Fineness
Density
Cross sectional shape
Crimp
2. Mechanical properties
Strength
Elasticity
Extensibility
Rigidity (stiffness)
3. Other properties
Surface characteristics – frictional, softness
Environmental stability – resistance to sunlight, thermal stability, resistance to chemical and
organic solvents
Pliability
Durability
Abrasion resistance
Dimensional stability
Moisture absorption
Resistance to bacteria, mildew, fungi, moths etc.
Static build up
Colour
Wetting characteristics
Importance of Textile Fibres
The fiber or blend of fibers used is one of the prime factor which influences the character or personality
of any textile structure, end-use product, i.e., its appearance, texture, handle, wear performance,
mechanical properties, etc.,
And the other factors includes:
I. Yarn structure or structures - size, twist, etc.
II. Fabric structure - weave, knit, nonwoven
III. Type finish or finishes - color added, chemical and/or mechanical finish
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
End-uses of Fibres
Human uses for fibers are diverse. They can be spun into filaments, string or rope, used as a component
of composite materials, or matted into sheets to make products such as paper or felt. Fibers are often
used in the manufacture of other materials.
Approximately 90% of global fibre consumption is processed into yarns, 7% into nonwovens and
remainder used for fillings and cigarette filters etc.
Synthetic fibers can be produced very cheaply and in large amounts compared to natural fibers, but
natural fibers enjoy some benefits, such as comfort, over their man-made counterparts.
Due to general growth of world population and an increase in disposable income in the developed
economies, manufactured fibres specially synthetic fibres predominate over natural fibres since last two
decades.
Fibres-Yarn-Fabric & End-Use Relationship
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
Polymerization
Monomers ---------- Polymers
Mono - One
Mer - Unit
Poly - Many
Polymerization - Connecting together monomers (small molecules)
Basically fibres are long chain polymer(s) made of one or more monomers.
Basis of fibre classification
Classification of fibers can be done by :
1. Composition – Organic and Inorganic
2. Type – Natural and manufactured (man-made);
3. Length – Staple (Short staple, long staple) and continuous filament;
4. Size – Ultra fine, fine, regular, course.
Length based fibre classification
According to length, fibres are classified into two types they are staple and filament.
Staple Fibres:
Natural or manmade or short length fibres which measures in inches or fraction of inch e.g. ¾ to
18 inches or may be in mm e.g. 38mm, 43mm etc. Expect silk all other natural fibres are staple fibres.
Man made fibres is made in filament form but cut into short staple lengths.
Filament Fibres:
Long fibres those measured in yards or meters are known as filaments. Silk and all man made
fibres are filaments.
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
Modern Ranges of Textile Fibres
General Classification Of Textile Fibers
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
Global Textile Fibre Production Scenario
Total Global Production of Textile Fibres (As on 2001) was 57.2 million tons[ Reported by Fibre Organon,
ICAC (www.icac.org) & CIRFS (www.cirfs.org)]. In 2009, it has been increased to 70.5 million tons which
corresponds to an average annual growth rate of 3.3%. Of synthetic fibres, polyester accounts for the
largest tonnage (59.3%) followed by polyolefins (18.4%), polyamides (13.1%) and acrylic (8.5%).
SUSANTA SEKHAR DE, Assistant Professor
Department of Textile Technology, GCETTS
