Fabric Care and Classification

7/25/2019 Fabric Care and Classification

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Apparel Technology



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Apparel Technology 2

Fabric Classification

Woven Jersey Knitwear

Stable fabrics with nonatural stretch. Themachines used to createwoven materials are

called looms, whichinterweave fibres bothhorizontally, and vertically

– the warp and the weft.

Used for coats, dresses,cotton shirts, trousers,skirts etc. Woven fabric isthe predominant apparel

fabric.

Knits are made of onecontinuous thread on acircular machine. Jerseyfabrics have a natural

stretch due to the way theyare made. Jersey fabricsmake T-Shirts, underwear,stretchy dresses and tops.

Due to the stretch of thefabric garments are lessstructured. Predominantlyused in casual clothing and

lingerie.

Made from knitting needles, ormachines that represent theknitting needle. Knitwear ismade with strings of yarn knitted

together, some fine and someheavy and textured. Knittedeither flat or in patterns likecable knit. Knitwear makes

winter jumpers and cardigans.Crochet is also a type ofknitwear, which is seen insummer and winter clothing.



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Fabric Origins and Uses

WoolORIGIN - There are 40 different breeds of sheep, which produce approximately200 types of wool of varying grades. Merino sheep produces the most valuableand finest wool. This type of wool accounts 30% percent of wool production.

Aesthetic: matte appearance with drape, lustre, texture and hand feel can bevaried by yarn structure, fabric structure and type of finish. Dyes very wellbecause the protein fibre soaks up the dye, the colour becoming part of the fibre.

USES – Woven wool suiting can be used all seasons, but heavier wool fabricswould only be used in the winter, as they are warm fabrics. Cold weather clothing

for men and women, carpets, blankets, and upholstery fabrics.Wool suiting and crepe are commonly seen in tailored clothing. Along with tartan

checks and tweeds. Some wool is brushed giving it a softer hand-feel. Alpaca,angora, mohair and cashmere are more common wools used in knitwear.Woven wool is also blended with polyesters for a more durable and lessexpensive quality. These tend to have a shine appearance.

Wool feels very soft to the touch and has a matte appearance. Blended woolsare colder to the touch and are commonly seen with a shine, created from the

man made fibres. Soft and warm wool is seen in the winter in woven coats andsuits through to knitted jumpers and cardigans. However, wool suiting is also

used throughout the year in mens and womens suits.



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Silk ORIGIN - Sericulture is the name for the production of silk. Silk moth lays eggson specially prepared paper. Bombyx Mori is the name of the cultivated

silkworm. After the eggs have hatched the caterpillars are fed on mulberryleaves. Each cocoon gives about 1000 yards several filaments are wound

together to form a yarn. The yarn is then woven into fabrics. Depending on thequality of yarn produced makes different weights and qualities of fabrics. Silk ismeasured by weight in “MM”.

USES – Silk is predominantly used for eveningwear because of it is expense. Itis however a very versatile fiber that can be tailored draped and molded. It can

be easily dyed and printed. Used to create a wide variety of fabric weights andweaves. Smooth appearance and soft handle, with lustre and a soft shine. It iscool to wear in the summer yet warm to wear in winter.

Silk comes in many different qualities due to the different way it is weaved, andthe weight of the silk. Silk feels skin like. A slight oily texture where as manmade imitations (polyester chiffon etc) are cold to the touch. Common silkdresses are made of chiffons, georgettes and satin. Chiffon is very fine and

comes in crinkle and crepe varieties. Georgette is the same weave but heavierthan chiffon. Satin, also known as Charmeuse is shinny on one side and matteon the other. Organza is a very sheer firm silk. Habotai is used for lining silkdresses. Crepe de Chine is an expensive textured silk seen in luxurious evening

dresses. Jacquards, dupioni, shantung and tussah silk are the heavier qualities,

which are structured into tailored dresses and suits. Dupioni is the popularwedding dress silk.



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Cotton ORIGIN – Cotton is a soft white fibrous substance covering the seeds of thecotton flower. The name of the plant is Gossypium. Cotton goes through acomber that removes more short fibers and makes a stronger and more lustrous

yarn. The goal of spinning is to prepare yarns to be woven or knitted. The

spinning process reduces cotton to smaller structures, straighten and parallel thefibres and lastly, put twist into the yarn.

USES – cotton is a fibre that is made into many different types of fabrics, whichare widely used in apparel creation. From very light weight to very heavy. Cottonis used not only in apparel but also in upholstery. Organic cotton is also morecommonly seen in apparel now.

COMFORT soft handle, high absorbency, not irritating to sensitive skin, no staticbuild up, good conduct of electricity. Washes well although 100% cotton can

shrink if washed too hot.Possibly the most common fabric found on the high street. Cotton comes inheavy weights, which are used for denim jeans and casual trousers. Through tolight weights for cotton shirts, dresses and blouses. Cotton prints very well and isalso seen in many summer dresses and blouses. Cotton can be textured with

twills, dobby, pique, seersuckers and broderie anglaise, which has anembroidery design. Mercerised cotton is a treatment on cotton, which makesmore expensive shirts. Cotton is also brushed and made into velvet and

corduroy.



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Linen ORIGIN – The Flax plant. A slender blue-flowered plant grown for its strongwoody fibre. The fibres come from the stem of the plant and are used for making

linen. Ireland is a major linen producer, manufacturing 10% of the EuropeanUnion's linen yarn. Flax fibers are among the longest and strongest of all naturalfibers used by man.

USES - Linen is only used in the summer for its lightweight and fiber properties,which do not keep you warm in colder climates.AESTHETIC high natural lustre, irregular appearance (natural texture) stiffer indrape, rougher to handle.

DURABILITY very strong fibre (stronger than cotton), stronger when wet, lowelongation, poor elasticity, good abrasion resistance, wears well.Pure linen is used in summer dresses and suits for women. Not a popular fabric

for menswear as it creases very easily. Linen can have a slub like appearanceand is cold and crisp to the touch. It is commonly blended with cotton for summerapparel as this produces a softer hand feel, which creases less when worn.



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Man

Made

Many man-made fibers, polyester, rayons, acrylics, nylons etc have beendeveloped into woven and jersey fabrics. Many to imitate silk, and other naturalfibers. Manufactured Fabrics are usually made of filaments extruded as liquid

and formed into various fibres. Because the fibre starts as a liquid, many of thefibres are coloured before they become filament, thus they are difficult to dyeafter the fibre is woven into a fabric, but this does make them very colour fast.

USES – used in all types of apparel. Where man made fabrics have differentqualities, some excel their natural counterparts, while others do not compare withthe natural breathable and fiber qualities. Tend to be cold to the touch, strong butcan cause static electricity, and many have a natural shine and lustre. There are

now so many types of man made fabrics, which have similar properties inappearance and use to natural fibers.

Man made fabrics often imitate silks and wools. Also blended with cottons andlinens for a more durable, cheaper and longer lasting cloth. They come in somany different varieties and are also the base of the technological advancementin fabrics where fibres are made to keep you cool when warm, soak up excesssweat when exercising etc. Common types are polyester, rayon, acetate, and

viscose.



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Jersey ORIGIN - Jersey is a weft-knit fabric that is also called plain knit or single knit.Some sources claim the term "jersey" is used loosely to refer to any knitted fabricwithout a distinct rib. Jersey can be light to heavy and made of any natural or

manufactured fiber. Jersey is made on a circular machine which creates anatural stretch, even without the addition of lycra.

USES - Jersey fabrics are used for t-shirts, basic camisoles, vests etc and areseen all year round. A common jersey is 95% cotton and 5% lycra. There arenow many types of man made jersey fabrics used in all garment classifications,from heavy to light weight. Jersey fabric comes in different weights and can alsobe used for eveningwear designs.

Jersey fabric has a natural stretch from the way it is produced so garments haveno body shaping. Most jersey fabrics also drape down the body well. Apparel is

made from different machinery to woven fabrics, normally seen with a neckbinding. Quicker and easier to construct jersey is used all over the casual wearand lingerie markets. Some more expensive qualities are used for fine eveningdresses. Jersey tends to be more body hugging as it stretches to fit the form,more so than woven fabrics, which need zippers and buttons to fit close to the

body. Jersey garments are pull on. Some with elastic waistline there is norequirement for any type of fastening. Like T-Shirts, jersey stretches to fit overthe neckline. Jersey machines also make hosiery.



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Fabric Types

WOOL

Alpaca Domestic camel hair, a fine and silky yarn.

Angora Wool yarn from a goat. Long and lustrous.

Cashmere Cashmere fleece comes from the cashmere goat an animal that isnative to the Himalaya Mountains region of India, China and Tibet. Thegoat is double coated – fine under hairs and coarser guard hair – only

the fine under hair is used for cashmere fabricsSuiting Comes in summer and winter weights. Woven into twills and plain

weaves. Used for mens and womens suits.

Crepe Crepe is made by twisting some fibers clockwise and otherscounterclockwise. The twisted fibers are then woven in a plain-weavefabric, but it's the twisted fibers, not the weave, that gives crepe its

distinctive "pebbly" look and feel rather than a shiny luster. Both sides ofthe fabric look and feel the same.

Tartan A woollen, twill weave fabric in multicoloured plaid designs – the

heritage is from Scottish Clans.



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Tweed Tweed is woven wool in a variety of colours and patterns - checks etc.Highly textured the three dimensions of the fabric is achieved by usingfine yarns to create the background and the interlacing with a fancy

boucle type yarn. Used in tailoring.Mohair The hair of the angora goat. Chemical and physical properties are very

similar to wool although more lustre, slippery and smooth surface, moreresistant to abrasion than wool

Melton Heavily brushed surface creating a felted wool appearance. Generally

used on the inside of tailored jacket collars. Although a very dense woolit is suitable for heavy warm winter coats.

Brushed Woven wool where needles have torn the filaments to create a softsmooth shinny effect – “brushed”. One way is soft; the other going

against the needles is not so smooth.Camel Very soft hand feels warm wool used for coats.Wool blends Wool blended with man made fibers like polyester made a more durable

and cheaper version of wool. Tends to have a minimum of 50% woolcontent. Works for all wool garments, dresses, trousers and skirtsthrough to jackets and coats.



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SILK

Organza A sheer silk with highly twisted threads, which make it strong and

crisp. Has a natural sheen. Thin and stiff.Satin Shinny one-sided surface. Comes in lightweight to heavier weight

varieties. Satin has a nice drape.Duchess Satin is heaviest and much stiffer in hand feel.

Chiffon Often the lightest weight and most diaphanous of the silks, Chiffon isalso the most see-through. It creates the "billows" of fabric that adddimension to garments. 8mm – 12mm. Used for eveningwear dresses

and blouses. Chiffon can be flat and crinkled. Crinkle chiffon is one ofthe hardest fabrics to use. With a crinkle that stretches when ironedand shrinks when steamed.

Georgette Georgette is heavier chiffon. Over 12mm would be classed asgeorgette.

Habotai Habotai is a lightweight, sheer, plain weave fabric. It is one of the lessexpensive and more commonly available silk fabrics. Habotai canoften be found as light as 5 mm. Often used as lining as it is firm.

However often found with sand washing treatments, which make it adesirable womens wear evening fabric.



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Crepe de Chine Crepe de chine is a lightweight fabric made by twisting some fibersclockwise and others counterclockwise. The twisted fibers are thenwoven in a plain-weave fabric, but it's the twisted fibers, not the

weave, that gives crepe its distinctive "pebbly" look and feel ratherthan a shiny luster. Both sides of the fabric look and feel the same.Crepe de chine doesn't ravel as easily as other silk fabrics, but it willtear if not handled gently.

Charmeuse The back of the fabric is a flattened crepe while the front is ashimmery satin weave. Charmeuse has even more drape than crepede chine and works well for scarves, blouses and lingerie.

Jacquard Jacquard silks offer various woven patterns, using matte and reflectivethreads to create a light and dark effect in the fabric. This effect is

similar to brocade, although the Jacquard is originally created in onecolor. These are generally heavier weight and more densely woven.

Dupioni Dupioni is a plain-weave fabric with slubbed ribs. It has a stiff, taffeta-like hand and is usually dyed in bright colors. The fabric doesn't stand

up well to stress and ravels easily. Washing will make the fabric losesome of its stiffness, and the color will soften as the excess dye iswashed away.

Noil Silk Noil is made from the short fibers left after combing and carding

so it doesn't shine like many other silk fabrics. Noil looks similar tocotton, but has the soft feel of silk against the skin. It also drapesbetter than cotton and resists wrinkling. It can be machine washed on

gentle and dried on low, but this will cause a faded, "weathered" look.



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Raw silk Raw silk is any silk yarn or fabric that hasn't had the sericin - thenatural "gum" that protects the fiber - removed. The fabric is stiff anddull and the sericin tends to attract dirt and odors. Common in Indian

silksTussah Tussah silk, often called shantung, is made from the cocoons of wild

tussah silk worms who eat oak and juniper leaves – their "natural"food. Because the worm isn't grown in a controlled environment, themoth hatches from the cocoon thus interrupting the filament lengthand making the fibers short and coarse instead of long and lustrous.Tussah silk is difficult to dye and to most often available in its natural

color, a creamy tan.Shantung Once made from hand-reeled tussah silk, today's shantung is usually

made with cultivated silk warp yarns and heavier dupioni filling yarns.Depending on the filling yarn, shantung may be lustrous or dull. It hasa firm, semi-crisp hand and tends to ravel, so avoid close-fitting styles.

Silk velvet Silk velvet has raised pile, which is velvet. Soft and shinny with a lot ofdrape.



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COTTON

Voile A very fine and thin cotton. Mainly used for womens blouses.

Lawn A plain weave using high yarn counts to give a silky hand feel and finish.Used for shirts.

Shirting A fine cotton can be found in plain and twill weaves. Traditionally usedfor shirts. 100% cotton creases easily and is hard to iron when very dry.

Cotton mixed with polyester is a common type of shirting, which hasmore durability.

Mercerised cotton Mercerizing is a treatment that is applied to the cotton yarn to remove thefluffy and give it a smoother and more lustrous finish. Seen in moreexpensive shirts.

Chambray Closely woven cotton, smooth and strong. Used for shirts. More luxuriousweave than plan shirting.

Pique Has raised small “spots” created in the weave of the fabric. Used forshirts.

Broderie Anglaise An embroidered small pattern design on cotton with small holes cut out.

Generally seen white on white - same colour embroidery on the samecolour fabric. Used for childrens wear and womens wear. Seen indresses, shirts and skirts. Comes in different weights of cotton, some in

voile others much heavier.



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Seersucker A thin “puckered” fabric in striped or checked designs. The puckeringraises part of the fabric. Used for childrens-wear and womens shirts and

summer dresses. Mostly seen in summer garments.Gingham A woven check cotton fabric. The checks ranging from very small to very

big. One fibre is black the other is white. These are woven to create acheck and change colour to gray when they overlap.

Sateen Shinny on one side giving the look of satin. Seen in skirts, trousers and

shirts. Comes in thin to heavy weights. Often seen with lycra for smallstretch.

Denim A twill weave cotton, called denim due to the indigo dye used to createthe colour. Used for jeans, denim jackets etc. can be found in lightweightto very heavy.

Twill Twill is a type of weave where the grain runs asymmetrically down thewidth/length of the fabric. Common for trousers.



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Jacquard This is a diamond design of weave. Can be single or multiple colours andit has texture within the fabric. Generally seen in heavier weights.

Velvet A close woven fabric with a pile which soft and rich in texture. Cottonvelvet is used for curtains and cushion covers and is also seen in fashionitems from jackets to dresses, skirts and trousers. It is soft to touch in

one direction and rough in the other. Cotton velvet is not very shinny buthas lustre to touch.

Corduroy Corduroy looks like cotton velvet but has stripes in it. It is a cut pile

(compared to the singular pile of velvet). The stripes are created usingneedles at different widths and are called Wales. Narrow stripes arecalled needle cord, wide are called jumbo cord. Corduroy is commonlyseen in trousers and jackets.

Canvas A firm closely woven plain weave cloth. Very strong. Used for trousersand heavy outerwear. Canvas is versatile strong cotton also used inupholstery.



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LINEN

Linen A crisp fabric woven from the flax plant. Can be fine and smooth or with

the natural textures/slubs. Crisp and used in summer womens clothes

due to its cooling properties. Can be made into tailored jackets forsummer, which are less structured.

Linen with Cotton A popular mass production linen, it has more durability as it creases lessand maintains colour and shape well.

Linen with Silk A rare quality, which gives a lustrous hand feel and slight shine. Softerthan pure linen.

Linen with

Viscose

A man made version of linen with silk. Softer than 100% linen with more

durability when worn. Qualities tend to be 55% linen, 45% viscose. Holdscolour well. Seen in many womens summer skirts and dresses through

to wider leg trousers.Hemp Hemp is a plant, the fibres of which are woven together to create hemp -

a cheaper linen, more seen in upholstery than apparel.

Flax The flax plant makes linen. The fibres of the plant are treated and woventogether.



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MANMADE FIBRES

Nylon Synthetic fiber consisting of chemical units linked by amide groups. A

light, strong, resilient fiber with good resistance to abrasion. Can bewashed and drip-dried easily, need little or no ironing. Can bepermanently pleated, tends to build up static electricity and attracts dirtbut resists stains well. Often used in blends and gives strength andresistance to wear. Used to mimic natural fabrics such as nylonorganza (natural is silk).

Nylon and Rayon

blend

Nylon and rayon cupra creates a soft, somewhat silk like hand-feel.

Soft with drape it works well for womens blouses and dresses.Polyester Synthetic fiber consisting of chemical units linked by ester groups. A

light strong fiber with good resistance to abrasion and creasing. Canbe washed and drip-dried easily. Can be permanently pleated. Tends

to build up static electricity and attracts dirt. Resists stains well exceptoil. Often used in blends to increase strength and resistance to wear.Blends of polyester give cotton a permanent press property andextend the wear of these blended garments.

Polyester is used frequently to mimic silk. Polyester chiffons, satins,crepes etc.



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Polyester crepe A man made version of wool crepe. With a textured raised hand feel itworks well in all womens garments. Soft with drape.

Netting An open fine but sometimes hard polyester weave. Netting traditionallyused to make the underskirts of wedding dresses.

Acetate Man made fiber consisting of cellulose acetate. Not very strong, poorabrasion resistance creases easily. Has a good drape and silky handfeel. Highly flammable. Heat sensitive and can melt under a hot iron.Fading of colour problems. High luster and smooth texture. Dry-clean

recommended. Weaker when wet. Commonly used for lining.Viscose Man made fiber consisting of regenerated cellulose. Resembles cotton

but not as strong or durable. Creases easily, highly flammable. Oftenused in blends with other fibers. Viscose is also used to mimic silk

satin.Rayon The first manufactured cellulosic fiber. Always blended with other

fabrics such as cotton. Filaments are circular, serrated. Highlyabsorbent, soft, comfortable, easy to dry and versatile. Rayon has a

soft drape. Very adaptable fiber and can be used to copy the featuresof many different fibers.



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Acrylic Synthetic fiber consisting of at least 85% by mass of acrylonitrile unitslinked together. Light, fairly strong and durable. Resists sunlight. Doesnot crease easily, highly flammable, sensitive to heat and can be

damaged by hot irons. Easy to wash and drip dry. Resembles wool inappearance and handle. Warm without being heavy. Colder to touch

than wool.Microfibre Microfibers are mixed with other man made fibres for the finished

fabrics. Microfibers have exceptional performance, and are known as“supernatural”. Microfibers can bring their outstanding performance toa wide variety of end uses and are available for most major generic

fibers.



JERSEY

Cotton +/- lycra Cotton jersey is a common fabric seen in jersey tops and dresses through

to shorts and leggings. Either 100% cotton or mixed with lycra for stretch.Polyester Polyester is also knitted into a jersey fabric. As the cotton it is widely seen

with lycra. It is a shinny look and soft hand-feel. Does suffer from staticelectricity and can easily snag.

Tulle A fine open weave. A jersey version of netting. Used for lingerie and jersey tops. Sometimes very sheer with the fine yarns and open weave, itcan also be made in much heavier fibers creating a dense but open

jersey.

Rayon jersey Made with lycra it is a more luxurious and expensive version of the cotton jersey. Seen in draped eveningwear dresses. Matte appearance.

Ribbed jersey Commonly seen in cotton vests, ribbed jersey is a stripe look within thefabric. Ribbed, called 1x1 jersey rib is a popular casual fabric. Normallywithout lycra it quickly stretches out of shape when worn. The rib cancome in larger and irregular stripes, 2x2 and 1x2 but these are more rare

than 1x1 rib.

Sweatshirt jersey This has a plain front side and a softer brushed side used for the inside.Heavier and cotton based, with and without lycra. Used for sweatshirtsand hooded tops.

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Nylon Elastane Normally seen as 80% nylon, 20% elastane it has a shinny finish and highstretch. Used for swimwear and dance very tight leggings and leotards.

Silk Jersey Jersey made with silk fibers and a small percentage of lycra. Veryexpensive, used in eveningwear and luxurious intimate apparel.

Interlock Also sometimes called double jersey, although inaccurately since

interlock is not a jersey knit. It is, however, a type of double knit with twoyarn feeds and sets of needles—creating fine (1 1) ribs on both sides ofthe fabric, interlocked together. As compared to jersey, which has an

obvious reverse, interlock looks the same on both sides. It is more stable,and stretches lengthwise as well as widthwise. Its raw edges dont curl.

Jacquard knit Either a single or double knit made with a pattern on its face, achievedwith jacquard controls on a knitting machine. Any yarn may be used. The

single knit jacquard will have floats across its back, while the back of adouble knit jacquard will have a birdseye pattern.

Terry knit A plain stitch knit fabric with a set of yarns pulled out on the technicalback to form loops, as in woven terry cloth. Unlike woven terry, the loopsare only on one side, and the fabric stretches. Terry knit is usually made

of cotton and cotton blends, also manufactured fibers. It probably wasoriginally made of silk. Uses: Sportswear, loungewear, sleepwear,childrens clothing.

Velour knit Made as terry knit, and with the same uses, but unlike terry, the threadloops are cut to make a velvet-like pile.

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Industry Fabric Tests

Fabric Construction Weight, type of weave, number of threads or stitches and yarn

properties.

Physical Properties Seam slippage and strength, tensile and tear strength.

Wear properties Performance during everyday use, abrasion resistance, pillingresistance, snagging and crease recovery.

Dimensional Stability Shrinking or extending during the nominated cleansing process.

Colour Fastness Colour changes when subjected to a particular treatment orenvironment. Different tests for washing, drying, longevity ofholding colour etc.



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Garment Care Check

Fabric quality What is the fabric quality? Different qualities need different washing. (seewashing, drying and ironing chart).

FabricStructure

Is the type of fabric loose or stable? Stable fabric is stronger and canwithhold faster and longer spinning and washing. Loose fabric needsdelicate care, from washing to drying and ironing as they can loose shape

permanently.Colour Red and indigo dyes are not stable and do loose colour over time and

excessive washing. Colour blocked garments need to be checked for qualityof fabric to ensure it can be washed. A shorter spin cycle and coolertemperature can help to stop the colours running into each other.

Home tests for fabric colour fastness =1. Dampen a small area of hem or inside seam with water.

2. Iron a piece of white fabric or kitchen paper onto it.3. If the paper soaks up any colour, your garment isnt colour fast, so shouldbe washed separately.

Workmanship Check the seams are finished well inside and there are no loose threads. Ifthe seams are weak the garment could be damaged when washing.

Trims and

Extras

Check if the trims are fixed well. Try pulling a little bit to ensure it is fixed

well onto the garment and wont come loose when in the spin cycle. If trimsare loose hand fix with thread. The rule for expensive beading andembroidery is to fix every 5 beads/sequins (double catch) to stop themfalling off.



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Garment Care

Fabric Washing Drying Ironing

Wool Wash delicate wool articlesat a temperature of 30° - 40°.Wool suit jackets should be

dry cleaning due to the way itis made, not the fabric itself.Wool can absorb up to 40%

of its weight in moisturewithout feeling damp.

To remove soil and dust fromwool, brush lengthwise with agarment brush.

Trousers and skirtsshould be hungupside down to dry.

Keep the garmentaway from the sunand other heat

sources while it isdrying.

Never iron woolgarments without steam.To avoid shine, press

the garment on theinside.



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Silk Washing machines oftenhave a programme for

washing delicate articles at atemperature of 30° - 40°.Provided great care is taken;many Silk articles can besuccessfully washed by

machine.Blotting silk clothing with coolwater will treat most food

stains.For perspiration or deodorant

stains, apply diluted vinegarto the area with a softsponge.

Roll it up in a towel,pressing as you go,

to absorb excesswater.Some silk garmentswork well beinghung to dry,

preventing creasing.Heavier silks shouldbe laid flat to dry.

Silk does not need muchironing because silk is

resilient againstwrinkles, but when youdo need to iron it, placeyour iron on the lowestheat or silk setting

Put a piece of light fabricon your ironing boardand then iron on the

inside. The fabric helpsto absorb the excess

heat from the iron.Hang your silk to coolwhen you're finishedironing.



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Knitwear

Hand washing for loosechunky jumpers. Turn the

garment inside out;submerge, swish, then soakfor 10 minutes.Machine wash tightermachine knitted on a cool

wash, low spin.Never wring or hang-dry,since wet wool stretches

easily.

Lay the garment ona clean towel and

roll it up to extractwater. Lay flat todry.

Minimum steam andironing on a low setting

with the garment insideout.



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Cotton Cotton and cotton blends canbe machine washed easily

Wash cotton shirts andblouses on a softer cyclethan jeans and trousers asthe fabric are thinner andlighter.

Cotton is a durable, softfibre, and most clothes todayare made of it.

Note that 100% cotton canshrink, cotton blends do not

tend to.

Cotton can be driedin the clothes dryer.

Or allow dryingnaturally over aclothes rail or in thesunshine. Nospecial

requirements.

Iron cotton garmentswhile the fabric is still

slightly damp.Avoid excessive drying,which sets in wrinklesand may shrink certaincottons.



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Linen Always wash your linenclothes on your machines

gentle cycle.If it is possible to select thewater level in the washingmachine, always use themaximum offered. Your

clothing should move freely.Use only a mild detergent forwashing and make sure that

all of it is completely rinsedfrom the piece of clothing

before drying.

Always try to dryyour linen clothes

flat.Hangers orclothespins cancause marks on thefabric and also

cause deformationof the garment.

Iron your linen clotheswhile slightly damp.

Iron linen garmentsinside out to preventfabric shine.100% linen creases andwrinkles very easily

when worn.



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ManMade

Polyester washes well. It is asynthetic fabric that generally

resists wrinkles, fading andshrinking when taken care ofproperly.To avoid any snags ordamage to the fabric; turn it

inside-out before placing itinto the washing machine.Polyester is also used to

create blends that makecotton and other fabrics more

durable.Polyester is susceptible tostatic cling without fabricsoftener.

Man made fabricscan be air-dried or

machine-dried at alow temperature.Polyester garmentsthat dry too long orat too hot of a

setting may shrink.Polyester driesquickly and

maintains its shapewhen dried properly.

Iron man made fabricson a low setting.

Polyester fabric can bedamaged by excessiveheat.Most polyester does notcrease so minimum iron

is required.



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Top Tips

Spin enough Spin enough but not too much! Spinning clothes excessively can stress thegarment. Wring clothes in a towel after the cycle to remove any excess

water.

Detergent The amount of detergent you put in your washing machine is determined by

how large your load is.

Bleach Bleach is used when you want to get tough stains out of clothes, or you wantyour whites to be really, really white. Bleach can also strip colour so usesparingly. Many detergents already have bleach inside.

Fabricsoftener

Fabric softener is not just for keeping clothes soft, but also prevents staticelectricity.

Delicateitems

Place delicate garments in a pillowcase to wash them in the washingmachine.



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Top Tips

Line dry Line dry your clothing. The heat and rapid drying of an electric or gas clothesdrier might be convenient, but it also shrinks clothing as quickly as it driesthem out.

Washby weight

Separate clothes for washing by weight . Mixing heavier items with lighteritems might mean one comes out over-dried and the other still damp.

Upside down Hang clothes upside down to dry. This prevents damage to the top edgefrom the clothes pegs.

Temperature Know what water temperature to select. Washing machines have differenttemperature settings because some fabrics and colours require different

levels of heat to be washed thoroughly. Use a cooler water temperature fordark colours, as this reduces the amount of dye that runs from these clothes,



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Fabric Care and Classification