PRESENTED BY:

RUCHI BHUTANI

What is a Fabric Finish?

A fabric finish is applied to a fabric once it

has been made to improve its appearance,

feel or other properties.

Finishing processes are carried out to

improve the natural properties or

attractiveness of the fabric and to increase

its serviceability.

Why are fabric finishes used?

Fabric Finishes are used to improve the fabric in some way. This could be: improve the appearance - color, pattern or sheen.

change the texture of the fabric - embossing, brushing or smoothing

improve the feel - softer, crisper, firmer.

improve the drape (how the fabric hangs) - weighted

improve wearing qualities - crease resistance, stain resistance, flammability, waterproof etc.

modify care requirements - easy wash, quicker drying times, colourfast, less shrinkage.

Provide aesthetic value

Soften fabric or change the hand

Adds to durability

Adds to comfort

Provide safety

Improves performance

TECHNIQUES OF FINISHING DEPENDS ON:

NATURE OF FABRIC i.e. chemical

composition, state, weave etc. this

determines the transparency, luster, fullness,

weight, whiteness etc. i.e. the appearance

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FABRIC – i.e.

softness, stiffness, tensile strength,

elongation, shrinkage property, insulation etc

END USE OF MATERIAL- e.g. non shrinking,

non-creasing, crease retention, draping,

resistance to abrasion etc.

RECEPTIVITY OF FABRIC TO VARIOUS

FINISHING OPERATIONS i.e. water, flame, rot

proofing etc

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CHEMICAL MODIFICATIONS

FINISHING OPERATIONS DIFFER ACCORDING TO

THE PROPERTIES IMPARTED TO THE MATERIAL

Aesthetic finishes

Functional finishes

According to quality:

Temporary

Semi permanent

Permanent

According to the type of machinery

Chemical finishes

Mechanical finishes

The appearance of fabrics is sometimes deceiving. In part, the

appearance depends on the type of fibers, the construction of

the yarns and fabrics, and the dyeing and printing involved.

However, finishes can be applied to fabrics that enhance the

basic aesthetic qualities. Aesthetic finishes influence the luster,

texture, drapability,hand and surface appearance of fabrics as

well as enhance a host of other qualities.

Aesthetic finishes change the appearance and/or hand or drape

of the fabrics.

Lustre finishes produces a change in fabrics light

reflectance by making them more shiny.

Permanent or temporary changes in surface pattern and

luster of fabrics can be achieved through a variety of

finishing techniques.

Techniques such as calendering, beetling, and burning-out

influence the resulting appearance of the fabric.

Calendering is a mechanical process that finishes fabrics

by passing them between a series of rollers. By varying the

rollers, adding any additional chemical treatment and/or

temperature, a variety of calendered finishes result,

including: glazed, ciré, embossed, Schreiner and moiré

fabrics.

OBJECTIVE-

To give soft and smooth surface to the fabric

To give luster or glaze to the fabric

To give silk like appearance

To decrease the air permeability

To flatten the slubs

In general calender usually have 2 to 7 rollers

with more common being the 3 bowl

calender

Textile calender are made with alternate

hard steel and elastic bowls

The elastic bowls are made from either

compressed paper or compressed cotton,

however a lot of modern calender are made

with a covering which is usually NYLON 6

1,3 & 6 are hard rollers

2,4,5 & 7 are soft rollers

This provision is given so that there must be resiliency property in between two consecutive rollers so that compression remain uniform.

Heating arrangement via steam circulation chamber

The process parameters that can be controlled during the process of calendering are : SPEED OF FABRIC; SPEED OF ROLLERS; SURFACE OF ROLLERS

For light weight fabrics/cloth, less no. of

bowls are used in calendering and for heavy

weight fabrics more no. of bowls are used

Different types of calendered effects are:

SURFACE GLAZING

CIRE EFFECT

MOIRE EFFECT

SCHREINEER EFFECT

EMBOSSING EFFECT

Glazed fabrics such as polished cottons or chintz fabrics

are created by saturating the fabric in a starch, wax or

resin solution and allowing it to dry before calendering it.

If starch or waxes are used, the finish is temporary and

and if resins are used, the glaze is durable.

The speed of the metal rollers is greater than the speed of

the f/c.

A 10 bowl calender is used for swizzing, when the

production is very large and high glaze is required

Ciré fabrics with their glossy or wet look are produced in a

manner similar to glazing. Ciré fabrics are coated with a

wax or resin before being calendered with heated rollers.

When thermoplastic fibres are used, the fiber surface that

comes in contact with the metal roll melts and flattens

slightly and produce highly polished f/c.

Cire is a taffeta, satin or tricot, silk or silk blends f/c

Moiré fabrics have a distinctive water marked look created

in the calendering process.

Moiré is developed using either a moiré embossing roller or

a high compression calendering of two layers of ribbed-

base fabric in a single pass.

One popular method of preparing moiré fabric involves

using rollers that have been engraved with a design. The

material is run between the engraved rollers with some

sections of the fabric crushed to reveal the finished design

that has a fluid or watery look. This type of application is

often used to create material styles are ideal for evening

gowns, formal capes, clutch handbags, and other types of

formal apparel and accessories for women.

Another approach to achieving a moiré fabric style is by using several

different colors in printing fabrics, allowing the colors to overlap.

The design achieves a sense of depth that varies as the eye travels

across the pattern of the fabric. Because of the crushing of

the fabric during the process, the color variation as the nap is

brushed one way or the other will create a stunning effect.

Schreiner finishes on fabrics produce soft luster and hand

by flattening the yarns and surface of a fabric through

calendering.

The schreiner calender has a metal roller engraved with

200-300 fine diagonal lines per inch that are visible only

under a magnifying glass.

A schreiner finish is used on cotton sateen and table

damask to make them more lustrous and on nylon tricot to

increase its cover

Embossed fabrics have a pattern imprinted or embossed into the

fabric. The embossed pattern is created by passing the fabric

between a heated embossing roller and a shaped paper roll.

Damask effect can be produced but the effect is temporary. It

lasts longer on mercerised fabric.

The degree of lustre may be modified by :- heating the chilled

iron roll, pressure at the nip, speed of the m/c, moisture percent

present in f/c etc.

2-bowl embossed roller or 3-bowl embossed roller arrangement

can be used.

Beetled fabrics have a smooth, lusterous linen look. In the

beetling process, the yarns of the fabric are flattened as the

fabric revolves around a drum while the surface is pounded with

hammers.

Burn-out finishes are created by applying chemicals that

dissolve, burn-out or shrink parts of a fabric creating distinctive

patterns. Acid designs are created by printing a chemical solution

in a particular pattern. The acid, or chemical solution, causes the

fabric to burn-out and become transparent rest portions remain

opaque. Plissé has distinctive puckered areas. Puckering is the

result of the application of chemicals on the base fabric, which

causes portions of the fabric to shrink.

Finishes used to change the luster and texture of fabrics often

have affects on the drapability and hand of the fabric. Yet, other

finishes have been developed to directly affect the drapability

and hand. Depending on the desired use, some finishes are

intended to stiffen the fabric while others are intended to soften

it.

Drape finishes changes the way or fabric falls or hangs over a 3D

shape.

These finishes include:

1. Parchmentizing

2. Acid designs

3. Burned out

4. sizing

Crispness or body is given to cottons in the process of parchmentizing.

Parchmentizing uses an acid wash (sulphuric acid) to make cotton almost transparent, and yet permanently stiff such as in organdy.

Split-second timing is necessary to prevent weakening or tendering of the fabric.

After the acid treatment, the cloth is neutralized in a weak alkali, washed and calendered to improve surface gloss.

Several effects are possible: an all over, a localised, or a plisse effect.

Because all over parchmentizing produces a transparent effect, sheer combed lawn is used. The lawn is singed, desized, bleached and mercerised. The fabric is then dyed, printed with colors that resist acid damage. Fabric is now immersed in acid solution and fiber surface is partially dissolved. This surface rehardens as a cellulosic film and when dry, it is permanently crisp & transparent. This all over treatment produces organdy fabric

In localised parchmentizing, if the design is a

small figure with large transparent area, an

acid resistance substance is printed on the

figures and the fabric is run through the acid

bath. The acid resistant areas retain their

original opacity and contrast sharply with

transparent background.

Burned out effects are produced by printing

a chemical solvent on a blend fabric made of

fibers from different groups such as rayon

and polyester.

One fiber is, usually less expensive or more

easily dissolved fiber, is dissolved, leaving

sheer areas.in case of rayon and polyester,

rayon has been dissolved by acids.

This finish is also known as ETCHED OR

DEVORE because part of the fiber are

removed by this subtractive finish.

In sizing or starching, the fabric is immersed

in a mixture containing waxes, oils,

glycerines & softners to or control fabric

body.

Gelatin is used on rayons because it is a clear

substance that enhances the natural luster of

fibers

Sizing adds stiffness, weight and body to the

fabric.

Its permanance is related to the type of

sizing,& method of application.

If the sizing is resin based and heat set, it

will be permanent.

If the sizing is water soluble, it will be

removed during washing or it may create

problems for consumers.

Gelatin, e.g. may create a water spots on

rayon if consideration or other water drops

onto the fabric, these spots are difficult to

remove.

Weighting is technique used to add weight &

body to the fabric.

A metallic salt such as stannous chloride is

used,

Salta that bond with the fiber are durable

whereas others produce temporary surface

coating.

The feel, appearance or consistency of a

surface or a substance is known as texture.

Texture finishes modify fabric texture or add

components that completely change the

fabrics original texture.

Fabrics can be made smoother or rougher, or

given textured patterns through a variety of

means.

The finishes for achieving different textures

are:

1. Shearing

2. Brushing

3. 3D or raised embossing

4. Pleating

5. Flocking

6. Embroidery

7. Expanded foam

8. Napping

Shearing is a process that evens out the length of the pile of fabric in a controlled manner i.e. Shearing is a procedure to remove surface fibers, yarn ends, knots and similar irregularities and surface flaws.

During shearing the fabric passes through a series of tension bars and over an angled shearing bed. The prominent fibres are cut by blades, wound helically around a rotating cylinder against a stationery blade. Strong suction removes cut fibres.

It may create a smooth surface or a patterned or sculptured effect by flattening portions of the pile with an engraved roller, shearing off the areas that remain erect , and steaming the fabric to raise the flattened and now taller portions.

Together with shearing, singeing is often used to

control surface fibre, particularly for blends.

During singeing, surface fibres are removed by

an intensive flame or by reflected heat. Singeing

is more invasive then shearing and penetrates

deeper into the fabric than is possible by

shearing, which is limited by fabric surface

topography

Shearing can be used to create raised patterns or

to smooth the overall nap of a fabric.

Below is example of terry towel with and without

shearing

Some sheared fabrics are also brushed. Fabrics are brushed

to remove loose fibers, and in some cases, to direct the

nap of the surface in a single direction.

Common examples of fabrics with brushed finishes are

brushed corduroy and brushed denim.

Below is an example of denim twill (in red) with or without

brushing.

Also in white plain woven flannel with brushed finish.

The embossed design is permanent if the fabric has a thermoplastic fiber content or if a resin is used and heat set.

Often used in combination with foil stamping, embossing is a process that alters the surface of paper stock or other substrates by providing a three dimensional or raised effect on selected areas. The procedure requires the use of two dies: one that is raised and one that is recessed. The dies fit into each other so that when the paper is pressed between them, the raised die forces the stock into the recessed die and creates the embossed impression. A specific level of pressure is applied to the dies in order to squeeze the fibers of the paper, which results in a permanently raised area in the paper.

When the dies are produced, a die maker engraves the desired image into several metal plates, which are the embossing dies for use on an embossing press. A thorough understanding the process will enable a more successful result. Generally, embossing is the process most often employed to attract attention or convey a high quality textural contrast in relation to the surrounding area of the paper stock.

Below are the examples of 3D or raised

embossing

A pleated fabric is made using a variation of embossing.

Pleating is a highly specialized operation done by either the

paper pattern technique or by the machine process.

Puckered surface are created by partially dissolving the surface

of nylon or polyester with phenol.

Plisse means to crease, to fold or to pleat. It refers to an

intentionally wrinkled, pleated, or puckered fabric. The

word can either be used to denote the finish of

the fabric or the fabric itself. Plisse finish on fabric can be

either temporary or permanent.

Two common methods of creating this fabric are through

the use of a caustic soda, such as sodium hydroxide

solution, or through tension weaving. Both processes

tighten the fabric in the areas where the puckering or

creasing is desired. Though usually found on finer fabrics

such as cotton, nylon, rayon, or silk, other materials, such

as wool and leather, can also be given a plisse finish.

The alkali shrinks the fabric in the treated areas. As this

shrinkage occurs, the untreated stripes pucker. shrinkage

causes a slight difference in count between the two

stripes.

Plisse gives a similar effect of a seersucker fabric, but

seersucker is achieved by different work tensions during

weaving and is not a finish.

Texture can also be developed by adding fibers ( 5

natural or synthetic surface fibers) in the finishing

processes on the base fabric.

Flocked finishes add texture by adhering short fibers to

the surface of a fabric. Flocking can be used to create

the appearance of a pile design or allover piles.

Flock fibers attached to a fabric surface are very short

and straight and are attached by an adhesive to create

an inexpensive pile.

The two basic methods of applying the flock fibers are

mechanical and electrostatic.

MECHANICAL FLOCKING

1. This process is called beater bar or gravity flocking system and is a mechanical process. 6-20 beater bars are used which are used to get fibres stand erect..

2. The flocking fibers are randomly adhered to the surface of the substrate and all the fibres are adhered at different depths, creating an irregular flocked surface.

3. Some fibers shedding occurs as the fibers are adhered and not penetrate or imbed.

ELECTROSTATIC FLOCKING

1. Flocking is the application of fine particles to adhesive coated surfaces. Nowadays, this is usually done by the application of a high-voltage electric field. In a Flocking Machine the "flock" is given a negative charge whilst the substrate is earthed. Flock material flies vertically onto the substrate attaching to previously applied glue. A number of different substrates can be Flocked including; textiles, fabric, woven fabric, paper, PVC, sponge, toys, automotive plastic.

2. This process can also used to apply fibers on both sides.

The majority of flocking done worldwide uses finely

cut natural or synthetic fibers. A flocked finish imparts a

decorative and/or functional characteristic to the surface.

The variety of materials that are applied to numerous

surfaces through different flocking methods create a wide

range of end products. The flocking process is used on

items ranging from retail consumer goods to products with

high technology military applications.

As the fiber length increases, the denier also must increase

so that the fiber will remain erect in the fabric. Fibres that

are cut square at the ends anchor more firmly in the

adhesive.

Embroidered finishes are machine or hand applied yarns

added using satin or fancy stitches to create textured

patterns.

Machine embroidery uses compact zigzag stitches of

various lengths.

Two machines are used for embroidery: 1) shuttle

embroidery machine 2) multihead embroidery machine

A coloured compound printed on the fabric

expands during processing to give a 3D

texture to the fabric.

These foams are durable but create problems

during pressing.

It is commonly known as rubber print.

Rubber like Neoprene, Nitrile, Viton, Natural,

SBR, EPDM, silicone, Hypalone, Polyurethane,

Teflon, coated fabric on fabric like Cotton,

Nylon, Polyester, Fiber Glass, etc.

Nap is a layer of fiber ends raised from the ground weave of the fabric.

Velvets, flannel, corduroy and satin are all examples of napped fabrics.

The rich hand and surface texture of napped fabrics make them ideal candidates for luxury garments and design interest.

There are ways to 'raise the nap', most of which involve wire brushes such as raising cards Originally, dried teasel pods were used and were still preferred for use on woolen cloth for a long time.Woollen fabrics, which must be damp when raising the nap, are then dried and stretched before the nap is trimmed or sheared. Cotton cloth goes straight to the shearing process, where the nap gets trimmed to ensure that all the raised fibres are the same length.

Napping is now done by pile rollers covered by a

heavy fabric in which bent wires are embedded.

Napping machines may be of single action or

double-action.

Napping is done on fabrics with low twist staple

yarns.

Gigging and raising may also describe the

napping process.

Gigging & raising process is applied to wool

fabrics. The raised fibers of wet fabric are

brushed in one direction which gives a smooth

and lustrous appearance to the fabric.

FULLING/ FELTING

1. Fulling is performed on wool fibres to improve their appearance, hand, thickness, softness, body and cover and the process is known as felting.

2. Felt is made by a process called wet felting where the natural wool fibers, stimulated by friction and lubricated by moisture (usually soapy water), move at a 90 degree angle towards the friction source and then away again,

3. fulled fabrics are denser and more compact in both warp and the filling directions.

Tufted finishes or decorations are created by

sewing additional yarns to the surface of a

fabric, creating a multi-dimensional

appearance.

Below is the example of tufted fabric with its

face and reverse side.

Special finishes or functional finishes are

those finishes that are applied to the fabric

that makes it suited for specific uses.

Various functional finishes are

Waterproof finishes

Water repellant finishes

Flame retardant finish

Moth proof finish

Antistatic finish

Water proof finishes are those finishes which

will not allow water to pass through

regardless of the time exposure.

These finishes also adversely affect the

comfort property as they limit the passage of

air

These finish is coated with a resin, wax and

oil etc.

ASSIGNMENT- SEARCH FOR WATERPROOF

FABRICS

Water repellant finishes are which resist the penetration of water into the fabric but permits the passage of moisture or air. If the fabric becomes very wet, water will eventually pass through.

The principle is that it is coated with the repellant chemical which permits the passage of air and vapour between the interlacing in fabric.

Water and the other liquid remain on the surface in small bead rather than spreading out and getting absorbed.

The chemicals used are silicones,

fluorocarbons,paraffins etc

Some chemicals used for water repellancy

are also stain repellant.

ASSIGNMENT- SEARCH FOR WATER REPELLANT

FABRICS AND COMPARE WITH WATER PROOF

FABRICS

These finishes play an important role on

textiles by providing safety and giving escape

time from a potential hazard

When a fire starts flame, retardants reduce

the flame spread and rate of fire

development.

Chemicals such as THTC- tetakis

hydroxymethyl phosphonium chloride etc are

used

These finishes re used to:

Inhibit the growth of bacteria and other odor causing germs.

Prevent decay and damage from perspiration

Control the spread of diseases

Reduce the risk of infection

• These finishes are also called anti-bacteriostatic, germicidal or antiseptic finishes

• These finishes are used for skin contact clothing, shoe lining, hospital items etc

Common chemical used is ziconium peroxide

Exposure to ethylene oxide gas is also used

Moth silverfish etc attacks fiber like cotton

Fluorine compounds, napthalene, DDT,

paradichloro benzene etc are used for

imparting moth proof finishes.

They are available in crystal cake and spray

form.

Cellulosic fibers are also treated with boric

acid to prevent the rapid growth of the

mildew fungus etc.

Static electricity is produced or created when two non conducting surface such as synthetic textiles rub together.

The two surfaces become oppositely charged and as the rubbing continues an electrical charge will build up.

The wearer can experience the electric shocks and the fabric tends to cling to the body of the wearer.

Anti static finishes are chemical substances applied to reduce and eliminate static charge

It absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and thus reducing the dryness of the fabric that causes the static charge build up