Chapter 44: Fabrics and Their Care

1. Chapter 44: Fabrics and Their Care

2. Objectives: • Compare the different types of fibers, fabric construction methods, and finishes. • Explain the importance of proper clothing care. • Select appropriate laundry methods. • Compare options for dry cleaning clothes. • Describe how to store clothes properly.

3. Define the following: • 1. Fibers—very fine, hairlike strands of various lengths. • 2.  Yarns—fibers that are twisted or grouped together. • 3. Natural fibers—come from plants or animals.

4. 4. Manufactured fibers—those formed from completely or in part by chemicals. • 5. Blend—a yarn that is made from two or more different fibers to take advantage of the best features of each.

5. 6. Fabric finishes—any special treatments that improve the appearance, feel, or performance of the fabric. • 7. Colorfast—the color will remain the same over time. • 8. Mildew—a fungus that shows up as small black dots.

6. Answer the following questions. • 1. How are fibers related to yarns? • Fibers are twisted or grouped together to form yarns.

7. 2. What is the key difference between natural fibers and manufactured fibers? • Natural fibers come from plants or animals. • Manufactured fibers are made completely or in part from chemicals.

8. 3. Name 5 natural fibers and 6 manufactured fibers. List two characteristics of each. • Natural • 1._Cotton__ Comfortable in hot weather; strong and absorbent; takes fabric finishes well; shrinkage and wrinkling can be correct with fabric finishes.

9. 2._Linen___ Stronger than cotton; very absorbent; comfortable, but wrinkles easily and must be pressed with a very hot iron; sometimes used for fashions with an unpressed look.

10. 3._Wool___ Warm because its fibers trap air; wears well; resists wrinkles and abrasion; repels water; shrinks easily; a favorite of moths; must be dry cleaned; can be washable and moth resistant using special fabric finishes.

11. 4. __Silk___ Lightweight and flexible with a natural luster (shine); resists wrinkling; may be dyed vivid colors; can be damaged by perspiration, deodorant, and high ironing temperatures.

12. 5.__Ramie___ Especially strong with a natural luster; absorbent, washable, and resists mildew and insects; usually blended with other fibers because of its stiff texture.

13. Manufactured • 1._Rayon____ Absorbent, soft, comfortable; drapes easily, but also wrinkles easily; may shrink so dry cleaning is usually recommended.

14. 2._Polyester__ Resists wrinkles and shrinking; not absorbent; washable and dries fast; attract oily stains. Tendency to pill (form tiny balls of fiber on the surface.

15. 3._Nylon_____ Strong, lightweight; holds its shape well; not absorbent; tends to collect static electricity; washable and dries quickly; sensitive to heat; white nylon fabrics have tendency to yellow.

16. 4._Acrylic____ Soft, warm, and resists wrinkling; should not be dried at high temperature; resists fading; some pill; static electricity.

17. 5._Acetate____ Looks like silk and drapes easily; may wrinkle and fade; very sensitive to heat; usually dry cleaned.

18. 6._Spandex____ An elastic fabric often combined with other fibers; bleach and high laundry temperature should not be used.

19. 4. What is a blend? Give an example. • A yarn that is made from two or more different fibers. Example: polyester and cotton.

20. 5. Compare the construction and characteristics of woven and knit fabric. • Woven fabrics: Are made with two sets of yearns interlacing at right angles. Are stronger than knits and hold their shape better. • Knit fabrics: Are constructed by pulling loops of yearn through other loops of yarn. Stretch with movement and return to original shape. Don’t wrinkle easily.

21. 6. Give four examples of different purposes for fabric finishes. • Any four: To improve appearance. To improve feel. Improve performance of fabric. To add color or design. To make water repellant. To make softer, shinier, or crisper. To make wrinkle-resistant. To add soil-release finish.

22. 7. What are two advantages of colorfast fabrics? • The color will remain the same over time. Dye will not leach into other laundry.

23. 8. Why is it important to take proper care of clothes? • They will look good and last longer.

24. 9. Describe three ways to treat a stain. • Any three: Rinse with cold water. Use stain-removal towelette. Soak with detergent or plain water. Pretreat before washing.

25. 10. Explain how to hand wash a garment. • Soak in sudsy water. Gently squeeze suds through garment. Replace soapy water with fresh to rinse garment. Repeat rinse until no suds remain.

26. 11. What is mildew? When might it become a laundry problem? • A fungus that appears as small black dots when laundry is left in the washer too long. Clothes may develop a sour odor that is difficult to remove.

27. 12. Why should some garments be pressed rather than ironed? • Garments such as knits should be pressed rather than ironed to avoid stretching.

28. 13. How is dry cleaning different from regular laundering? • Dry cleaning uses special chemicals, rather than water and detergent, to clean clothes.

29. 14. Describe how to store a wool sweater to keep it in the best possible condition. • Be certain sweater is stain-free and cleaned before storage. Fold rather than hang the sweater to avoid stretching. Store in a dry place.

30. 15. Why should you keep knits folded rather than on hangers? • To prevent stretching.

31. 16. What is the worst thing you can do when laundering stained clothes? Why? • Wash in hot water and dry in dryer. Heat sets many stains.