NCERT Textbook: Fabrics Around Us | Home Science for Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

 Page 1


57
5
Fabrics   
Around Us
Learning Objectives 
After	 completing 	this	chapter 	 the	 lear ner 	will	be 	 able	to 	—
•	 discuss 	 the	diversity 	 in	fabrics.
•	 name 	 and 	 classify	the	 fabrics	commonly seen 	ar ound.
•	 explain 	the	 concept 	 of	 yar n 	and 	 fabric	making.
•	 describe 	the	 pr operties 	 of 	 each	 gr oup 	of 	fabrics.
•	 make 	 infor med 	 selection 	 of 	 textile	pr oducts 	for 		 	
specific 	end 	use.
5.1 Introduction 
Fabrics	 ar e 	 all	 ar ound 	 us. 	 They	 ar e	 an 	 important	 part	 in 	 our	 lives. 	 Fabrics	
give	 comfort 	 and 	 war mth, 	 bring	 colour 	 and 	 decorative	 style, 	 and 	 add 	
textur e. 	 Just 	 think 	 of 	 a 	 day’s	 activity	 and	 r ecall	 how 	 fabrics 	 touch	 you.	
When	 you 	 wake	 up	 fr om	 your 	 bed,	 the	 bedsheets 	 and	 pillow 	 covers 	 ar e 	
fabrics.	 As 	 you	 get	 r eady	 for	 school	 the	 towel 	 you 	 use 	 after 	 bath 	 is	 a 	 soft	
and	 absorbent 	 fabric, 	 and	 the 	 school 	 dr ess	 you	 wear 	 is	 again 	 a 	 fabric 	 of 	 a 	
special 	 type. 	 The	 school	 bag	 in 	 which	 you 	 carry	 your 	 books	 and 	 other	 items	
is	 also	 a	 fabric,	 but	 again	 dif fer ent 	 in	 textur e. 	 It 	 may	 be	 slightly 	 stif f	 and	
coarse 	 but 	 str ong	 enough 	 to	 bear	 the	 load.	 If	 you 	 observe 	 your	 home	 you	
will 	 find 	 fabrics 	 in	 almost	 all 	 places, 	 fr om	 curtains	 to	 kitchen 	 dusters,	 floor 	
mops and durries . 	 Fabrics	 ar e 	 of 	 dif fer ent 	 kinds, 	 weights	 and	 thickness	
and	 their 	choice	is	 r elated 	 to	 their 	 end	 use.	
	 If	 you 	 take 	 a 	 typical	 fabric 	 in 	 hand,	 and	 unravel 	 it, 	 you	 may	 be 	 able	 to 	
pull 	 out	 the 	 thr ead 	 like	 structur es	 fr om	 it.	 These	 may	 be	 interlaced 	 with 	
each	 other 	 at	 right	 angles 	 or	 interlooped	 as	 in	 your 	 woollen 	 car digan	 or	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
T	 shirts, 	 or	 knotted 	 as	 in 	 nets	 and 	 laces.	 These	 ar e 	 called	yarns. 	 If 	 you 	
try	 to 	untwist 	the	 yar n	you	will	see 	very	tiny 	and	 fine	hair 	like 	structur es. 	
Unit 1.indd   57 8/4/2022   2:50:51 PM
2024-25
Page 2


57
5
Fabrics   
Around Us
Learning Objectives 
After	 completing 	this	chapter 	 the	 lear ner 	will	be 	 able	to 	—
•	 discuss 	 the	diversity 	 in	fabrics.
•	 name 	 and 	 classify	the	 fabrics	commonly seen 	ar ound.
•	 explain 	the	 concept 	 of	 yar n 	and 	 fabric	making.
•	 describe 	the	 pr operties 	 of 	 each	 gr oup 	of 	fabrics.
•	 make 	 infor med 	 selection 	 of 	 textile	pr oducts 	for 		 	
specific 	end 	use.
5.1 Introduction 
Fabrics	 ar e 	 all	 ar ound 	 us. 	 They	 ar e	 an 	 important	 part	 in 	 our	 lives. 	 Fabrics	
give	 comfort 	 and 	 war mth, 	 bring	 colour 	 and 	 decorative	 style, 	 and 	 add 	
textur e. 	 Just 	 think 	 of 	 a 	 day’s	 activity	 and	 r ecall	 how 	 fabrics 	 touch	 you.	
When	 you 	 wake	 up	 fr om	 your 	 bed,	 the	 bedsheets 	 and	 pillow 	 covers 	 ar e 	
fabrics.	 As 	 you	 get	 r eady	 for	 school	 the	 towel 	 you 	 use 	 after 	 bath 	 is	 a 	 soft	
and	 absorbent 	 fabric, 	 and	 the 	 school 	 dr ess	 you	 wear 	 is	 again 	 a 	 fabric 	 of 	 a 	
special 	 type. 	 The	 school	 bag	 in 	 which	 you 	 carry	 your 	 books	 and 	 other	 items	
is	 also	 a	 fabric,	 but	 again	 dif fer ent 	 in	 textur e. 	 It 	 may	 be	 slightly 	 stif f	 and	
coarse 	 but 	 str ong	 enough 	 to	 bear	 the	 load.	 If	 you 	 observe 	 your	 home	 you	
will 	 find 	 fabrics 	 in	 almost	 all 	 places, 	 fr om	 curtains	 to	 kitchen 	 dusters,	 floor 	
mops and durries . 	 Fabrics	 ar e 	 of 	 dif fer ent 	 kinds, 	 weights	 and	 thickness	
and	 their 	choice	is	 r elated 	 to	 their 	 end	 use.	
	 If	 you 	 take 	 a 	 typical	 fabric 	 in 	 hand,	 and	 unravel 	 it, 	 you	 may	 be 	 able	 to 	
pull 	 out	 the 	 thr ead 	 like	 structur es	 fr om	 it.	 These	 may	 be	 interlaced 	 with 	
each	 other 	 at	 right	 angles 	 or	 interlooped	 as	 in	 your 	 woollen 	 car digan	 or	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
T	 shirts, 	 or	 knotted 	 as	 in 	 nets	 and 	 laces.	 These	 ar e 	 called	yarns. 	 If 	 you 	
try	 to 	untwist 	the	 yar n	you	will	see 	very	tiny 	and	 fine	hair 	like 	structur es. 	
Unit 1.indd   57 8/4/2022   2:50:51 PM
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Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I
58
These are called fibres . 	 Thus	 fibr es 	 ar e	 the 	 basic 	 building	 blocks 	 of 	 fabrics.	
All these materials — fibres, yarns and fabrics are called textile products 
or simply textiles .	 After	 the 	 fabric 	 is 	 r eady 	 it	 may 	 be 	 subjected	 to	 further 	
pr ocessing 	 which 	 may	 impr ove	 its 	 appearance 	 (cleaning,	 whitening, 	
colouring)	 or	 make 	 it	 mor e 	 lustr ous 	 or 	 impr ove	 its 	 touch	 and	 feel	 qualities	
or improve its service ability. This is called finishing. A large variety of 
fabrics 	 ar e	 available 	 in	 the 	 market	 these 	 days	 and 	 each	 one	 behaves	
dif fer ently 	 when 	 in 	 use.	 The	 behaviour	 of 	 the	 fabric	 in 	 use 	 and	 in	 car e 	 and	
maintenance 	 depends	 on 	 various	 factors	 such 	 as 	 type	 of 	 fibr e,	 yar n,	 fabric 	
and finishing.
Collect different kinds of fabric samples from home, a tailor’s shop, a cloth shop or 
friends. Name each fabric.
Activity 1
Figure 1: Fa Bric t O Fi Bre 5.2 Fibre properties 
The	 pr operties	 of	 fibr e	 contribute 	 to	 the 	 pr operties	 of 	 the	 final 	 fabric.	 For	 a 	
fibr e 	 to 	 be 	 r eally 	 important 	 and 	 useful,	 it	 must	 be	 available	 in	 lar ge 	 quantities	
and be economical. The most essential property is its spinnability, i.e., a 
characteristic	 which	 is	 essential	 for	 ease	 of 	 conversion 	 into 	 yar n 	 and	 later	
into 	 fabric. 	 It 	 is 	 the	 sum	 together	 of	 pr operties 	 such 	 as 	 length, 	 str ength,	
flexibility 	 and	 sur face 	 structur e	 of 	 the	 fibr e. 	 Fr om	 the	 point	 of 	 view 	 of 	
consumer	 satisfaction,	 pr operties 	 such	 as 	 colour , 	 luster , 	 weight,	 moistur e	
and dye absorption and elasticity are desired. Factors that affect care and 
maintenance 	 of 	 the 	 fabric	 such	 as 	 abrasion 	 r esistance,	 ef fect 	 of	 chemicals,	
soaps and detergents, effect of heat, and resistance to biological organism 
ar e 	also 	 important 	to	the	 user . 	
Unit 1.indd   58 8/4/2022   2:50:52 PM
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Page 3


57
5
Fabrics   
Around Us
Learning Objectives 
After	 completing 	this	chapter 	 the	 lear ner 	will	be 	 able	to 	—
•	 discuss 	 the	diversity 	 in	fabrics.
•	 name 	 and 	 classify	the	 fabrics	commonly seen 	ar ound.
•	 explain 	the	 concept 	 of	 yar n 	and 	 fabric	making.
•	 describe 	the	 pr operties 	 of 	 each	 gr oup 	of 	fabrics.
•	 make 	 infor med 	 selection 	 of 	 textile	pr oducts 	for 		 	
specific 	end 	use.
5.1 Introduction 
Fabrics	 ar e 	 all	 ar ound 	 us. 	 They	 ar e	 an 	 important	 part	 in 	 our	 lives. 	 Fabrics	
give	 comfort 	 and 	 war mth, 	 bring	 colour 	 and 	 decorative	 style, 	 and 	 add 	
textur e. 	 Just 	 think 	 of 	 a 	 day’s	 activity	 and	 r ecall	 how 	 fabrics 	 touch	 you.	
When	 you 	 wake	 up	 fr om	 your 	 bed,	 the	 bedsheets 	 and	 pillow 	 covers 	 ar e 	
fabrics.	 As 	 you	 get	 r eady	 for	 school	 the	 towel 	 you 	 use 	 after 	 bath 	 is	 a 	 soft	
and	 absorbent 	 fabric, 	 and	 the 	 school 	 dr ess	 you	 wear 	 is	 again 	 a 	 fabric 	 of 	 a 	
special 	 type. 	 The	 school	 bag	 in 	 which	 you 	 carry	 your 	 books	 and 	 other	 items	
is	 also	 a	 fabric,	 but	 again	 dif fer ent 	 in	 textur e. 	 It 	 may	 be	 slightly 	 stif f	 and	
coarse 	 but 	 str ong	 enough 	 to	 bear	 the	 load.	 If	 you 	 observe 	 your	 home	 you	
will 	 find 	 fabrics 	 in	 almost	 all 	 places, 	 fr om	 curtains	 to	 kitchen 	 dusters,	 floor 	
mops and durries . 	 Fabrics	 ar e 	 of 	 dif fer ent 	 kinds, 	 weights	 and	 thickness	
and	 their 	choice	is	 r elated 	 to	 their 	 end	 use.	
	 If	 you 	 take 	 a 	 typical	 fabric 	 in 	 hand,	 and	 unravel 	 it, 	 you	 may	 be 	 able	 to 	
pull 	 out	 the 	 thr ead 	 like	 structur es	 fr om	 it.	 These	 may	 be	 interlaced 	 with 	
each	 other 	 at	 right	 angles 	 or	 interlooped	 as	 in	 your 	 woollen 	 car digan	 or	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
T	 shirts, 	 or	 knotted 	 as	 in 	 nets	 and 	 laces.	 These	 ar e 	 called	yarns. 	 If 	 you 	
try	 to 	untwist 	the	 yar n	you	will	see 	very	tiny 	and	 fine	hair 	like 	structur es. 	
Unit 1.indd   57 8/4/2022   2:50:51 PM
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I
58
These are called fibres . 	 Thus	 fibr es 	 ar e	 the 	 basic 	 building	 blocks 	 of 	 fabrics.	
All these materials — fibres, yarns and fabrics are called textile products 
or simply textiles .	 After	 the 	 fabric 	 is 	 r eady 	 it	 may 	 be 	 subjected	 to	 further 	
pr ocessing 	 which 	 may	 impr ove	 its 	 appearance 	 (cleaning,	 whitening, 	
colouring)	 or	 make 	 it	 mor e 	 lustr ous 	 or 	 impr ove	 its 	 touch	 and	 feel	 qualities	
or improve its service ability. This is called finishing. A large variety of 
fabrics 	 ar e	 available 	 in	 the 	 market	 these 	 days	 and 	 each	 one	 behaves	
dif fer ently 	 when 	 in 	 use.	 The	 behaviour	 of 	 the	 fabric	 in 	 use 	 and	 in	 car e 	 and	
maintenance 	 depends	 on 	 various	 factors	 such 	 as 	 type	 of 	 fibr e,	 yar n,	 fabric 	
and finishing.
Collect different kinds of fabric samples from home, a tailor’s shop, a cloth shop or 
friends. Name each fabric.
Activity 1
Figure 1: Fa Bric t O Fi Bre 5.2 Fibre properties 
The	 pr operties	 of	 fibr e	 contribute 	 to	 the 	 pr operties	 of 	 the	 final 	 fabric.	 For	 a 	
fibr e 	 to 	 be 	 r eally 	 important 	 and 	 useful,	 it	 must	 be	 available	 in	 lar ge 	 quantities	
and be economical. The most essential property is its spinnability, i.e., a 
characteristic	 which	 is	 essential	 for	 ease	 of 	 conversion 	 into 	 yar n 	 and	 later	
into 	 fabric. 	 It 	 is 	 the	 sum	 together	 of	 pr operties 	 such 	 as 	 length, 	 str ength,	
flexibility 	 and	 sur face 	 structur e	 of 	 the	 fibr e. 	 Fr om	 the	 point	 of 	 view 	 of 	
consumer	 satisfaction,	 pr operties 	 such	 as 	 colour , 	 luster , 	 weight,	 moistur e	
and dye absorption and elasticity are desired. Factors that affect care and 
maintenance 	 of 	 the 	 fabric	 such	 as 	 abrasion 	 r esistance,	 ef fect 	 of	 chemicals,	
soaps and detergents, effect of heat, and resistance to biological organism 
ar e 	also 	 important 	to	the	 user . 	
Unit 1.indd   58 8/4/2022   2:50:52 PM
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59
5.3 Classification of textile fibres
T extile 	 fibr es 	 can	 be 	 classified	 on	 the	 basis 	 of	 their	 origin 	 (natural 	 or	
man-made 	 or	 manufactur ed),	 general	 chemical	 type	 (cellulosic, 	 pr otein 	 or	
synthetic), 	 generic	 types 	 (animal	 hair 	 or	 animal 	 secr etion)	 and 	 common	
trade	 name 	 (polyester ,	 as	 ter ene 	 or	 dacr on). 	 Further ,	 fibr es	 can	 be 	 
staple ,	 i.e., 	 short 	 length	 like	 cotton, 	 or	filament ,	 i.e.,	 long	 length 	 like	 silk, 	
polyester, etc. 
Natural Fibres
Natural fibres ar e	 those 	 which 	 ar e	 available	 to	 us 	 in 	 natur e.	 Ther e 	 ar e 	
four	types 	 of 	natural 	fibr es.
(a)	 Cellulosic	fibr es—
	 1.	 Seed 	 hair -cotton, 	kapok
	 2.	 Bast 	fibr es-flax(linen), 	 hemp, 	jute
	 3.	 Leaf 	 fibr es-pineapple, 	 agave(sisal )
	 4.	 Nut 	husk	 fibr es-coir(coconut)
(b)	 Pr otein	fibr es 
	 1.	 Animal 	hair–wool,	specially 	 hair	(goat,	camel),	fur
	 2.	 Animal 	secr etion–silk 	
(c)	 Mineral	 fibr e:		Asbestos	
(d)	 Natural	 rubber
Manufactured Fibres (also 	 called	man-made	fibr es)
Most	 of	 you 	 must	 have 	 seen 	 a 	 cotton	 flower 	 with	 fibr es	 sticking 	 to	 the	
seeds, 	 or 	 sheep	 with 	 long 	 over gr own	 hair . 	 Y ou	 can	 also	 imagine	 how	 these 	
may	 be	 used 	 for 	 yar n	 and	 fabric 	 pr oduction. 	 However , 	 you 	 may 	 find 	 it 	
dif ficult	 to 	 understand 	 how	 the	 manufactur ed	 or	 synthetic	 fibr es 	 came 	 to 	
exist. 
The 	 first 	 manufactur ed 	 fibr e–Rayon–was	 commer cially	 pr oduced 	 in	 
AD	1895, 	while	 most 	 others 	ar e 	 pr oducts	of 	the	20th 	century.
The concept of creating ??bres perhaps originated from human desire to produce a 
??bre like silk. Possibly, the thought process could have been like this: the silk worm, 
which basically feeds on mulberry leaves, digests them and spews a liquid through its 
spinnerettes (two holes), which on solidifying becomes the silk ??lament (cocoon). Thus 
if a cellulose substance is digested it should be possible to produce something like silk. 
Therefore for a long time the rayons were referred to as Arti??cial Silk or simply Art Silk.
The 	 earliest 	 manufactur ed	 fibr es 	 wer e 	 made	 by 	 modifying	 a	 non-fibr ous 	
material	 into	 a	 fibr ous	 for m. 	 These	 wer e	 mainly	 fr om	 cellulosic	 substances	
Fabrics Around Us
Unit 1.indd   59 8/4/2022   2:50:52 PM
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Page 4


57
5
Fabrics   
Around Us
Learning Objectives 
After	 completing 	this	chapter 	 the	 lear ner 	will	be 	 able	to 	—
•	 discuss 	 the	diversity 	 in	fabrics.
•	 name 	 and 	 classify	the	 fabrics	commonly seen 	ar ound.
•	 explain 	the	 concept 	 of	 yar n 	and 	 fabric	making.
•	 describe 	the	 pr operties 	 of 	 each	 gr oup 	of 	fabrics.
•	 make 	 infor med 	 selection 	 of 	 textile	pr oducts 	for 		 	
specific 	end 	use.
5.1 Introduction 
Fabrics	 ar e 	 all	 ar ound 	 us. 	 They	 ar e	 an 	 important	 part	 in 	 our	 lives. 	 Fabrics	
give	 comfort 	 and 	 war mth, 	 bring	 colour 	 and 	 decorative	 style, 	 and 	 add 	
textur e. 	 Just 	 think 	 of 	 a 	 day’s	 activity	 and	 r ecall	 how 	 fabrics 	 touch	 you.	
When	 you 	 wake	 up	 fr om	 your 	 bed,	 the	 bedsheets 	 and	 pillow 	 covers 	 ar e 	
fabrics.	 As 	 you	 get	 r eady	 for	 school	 the	 towel 	 you 	 use 	 after 	 bath 	 is	 a 	 soft	
and	 absorbent 	 fabric, 	 and	 the 	 school 	 dr ess	 you	 wear 	 is	 again 	 a 	 fabric 	 of 	 a 	
special 	 type. 	 The	 school	 bag	 in 	 which	 you 	 carry	 your 	 books	 and 	 other	 items	
is	 also	 a	 fabric,	 but	 again	 dif fer ent 	 in	 textur e. 	 It 	 may	 be	 slightly 	 stif f	 and	
coarse 	 but 	 str ong	 enough 	 to	 bear	 the	 load.	 If	 you 	 observe 	 your	 home	 you	
will 	 find 	 fabrics 	 in	 almost	 all 	 places, 	 fr om	 curtains	 to	 kitchen 	 dusters,	 floor 	
mops and durries . 	 Fabrics	 ar e 	 of 	 dif fer ent 	 kinds, 	 weights	 and	 thickness	
and	 their 	choice	is	 r elated 	 to	 their 	 end	 use.	
	 If	 you 	 take 	 a 	 typical	 fabric 	 in 	 hand,	 and	 unravel 	 it, 	 you	 may	 be 	 able	 to 	
pull 	 out	 the 	 thr ead 	 like	 structur es	 fr om	 it.	 These	 may	 be	 interlaced 	 with 	
each	 other 	 at	 right	 angles 	 or	 interlooped	 as	 in	 your 	 woollen 	 car digan	 or	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
T	 shirts, 	 or	 knotted 	 as	 in 	 nets	 and 	 laces.	 These	 ar e 	 called	yarns. 	 If 	 you 	
try	 to 	untwist 	the	 yar n	you	will	see 	very	tiny 	and	 fine	hair 	like 	structur es. 	
Unit 1.indd   57 8/4/2022   2:50:51 PM
2024-25
Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I
58
These are called fibres . 	 Thus	 fibr es 	 ar e	 the 	 basic 	 building	 blocks 	 of 	 fabrics.	
All these materials — fibres, yarns and fabrics are called textile products 
or simply textiles .	 After	 the 	 fabric 	 is 	 r eady 	 it	 may 	 be 	 subjected	 to	 further 	
pr ocessing 	 which 	 may	 impr ove	 its 	 appearance 	 (cleaning,	 whitening, 	
colouring)	 or	 make 	 it	 mor e 	 lustr ous 	 or 	 impr ove	 its 	 touch	 and	 feel	 qualities	
or improve its service ability. This is called finishing. A large variety of 
fabrics 	 ar e	 available 	 in	 the 	 market	 these 	 days	 and 	 each	 one	 behaves	
dif fer ently 	 when 	 in 	 use.	 The	 behaviour	 of 	 the	 fabric	 in 	 use 	 and	 in	 car e 	 and	
maintenance 	 depends	 on 	 various	 factors	 such 	 as 	 type	 of 	 fibr e,	 yar n,	 fabric 	
and finishing.
Collect different kinds of fabric samples from home, a tailor’s shop, a cloth shop or 
friends. Name each fabric.
Activity 1
Figure 1: Fa Bric t O Fi Bre 5.2 Fibre properties 
The	 pr operties	 of	 fibr e	 contribute 	 to	 the 	 pr operties	 of 	 the	 final 	 fabric.	 For	 a 	
fibr e 	 to 	 be 	 r eally 	 important 	 and 	 useful,	 it	 must	 be	 available	 in	 lar ge 	 quantities	
and be economical. The most essential property is its spinnability, i.e., a 
characteristic	 which	 is	 essential	 for	 ease	 of 	 conversion 	 into 	 yar n 	 and	 later	
into 	 fabric. 	 It 	 is 	 the	 sum	 together	 of	 pr operties 	 such 	 as 	 length, 	 str ength,	
flexibility 	 and	 sur face 	 structur e	 of 	 the	 fibr e. 	 Fr om	 the	 point	 of 	 view 	 of 	
consumer	 satisfaction,	 pr operties 	 such	 as 	 colour , 	 luster , 	 weight,	 moistur e	
and dye absorption and elasticity are desired. Factors that affect care and 
maintenance 	 of 	 the 	 fabric	 such	 as 	 abrasion 	 r esistance,	 ef fect 	 of	 chemicals,	
soaps and detergents, effect of heat, and resistance to biological organism 
ar e 	also 	 important 	to	the	 user . 	
Unit 1.indd   58 8/4/2022   2:50:52 PM
2024-25
59
5.3 Classification of textile fibres
T extile 	 fibr es 	 can	 be 	 classified	 on	 the	 basis 	 of	 their	 origin 	 (natural 	 or	
man-made 	 or	 manufactur ed),	 general	 chemical	 type	 (cellulosic, 	 pr otein 	 or	
synthetic), 	 generic	 types 	 (animal	 hair 	 or	 animal 	 secr etion)	 and 	 common	
trade	 name 	 (polyester ,	 as	 ter ene 	 or	 dacr on). 	 Further ,	 fibr es	 can	 be 	 
staple ,	 i.e., 	 short 	 length	 like	 cotton, 	 or	filament ,	 i.e.,	 long	 length 	 like	 silk, 	
polyester, etc. 
Natural Fibres
Natural fibres ar e	 those 	 which 	 ar e	 available	 to	 us 	 in 	 natur e.	 Ther e 	 ar e 	
four	types 	 of 	natural 	fibr es.
(a)	 Cellulosic	fibr es—
	 1.	 Seed 	 hair -cotton, 	kapok
	 2.	 Bast 	fibr es-flax(linen), 	 hemp, 	jute
	 3.	 Leaf 	 fibr es-pineapple, 	 agave(sisal )
	 4.	 Nut 	husk	 fibr es-coir(coconut)
(b)	 Pr otein	fibr es 
	 1.	 Animal 	hair–wool,	specially 	 hair	(goat,	camel),	fur
	 2.	 Animal 	secr etion–silk 	
(c)	 Mineral	 fibr e:		Asbestos	
(d)	 Natural	 rubber
Manufactured Fibres (also 	 called	man-made	fibr es)
Most	 of	 you 	 must	 have 	 seen 	 a 	 cotton	 flower 	 with	 fibr es	 sticking 	 to	 the	
seeds, 	 or 	 sheep	 with 	 long 	 over gr own	 hair . 	 Y ou	 can	 also	 imagine	 how	 these 	
may	 be	 used 	 for 	 yar n	 and	 fabric 	 pr oduction. 	 However , 	 you 	 may 	 find 	 it 	
dif ficult	 to 	 understand 	 how	 the	 manufactur ed	 or	 synthetic	 fibr es 	 came 	 to 	
exist. 
The 	 first 	 manufactur ed 	 fibr e–Rayon–was	 commer cially	 pr oduced 	 in	 
AD	1895, 	while	 most 	 others 	ar e 	 pr oducts	of 	the	20th 	century.
The concept of creating ??bres perhaps originated from human desire to produce a 
??bre like silk. Possibly, the thought process could have been like this: the silk worm, 
which basically feeds on mulberry leaves, digests them and spews a liquid through its 
spinnerettes (two holes), which on solidifying becomes the silk ??lament (cocoon). Thus 
if a cellulose substance is digested it should be possible to produce something like silk. 
Therefore for a long time the rayons were referred to as Arti??cial Silk or simply Art Silk.
The 	 earliest 	 manufactur ed	 fibr es 	 wer e 	 made	 by 	 modifying	 a	 non-fibr ous 	
material	 into	 a	 fibr ous	 for m. 	 These	 wer e	 mainly	 fr om	 cellulosic	 substances	
Fabrics Around Us
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Human Ecology and Family Sciences – Part I
60
like	 cotton	 waste	 or	 wood	 pulp.	 The 	 second 	 gr oup 	 of 	 fibr es 	 wer e 	 synthesised	
completely	 fr om	 use	 of	 chemicals. 	 Whatever	 may	 be	 the	 raw 	 material	 the 	
basic	steps 	for	 converting	it	into 	a	fibr ous 	for m 	ar e	 the 	 same.
•	 The 	 solid	 raw	 materials	 ar e	
converted	 into 	 a 	 liquid	 for m 	 of	
a specific viscosity. This may 
be 	 due 	 to 	 a	 chemical	 action, 	
dissolution, 	 heat	 application	 or	
a combination action. This is 
called 	 the	 spinning	 solution.
•	 This 	 solution	 is	 passed	 thr ough	
a 	 spinner ette 	 –	 a 	 small 	 thimble 	
shaped 	 nozzle	 with	 a 	 series 	
of very small holes, into an 
atmospher e 	 which 	 har dens	
it 	 or	 coagulates 	 it 	 into 	 fine 	
filaments. 
•	 As 	 the	 filaments	 har den	 they	
are collected and stretched  
for 	 further 	 fineness	 and	
orientation 	 or 	 subjected 	
to 	 further 	 pr ocessing 	 like 	
texurisation	 to 	 impr ove	 its 	
str etch 	 and/or 	bulk 	characteristics.
Types of Manufactured Fibres
(a)	Regenerated cellulosic fibres: 	 Rayon–cuprammonium,	 viscose,	 high-
wet-modulus	
(b)	Modified cellulosic: Acetate–secondary	 acetate,	 triacetate 	
(c)	 Protein fibres: 	Azlon
(d)	Non-cellulosic(synthetic) fibres
	 	 (i)	 nylon
	 	 (ii)	 polyester 	– 	 ter elene, 	 terr ene
	 	 (iii)	 acrylic 	 –	 Orlon,	 cashmilon
	 	 (iv)	 modacrylic
	 	 (v)	 spandex
	 	 (vi)	 rubber
(e)	 Mineral fibres
	 	 (i)	 Glass 	 –	fibr eglass
	 	 (ii)	 Metallic 	 –	 lur ex
 
Figure 2: s Pi NNerettes Unit 1.indd   60 8/4/2022   2:50:52 PM
2024-25
Page 5


57
5
Fabrics   
Around Us
Learning Objectives 
After	 completing 	this	chapter 	 the	 lear ner 	will	be 	 able	to 	—
•	 discuss 	 the	diversity 	 in	fabrics.
•	 name 	 and 	 classify	the	 fabrics	commonly seen 	ar ound.
•	 explain 	the	 concept 	 of	 yar n 	and 	 fabric	making.
•	 describe 	the	 pr operties 	 of 	 each	 gr oup 	of 	fabrics.
•	 make 	 infor med 	 selection 	 of 	 textile	pr oducts 	for 		 	
specific 	end 	use.
5.1 Introduction 
Fabrics	 ar e 	 all	 ar ound 	 us. 	 They	 ar e	 an 	 important	 part	 in 	 our	 lives. 	 Fabrics	
give	 comfort 	 and 	 war mth, 	 bring	 colour 	 and 	 decorative	 style, 	 and 	 add 	
textur e. 	 Just 	 think 	 of 	 a 	 day’s	 activity	 and	 r ecall	 how 	 fabrics 	 touch	 you.	
When	 you 	 wake	 up	 fr om	 your 	 bed,	 the	 bedsheets 	 and	 pillow 	 covers 	 ar e 	
fabrics.	 As 	 you	 get	 r eady	 for	 school	 the	 towel 	 you 	 use 	 after 	 bath 	 is	 a 	 soft	
and	 absorbent 	 fabric, 	 and	 the 	 school 	 dr ess	 you	 wear 	 is	 again 	 a 	 fabric 	 of 	 a 	
special 	 type. 	 The	 school	 bag	 in 	 which	 you 	 carry	 your 	 books	 and 	 other	 items	
is	 also	 a	 fabric,	 but	 again	 dif fer ent 	 in	 textur e. 	 It 	 may	 be	 slightly 	 stif f	 and	
coarse 	 but 	 str ong	 enough 	 to	 bear	 the	 load.	 If	 you 	 observe 	 your	 home	 you	
will 	 find 	 fabrics 	 in	 almost	 all 	 places, 	 fr om	 curtains	 to	 kitchen 	 dusters,	 floor 	
mops and durries . 	 Fabrics	 ar e 	 of 	 dif fer ent 	 kinds, 	 weights	 and	 thickness	
and	 their 	choice	is	 r elated 	 to	 their 	 end	 use.	
	 If	 you 	 take 	 a 	 typical	 fabric 	 in 	 hand,	 and	 unravel 	 it, 	 you	 may	 be 	 able	 to 	
pull 	 out	 the 	 thr ead 	 like	 structur es	 fr om	 it.	 These	 may	 be	 interlaced 	 with 	
each	 other 	 at	 right	 angles 	 or	 interlooped	 as	 in	 your 	 woollen 	 car digan	 or	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
T	 shirts, 	 or	 knotted 	 as	 in 	 nets	 and 	 laces.	 These	 ar e 	 called	yarns. 	 If 	 you 	
try	 to 	untwist 	the	 yar n	you	will	see 	very	tiny 	and	 fine	hair 	like 	structur es. 	
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These are called fibres . 	 Thus	 fibr es 	 ar e	 the 	 basic 	 building	 blocks 	 of 	 fabrics.	
All these materials — fibres, yarns and fabrics are called textile products 
or simply textiles .	 After	 the 	 fabric 	 is 	 r eady 	 it	 may 	 be 	 subjected	 to	 further 	
pr ocessing 	 which 	 may	 impr ove	 its 	 appearance 	 (cleaning,	 whitening, 	
colouring)	 or	 make 	 it	 mor e 	 lustr ous 	 or 	 impr ove	 its 	 touch	 and	 feel	 qualities	
or improve its service ability. This is called finishing. A large variety of 
fabrics 	 ar e	 available 	 in	 the 	 market	 these 	 days	 and 	 each	 one	 behaves	
dif fer ently 	 when 	 in 	 use.	 The	 behaviour	 of 	 the	 fabric	 in 	 use 	 and	 in	 car e 	 and	
maintenance 	 depends	 on 	 various	 factors	 such 	 as 	 type	 of 	 fibr e,	 yar n,	 fabric 	
and finishing.
Collect different kinds of fabric samples from home, a tailor’s shop, a cloth shop or 
friends. Name each fabric.
Activity 1
Figure 1: Fa Bric t O Fi Bre 5.2 Fibre properties 
The	 pr operties	 of	 fibr e	 contribute 	 to	 the 	 pr operties	 of 	 the	 final 	 fabric.	 For	 a 	
fibr e 	 to 	 be 	 r eally 	 important 	 and 	 useful,	 it	 must	 be	 available	 in	 lar ge 	 quantities	
and be economical. The most essential property is its spinnability, i.e., a 
characteristic	 which	 is	 essential	 for	 ease	 of 	 conversion 	 into 	 yar n 	 and	 later	
into 	 fabric. 	 It 	 is 	 the	 sum	 together	 of	 pr operties 	 such 	 as 	 length, 	 str ength,	
flexibility 	 and	 sur face 	 structur e	 of 	 the	 fibr e. 	 Fr om	 the	 point	 of 	 view 	 of 	
consumer	 satisfaction,	 pr operties 	 such	 as 	 colour , 	 luster , 	 weight,	 moistur e	
and dye absorption and elasticity are desired. Factors that affect care and 
maintenance 	 of 	 the 	 fabric	 such	 as 	 abrasion 	 r esistance,	 ef fect 	 of	 chemicals,	
soaps and detergents, effect of heat, and resistance to biological organism 
ar e 	also 	 important 	to	the	 user . 	
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5.3 Classification of textile fibres
T extile 	 fibr es 	 can	 be 	 classified	 on	 the	 basis 	 of	 their	 origin 	 (natural 	 or	
man-made 	 or	 manufactur ed),	 general	 chemical	 type	 (cellulosic, 	 pr otein 	 or	
synthetic), 	 generic	 types 	 (animal	 hair 	 or	 animal 	 secr etion)	 and 	 common	
trade	 name 	 (polyester ,	 as	 ter ene 	 or	 dacr on). 	 Further ,	 fibr es	 can	 be 	 
staple ,	 i.e., 	 short 	 length	 like	 cotton, 	 or	filament ,	 i.e.,	 long	 length 	 like	 silk, 	
polyester, etc. 
Natural Fibres
Natural fibres ar e	 those 	 which 	 ar e	 available	 to	 us 	 in 	 natur e.	 Ther e 	 ar e 	
four	types 	 of 	natural 	fibr es.
(a)	 Cellulosic	fibr es—
	 1.	 Seed 	 hair -cotton, 	kapok
	 2.	 Bast 	fibr es-flax(linen), 	 hemp, 	jute
	 3.	 Leaf 	 fibr es-pineapple, 	 agave(sisal )
	 4.	 Nut 	husk	 fibr es-coir(coconut)
(b)	 Pr otein	fibr es 
	 1.	 Animal 	hair–wool,	specially 	 hair	(goat,	camel),	fur
	 2.	 Animal 	secr etion–silk 	
(c)	 Mineral	 fibr e:		Asbestos	
(d)	 Natural	 rubber
Manufactured Fibres (also 	 called	man-made	fibr es)
Most	 of	 you 	 must	 have 	 seen 	 a 	 cotton	 flower 	 with	 fibr es	 sticking 	 to	 the	
seeds, 	 or 	 sheep	 with 	 long 	 over gr own	 hair . 	 Y ou	 can	 also	 imagine	 how	 these 	
may	 be	 used 	 for 	 yar n	 and	 fabric 	 pr oduction. 	 However , 	 you 	 may 	 find 	 it 	
dif ficult	 to 	 understand 	 how	 the	 manufactur ed	 or	 synthetic	 fibr es 	 came 	 to 	
exist. 
The 	 first 	 manufactur ed 	 fibr e–Rayon–was	 commer cially	 pr oduced 	 in	 
AD	1895, 	while	 most 	 others 	ar e 	 pr oducts	of 	the	20th 	century.
The concept of creating ??bres perhaps originated from human desire to produce a 
??bre like silk. Possibly, the thought process could have been like this: the silk worm, 
which basically feeds on mulberry leaves, digests them and spews a liquid through its 
spinnerettes (two holes), which on solidifying becomes the silk ??lament (cocoon). Thus 
if a cellulose substance is digested it should be possible to produce something like silk. 
Therefore for a long time the rayons were referred to as Arti??cial Silk or simply Art Silk.
The 	 earliest 	 manufactur ed	 fibr es 	 wer e 	 made	 by 	 modifying	 a	 non-fibr ous 	
material	 into	 a	 fibr ous	 for m. 	 These	 wer e	 mainly	 fr om	 cellulosic	 substances	
Fabrics Around Us
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like	 cotton	 waste	 or	 wood	 pulp.	 The 	 second 	 gr oup 	 of 	 fibr es 	 wer e 	 synthesised	
completely	 fr om	 use	 of	 chemicals. 	 Whatever	 may	 be	 the	 raw 	 material	 the 	
basic	steps 	for	 converting	it	into 	a	fibr ous 	for m 	ar e	 the 	 same.
•	 The 	 solid	 raw	 materials	 ar e	
converted	 into 	 a 	 liquid	 for m 	 of	
a specific viscosity. This may 
be 	 due 	 to 	 a	 chemical	 action, 	
dissolution, 	 heat	 application	 or	
a combination action. This is 
called 	 the	 spinning	 solution.
•	 This 	 solution	 is	 passed	 thr ough	
a 	 spinner ette 	 –	 a 	 small 	 thimble 	
shaped 	 nozzle	 with	 a 	 series 	
of very small holes, into an 
atmospher e 	 which 	 har dens	
it 	 or	 coagulates 	 it 	 into 	 fine 	
filaments. 
•	 As 	 the	 filaments	 har den	 they	
are collected and stretched  
for 	 further 	 fineness	 and	
orientation 	 or 	 subjected 	
to 	 further 	 pr ocessing 	 like 	
texurisation	 to 	 impr ove	 its 	
str etch 	 and/or 	bulk 	characteristics.
Types of Manufactured Fibres
(a)	Regenerated cellulosic fibres: 	 Rayon–cuprammonium,	 viscose,	 high-
wet-modulus	
(b)	Modified cellulosic: Acetate–secondary	 acetate,	 triacetate 	
(c)	 Protein fibres: 	Azlon
(d)	Non-cellulosic(synthetic) fibres
	 	 (i)	 nylon
	 	 (ii)	 polyester 	– 	 ter elene, 	 terr ene
	 	 (iii)	 acrylic 	 –	 Orlon,	 cashmilon
	 	 (iv)	 modacrylic
	 	 (v)	 spandex
	 	 (vi)	 rubber
(e)	 Mineral fibres
	 	 (i)	 Glass 	 –	fibr eglass
	 	 (ii)	 Metallic 	 –	 lur ex
 
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5.4 Yarns
The 	 textiles 	 in	 the 	 for m	 of 	 fibr es 	 cannot	 always	 be	 used	 for	 consumer 	
pr oducts 	 except	 in 	 pr oducts	 like 	 sur gical	 cotton,	 stuf fing	 for	 pillows,	 quilts,	
mattr esses 	 and	 cushions.	 T o 	 convert	 fibr es	 into	 fabric 	 for m 	 as 	 we	 see 	
ar ound 	 us, 	 they	 have 	 to 	 be 	 converted	 into 	 a	 continuous	 strand.	 Although	
ther e 	 ar e 	 some	 fabrics	 like	 felts	 or	 non-wovens 	 which 	 ar e 	 made	 dir ectly 	
from fibres, in most cases the fibres are processed to an intermediate stage 
called yarn. 
Yarn 	 can	 be	 defined 	 as 	 a 	 continuous	 strand 	 of	 textile	 fibr es,	 filaments	 or	
material	 in	 a	 for m	 suitable	 for 	 knitting,	 weaving	 or	 otherwise 	 intertwining	
to form a textile fabric. 
Yarn Processing
Yarn processing 	 fr om 	 natural	 staple	 fibr es	 is	 called 	 spinning,	 although	
spinning is the last stage in the processing. 
Earlier young unmarried girls were commonly involved in spinning the ??nest yarn 
because of their nimble ??ngers. The term ‘spinster’ for unmarried women originated in 
that context.
Y ar n 	 pr ocessing, 	 i.e., 	 conversion 	 of 	 fibr e	 into	 a	 yar n 	 involves	 a 	 number 	 of	
stages.
Let	us 	take	them	 one	by 	one.
		(i)	Cleaning: 	 Natural	 fibr es 	 generally 	 contain 	 extraneous	 impurities	
depending 	 upon	 their 	 sour ce,	 like	 seeds	 or	 leafy 	 matter 	 in	 cotton, 	 twigs	
and	 suint 	 in	 wool.	 These	 ar e 	 r emoved, 	 fibr es	 sorted	 out 	 and 	 converted 	
into laps 	(r olled	 sheets 	 of	 loose 	fibr es).
	(ii)	Making into a sliver: 	 Laps 	 ar e	 unr olled	 and	 subjected 	 to 	 straightening	
pr ocesses 	 which 	 ar e 	carding and combing. The process is similar to 
combing 	 and	 brushing	 your	 hair . 	 Car ding 	 disentangles 	 the 	 fibr es	 and 	
lays them straight and parallel to one another. For finer fabrics the 
laps 	 ar e	 subjected	 to	 combing 	 after	 car ding.	 This	 pr ocess 	 r emoves	
finer	 impurities 	 and	 short 	 fibr es 	 as	 well.	 The	 lap	 then 	 passes 	 thr ough	
a	 funnel 	 shaped 	 device	 which	 helps	 to	 convert	 it	 into	 a 	 sliver .	Sliver is 
a	r ope 	 like	mass	 of 	 loose 	 fibr es, 	2-4	 cms	in	diameter . 	
(iii)	Attenuating, drawing out and twisting: 	 Now	 that	 the	 fibr es	 have	
been	 converted	 into 	 a 	 continuous 	 strand,	 it	 needs 	 to	 be 	 made	 to	 the 	
size	 r equir ed. 	 This 	 is 	 called 	attenuation. Several slivers are combined 
for	 unifor mity. 	 The 	 slivers 	 ar e 	 gradually	 drawn	 out	 so	 that	 they 	 become	
longer 	 and 	 finer .	 If	 a 	 blended 	 yar n	 is	 r equir ed	 (e.g., 	 cotswol-cotton	
and	 wool) 	 slivers	 fr om 	 dif fer ent 	 fibr es	 ar e	 combined	 at 	 this	 stage. 	 The	
r esultant 	 sliver 	is	 still	 of 	the 	same	size 	as	the	 orig inal 	sliver .
   The sliver 	 after 	 drawing	 is 	 taken	 to 	 the	 r oving	 machine 	 wher e	 it	 is	
further 	 attenuated	 till 	 it 	 becomes	
         
of its original diameter. It is given 
Fabrics Around Us
1   1
4 			 8
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