Textiles in interior design encompass a wide range of materials, including fabrics like cotton, linen, wool, silk, synthetic fibers, and blends. Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers commonly used to create various types of apparel and consumer goods. Its unique properties make it a popular choice for apparel, ropes and fasteners, machine parts, and cookware.
Nylon fabric is versatile and durable, making it ideal for various upholstery work such as seat covers, cushions, pillows, outdoor furniture, sofas, lounges, couches, and chairs. Its durability and water-resistant characteristics make it suitable for items that will see frequent use. Nylon upholstery fabric is used across all sectors, from hospitality to healthcare, and is also used in many upholstery blends for furniture fabric.
Nylon is a super fiber, making the strongest, most durable, and stain-resistant fabrics and carpets for the price. It tops polyester, rayon, olefin, cotton, and other fabrics. It is used in apparel, automotive parts, and interior design. An example of ECONYL is Lyocell, a semi-synthetic fabric that is more eco-friendly.
Nylon area rugs provide numerous benefits for your home, such as durability, versatility, affordability, and stain resistance. They are lightweight and virtually water-proof, making them great for tents, bathing suits, athletic equipment, and outdoor/outdoor spaces.
Silk, nylon, rayon, or polyester are just a few examples of synthetic and natural textiles that can be used to weave sheer fabric. Nylon is a material that can be used in interior design, fashion, or even to produce chairs or backpacks.
📹 Learning About Fabrics 1: The Who, What, and How
First in the long-awaited, repeatedly requested fabrics series! This video is your foundation upon which to build your fabric …
What is nylon mainly used for?
Nylon is a linear polyamide used in clothing, industrial applications, and textiles. It is produced through two methods: first, by reacting molecules with acidic groups (COOH) and amino groups (NH2), resulting in nylon 6, 6. This is a widely used fiber made from adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine. The salt formed from these compounds is known as nylon, which is dried and heated under vacuum to remove water.
Alternatively, a compound with an amine at one end and acid at the other is polymerized to produce a chain with repeating units of (-NH-(CH 2 )n-CO-)x. This is referred to as nylon 6 if n = 5, another common form of this polymer. Commercial production of nylon 6 begins with caprolactam, which uses an open-ring polymerization.
What is nylon so useful?
Nylon is a durable and wear-resistant material that is utilized in a multitude of industries, including the production of garments such as saris, ropes, tents, fishing nets, parachutes, socks, stockings, toothbrushes, combs, zip fasteners, and machine parts. The combination of nylon’s strength and elasticity makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, including rock-climbing ropes, tents, fishing nets, parachutes, socks, stockings, and more.
What are 3 cons of nylon?
Nylon is a fire-resistant, fire-resistant, and hygroscopic material with numerous applications in various industries. It is easily drawn into fibers and moulded into daily products for amenities. Nylon is a thermoplastic and silky material composed of polyamides, which can be easily processed into fibers, films, or shapes. It can be mixed with a variety of additives to achieve various properties. Nylon is used in various fibers like apparel, flooring, rubber reinforcement, parts for cars, and electrical equipment.
However, it is also fire-resistant, allowing it to easily melt and shrink. Nylon is hygroscopic, absorbing water even from the air, and swells and deteriorates rapidly when wet. Nylon is essential in everyday life, from carpets to toothbrushes and umbrellas. Its versatility and versatility make it a valuable material in various industries.
What is the point of nylon?
Nylon polymers are a family of synthetic polymers with amide backbones, used in fabric, fibers, shapes, and films. They are white or colorless, soft, and thermoplastic, making them suitable for melting into various shapes. The properties of nylons can be modified by blending with various additives. There are two main types of nylon: nylon-XY, derived from diamines and dicarboxylic acids of carbon chain lengths X and Y, and nylon-Z, derived from aminocarboxylic acids with carbon chain length Z. Nylon-6, 6 is an important example, while nylon- is a more common type.
What are the disadvantages of nylon?
Nylon is a fire-resistant, fire-resistant, and hygroscopic material with numerous applications in various industries. It is easily drawn into fibers and moulded into daily products for amenities. Nylon is a thermoplastic and silky material composed of polyamides, which can be easily processed into fibers, films, or shapes. It can be mixed with a variety of additives to achieve various properties. Nylon is used in various fibers like apparel, flooring, rubber reinforcement, parts for cars, and electrical equipment.
However, it is also fire-resistant, allowing it to easily melt and shrink. Nylon is hygroscopic, absorbing water even from the air, and swells and deteriorates rapidly when wet. Nylon is essential in everyday life, from carpets to toothbrushes and umbrellas. Its versatility and versatility make it a valuable material in various industries.
How is nylon used in interior design?
Nylon upholstery fabric is a durable material with a high strength-to-size ratio, making it ideal for heavy-traffic furniture and decor. Its high tensile nature makes it suitable for heaviest fabrics found in homes. Nylon can be added to various fabrics to make them more durable, and pairing it with another fabric can result in a soft yet strong, resilient couch. However, it has a low UV resistance, making it not suitable for outdoor use.
Nylon is not commonly used for upholstery, but it is used in various products such as sleeping bags, seat belts, tubing, dental floss, and parachutes. Nylon’s strength is evident in its versatility, as it can be used in blends and as a material in various products, showcasing its versatility in the upholstery industry.
What fabrics are used in minimalist interior design?
The minimalist style is most effectively complemented by fabrics such as wool, linens, and heavy cottons, which are available in a diverse range of colors and shades. Their unadorned texture does not detract from the streamlined contours of the furniture.
Which material is used for interior design?
Natural materials like wood, stone, leather, cotton, and wool are versatile and suitable for various design projects. Wood is ideal for furniture and decor, offering various grains and finishes. Stone is durable and elegant, adding unique textures to surfaces. Leather is a symbol of luxury and comfort, while cotton is soft and breathable, providing comfort and hypoallergenic properties. Wool is known for its warmth and resilience, making it ideal for textiles and insulation.
Synthetic materials are essential in modern interior design, offering durability, versatility, and a wide range of aesthetic options. Key synthetic materials include plastic, acrylic, polyester, vinyl, and fiberglass. Plastic is adaptable and lightweight, used in furniture, decorative accents, and lighting. Acrylic is used in furniture, lighting, and decorative accessories, while polyester is favored for its durability, easy maintenance, and resistance to stretching and shrinking.
Vinyl is popular for flooring and upholstery, offering affordable options with diverse design possibilities. Fiberglass is renowned for its strength and lightness, used in furniture and architectural features.
What is the use of fabric in interior design?
The incorporation of fabrics into a design scheme can enhance the aesthetic appeal, ambience, and overall decoration of a space by introducing texture, color, and comfort. The most commonly used fabrics for interior design include silk, rayon, cotton, polyester, nylon, and wool. Each of these materials possesses distinctive characteristics that make them suitable for use in a variety of applications, including upholstery, curtains, and linens.
What is nylon fabric good for?
Nylon, developed by Wallace Carothers in the 1930s, is a strong, lightweight fabric that can withstand rubbing, chemicals, and water. It is popular in business due to its intense yet lightweight properties. Nylon fibers offer advantages such as elasticity, lightness, lustrous appearance, and ease of cleaning in clothing, making it a popular choice for outdoor equipment, luggage, and sportswear.
📹 Interior Design Concepts ll Fabric for Interiors ll Interior Design Tips
Things to know about fabrics for interiors designers! For more updates on fashion designing & interior designing courses, follow …
Honestly… You inspire me so much. I’ve grown up pretty poor.. and I wanted to go to school for design.. I couldn’t afford it. So I went on scholarship for biz. I opened a wedding planning company called A Modern Romance. Slowly I started making money to buy nicely made clothes… And I wasn’t satisfied. Then I came across your Chanel and I am so happy to say I’ve started buying my own fabrics. I’ve bought a couple of your flats. Thank you honestly so much from the bottom of my heart for making it possible to learn all of this with out giving corporate America my money!
Hello! I’m 16 year old girl and the current clothes I buy aren’t good, and I’d rather make my own crappy clothes instead of buying them lol. I’ve been wanting to make my own clothes for a while but now I just have the time. I really appreciate this article Zoe! I can understand it well enough and not be overwhelmed.
to those who were also taking notes: Tweed Yarns -multiple colors added during the spinning process Slub Yarns -spun with sections intended to be thicker than others Specialty Yarn -twisted threads for knitting or crocheting >wool >eyelash yarn -furry >chenille yarn -towel textured >heather yarn -very dull yet multicolored yarn >variegated yarn -fades from one color to another (i did research for the rest, hope it helps)
I am an estate planning lawyer. But I have always been interested in design, architecture, and textiles. I learned to sew a long time ago but have been away from it for a while. Your article is fascinating and inspiring. I really enjoyed it and plan to watch all of them. The reason I am commenting is that I understand that it’s helpful to your website, and not to draw attention to myself or away from the people here who are serious, talented students. Please accept my gratitude for putting this out into the world. Thank you.
I’ve been doin research because I actually want to start my own clothing line and wow, thank you so much. For making it clear for me to see what I want and what to look for. Thank you again, keep up the good vids and keep paving the way. Appreciate the knowledge you gave in this article.AGAIN!!! THANK YOU!!!
I took notes, and left with five pages of solid, precise easy to remember and understand definitions of fabrics, categorizations of fabrics, fabric terms, as well as industry standards, and fabric manufacturing processes. I feel SO Solid right now. I feel like I am empowered with this knowledge somehow.
Oh my, thank you so much!! I have never been able to remember the difference between warp and weft. your memory jogger is brilliant! again, thank you so much!! Love your articles! I am a retired nurse who loves to sew, but your professional articles are so educational. you have put lots of work into each one!
We are a large scale textile Manufacturer from India, and believe me when I tell you this – this lady is Bang on with the knowledge she shared. She hooked me up the moment she said “silk is not a fabric”, I am often teaching the same things to my American customers. From next time I’ll simply just forward the link to this article.
I am just learning to sew. I have a new machine, dress form and accessories. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. I use to sell vintage clothes in New Orleans and dye military clothes. I am so happy to have come across this article. Hope you have current articles as well. You seem very thorough. Great.
I really love how excited you are to talk about sustainability in fashion and fabrics! You’re right, fabrics are a very exciting field because technology will completely revolutionize them and the way we think about them. Technology has already enabled us to approach them in a completely other way…but the future is going to make everything even more fun.
I am a fashion designer,recently graduate and i always had that issue in mind in my early years that why cant there be youtube article which actually address the questions that are relevant for the career and study like Designing process(i researched a lot on my own before college and was so confused coz nobody was describing the real process and everyone was just illustrating) and Fabric and Portfolio etc. So thank you sooo much for addressing those points .I am sure u are helping a lot of aspiring designers. Great work..
When you actually take pages worth of notes, lol. I would love to be a fashion designer and it’s what I’d like to go to college for but sadly I extremely lack the knowledge that comes with working in that field but this article helped so much. I am so excited to watch more and increase my knowledge on the subject.
” You know theres a list, I cant remember the list; No one can remember the list!” LOL Amazing work. NEW SUBBIE!!! Good teaching skills, excellent personality, I can tell you’re real and genuine, humble and caring; You explain things simple and fast and Its so easy to understand you and learn from you . I cant thank you enough for every effort of every action you have made to make possible to teach us and teach in general. Thank you. I send love and positive energy to you and I know your efforst are gonna be worth it because I know you’re gonna have so many subscribers and likes and a lot of success!!! Thank you! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Dear Zoe, I’m a fairly young person who has found an interest in fashion, but your articles have turned that into a great love. perusal your content has not only taught and inspired me so much, but the realistic views and honesty concerning possible obstacles helped me realize the importance of hard work and in my case, an education. I feel very lucky to have come across you at this point, and wanted you to know how influential this website is. One day, when I build up my career, I’m going to give you some credit without a doubt for everything you’ve shared. Sincerely, a grateful viewer.
I randomly ended up on one of your portfolio commenting article and after perusal that one I decided to watch this article. As someone who doesnt work nor has specific interest in fabrics, fashion and etc careers wise, I find this article very amuzing and informative. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and what you are doing for the community that this is intended for.
This was my Textiles class at Drexel University, but in a nutshell, and not dragged out over a semester. Bravo. The only thing missing was the day that we got to set the textiles on fire, and watch how they burn. LOL The wool smelled so nasty like burning hair…probably because it WAS burning hair. (Don’t worry. They had a fire extinguisher in the classroom.) You are brilliant and an amazing teacher. This is my new favorite YouTube website.
I am so thankful perusal this series. I already finish few series and it’s already 11 AM here now in the Philippines. I start perusal from 4-5AM, I keep repeating the article over & over until I get every details of information I need to understand each lessons and apply what I’ve learned from perusal your series in my day to day life. Thankyousomuch Miss S.♥️
So happy that i came across your website! I have just started as a Raw Materials planner where i work and know nothing about this side of the Supply Chain. Unfortunately the training has been minimal where i was told to “figure it out” but this 30 min article taught me more than the month i’ve been here. I will be checking out more of your articles VERY soon! Thanks Zoe!!
to think I could have been designing since 2016 🙄🤦🏻♀️ thank you for these articles Zoe! I’m learning so much from you. I’ve wanted to be a fashion designer since I was a little kid but don’t have the means to go to school for it. But I’m a firm believer in if you have the desire and the drive, especially in this day and age, you can learn anything. It’s just gonna take more effort! Thanks again so so much!!!
Zoe, thank you for putting this article out into the universe. I just got started with sewing. Long story short. My mom sewed her entire life and suddenly, I got the urge to want to learn how to sew, make things, and learn about fabric and the industry. So, this was a really easy to follow great article. Do you have any recommendations for newbies? Something to read or pages to flip through. Thank you <3!
I truly wished that I had discovered you and your website before I went to design school. I would have been way more prepared, I felt that I got overwhelmed way to easily and didn’t learn as much as I could have. I love your explanations and knowledge. I learned more from you then what I paid to learn in school.
Zoe, you’re such an amazing person, thank you for all this valuable information shared with us. I was looking for thus in many different places and I’m so lucky having found your website. Watch it all the time and always eager to get the newest articles. Thank you for the great content and the way you make it! Adore you! 🌸🌸🌸
Lovely article. An absolute wealth of information. Thank you. I would mention however, that outside of the usa much of the terminology is different such as “yardage” is “meterage” and “yarn” is “thread”. Most sales reps will hear the usa accent and grab out their conversion tables so it’s much of a muchness. However, I’ve heard several express gratitude that some of their usa clients have made an effort to use the terminology the rest of the world uses as they otherwise have to convert the measurements to the factory or supplier, and then reconvert it back when delivering.
I’m 5 minutes in and THIS is what I’ve been looking for! I’m teaching myself to sew and trying to hunt down/learn about the correct fabrics for even basic sewing patterns and every “Fabric 101” article is “Blah blah blah wovens and knits” and I want to rip my hair out! Thank you for sharing in-depth knowledge about fabrics and fibers.
Zoe, I like your enthusiasm and WOW, your expertise! However, I have just recently “rediscovered” sewing. lol, I had not touched a sewing machine in 35 years, I recently bought a sewing machine so that I could sew a ripped seam, ect. Well, now I truly want to learn to sew, and am very enthusiastic wanting to sew my own wardrobe, ha, my problem is, I don’t know how to select the fabrics. Can you at some point in time make a vedio on “selecting” fabric for the amateur sewer?
Holy shit. Here I am just wanting the basics of fabric for my clothing line business…and you covered way more than I expected. It was overwhelming for someone who doesn’t know much outside of the basics, but definitely the most informative article I could’ve asked for. I never hit the like button, but you EARNED that shit Honey! Lol. Thanks for all the information this was beyond helpful!
Would’ve loved it more with pictures or images. I’m Evergreen from Ghana and I am learning the fashion thing so I can support my lady and see how best I can invest in developing financial products and services for the fashion design industry starting from Ghana with a global vision. So just for you to know the impact of the articles you produce, please accompany your articles with pictures, so we can better understand your lessons.
Had this saved in my Watch Later for a while (its 30min, I had to be prepared) and as a practicing home sewist, I gave myself a pat on the back by knowing most of what you spoke about fabric content, types, production (woohoo). I do want to ask about the poly organza you briefly mentioned that you use as a press cloth, I heard others mentioning this and wasn’t sure if I needed silk organza or if the poly types will be just fine. A little afraid the poly aspect means it may melt under heat/steam from the iron? Thanks!
Soooo… That was a great class. Honestly, I am just getting into sewing and have long had a desire to do Fashion Design… Anyhow, how do you source fabric? As someone who understands the importance of getting the most for your money, and counting in all of the costs to develop a price/value, where can you advise to purchase fabric from? Would you mind sharing who you use?
Types of fibers: – plant based: jute, cotton, linen – man made plastic polymers: polyester, nylon, acrylic and spandex are – plant based manufactured: rayon and acetate – staple fibers: can be man made or natural but are always short; ie. cotton – filament fibers: one long intact strand, ie. silk or polyester – muslin: greige good that can be used for art projects; usually needs to be bleached/scoured before practical usage
So useful! I have really been wanting to learn more about fabric and am looking forward to future articles! Something I’ve struggled with is knowing the quality of fabric when I buy it. I’ve bought knit fabric before and just with normal wear – not even washing – the fabric fades or pills immediately. Or cotton fabric that wrinkles terribly and is itchy. Do I gauge with pricing and brand? Is this something I learn over time with experience?
Bottom weights in cotton makes sense because of the lightness and density of fabric. I took notes but I am still missing it. I want to make a dress in black. The pattern I chose is a panel dress. I saw a woman wearing a panel dress with lace, in the summer, she looked fabulous. The fabric actually swayed in the breeze. However, I need a summer weight dress with long short sleeves (almost at my elbows). I like the ruffling at the hem with this pattern it slims down my fat legs. I looked at cotton, such as sateen lawn because of the many panels would heft the weight of the dress. (6 panels in front alone). The fabric choices listed: Cotton blends, Sateen, Crepe, Linen, Challis. Challis has a nice sway when moving in it. So, my question, what do you suggest?
Fabulous. I’m a novice sewist. This article was EXCELLENT! I bought some deadstock recently and didn’t know the lingo to the salesperson. Now I feel that I can confidently express what I want. This article really helps me to understand the fabric recommendation listed on patterns too. Thankyou! Will definitely watch your other articles about fabrics ❤❤❤
I’m back at garment construction after a 31 year hiatus making quilts and have recently subscribed to THREADS Magazine where in their Spring 2023 edition I met you on page 78! I have the attention span of a hungry five year old, but this 30+ minute vid on FABRIC was the most interesting thing I’ve watched all year. Thank you so much for the reminders of things I once knew and the information on all the things I didn’t know! Hopefully, the rest of you articles, and I’m going to watch them all, will be as fabulous as this first one (for me) was! Nice to meet you.
Thank you. exactly what I was seeking out. Architect here who just got my first sewing machine, and very happy to find your lessons. You teach w a design school approach that I’m used to, and seeking out. (materials, construction, methods). I took some weaving in architecture school (20 yrs ago), and am now excited to explore the structures of clothing.
Honestly Miss Zoe, you are incredible. As a Nigerian girl who has always wanted to be a fashion designer, I’ve loved fashion ever since I was 13. I’m 22 now, just got my degree in Marketing. I’m planning on launching my on brand/company in 2023 and your website has helped a lot. Thank you so much, for someone that has always wanted to go to fashion school but never had the money or given the opportunity, this is a blessing for me. So yeah God bless you❤❤
I really enjoyed this article you did! Thank you Zoe! ☺️! I used to design in NYC And I miss working with all the different fabric people! Listening to you in this article brought me back to the city! Lots of great memories! I loved flying to the mills in North Carolina and doing the print approvals. I especially loved buying from the jobbers when I started my first clothing business! You’re right about those bargains! Nothing like getting a giant pile of gorgeous fabrics for a song!!!! There is definitely a special language and when you understand this and know this language and understand Fabric your picker gets better and better! I have a little book that I made when I was going for my degree for fashion at Parsons school of design that I referred to from time to time. Sometimes I forget when I’m shopping online. There’s so many types of fabric! Just knowing the difference between a filament and a staple can make a huge difference when buying anything like sheets for your home! Nothing worse than fuzzy sheets after a few washes and seeing all those nasty staples! And nothing better than a long filament beautifully high twisted fiber sound of a pop Fabric! 👂🍾. Being out here in the middle of nowhere in Arizona doing my decadent digs has definitely been challenging in the fabric department. Nothing worse than creating a line and not being able to get the fabric again or having to wait three or four months and missing your ship date because it got tied up at the mill.
I am a beginner beginner like only have sewn 2 things. I am looking for a article that explains how to buy fabric because I want to make family pijamas but even though I saw your whole article I am still confused! I go to hobby lobby and to Jo anns and I ask them but they say go to the aperal sección and I go but I get so overwhelmed I am still not getting it.
I just used the back of a fabric for a skirt for someone (I do design and sewing from home, not going to school for it since I like historical clothing recreation) and it was absolutely amazing sometimes the back is perfect! But I wanted to say thank you so much for these articles!!! I’ve been learning more about fiber content and so much from your articles! Seriously thank you so much for putting all these amazing articles tother.
No, you have it all wrong. You CAN ingest flour and nothing happens to you. It’s when you ingest YEAST is when you may get ill. So you obviously got confused because many parents who put yeast in their flour to make bread or donuts would scream at the little child who stuck their finger into the mix because they wanted to taste it. But flour without yeast is perfectly safe to eat. (because the flour won’t live off your body, you just digest it. But live yeast may begin to live off your body and start eating the nutrients you put into it and instead of you getting it, the yeast lives off it…sort of like a predator! Lol.)
Just happened on this article…….Oh MY Goodness………..I didn’t realize didn’t know ANYTHING about fabrics………I thoroughly enjoyed this. I did not take notes, but will be viewing this again….LOTS of info that I need to chew on!!!….Thank you for making this. I sew children’s smocked clothes. I will not use a lot of this, but it will go into my memory bank of info about fabrics. I am self taught and now see what ll I have missed. Thank you again !! I also liked the printed words on your screen…wish there had been more….thanks again, and again!!
Hi Zoe !!! 1st time perusal your article’s. I’ve hit the motherload. !!!! You are informative, knowledgeable with personality and humor!!! I absolutely loved it !! My main interest is embroidery, (hand embroidery), sewing various embellishments and adjusting /making ready-to-wear clothing fit me (I’m 6’2, 360 lbs)…. Thank you Zoe !!!
Thank you soo much Teacher Zoe, you don’t know how much I enjoy perusal all your articles,very informative. I understand it better when you explain it than my teachers here hahaha . I am currently studying fashion and design here in the Philippines and your articles help me a lot . Thank you so much for imparting us your knowledge unselfishly. Wishing you a Merry, Merry Christmas filled with the best of everything. Stay Fab and gorgeous!!!! Hugs.
Hey! I took comprehensive notes for the entire article, I’m going to list them all below. Not sure how formatting will go, but let’s see! What is fabric? There are two things: Fiber Content and Construction Fiber Content is the kind of fiber that the fabric is being made out of. Construction is the way that the fiber is quite literally constructed into the fabric. “Silk is not a fabric, it’s a fiber.” Know the difference, silk is the fiber content, not the construction. Another example is acrylic, acrylic is not a fabric, it’s a man-made fiber, which is talked about in the next section. Fiber Types There are two major fiber categories: Natural Fibers and Man-Made Fibers Natural Fibers consist of plant-based fibers like cotton, bamboo, jute, etc. Or animal-fibers like wool, alpaca, etc. Man-made fibers are predominantly oil-based fibers like polyester, nylon, spandex, etc. There are also plant-based artificial fibers like rayon and acetate among others. (Note: Lycra is a brand name, spandex is a fiber. Lycra is synonymous with spandex) Staple Fibers and Filament Fibers What are Staple Fibers and Filament Fibers? Staple fibers are short, for example: Cotton consists of short staple fibers. Cotton has to be built up and spun to build long threads. Filament fibers are long individual strands, for example: Silk is a natural filament fiber, it gets spun in one long strand. Another example is polyester, polyester starts out as a colored liquid and is then pressed through a small nozzle which then creates a long filament fiber that can practically span as long as you please.
Notes till around 18:00 of the article: Fabrics = Fabric content + construction Eg. silk is a fibre, not a fabric Types of fibre 1. Natural (plant based, animal based) vs man-made fibres (oil based like polyester, nylon, spandex, lycra which is just spandex, acrylic) (see also manufactured plant based fibres – rayon, acetate) 2. Staple (short – cotton needs to be made into a long twisted strand) vs filament fibres (one long skinny strand intact like silk – natural filament fibre, polyester starts off like a colored liquid and is passed thru like a shower head where each stream becomes a filament fibre) Blends? – wool-rayon, wool-polyester. How to blend staple + filament? Typically staple fibre is wrapped around core filament fibre – strength of polyester but texture, softness, moisture wicking comfort of the wool coz wools not that strong Supply chain – Yarn is any strand of twisted fibre and they are the building blocks of fabrics also sometimes called threads fibnes -> (yarn mills )-> yarns -> (textile mills) -> fabrics (greige goods, not suitable or comfortable for final clothes) -> (finishing mills) -> fabrics PFD/PFP# (scoured – cleaned, bleached*) -> (designers, printing, dying etc) -> printed/dyed fabric (additional customization for asthetics or function (like water resistance)) -> fashion fabric #Prepared for dying/ prepared for printing (not to be confused with portable document format :P) *bleaching greige goods white is necessary because greige is off white in color and not suitable for dying Common terms in the fabric business: Converters are businesses that convert the fabric from greige goods to fashion fabrics Vertical mills take fibres and give out fashion fabrics all at one place Distributers – They distribute for vertical mills, converters, etc Jobbers -they buy leftover, rejected fibres from mills.
I have a question, is there any semi reliable way to predict shrinkage? Like, I need 4 yards of 100% cotton, how much extra do I need to get to ensure I have at least 4 full yards after prewashing? And same for other fabrics, or does it always just vary depending on individual fabrics? Like, is there a rule of thumb? Ty for any info ❤
Nicely organized. Wisely paced. Short enough that brain circuits do not fry. Overall, I want to understand design, but for the short term, I am fascinated by the process of converting a mostly 2 dimensional material into a 3 dimensional form. This Birds Eye overview has been helpful in setting foundation for me as I think of transforming 2D into 3 d. My brother is an avid hiker/camper who keeps up with the technical fabrics oriented for outdoors use & some of his fabric geekery has rubbed off on me. I still use my 30+ year old GoreTex outer + Polartec 300 zip out liner (made by North Face before they started ‘rubber stamping’ stuff to increase market share). I was intrigued by your assertion that the future of fashion design was fabric so I look forward to hear how you present this idea in your series on fabrics.
Zoe, you’re amazing and just lovely to learn from. Do you have any advice on lint brushes that actually work? I’m an evil Witch, always in black, and I have a white-haired dog. Lord, if my cashmere sweaters could talk… I know there are those lint rollers where you peel the tape off, but I’m hoping there’s something out there that’s reusable and fabulously life-altering? Also, because you’re smart and thorough, I’d die to see a article from you on how to properly care for various fabrics and store them long-term, you know, little hacks and tricks like that. You’re such a rock star. Death to the Patriarchy <3
I am not a designer and am a mere novice with sewing. I don’t know how to follow a pattern because I make everything up in my head. I don’t draw most of what I make. I have 7 children so when I have a project, I use loads of fabric. I am also OCD and ADHD, so that explains it a bit, lol. An example, I have my kids seperate laundry into five categories: lights, darks, whites, delicates, and stinkies. I live in Hawaii and the water here makes it harder to get smells out of clothes than on the mainland. So, when I transitioned our family from everyone putting their laundry into the five bags in our room to each child having their own laundry bags…that meant A LOT of bags. None of the stores had any mesh bags. (How COVID caused a mad dash for mesh laundry bags is beyond me, lol.) If you order them online, they are rather pricey–especially when looking at the volume I needed. So, I went to my fabric cabinet and decided I would just make them. I made each child five bags of the same color with a sewn cloth label for each bag and gave them one mesh bag to put all of the other bags (in to be able to easily move the lot in one fell swoop). I did measure out and made a super rudimentary drawing on my phone notes app so I could remember my measurements. I used A MESSLOAD of fabric. Now, I have decided to transition from owning loads of comforters to having one good duvet comforter and various duvet covers. I will be converting many of our kiddie comforters to duvet covers into duvet covers and use the filling/batting to make the duvet comforters in twin, full, and Asian full (since one of my teenagers likes the Asian duvet covers she finds online).
Paused at 5.08 just to write this….. The way u explain things you make it soooooo easy to understand. I am dyslexic and sometimes can’t grasp things but I have just came across your chanel and I am so excited 😁 thank you so much for not complicating things and taking the time to share your amazing knowledge and skills with us. Love from Scotland 💙 x
Duuuuuuuude, I’m just getting into sewing, but if I get I to something I usually get to the salt lake depths… (The lakes that are in the ocean) you are feeding details. I’m def in class… And ur saving me so much time n teaching me so much vocab to explain my cravings… I’ve been going to jobers and never knew they had a name beyond “fabric guy” but now I know the diff tween weave n knit n why TY…
Dear Zoe…. you’re awesome; and thank you for the reply shout out. I was overjoyed that you responded. My question is about sheer, soft and light weight fibers or lining materials for head gear, corsets and clothes designed but perspiration worthy. Mesh kinds of fabrics in bulk or less for prototypes with stretch and give for size flexibility is what I am looking for. Also any textile library resources to help me relearn the old and new fabrics because I want my finished product to be non-toxic and or organic that I can dye or print on. Do you have any tips or tentative sources you feel are 2020 era best to start? Waterproof coatings sound like a plus Zoe…please list any other references with your code as referral. You deserve credit on any help received by this honored new online student of yours. Thanks again….your friend Deveree.
You are awesome Zoe. I just switching careers from wellness to fashion designer that has been my dream since 12 years old. Your articles are so informative to a T when you trying to explain details I love how precise you are, and not only that just being you when you talk and you’re being funny, makes the articles fun to follow, thank you
Hi,I just discovered you,aboalutely amazing!Thank you for all the info.The only thing I feel is missing,if you allow me to say,is to just add some pictures with the examples you are speaking about,so we can easliy undestand what is it about,as now i have to stop the article and go to google and search for each thing.Thank you again!
i’m writing this with the purpose of coming back to this comment in a couple of years and seeing how much progress I made… this is the beginning for me and I encourage anyone that is also in the beginning stages to be fearless and to be open to any and all possibilities. Let’s come together and focus on creating beautiful art that will move us forward as one! see you at the top… VIATICI ROMA
I think you’re offering amazing information about getting into fashion design, fabrics, etc. One question I have is about the weight of fabric. Is the weight determined by a standard size of a piece of fabric? e.g. 1 ” x 1″ or in cm? The weight isn’t shown on a bolt of fabric. So how does a person know the weight of a piece of fabric they are looking at?
The comments are turned off on the first article of yours that I saw about a day ago, so I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the information you provided in it. It was the How to Become a Fashion Designer article. I’ve been curious about how to enter the industry and maybe learning how to sew and design as a hobby. Your article was such a treasure trove of information. I’m sure this one will be the same. 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
I should of watched this before my first trip to NYC’s garment district. I was naturally graviating to the most interesting fabrics I saw and touched and the bright colors and the special sequins and other metallic types. And I just don’t know what to do with them as a beginner. My sewing patterns I bought said to get cotton or linen or suiting fabric and that seemed a lot easier to start with. I haven’t seen a pattern at Joanne fabrics yet that calls for chiffon or silk or taffeda or tulle or crepe. But I would like to explore more fabrics as the opens me to brighter colors than what I found and more special unique pieces. Like I was so dissappointed to discover in person that a “stretch” lace doesn’t stretch enough to replace a jersey knit fabric for the pattern I has. I was so disappointed. I really want my first lace shirt like Burberry did a few spring collections back.
Hi Zoe, first many thanks for all those valuable information. I’m not a native English speaker so Unfortunately I don’t know plenty of the fashion design world, can you please advise if there is a book or something that can contain all the fashion design words so when I take a course I don’t get lost¿¿
I just came here because I’m making my girlfriend a prom dress that includes a visual corset with boning websites that are a different fabric from the main fabric and I was wondering what would be a good fabric to make the boning websites from. I left this article still wondering that question but now being able to dissect a fabric which feels cool
I like to take old shoes, clean them up, and turn them into planters. I often take thrift store frying pans and use the inside to paint scenes or animals and hang. I also like to glue pictures I like, can be from magazines, and then coat with puzzle glue. One can also create a puzzle, glue to the newspaper, and then spray with acrylic glaze. Frame and you are done.
hey! i have been going through your articles, can you please elaborate on mulberry silk,as i was planning to open my small business, the only problem is the fabric, the one i received as a sample of mulberry silk is having knots, looking much like raw silk but in the market i see its a very shiny fabric soft one . can u please help me with that knowledge