All About Looks

            Whenever you’re looking to redo a room most people automatically think to go to a furniture store and buy new furniture.  But why not customize and reupholster the furniture you already have?  All About Looks is a unique fabric store that fits to your wants and needs. 

            All About Looks is a family owned store by a mother and her two daughters.  It was started nine years ago and none of the girls have any degree in interior design.  They also have a woman who sews and an upholsterer, which makes it cheaper than buying a new piece of furniture. In addition to furniture upholstery, they also create custom drapes, bedding, wall coverings, slipcovers, and area rugs. 

            They have a wide variety of fabrics to accommodate various tastes and styles.  One of the more interesting fabrics was cork.  They had samples of cork wall coverings and a pillow covered in cork that was on display.  One of the newer books they had gotten in stock was a new type of wall covering.  It was white and felt like sand, but you could make giant patterns or small patterns and paint over it with any type of paint.  A more interesting fabric that was shown to us was cowhide, however it was combined with newspaper.

            After experimenting with drapery and curtains, they decided that doing custom draperies would be easier.  They have a huge selection of curtain rods and decorative ends for the rods.  She also explained to us the importance of sewing the fabric so that the ends match up the right way. 

            I really loved this field trip and all the beautiful fabrics they had in store.  It was very informative.  Next time I need new furniture I will definitely think twice about running to the store to buy something new.   

FIber and Biopolymer Research Institute

Last week we took two trips to the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute.  On the second day we learned about the various different methods used to test the strength and durability of fabrics.  There are four main methods that relate to the strength of the fabric and one method relating to the shrinkage of the fabric.

The first method in the strength process is called the Martindale Abrasion Tester.  This process “determines the abrasion resistance of the textile fabrics, or wear ability of textile fabrics” (Handout 1, pp. 1).  There are a variety of fabrics that can be used in the test such as a plain weave, crossbred, or worsted wool fabric. These fabrics are used in combination with a felt fabric, the felt is first placed on top of the abrading table and the fabric is then placed over the top. Afterwards the pressing weight is placed on top and the clamp ring is placed over the weight and locked in.  The abrasion process works “by subjecting the fabric specimen to a rubbing motion in the form of a geometric figure, a straight line, which becomes a gradually widening eclipse until it for another straight line in the opposite direction,” (Handout 1, pp. 2).

The second method shown is the Breaking Force and Elongation of Textile Fabrics. This method determines the breaking force by “using either a grab sample or a raveled or cut strip sample…and determine the bursting strength of fabrics,” (Handout 2, pp. 1).  The grab test determines the strength of a fabric. However, the breaking force does not show the strength of the yarns between the clamps, only the fabric.  The “values for the breaking force and elongation test specimens are obtained from the computer, which is interlaced with the testing machine,” (Handout 2, pp. 9).

The next method is the Tearing Strength Elmendorf Method tests the “average tearing force of a specimen from the energy loss of a falling pendulum,” (Handout 3, pp. 1). This machine subjects the fabric to a “real-life” scenario in which it would be exposed to a sudden heavy load, causing the fabric to tear. The fabric is “loaded into the sample jaws, the jaws are then closed and the specimen is slit by pulling down the knife lever,” (Handout 3, pp. 4). 

The fourth strength method is the Random Tumble Pilling Tester, which shows the fabric’s resistance to pills. This is mainly performed on all types of woven and knitted apparel fabrics. There are four different chambers, shaped like cylinders that are lined with a thin cork. The fabric is placed inside and covers are placed on the chambers, which then begin to spin for thirty-minutes. The fabric is then graded using a certain scale, which tell the researchers the amount of pilling on the fabric.

The shrinkage method is the Dimensional Changes of Fabrics Accelerated, which compares the distances between length and width direction benchmarks before and after a programmed test. The process begins by drawing four dots in a diamond on the fabric, then measuring the distance and washing the fabric. Once the fabric is dried, the dots are re-measured and the shrinkage is calculated.

Overall, this tour was very informative and provided a view into the production of everyday materials.  These tests are crucial to the quality of the fabrics that are used in upholstery and apparel manufacturing. 

Blog post #1

Silk: A Luxurious Fiber

        Since silk is a very popular fiber today, it is amazing that silk as a textile dates back to almost 6000 B.C.  Once people realized that the silkworms could be harvested into a textile, China kept a monopoly on silk trade for thousands of years.  Eventually, this created a popular trade system, the Silk Road, which extended as far as Europe and Africa.  Silk is a natural protein fiber that “has been prized for centuries because of its elegant sheen, rich luster, and vibrant colors when dyed,” (Yates 2002 p. 43).  While there are many variants of silk, producing a “yarn” of silk is a tedious process, so lets take a look into the complexities of silk.

            Each silk cocoon produces a mere 1,000 yards of fiber, which only produces a few ounces of silk.  In fact, “even the industrial revolution could not mechanize silk production,” (Yates 2002 p. 43) and it still remains an extremely labor-intensive process.  Wild moths each oak leaves that then produce the wild silk, which is typically harvested after the moth breaks out of its cocoon.  Once it is broken the fiber is spun into yarn called tussah.

Reeled silk has a different process, it stems from silkworms that diet on mulberry leaves, causing their cocoons to be white in color.  During this process “the filament fiber…is reeled as a continuous strand before the moth matures and evacuates,” (Yates 202 p. 43).  If a heavier filament yarn is desired, multiple strands are rolled together thus creating a tram. 

Doupioni silk is a double strand of fiber that is produced when “twin” worms join into one cocoon.  “The irregularities of the two strands match up to create larger-than-usual slubs, (Yates 2002 p. 44) meaning the fiber changes from thicker to thinner over the length.  Doupioni is often a shimmering silk and often resists wrinkles. 

While silk is a beautiful fiber on its own, it also blends well with synthetic fibers.  Long-staple rayon can be mixed with silk to produce a lower-cost fabric, in addition to maintaining the luster and color of silk.  Filament polyester can also become a staple for “showing off the silk in blends,” (Yates 2002 p. 44). 

Despite the time-consuming production process, silk is a luxurious fiber that also is resistant to abrasion.  In addition to upholstery fabric, silk is often used in apparel manufacturing, parachutes, rugs, and even prosthetic arteries.  The feel of silk is smooth and lavish, giving it the current reputation for being the essence of high fashion.