Textile manufacturing

Processing of CottonMercerising
Cotton Manufacturing Processes (after Murray 1911)Main article: Mercerized cotton
Bale BreakerA further possibility is mercerizing during which the
Blowing Roomfabric is treated with caustic soda solution to cause
Willowingswelling of the fibres. This results in improved lustre,
Breaker Scutcherstrength and dye affinity. Cotton is mercerized under
Battingtension, and all alkali must be washed out before the
Finishing Scutchertension is released or shrinkage will take place.
LappingMercerizing can take place directly on grey cloth, or
Cardingafter bleaching.
Carding RoomMany other chemical treatments may be applied to
Silver Lapcotton fabrics to produce low flammability, crease
Combingresist and other special effects but four important
Drawingnon-chemical finishing treatments are:
SlubbingSingeing
IntermediateMain article: Singe#Textiles
RovingSingeing is designed to burn off the surface fibres
Fine Rovingfrom the fabric to produce smoothness. The fabric
Mule Spinningpasses over brushes to raise the fibres, then passes
Ring Spinningover a plate heated by gas flames.
SpinningRaising
ReelingAnother finishing process is raising. During raising, the
Doublingfabric surface is treated with sharp teeth to lift the
Windingsurface fibres, thereby imparting hairiness, softness
Bundlingand warmth, as in flannelette.
BleachingCalendering
WindingMain article: Calender
WarpingCalendering is the third important mechanical process,
Cablingin which the fabric is passed between heated rollers to
Sizing/Slashing/Dressinggenerate smooth, polished or embossed effects
Gassingdepending on roller surface properties and relative
Weavingspeeds.
SpoolingShrinking (Sanforizing)
ClothMain article: Sanforization
Yarn (Cheese)- - BundleFinally, mechanical shrinking (sometimes referred to as
Sewing Threadsanforizing), whereby the fabric is forced to shrink
Cotton is the world's most important natural fibre. In thewidth and/or lengthwise, creates a fabric in which any
year 2007, the global yield was 25 million tons from 35residual tendency to shrink after subsequent laundering
million hectares cultivated in more than 50 countries.is minimal.
There are five stagesDyeing
Cultivating and HarvestingMain article: Dyeing
Preparatory ProcessesFinally, cotton is an absorbent fibre which responds
Spinningreadily to colouration processes. Dyeing, for instance, is
Weavingcommonly carried out with an anionic direct dye by
Finishingcompletely immersing the fabric (or yarn) in an
Cultivating and harvestingaqueous dyebath according to a prescribed procedure.
Cotton is grown anywhere with long, hot dry summersFor improved fastness to washing, rubbing and light,
with plenty of sunshine and low humidity. Indian cotton,other dyes such as vats and reactives are commonly
gossypium arboreum, is finer but the staple is onlyused. These require more complex chemistry during
suitable for hand processing. American cotton,processing and are thus more expensive to apply.
gossypium hirsutum, produces the longer staplePrinting
needed for machine production. Planting is fromMain article: Textile printing
September to mid November and the crop isPrinting, on the other hand, is the application of colour in
harvested between March and May. The cotton bollsthe form of a paste or ink to the surface of a fabric, in
are harvested by stripper harvesters and spindlea predetermined pattern. It may be considered as
pickers, that remove the entire boll from the plant. Thelocalised dyeing. Printing designs on to already dyed
cotton boll is the seed pod of the cotton plant,fabric is also possible.
attached to each of the thousands of seeds are fibresEconomic, environmental and political consequences of
about 2.5 cm long.cotton manufacture
GinningThe growth of cotton is divided into two segments i.e.
The seed cotton goes in to a Cotton gin. The cottonorganic and genetically modified. . Cotton crop provides
gin separates seeds and removes the "trash" (dirt,livelihood to millions of people but its production is
stems and leaves) from the fibre. In a saw gin, circularbecoming expensive because of high water
saws grab the fibre and pull it through a grating that isconsumption, use of expensive pesticides, insecticides
too narrow for the seeds to pass. A roller gin is usedand fertiliser. GM products aim to increase disease
with longer staple cotton. Here a leather roller capturesresistance and reduce the water required. The organic
the cotton. A knife blade, set close to the roller,sector was worth $583 million. GM cotton, in 2007,
detaches the seeds by drawing them through teeth inoccupied 43% of cotton growing areas..
circular saws and revolving brushes which clean themThe consumption of energy in form of water and
away.electricity is relatively high, especially in processes like
The ginned cotton fibre, known as lint, is thenwashing, de-sizing, bleaching, rinsing, dyeing, printing,
compressed into bales which are about 1.5 m tall andcoating and finishing. Processing is time consuming. The
weigh almost 220 kg. Only 33% of the crop is usablemajor portion of water in textile industry is used for
lint. Commercial cotton is priced by quality, and thatwet processing of textile (70 per cent). Approximately
broadly relates to the average length of the staple, and25 per cent of energy in the total textile production like
the variety of the plant. Longer staple cotton (2 in to 1fibre production, spinning, twisting, weaving, knitting,
in) is called Egyptian, medium staple (1 in to in) is calledclothing manufacturing etc. is used in dyeing. About 34
American upland and short staple (less than in) is calledper cent of energy is consumed in spinning, 23 per
Indian.cent in weaving, 38 per cent in chemical wet
The cotton seed is pressed into a cooking oil. Theprocessing and five per cent in miscellaneous
husks and meal are processed into animal feed, andprocesses. Power dominates consumption pattern in
the stems into paper.spinning and weaving, while thermal energy is the
Issuesmajor factor for chemical wet processing.
Cotton is farmed intensively and uses large amountsProcessing of other vegetable fibres- other processes
of fertiliser and 25% of the worlds insecticide. NativeFlax
Indian variety were rainwater fed, but modern hybridsMain article: Flax
used for the mills need irrigation, which spreads pests.Flax is a bast fibre, which means it comes in bundles
The 5% of cotton-bearing land in India uses 55% of allunder the bark of the Linum usitatissimum plant. The
pesticides used in India. Before mechanisation, cottonplant flowers and is harvested.
was harvested manually and this unpleasant task wasRetting
done by the lower castes, and in the United States byBreaking
slaves of African origin.Scutching
Preparatory Processes- Preparation of yarnHackling or combing
Ginning, bale-making and transportation is done in theIt is now treated like cotton.
country of origin.Jute
Opening and cleaningMain article: Jute
Platt Bros. PickerJute is a bast fibre, which comes from the inner bark
Cotton mills get the cotton shipped to them in large,of the plants of the Corchorus genus. It is retted like
500 pound bales. When the cotton comes out of aflax, sundried and baled. When spinning a small amount
bale, it is all packed together and still containsof oil must be added to the fibre. It can be bleached
vegetable matter. The bale is broken open using aand dyed. It was used for sacks and bags but is now
machine with large spikes. It is called an Opener.Inused for the backing for carpets.
order to fluff up the cotton and remove the vegetableHemp
matter, the cotton is sent through a picker, or similarMain article: Hemp
machines. A picker looks similar to the carding machineHemp is a bast fibre from the inner bark of Cannabis
and the cotton gin, but is slightly different. The cotton issativa. It is difficult to bleach, it is used for making cord
fed into the machine and gets beaten with a beaterand rope.
bar, to loosen it up. It is fed through various rollers,Retting
which serve to remove the vegetable matter. TheSeparating
cotton, aided by fans, then collects on a screen andPounding
gets fed through more rollers till it emerges as aOther bast fibres
continuous soft fleecy sheet, known as a lap.These bast fibres can also be used: kenaf, urena,
Blending,ramie, nettle.
Mixing & ScutchingOther leaf fibres
CardingSisal is the main leaf fibre used; others are: abac and
Main article: Cardinghenequen.
Carding machineProcessing of Protein fibres
Carding: the fibres are separated and then assembledWool comes from domesticated sheep. It forms two
into a loose strand (sliver or tow) at the conclusion ofproducts, woolens and worsteds. The sheep has two
this stage.sorts of wool and it in the inner coat that is used. This
The cotton comes off of the picking machine in laps,can be mixed with wool that has been recovered
and is then taken to carding machines. The carders linefrom rags. Shoddy is the term for recovered wool that
up the fibres nicely to make them easier to spin. Theis not matted, while mungo comes from felted wool.
carding machine consists mainly of one big roller withExtract is recovered chemically from mixed cotton
smaller ones surrounding it. All of the rollers arewool fabrics.
covered in small teeth, and as the cotton progressesThe fleece is cut in one piece from the sheep.This is
further on the teeth get finer (i.e. closer together). Thethen skirted to remove the soiled wool, and baled. It is
cotton leaves the carding machine in the form of agraded into long wool where the fibres can be up to 15
sliver; a large rope of fibres.in, but anything over 2.5 inches is suitable for combing
Note: In a wider sense Carding can refer to these fourinto worsteds. Fibres less than that form short wool
processes: Willowing- loosening the fibres; Lapping-and are described as clothing or carding wool.
removing the dust to create a flat sheet or lap ofAt the mill the wool is scoured in a detergent to
cotton; Carding- combing the tangled lap into a thickremove grease (the yolk) and impurities. This is done
rope of 1/2 in in diameter, a sliver; and Drawing- wheremechanically in the opening machine. Vegetable matter
a drawing frame combines 4 slivers into one- repeatedcan be removed chemically using sulfuric acid
for increased quality.(carbonising). Washing uses a solution of soap and
Combing is optional,but is used to remove the shortersodium carbonate. The wool is oiled before carding or
fibres, creating a stronger yarn.combing.
A Combing machineWoollens: Use noils from the worsted combs, mungo
Drawing the fibres are straightenedand shoddy and new short wool
Several slivers are combined. Each sliver will have thinWorsteds
and thick spots, and by combining several sliversCombing: Oiled slivers are wound into laps, and placed
together a more consistent size can be reached. Sincein the circular comber. The worsted yarn gathers
combining several slivers produces a very thick ropetogether to form a top. The shorter fibres or noils
of cotton fibres, directly after being combined theremain behind and are removed with a knife.
slivers are separated into rovings. These rovings areAngora
then what are used in the spinning process. GenerallySilk
speaking, for machine processing a roving is about theThe processes in silk production are similar to those of
width of a pencil.Next, several slivers are combined.cotton but take account that reeeled silk is a
Each sliver will have thin and thick spots, and bycontinuous fibre. The terms used are different.
combining several slivers together a more consistentOpening bales. Assorting skeins:where silk is sorted by
size can be reached. Since combining several sliverscolour, size and quality, scouring: where the silk is
produces a very thick rope of cotton fibres, directlywashed in water of 40 degrees for 12 hours to
after being combined the slivers are separated intoremove the natural gum, drying:either by steam heating
rovings. These rovings (or slubbings) are then what areor centrifuge, softening: by rubbing to remove any
used in the spinning process.remaining hard spots.
Generally speaking, for machine processing, a roving isSilk throwing (winding). The skeins are placed on a reel
about the width of a pencil.in a frame with many others. The silk is wound onto
Drawing frame: Draws the strand outspools or bobbins.
Slubbing Frame: adds twist, and winds on to bobbinsDoubling and twisting. The silk is far too fine to be
Intermediate Frames: are used to repeat the slubbingwoven, so now it is doubled and twisted to make the
process to produce a finer yarn.warp, known as organzine and the weft, known as
Roving frames: reduces to a finer thread, gives moretram. In organzine each single is given a few twists per
twist, makes more regular and even in thickness, andinch (tpi), and combine with several other singles
winds on to a smaller tube.counter twisted hard at 10 to 14 tpi. In tram the two
Spinning- Yarn manufacturesingles are doubled with each other with a light twist, 3
Main article: Cotton-spinning machineryto 6 tpi. Sewing thread is two tram threads, hard
Spinningtwisted and machine-twist is made of three hard
The spinning machines take the roving, thins it andtwisted tram threads. Tram for the crepe process is
twists it, creating yarn which it winds onto a bobbin.twisted at up to 80 tpi to make it 'kick up'.
In mule spinning the roving is pulled off a bobbin andStretching. The thread is tested for consistent size.
fed through some rollers, which are feeding at severalAny uneven thickness is stretched out. The resulting
different speeds.This thins the roving at a consistentthread is reeled into containing 500 yd to 2500 yd. The
rate. If the roving was not a consistent size, then thisskeins are about 50 in in loop length.
step could cause a break in the yarn, or could jam theDyeing: the skeins are scoured again, and discoloration
machine. The yarn is twisted through the spinning ofremoved with a sulphur process. This weakens the silk.
the bobbin as the carriage moves out, and is rolledThe skeins are now tinted or dyed. They are dried and
onto a cop as the carriage returns. Mule spinningrewound onto bobbins, spools and skeins. Looming, and
produces a finer thread than the less skilled ringthe weaving process on power looms is the same as
spinning.with cotton.
The mule was an intermittent process, as the frameWeaving. The organzine is now warped. This is a
advanced and returned a distance of 5ft.It was thesimilar process to in cotton. Firstly, thirty threads or so
descendant of 1779 Crompton device. It produces aare wound onto a warping reel, and then using the
softer less twisted thread that was favoured for fineswarping reels, the threads are beamed. A thick layer
and for weft. It requires considerable skill, so wasof paper is lain between each layer on the beam to
womens work.stop entangling.
The ring was a descendant of the Arkwright waterProcessing of man made fibres
Frame 1769. It was a continuous process, the yardDiscussion of types of man made fibres
was coarser, had a greater twist and was stronger soMain article: Synthetic fibre
was suited to be warp. Requiring less skill it was mensSynthetic fibres are the result of extensive
work. Ring spinning is slow due to the distance thedevelopment by scientists to improve upon the
thread must pass around the ring, other methods havenaturally occurring animal and plant fibres. In general,
been introduced. These are collectively known assynthetic fibers are created by forcing, or extruding,
Break or Open-end spinning.fibre forming materials through holes (called spinnerets)
Sewing thread, was made of several threads twistedinto the air, thus forming a thread. Before synthetic
together, or doubled.fibres were developed, cellulose fibers were made
Checkingfrom natural cellulose, which comes from plants.
This is the process where each of the bobbins isThe first artificial fibre, known as art silk from 1799
rewound to give a tighter bobbin.onwards, became known as viscose around 1894, and
Folding and twistingfinally rayon in 1924. A similar product known as
Plying is done by pulling yarn from two or morecellulose acetate was discovered in 1865. Rayon and
bobbins and twisting it together, in the opposite directionacetate are both artificial fibres, but not truly synthetic,
that that in which it was spun. Depending on the weightbeing made from wood. Although these artificial fibres
desired, the cotton may or may not be plied, and thewere discovered in the mid-nineteenth century,
number of strands twisted together varies.successful modern manufacture began much later in
Gassingthe 1930s. Nylon, the first synthetic fibre, made its debut
Main articles: Singe#Textiles and Gassingin the United States as a replacement for silk, and was
Gassing is the process of passing yarn, as distinctused for parachutes and other military uses.[citation
from fabric very rapidly through a series of Bunsenneeded]
gas flames in a gassing frame, in order to burn off theThe techniques used to process these fibres in yarn
projecting fibres and make the thread round andare essentially the same as with natural fibres,
smooth and also brighter. Only the better qualities ofmodifications have to be made as these fibers are of
yarn are gassed, such as that used for voiles, poplins,great length, and have no texture such as the scales in
venetians, gabardines, many Egyptian qualities, etc.cotton and wool that aid meshing.[citation needed]
There is a loss of weight in gassing, which varies'Additional processes associated with man made fibres
about 5 to 8 per cent., so that if a 2/60's yarn isSee also
required 2/56's would be used. The gassed yarn isGlossary of textile manufacturing
darker in shade afterwards, but should not beReferences
scorched.^ a b c Majeed, A (January 19, 2009). "Cotton and
Mule spinningtextiles the challenges ahead". Dawn-the Internet
Mule spinningedition. Retrieved 2009-02-12. 
Ring spinning^ "Machin processes". Spinning the Web. Manchester
Ring spinningCity Council: Libraries. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
Measurements^ a b c "Handicrafts India.". Craft Revival Trust,.
Main article: Units of textile measurementRetrieved 2009-02-12. 
Cotton Counts: The number of pieces of thread, 840^ "Cultivating and Harvesting". Spinning the Web.
yards long needed to make up 1 lb weight. 10 countManchester City Council: Libraries. Retrieved
cotton means that 10x840 yd weighs 1 lb. This is2009-01-29. 
coarser than 40 count cotton where 40x840 yards^ Collier 1970, p. 11
are needed. In the United Kingdom, Counts to 40s are^ a b Collier 1970, p. 13
coarse (Oldham Counts), 40 to 80s are medium^ "Preparatory Processes". Spinning the Web.
counts and above 80 is a fine count. In the UnitedManchester City Council: Libraries. Retrieved
States ones to 20s are coarse counts.2009-01-29. 
Hank: A length of 7 leas or 840 yards^ Collier 1970, pp. 66,67
Thread: A length of 54 in (the circumference of a^ Collier 1970, p. 69
warp beam)^ Collier 1970, pp. 70
Bundle: Usually 10 lb^ Hills 1993, p. 4
Lea: A length of 80 threads or 120 yards^ Collier 1970, pp. 71
Denier: this is an alternative method. It is defined as a^ Saxonhouse, Gary. SST Seminars "Technological
number that is equivalent to the weight in grams ofEvolution in Cotton Spinning, 1878-1933". Stanford
9000m of a single yarn. 15 denier is finer than 30University. SST Seminars. Retrieved 2009-01-26. 
denier.^ Collier 1970, pp. 79
Tex: is the weight in grams of 1 km of yarn.^ "Spinning". Spinning the Web. Manchester City
The worsted hank is only 560 ydCouncil: Libraries. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
Weaving-fabric manufacture^ Curtis 1921, p. 1
The weaving process uses a loom. The lengthway^ Curtis 1921, p. Cotton count
threads are known as the warp, and the cross way^ Collier 1970, p. 3
threads are known as the weft. The warp which must^ Collier 1970, p. 74
be strong needs to be presented to loom on a warp^ "Weaving". Spinning the Web. Manchester City
beam. The weft, passes across the loom in a shuttle,Council: Libraries. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
that carries the yarn on a pirn. These pirns are^ Fowler, Alan (2003). Lancashire Cotton Operatives
automatically changed by the loom. Thus, the yarnand Work, 1900-1950: A Social History of Lancashire
needs to be wrapped onto a beam, and onto pirnsCotton Operatives in the Twentieth Century. Ashgate
before weaving can commence.Publishing, Ltd.,. pp. 90. ISBN 0754601161,
Winding9780754601166. Retrieved 21 Jan 2009. 
After being spun and plied, the cotton thread is taken^ Curtis 1921, p. Shed
to a warping room where the winding machine takes^ Curtis 1921, p. Ends
the required length of yarn and winds it onto warpers^ Collier 1970, p. 118
bobbins^ "Finishing". Spinning the Web. Manchester City
Warping or beamingCouncil: Libraries. Retrieved 2009-01-29. 
A Warper^ GREENHALGH, DAVID (2005). "Cotton finishing".
Racks of bobbins are set up to hold the thread while itRetrieved 2009-02-12. 
is rolled onto the warp bar of a loom. Because the^ a b Collier 1970, p. 155
thread is fine, often three of these would be combined^ Collier 1970, p. 157
to get the desired thread count.[citation needed].^ Collier 1970, p. 159
Sizing^ "Cotton: From Field to Fashion Facts behind the
Slasher sizing machine needed for strengthening theFiber". Talent2Trade. Retrieved 2009-02-12. 
warp by adding starch.^ Collier 1970, p. 16
Drawing in, Looming^ Collier 1970, p. 17
The process of drawing each end of the warp^ Collier 1970, p. 19
separately through the dents of the reed and the eyes^ "Silk manufacture". Antiques Digest: Lost Knowledge
of the healds, in the order indicated by the draft.from the Past. Old and Sold. Early 1900s. Retrieved
Pirning (Processing the weft)2009-07-04. 
Pirn winding frame was used to transfer the weftBibliography
from cheeses of yarn onto the pirns that would fit intoBarfoot, J. R. (1840). The Progress of Cotton. Barfoot's
the shuttleseries of coloured lithographs of 1840 depicting the
Weavingcotton manufacturing process.. Spinning the Web,
Main article: Power loomManchester Libraries: Darton. pp. 12. Age of the
At this point, the thread is woven. Depending on theit=submit. Retrieved 11 Feb 2009. 
era, one person could manage anywhere from 3 toCollier, Ann M (1970). A Handbook of Textiles.
100 machines. In the mid nineteenth century, four wasPergamon Press. pp. 258. ISBN 0 08 018057 4, 0 08
the standard number. A skilled weaver in 1925 would018056 6. 
run 6 Lancashire Looms. As time progressed newCurtis, H P (1921), "Glossary of Textile Terms", Arthur
mechanisms were added that stopped the loom anyRoberts Black Book. (Manchester: Marsden &
time something went wrong. The mechanismsCompany, Ltd. 1921), retrieved 2009-01-11 
checked for such things as a broken warp thread,Gurr, Duncan; Hunt, Julian (1998), The Cotton Mills of
broken weft thread, the shuttle going straight across,Oldham, Oldham Education & Leisure, ISBN
and if the shuttle was empty. Forty of these Northrop0-902809-46-6,
Looms or automatic looms could be operated by oneHills, Richard Leslie (1993). Power from Steam: A
skilled worker.History of the Stationary Steam Engine. Cambridge
A Draper loom in textile museum,Lowell,University Press,. pp. 244. ISBN 052145834X,
Massachusetts9780521458344. Retrieved January 2009. 
The three primary movements of a loom are shedding,Nasmith, Joseph (1894), "Recent Cotton Mill
picking, and beating-up.Construction and Engineering", Recent Cotton Mill
Shedding: The operation of dividing the warp into twoConstruction and Engineering. (John Heywood,
lines, so that the shuttle can pass between these lines.Deansgate, Manchester, reprinted Elibron Classics),
There are two general kinds of sheds-"open" andISBN 1-4021-4558-6, retrieved 2009-01-11 
"closed." Open Shed-The warp threads are movedRoberts, A S (1921), "Arthur Robert's Engine List",
when the pattern requires it-from one line to the other.Arthur Roberts Black Book. (One guy from
Closed Shed-The warp threads are all placed level inBarlick-Book Transcription), retrieved 2009-01-11 
one line after each pick.External links
Picking:The operation of projecting the shuttle fromCotton Year Book 1910 (Textile Mercury) Descriptions
side to side of the loom through the division in the warpand calculations for purchasing all cotton processing
threads. This is done by the overpick or underpickmachines.
motions. The overpick is suitable for quick-running1921 John Hetherington & Sons Catalogue
looms, whereas the underpick is best for heavy orDescriptions and illustrations of principal machines.
slow looms.Profile of the Textiles Industry: US EPA
Beating-up: The third primary movement of the loomGuidebookv  d  e
when making cloth, and is the action of the reed as itFibers
drives each pick of weft to the fell of the cloth.Natural
The Lancashire Loom was the first semi-automaticAnimal
loom. Jacquard looms and Dobby looms are loomsAlpaca  Angora  Bison Down  Camel hair 
that have sophisticated methods of shedding. TheyCashmere  Catgut  Chiengora  Guanaco  Llama 
may be separate looms, or mechanisms added to aMohair  Pashmina  Qiviut  Rabbit  Silk  Sinew 
plain loom. A Northrop Loom was fully automatic andSpider silk  Wool  Vicua  Yak
was mass produced between 1909 and the mid 1960s.Vegetable
Modern looms run faster and do not use a shuttle:Abac  Bamboo  Coir  Cotton  Flax  Hemp 
there are air jet looms, water jet looms and rapierJute  Kapok  Kenaf  Pia  Raffia palm  Ramie 
looms.Sisal  Wood
MeasurementsMineral
Ends and Picks: Picks refer to the weft, ends refer toAsbestos  Basalt  Mineral wool  Glass wool
the warp. The coarseness of the cloth can beCellulose
expressed as the number of picks and ends perAcetate  Art silk  Bamboo  Lyocell (Tencel) 
quarter inch square, or per inch square. Ends is alwaysModal  Rayon 
written first. For example: Heavy domestics are madeSynthetic
from coarse yarns, such as 10's to 14's warp and weft,Acrylic  Aramid (Twaron  Kevlar  Technora 
and about 48 ends and 52 picks.Nomex)  Carbon (Tenax)  Microfiber  Modacrylic 
Associated job titlesNylon  Olefin  Polyester  Polyethylene (Dyneema 
PiecerSpectra)  Spandex  Vinalon  Zylonv  d  e
ScavengerTextile arts
WeaverFundamentals:
TacklerApplique  Crochet  Dyeing  Embroidery  Fabric
Draw boy(textiles)  Felting  Fiber  Knitting  Lace 
PirnerNlebinding  Needlework  Patchwork 
IssuesPassementerie  Plying  Quilting  Rope  Sewing 
When a hand loom was located in the home, childrenSpinning  Tapestry  Textile printing  Weaving 
helped with the weaving process from an early age.Yarn
Piecing needs dexterity, and a child can be asHistory of... :
productive as an adult. When weaving moves fromClothing and textiles  Silk  Quilting  Textiles in the
the home to the mill, children were often allowed toIndustrial Revolution  Timeline of textile technology
help their older sisters, and laws have to be made toRegional and ethnic:
prevent child labour becoming established,Andean   Australian Aboriginal   Hmong   Korean  
Knitting- Fabric manufactureMori
A circular knitting machine.Related:
Close-up on the needles.Blocking  Fiber art  Mathematics and fiber arts 
Knitting by machine is done in two different ways;Manufacturing 
warp and weft. Weft knitting (as seen in the pictures)Preservation  Terminology  Textile industry  Textile
is similar in method to hand knitting with stitches allMuseums   Units of measurement  Wearable fiber
connected to each other horizontally. Various weftartv  d  e
machines can be configured to produce textiles from aSpinning
single spool of yarn or multiple spools depending on theMaterials
size of the machine cylinder (where the needles areNoil  Rolag  Roving  Sliver  Staple  Top  Tow 
bedded). In a warp knit there are many pieces of yarnWoolen  Worsted
and there are vertical chains, zigzagged together byTechniques
crossing the yarn.Carding  Combing  Long draw  Short draw  Twist
Warp knits do not stretch as much as a weft knit, andper inch
it is run-resistant. A weft knit is not run-resistant, butHand spinning tools
stretches more, this is especially true if spools of LycraDistaff  Niddy noddy  Spindle  Spinning wheel 
are processed from separate spool containers andSpinners weasel
interwoven through the cylinder with cotton yarn givingIndustrial spinning
the finished product more flexibility making it less proneCotton-spinning machinery  Open end spinning  Ring
to having a 'baggy' appearance. The average t-shirt isspinning  Spinning frame  Spinning jenny  Spinning
a weft knit.mule  Throstle frame  Water frame  Wool combing
Finishing- Processing of Textilesmachinev  d  e
The grey cloth,woven cotton fabric in its loom-state,Weaving
not only contains impurities, including warp size, butWeaves
requires further treatment in order to develop its fullBasketweave  Charvet  Coverlet  Double weave 
textile potential. Furthermore, it may receiveEven-weave  Lampas  Oxford  Pile weave 
considerable added value by applying one or morePiqu  Plain weave  Satin weave  Twill  Gabardine
finishing processes.Components
DesizingTextiles  Warp  Weft  Yarn
Depending on the size that has been used, the clothTools and techniques
may be steeped in a dilute acid and then rinsed, orChilkat weaving  Fingerweaving  Heddle  Ikat  Inkle
enzymes may be used to break down the size.weaving  Jacquard weaving  Kasuri  Loom 
ScouringNavajo rug  Shuttle  Tablet weaving  Tniko 
Scouring, is a chemical washing process carried out onTapestry
cotton fabric to remove natural wax and non-fibrousTypes of looms
impurities (eg the remains of seed fragments) from theDobby loom  Jacquard loom  Hattersley loom 
fibres and any added soiling or dirt. Scouring is usuallyLancashire loom  Northrop loom  Power loom 
carried in iron vessels called kiers. The fabric is boiled inRoberts Loom  Warp weighted loom
an alkali, which forms a soap with free fatty acids.Weavers
(saponification). A kier is usually enclosed, so theAcesas  Ada Dietz  Micheline Beauchemin 
solution of sodium hydroxide can be boiled underPamphile  John Rylands  Brigitta Scherzenfeldt  
pressure, excluding oxygen which would degrade theClara Sherman   Judocus de Vosv  d  e
cellulose in the fibre. If the appropriate reagents areCotton
used, scouring will also remove size from the fabricArchitects
although desizing often precedes scouring and isStott  Sidney Stott (later Sir Philip)  Edward Potts 
considered to be a separate process known as fabricPotts, Pickup & Dixon  F.W. Dixon & Son
preparation. Preparation and scouring are prerequisitesEngine makers
to most of the other finishing processes. At this stageDaniel Adamson  Ashton Frost  Ashworth &
even the most naturally white cotton fibres areParker  Boulton & Watt  Browett &
yellowish, and bleaching, the next process, is required.Lindley  Buckley & Taylor  Carel  Earnshaw
Bleaching& Holt  Goodfellow  Fairbairn  W & J
Main article: Textile bleachingGalloway  B Goodfellow  Hicks  Musgrave  J
Bleaching improves whiteness by removing natural& W McNaught  Petrie of Rochdale  George
coloration and remaining trace impurities from theSaxon  Scott & Hodgson  Urmson &
cotton; the degree of bleaching necessary isThompson  Yates of Blackburn  Yates &
determined by the required whiteness and absorbency.Thom  Whilans  J & E Wood  Woolstenhulmes
Cotton being a vegetable fibre will be bleached using& Rye
an oxidizing agent, such as dilute sodium hydrochloriteMachinery makers
or dilute hydrogen peroxide. If the fabric is to be dyedBrooks & Doxey  Butterworth & Dickinson 
a deep shade, then lower levels of bleaching areDobson & Barlow  John Hetherington &
acceptable, for example. However, for white bedSons  Joseph Hibbert  Howard & Bullough 
sheetings and medical applications, the highest levels ofGeo.
whiteness and absorbency are essential.