WOVEN FABRICS

W.I. Samarasinghe Textile Technologist Sri Lanka Institute of Textile & Apparel

Fabric Definition
A manufactured assembly of fibres and/or

yarns, which has substantial surface area in relation to its thickness and sufficient

mechanical strength to give the assembly

inherent cohesion.

Fabrics can be produced by variety of methods

Weaving Woven fabrics

Knitting

Knitted Fabrics

Bonding or Fushing

Non-woven fabrics

Knitting - Knitting is a process to produce a fabric which is formed intermeshing of loops by using a continuous yarn or set of yarn. Weaving - Weaving is a produce to produce a fabric by interlacing two set of flexible material at right angle to each other. Nonwoven - Non-woven is a process to produce fabric directly from webs of fibres by bonding or fusing by interlocking.

Woven Fabric Structure

A woven fabric is produced by interlacing two sets of yarns, the warp and the weft, which are at right angle to each other in the plane of the fabric. The warp is oriented in the direction of the length of the fabric, and the weft in that of its width. Individual warp and weft yarns are called ends and picks. Interlacing of the ends and

picks with each other produce a coherent

structure. The repeating pattern of interlacing is called the weave.

Elements of woven fabric structure.

Warp - The lengthwise set of yarn in a loom which forms the lengthwise threads of the fabric produced. End - A single warp yarn is known as an end. Weft - The thread inserted across the width of the fabric, which form the crosswise threads of a fabric. Picks- Each crosswise yarn is a pick. The width of a fabric - The perpendicular distance between the two edges of the fabric in the direction of the weft.

Warp Count : The unit used to define the thickness or diameter of the yarn used. Weft Count : The unit used to define the thickness or diameter of the yarn used as weft.

Warp Density : The number of warp threads per unit length. Ex: Ends per inch or Ends per cm

Weft Density : The number of weft threads per unit length Ex: Picks per inch or Picks per cm

Weave

: The order in which the warp and weft threads are interlaced in the fabric.

Type of Yarn : The composition of the fibres which form the yarn. Ex. 100% Cotton, 65/35 Polyester Cotton, 100% Rayon Finish : This includes the finish given to the fabric. Ex. (i) Grey - Fabric in loom state is without undergoing any finish. (ii) Bleached A fabric that has been bleached.

Fabric Notation
The parameters by which a fabric is identified or described. Warp count x Weft count Warp density x Weft density Eg. 30 Ne x 20 Ne 72 epi x 50 ppi Width, Weave, Yarn type, Finish

63, Plain weave, 100% Cotton, Grey

Woven Fabric Structure is depend on following parameters

1. The weave 2. The thread densities in warp and weft 3. The coarseness or fineness of the warp and weft yarn. 4. The weariness of warp and weft

Influences of parameters on Fabric Properties

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Fabric weight Fabric thickness Fabric width and length Breaking load and extension Cover and permeability

The Weave
The repeating pattern of interlacing is called weave. Point paper representation Representing Methods of Weave Thread diagram Cross section 1. Plain weave 2. Twill weave 3. Satin & Sateen weave

The basic weaves :

Warp & Weft Crimp

Interlacing causes the warp and weft yarns to assume a wavy configuration, the plane of the weave being substantially perpendicular to that of the fabric. This waviness is called crimp. Crimp is stated quantitatively either as a fraction c or as a percentage c percent. c = Ly Lf and c percent = (Ly Lf) x 100 Lf Lf Where Ly = the uncrimped length of the yarn. Lf = its extent in the fabric The expression c = Ly Lf may be written c = Ly 1 Lf Lf from which (1 + c) = Ly/Lf (1+c) is called the crimp ratio.

Fabric Weight Fabric weight influences materially certain fabric properties such as drape handle. It is obviously necessary to be able to calculate the weight of warp and weft yarn in a given length of cloth, both for the purpose of ordering the yarn and of costing the cloth.

Warp & Weft Weight Calculation

To do this following date should be available. 1.Length and width of the cloth 2. The ends and picks per inch 3. The warp and weft counts 4. The warp and weft crimp 5. Let W = the weight of the warp or weft (ib) W = Total length of yarn (yd) Yards/lb of yarn

Cover Factor, k

The thread

ratio

yarn spacing

diameter; (d/p)

expresses
closeness uniformly weft in

the
of a spaced, a woven certain

relative
set of parallel fabric. fabric

threads, such as the warp or Relative closeness influences

P

materially

properties such as firmness,

handle and drape,

Cover Factor, k

contd.

No. of threads/inch n the reciprocal of the threads per inch, p = 1/n

d= 1 (in) 28N

Peirces formula for yarn diameters. N is cotton count (it is necessary to convert the yarn number to the corresponding cotton counts before using this equation.)

Cover Factor, k

contd.

The ratio d/p also express the fraction of the area of the cloth covered by the warp or weft yarns. We may therefore call it the fractional cover is, fractional cover = d/p

substituting Peirces estimate of yarn diameter d = 1 28 N d = 1 p 28 N x 1/p d = n p 28 N

Cover Factor, k

contd.

d/p has value 1.0 when the yarns are just touching.

K = 28 K = 14 K=7

Peirce multiplied the equation by 28 to eliminate the numerical constant 28 and defined the result as the Cover Factor k.

Cover Factor, k

contd.

Cover Factor k = n/N because we have multiplied by 28, cover factor as defined in equation has a value of 28 when yarn are just touching.

It is usual to calculate separate cover factors for the warp and weft. The sum of the warp and weft cover factors is known as the cloth cover factor Kc.

Plain Weave
In this simplest weave, the weft pass over one warp yarn and under the next alternating in this manner once across the cloth. The second time across, the weft pass over the warp yarn it went under, and under the warp it went over on the previous row. The third time across is a repetition of the first.

Plain Weave contd.

WARP 2 WARP 3 WARP 4 WARP 1

PICK 4 PICK 3 PICK 2 PICK 1

Plain Weave contd.

Since plain weave has the maximum possible frequency of interlacing. It tends to be firm and resist slipping. The weaving process is comparatively inexpensive because the design is so simple. Plain weave cloth can be cleaned easily, and when firm and closely woven they wear well.

Plain, weave fabrics are produced generally for the following end used.
Shirtings, Dress fabrics, Sheetings, Canvas, Handkerchief etc.

Twill Weave
WARP 2 WARP 3 WARP 4 WARP 1

In this weave weft yarn are interlaced with warp yarn in such a way as to form diagonal lines across the fabric. Following diagram illustrates a simple twill weave.

WARP 6

WARP 5

PICK 5

PICK 4
PICK 3 PICK 2 PICK 1

2/2 TWILL WEAVE

Twill Weave

contd.

The weft yarn passes over to and under two warp yarns, alternating across the cloth. The second weft or pick passes over two and under two warp yarns. But it laps back on the ground previous row, thus forming a stair pattern.
This type of twills are called even or balanced twills.

Twill Weave

contd.

In an unbalanced or uneven twill either the warp or the weft floats predominate. Twill is the most durable of all weaves. It has more number of regular floats than any other weave. Therefore it makes fabric closer in texture, heavier and stronger than plain weave. This is why twills are more suitable for mens clothing fabrics.

Twill Weave

contd.

Also it is possible to produce more fancy designs in twills than in plain weaves. Twill weaves do not show dirt so quickly as plain weave, but once they are dirty they are harder to clean. Cloth made in twill weaves may be classified as follows. Denim Mens cloth (suitings) Table cloth Flannel etc.

Satin and Sateens Why do satins have shining effect? Any consumer may have asked this question. The answer is that the type of cloth construction called the satin weave gives great shining effect to a fabric and reflects the light better than dull-finished fabrics in plain or twill weaves do.

Satin and Sateens Contd.

The consumer should notice that whenever they feel a silk, polyester or rayon dress stain, the hand slips more easily length wise than cross wise of the fabric. The reason is that more warps than weft yarns are exposed on this side. If the fabric is turned over, more wefts than warps are visible.

Satin and Sateens Contd. Following diagram shows two-diagrams of SATIN and SATEEN weaves.
1 2

5 4 3 2

5 4

3
2 1

SATIN WEAVE

SATEEN WEAVE

Satin
Formerly, cotton warp satin was often used for linings, slippers and furnishing. Nowadays a very large proportion of satin is made from viscose, cellulose acetate and nylon.

The materials that are made in the satin weave include. Bridal satin Slipper satin Dress satin Coat linings etc.