Specialist Area

• Actions to reduce environmental impact

  • Reduce
  • Reuse
  • Recycle
  • Rethink
  • Repair
  • Refuse
• Sourcing


  1. Figure, to collect and grow materials in other countries

  2. Reducing the carbon footprint produced. Use of recycled fabric

  3. Grow organic materials. Use materials from other waste streams. Reduction of water, agrochemicals, and pesticides
• Manufacture

  1. Mono-material products. Use of vegetable dyes

  2. Reduction of harmful substances such as bleaches or dyes

  3. Green energy to power factories, Increased efficiency

  4. Design to last and easy to repair
• Distribution


  Source local material to reduce emissions
• Use

  1. Wash at lower temperatures

  2. Use eco-friendly detergents

  3. Ironless

  4. Dry naturally
• Recovery

  1. Reuse or start instead of throwing them away with mending or wash cloths. Give to Charity. Use biodegradable materials. Return to manufacturer for recycling

  2. Mono-materials are easy to recycle
• High Street stores often sell these stock items per unit
• Industrial manufacturers buy yarn according to weight
• Standardisation allows for consistency
• Standard sizing allows for consistency
• If a firm increases advertising then their demand curve shifts right. This increases the equilibrium price and quantity
• Yarn

  A thread produced from spinning fibers together which are then knitted or woven into fabrics
• Staple fibers


  Short, hairy fibers usually from natural sources
• Filaments

  Long, smooth strands, usually from synthetic sources
• Dissecting fabric swatch

  Into the warp and weft and then disassembling the yarn into fibers
• Heat Transfer Print


  Specialist paper is used to fuse an inkjet printed image on to fabric
• Waterproofing


  Treatment to form a moisture repelling seal
• Stain Protection


  Coating which forms a protective barrier to prevent substances from being absorbed into fibres
• Brushing


  Use of abrasive rollers to lift fibres and form a nap on the fabric to make it warmer and softer to the touch
• Calendaring


  Use of a series of rollers to press, iron, emboss or deboss rolls of fabrics
• Flame Retardants


  Treatment to prevent or slow combustion
• Crease Resistance


  A light resin applied to make ironing and drying faster
• Distressing


  Chemical or mechanical deterioration of the colour or texture of fibres and fabrics
• Suggested uses for Stain Protection

  • Rugs and carpets
  • School uniform
• Suggested uses for Waterproofing

  • Emergency service uniforms
  • Curtains
• Suggested uses for Heat Transfer Print

  • Foosball Kit
  • Curtains
  • Bedding
• Suggested uses for Brushing

  • Emergency service uniforms
  • Outdoor wear
• Suggested uses for Calendaring

  • Upholstery/bedding
• Suggested uses for Flame Retardants

  • Emboss materials
• Suggested uses for Crease Resistance

  • School uniform
• Batch dyeing involves submerging fabrics in a vat or dye
• Batch dyeing has increased labour costs but it's easy to change colour
• Continuous dyeing uses more sophisticated machinery to dye rolls of fabric over a series of dye pads and rollers in a constant flow
• Continuous dyeing is more efficient and faster but has high set up costs
• If mistakes are made in batch dyeing, only one batch of stock is affected
• Batch dyeing has lower setup costs and reduced labour costs
• Continuous dyeing is only suitable for large volumes
• Screen printing involves forcing ink onto fabric through a fine mesh or screen
• Dyeing can happen at any stage of production
• Inkjet printing and digital printing are other printing methods