Textiles: Unit 2

• Fibres Innovations: Bamboo


  Elective fibre innovation
• Bamboo


  • Fastest growing woody plant
  • Can be grown in conjunction with other crops
  • Can be harvested within 4-5 years after planting
  • Excellent for restoring degraded lands and protecting against soil erosion
• How bamboo fibre is created


  1. Bamboo pulp is refined from bamboo through a process of hydrolysis-alkalisation and multi-phase bleaching

  2. Bamboo pulp is then processed into fine bamboo fibre
• Ways of processing bamboo


  • Mechanical (similar to processing linen)
  • Chemical (similar to producing a regenerated cellulosic such as rayon)
• Bamboo fibre


  • Natural antimicrobial fibre
  • Can thrive without the use of pesticides
  • Not eaten by pests or infected by pathogens due to antimicrobial agent called bamboo kun
  • Maintains the bamboo kun as it is bound very closely to the bamboo cellulose molecular structure
• Bamboo fibre


  • Exceptional in both antimicrobial and deodorising nature
  • Suitable for intimate apparels, babies nappies and nappy liners, and non-woven textile medical applications
• Bamboo fibre


  • Natural antibiosis function means finished products do not require any artificial antimicrobial agent
  • Minimises skin allergies associated with chemical-finishing processes
  • Competitive price-point in the textile marketplace
• Blended bamboo fibre products do not have the same eco-friendly properties as pure bamboo
• The more complex the blend of fibres in a fabric, the harder the fibre is to degrade
• Fibres made from pure bamboo


  • Can absorb ultraviolet radiation in various wavelengths, thus reducing harm to the human body
• This is a highly desirable property in textile fabrics, particularly in the harsh Australian climate
• Fibre Properties

  • Aesthetic
  • Lustre
  • Drape
  • Durability
  • Comfort
  • Abrasion resistance
  • Strength
  • Absorbency
  • Elasticity
  • Thermal properties
• Properties of pure bamboo


  • Natural sheen and a soft lustre
  • Soft drape and silky softness
  • High abrasion resistance - perfect to spin into lustrous, fine and strong yarns
  • Very strong - has been compared to steel in strength
  • High degree of absorbency due to the cross-section of bamboo fibre, which is filled with various micro-gaps and micro-holes
  • Hydrophilic- absorbs more water than other conventional fibres, such as cotton
  • Outstanding wicking ability that enables it to pull moisture away from the skin
  • The microstructure enables the garment wearer to feel cool and comfortable in hot conditions and warm in cool conditions
  • Resilient
  • A cool fibre, as it is a good conductor of heat
  • Breathes easily, making it comfortable to wear against the skin
  • Smooth and round fibres that do not irritate the skin
  • Can be ironed with a hot iron
  • Ignites and burns quickly, as it is made from cellulose
  • Excellent dimensional stability
• Effect of chemicals


  Chlorine bleaches will yellow the fabric
• Care


  • Dry cleaning is not recommended
  • Can be dried in a machine on a cool setting but line dry is best
  • Gentle machine was in a mild detergent in cool/warm water up to 60C
• Sun resistance


  Stable but continual exposure will degrade the fibre
• Colour fastness


  Excellent colour fastness
• Shrink resistance


  Excellent shrink resistance when cared for correctly
• Ecofriendly and biodegradability
• Dyeability


  Easy dyed as it is hydrophilic (water loving)
• Colana Yarn


  • Blended trans-seasonal yarn developed by Rocklea Spinning Mills, Australia
  • Blend of 70 per cent combed cotton and 30 per cent fine Merino wool
  • Features the comfort and launderability of cotton with the warmth and resilience of wool
• Features of Colana yarn


  • Softness
  • Good drape
  • Low pilling
  • Good moisture absorbency
  • Warmth without prickle or weight
  • Breathability
  • Machine washability
  • Good resilience
• Colana yarn is suitable for woven and knitted fabrics in various weights
• Moisture absorption


  • Both wool and cotton fibres absorb moisture, for increased breathability and comfort
  • Wool fabrics can absorb a large volume of water without feeling wet/damp, up to 30%, so the wearer remain dry feeling
• Heat of wetting in wool


  Provides an advantage to wearers in that it buffers the negative effect experienced when moving from a warm to a cool/cold environment
• Blending cotton with wool


  • Increases the abrasion resistance, durability and pill resistance, and machine launderability for easy care
  • Improves cotton's resilience for a wrinkle free appearance
• Both cotton and wool fibre are natural fibres and therefore the environmental implications of raw material production, processing, consumption, and end-of-life disposal of natural fibres, is more positive than manufactured fabrics
• At end of life the yarn blend is biodegradable and will break down
• Colana yarn has been widely used in a range of garments including high fashion garments, jumpers, skivvies, body suits, thermal underwear, children's wear and the pants and skirts of the Australian 2000 Olympic team
• Seamless underwear/intimate wear/control wear


  • Comfort, fit and versatility
  • Silky smooth garments feel similar to a second skin
  • Designed to be worn under today's fluid, lightweight apparel for a scar-a-free appearance
• Shapewear and control wear


  • Developed for figure contouring and flattering of the body
  • Smooth seamless garments being invisible under outer garments for a seamless appearance
  • Areas of support such as the stomach, thighs, and buttocks may be targeted with graduated compression
• Seamless technology in the medical field


  • Advantages for support and recovery in compression wear garments
  • Improvements in recovery from pre and post-surgery is hastened by wearing engineered garments that improve circulation, may provide massaging properties and can support limbs, muscles and joints
  • Surgical stockings and flight socks help prevent thrombosis (blood clots) which often occur through illness, inactivity or age
  • Pressure is restored to the legs and blood flow improved through gradual compression stockings in bed bound or sedentary patients
• Compression level


  Provides graduated compression to the body
• Seamless sportswear


  • Engineered fit, micro massaging features and performance innovation result in blending of various technical fibres and yarns
  • Supports muscles and areas where the body requires support
• Smart garment applications using conductive yarns


  • Made possible within the sports, leisure, safety and medical markets
  • The seamless garment does not break the conductivity of yarns throughout the garment, thus maximizing the potential for wearable technology
  • A heart sensing controlling sports bra that monitors the heart rate is designed to give greater support during high impact sports
  • Textile electrodes are knitted into the bra which stretch and move with the wearer, maintaining contact with the skin and sensing the heart's electrical pulses
  • A seamless garment fits like a "second skin" because the bio-electrode is in direct contact with the skin
• Computer Aided Design (CAD)


  • Computerized digital design software electronically stimulates design tools, such as pencils, chalk, ink pens, felt tip pens, crayons and water colours
  • Includes painting tools for creating rough sketches, tools for creating fabric print designs, image editing tools for retouching photos, tools for colour selection and management, and tools for draping fabric onto sketches and for knit, woven and print designs
• Computerized design streamlines the creative process
• Delustering


  A chemical process for reducing the lustre of rayon yarns by adding a finely divided pigment to the spinning solution
• Mercerising


  • Improves the strength of cotton, as well as increase the lustre, softness absorbency affinity for dyes, and water-soluble finishes
  • Strength increases by 30% and prevents progressive shrinkage
  • Can be applied to cotton yarn, fabric and sewing thread
  • Cheap and permanent finish
• Napping


  • A chemical brushing finish which raises fibre ends to the surface of the fabric
  • The napped surface results in many air spaces around the fibres to produce greater warmth and insulation and a soft hand surface
  • Permanent finish
  • Napping rollers are covered with heavy fabric which has been embedded with fine wires, the bent ends of the wires face the direction in which the fabric travels, as the fabric passes through the napping roller, at high speed, the wires brush up the fibre ends