Fabric Manufacturing I
(TXL231)
Prof. Sumit Sinha Ray
Asst. Professor
Department of Textile and Fibre
Engineering
Introduction to Fabric Manufacturing
Clothing is our one of basic needs. Fabric formation is general and probably as
old as human history, at least in terms of the real historical evidence that we
have.
Egyptian flax linen remnants
Shuttleless weaving machine
Artist’s imagination of Dhaka
Muslin weaving
Gujrat weaver using power loom
History of Weaving
❖ The tradition of weaving traces back to Neolithic times – approximately 12,000 years ago. Even before the actual
process of weaving was discovered, the basic principle of weaving was applied to interlace branches and twigs to
create fences, shelters and baskets for protection and storage
❖ The oldest known textiles found in the Americas are remnants of six finely woven textiles and cordage found in
Guitarrero Cave, Peru. The weavings, made from plant fibres, are dated between 10,100 and 9080 BCE
John Kay (1733) invented The production increased, James Hargreaves invented
And undoubtedly,
the flying shuttle, used to but the weavers needed the spinning jenny we entered our
pull thread horizontally more yarn. The traditional (machine) in Lancashire in first Industrial
(weft) across longitudinal spinning wheel was an 1764 (patented in 1770) Revolution (~1760-
threads (warp) on a that could spin eight cotton 1820)
efficient machine but could
weaving frame only spin one thread at a threads at the same time.
time
History of Weaving
❖ Then came Edmund Cartwright who
invented Power Loom (1785)
And we all know the down spiral fate of Indian
weavers by end of the 18th century (a part of
colonization)
❖ Joseph Marie Jacquard, from Lyon, invented
Jacquard loom (1801) to control each thread,
as per design
❖ In mid 1900s, projectile weaving machines
came as a part of shuttleless looms line up
and the weaving industry didn’t look back
Modern India and Weaving
❖ The handloom sector of India is one of the biggest unorganized economic
activities
❖ It is the rural region's second-largest employment provider, employing
more than 3 million people in direct and allied activities
❖ The sector employs 43.31 lakh weavers directly and indirectly throughout
the country with 77% of them being women
Basics of Weaving Process
[Link]
Knitting
❖ Knitting is a process of fabric formation by producing series of intermeshed loops
❖ Thee upper part of the loop is called ‘head’, whereas the two sides are called ‘legs’. The
intermeshing of two loops happens through the ‘foot’
❖ The knitted fabrics are more stretchable than the woven fabrics. It also facilitates better
moisture vapour transmission, making it suitable for sports garments and high-activity
Knitting is as old as >1000
years; the first set of knitted
components was found to be
socks from Egyptian socks
Madonna Knitting, by Bertram of Minden 1400-1410.
Source: Wikipedia
Braiding
• Traditionally used as decorative trimmings and functional elastic components in apparel goods
• Demanding technical applications, like- in shielding wires from electromagnetic interference
• Absorbing very high impactful energy in the form of ropes, fishing lines, parachute cords
• Fairly modest and less demanding functions in household goods in the form of draw threads for curtains, wash lines
• And of course, shoelaces (the most ubiquitous one)
Nonwoven: Needle Punching
Nonwoven: Hydroentanglement
Nonwoven: Meltblowing
Nonwoven: Electrospinning