CARE AND

MAINTENANCE OF
FABRIC
 FABRIC
• Fabric is cloth made by weaving, knitting, or felting
fibers.
• We use fabric most often to make clothing, from basic
coverings to high performance sportswear.
• Clothing is very important in our daily life, it is use to
cover our body for protection, safety, sanitation,
modesty, identification, uniforms, styles and color
decoration. Fabric covers furniture, too.
What are the factors that affects clothing?
TYPES OF FABRIC
1. Woven fabric does not stretch except on the
bias. Woven fabric is made up of fibers which run
straight at ninety degree angles to each other.

2. Knit fabric has loops of fiber that allow the

fabric to stretch. The amount and the direction of
stretches are all variables. A knit may stretch in
one direction or it may stretch in both directions.
This is an important consideration when choosing
fabric for a specific pattern. For example; A
bathing suit pattern will require equal two way
stretch. If you choose a fabric that only stretches
in one direction, the suit is not going to fit
properly and you can even get it on.
KINDS OF FABRICS
 Vegetable Fiber
A. Cotton
• Characteristics: The world's most
popular fabric. It iscool to wear, easy
to wash and to sew. It is versatile,
durable and comfortable. Inexpensive
but shrinks and wrinkles easily.
• Uses: Good for items that need to be
washed often like sheets and pillows,
school clothes, and work clothes.
• Proper Care: Special for durable
pressMaybe machine laundered.
Avoid risk of mildew
Kinds of Cotton Fabric:
Canvas
• Canvas - used for
crafts, home
decorating (curtains
cushions and outdoor
gear). Tightly woven
heavy-duty cotton.
Cotton Batiste
• Cotton Batiste - For
elegant garments
(blouses, baby dresses,
and underlinings).
Finely woven
lightweight cotton.
Broadcloth

• Broadcloth -
fantastic closely
woven cotton that
has slight rib.
Cotton chint
• Cotton chintz - 100
percent cotton that has
special l fabric treatment
that leaves it shiny and
smooth. It is ideal for
home decorations such
as curtains and cushion.
Cotton pique
• Cotton pique -
medium weight cotton
fabric that has raised
nubby surface.
Cotton shirting
• Cotton shirting -
lightweight 100-
percent cotton that
makes fantastic
menswear shirts,
pajamas and boxers.
Cotton voile
• Cotton voile - crisp
lightweight cotton
that’s used for
garments.
Denim
• Denim – It is one of
the most heavy-duty
cottons. Great for
work clothes, jeans
and jackets.
Seer sucker

• Seer sucker - this

falls into the
category of cotton
crinkles, which have
surface texture.
Terrycloth
• Terrycloth – it is a
thick, absorbent
cotton used for robes,
towels, beachwear and
home decorating.
Velveteen
• Velveteen - either a
100-percent cotton or
cotton blend,
velveteen has a duller
and slightly stiffer look
than velvet.
 Vegetable Fiber
B. Linen
• Characteristics: Very strong, cool to wear,
and usually more expensive than cotton. It
is easily wrinkled unless a special finish is
applied. This is known as the oldest fiber
and used by the Egyptians thousand of
years ago. It comes from the stem of a very
pretty plant called flax.
• Uses: Women’s and children’s dresses and
blouses; summer dress; table linens and
other household fabrics.
• Proper Care: Iron at high
temperature.Avoid pressing in sharp
creases.Avoid risk of mildew
 Animal Fiber
• Characteristics: It is collected from the
cocoon of silk worm. This is a strong and
luxurious fabricwhich is moderately
resilient and resists wrinkling. It is more
expensive than manmade (filament)
silky yarns.
• Uses: For high-end clothing and
accessories, some expensive upholstery
and drapery fabrics.
• Proper Care: Dry cleaning is
preferred.Maybe hand wash in mild
suds.Avoid over exposure to light.Can be
attacked by insects.
Kinds of Silk Fabric:
China silk
• China silk - a very
lightweight silk which
is used almost
exclusively for lining.
Brocade
• Brocade - textured silk
with some stiffness.
Chiffon
• Chiffon - lightweight,
very drapery silk .This is
the fabric that goes with
the flow and can be used
in all sorts of garments.
Charmeuse
• Charmeuse - a slinky,
satiny, supple silk that
works well as a 1940s
redux dressing gown,
dresses and blouses.
Crepe de Chine
• Crepe de Chine - a
light to medium
weight silk, comes in
two-ply, three ply, and
four ply weights which
is the heaviest.
• Dupioni - a stiffer and
crisper silk that has
telltale slubs and raised
yarn on the fabric ,easy-
to-sew silk that adds a lot
of fashion flair. It is used
for making Capri pants or
a fancy room divider.
Georgette
• Georgette - lightweight
silk and barely visible
Raw silk
• Raw silk - rough-looking
silk with a dull finish;
made from short silk
filaments that are
discarded as waste but
easy to sew and has a
distinctive look.
Washed silk
• Washed silk - the
washing process
makes this silk creamy
and soft. It is a great
travel fabric.
Shantung
• Shantung - especially
crisp and shiny silk for
special occasion uses.
Taffeta
• Taffeta - a crisp silk
that wrinkles and
swishes when you
move which is used for
special occasion.
 A. Wool
• Characteristics: It is made from the
sleets of sheep which is an
outerwear medium-weight clothing
that springs back into shape. It
requires little pressing with great
versatility in fabric and with
insulating capacity.
• Uses: Perfect for tailoring blankets
and upholstery
• Proper Care: Dry cleaning is
preferred; will shrink and felt in
presence of moisture and heat and
can be attacked by insects.
Kinds of Wool Fabric:
Boiled
• Boiled - made in similar
fashion as felt, but much
richer and more supple.
There’s no need to finish
the seam edges. It is
commonly used for
blankets and jackets.
Boucle
• Boucle - has a
distinctive sweater-like
nubby surface created
with little loops.
Perfect for soft
shaping in coats and
jackets
Challis
• Challis - Medium to
lightweight. It is hand
washable and doesn’t
wrinkle much. Perfect
for all types of
garments.
Crepe
• Crepe - can be compose
of wool, silk, cotton, or
synthetic. It varies in
quality and it is
expensive. It is a
beautiful fabric that
drapes well and is
extremely wearable.
Gabardine
• Gabardine - a twill-
weave fabric, hand
washable and do not
wrinkle; works well on
tailored and
constructed garments.
Melton
• Melton – thick, bulky
wool with a soft
napped surface and
too thick to handle
used for coats.
Merino
• Merino – a very fine,
expensive, closely-
woven wool made
from Merino sheep’s
coats.
Worsted
• Worsted - lustrous
wool in a variety of
weights used for
tailoring jackets, skirts
and pants.
 Synthetic/Manmade Fiber
A. Rayon
• Characteristics: soft, cheap and
comfortable fabric absorbent;
lacks resilience; wrinkles easily.
Not easy to sew as plain cottons.
• Uses: Light and medium-weight
clothing; drapery and upholstery
fabrics; blankets, throw rugs and
table
• Proper Care: Hand washing to dry
cleaning. Tends to shrink and
stretch unless proper chemical
finish is applied.
 B. Polyester
• Characteristics: Strong and durable
synthetic fabric; dries quickly, with
sharp pleat and crease retention
• .Uses: strong and durable synthetic
fabric; dries quickly, with sharp
pleat and crease retention.
• Proper Care: Can be washable or
dry clean. Remove oily stains before
washing. Needs little ironing or
pressing. Use steam iron at warm
setting.
 C. Nylon
• Characteristics: It was first developed
as a substitute for imported silk. With
exceptional strength, excellent
elasticity; retains shape. Woven fabrics
feel uncomfortable in contact with skin.
• Uses: Women's stockings were the first
commercial use of nylon. Also used for
clothing, upholstery and carpet, rope,
tents and fishing line.
• Proper Care: Remove oily stains before
washing. Washes easily; wash with care
to maintain whiteness. Press at low
temperatures.Dry clean only.
 D. Rubber
• Characteristics: Stretch and
recovery rate is high.
Damaged by oils and light with
discoloration
• Uses: Foundation garments
for swimwear
• Proper Care: Frequent
washing in mild suds; avoid
constant overstretch at high
temperature
 E. Spandex
• Characteristics: Stretch and
recovery rate is high. Resists
abrasion and body oils with
discoloration.
• Uses: Foundation garments;
swimwear, surgical hose, ski pants
and other sportswear
• Proper Care: May be machine
laundered with warm water. Dry
on lowest heat, shortest cycle.
 F. Acrylic
• Characteristics: Resists wrinkling;
high bulking power; wool-like
texture; very resistant to effects of
sunlight
• Uses: Tailored outerwear; knitted
wear, pile fabrics, blankets and
carpets
• Proper Care: Remove oily stains
before washing; washable or dry
cleanable; medium iron
temperature.