What are the physical and mechanical properties of fabrics: list, table and description

While selecting materials for different apparel applications, it is crucial to comprehend the mechanical and physical characteristics of textiles. The behavior, durability, and wearability of a fabric are all determined by these characteristics.

Each property, such as elasticity and tensile strength, contributes to the overall quality and performance of the fabric. Acquiring knowledge of these particulars can aid in the selection of the appropriate material for particular purposes, be it sportswear, casual wear, or more specialized applications.

To provide you with a clear overview, this article explores the essential properties of fabric, offers a comprehensive list, and includes a table that summarizes these features.

Property Description
Strength Measures how much force the fabric can withstand before breaking.
Elasticity Indicates the fabric"s ability to stretch and return to its original shape.
Air Permeability Shows how well the fabric allows air to pass through.
Moisture Absorption Describes the fabric"s capacity to absorb and retain moisture.
Wear Resistance Refers to how well the fabric can resist wear and tear from friction.
Crease Recovery Measures how easily the fabric returns to its smooth state after being creased.

Strength, stretch, breathability, durability, and other properties of fabrics are influenced by their mechanical and physical characteristics, which also dictate how well they work in various applications. Knowing these characteristics makes it easier to choose the ideal material for a given application, be it industrial, upholstery, or apparel. To make it simple for readers to compare and comprehend various fabric types, this article lists important characteristics such as tensile strength, elasticity, and moisture absorption. The properties are presented in a clear table format with concise descriptions.

What are the physical and mechanical properties of fabrics

Textiles undergo various loads during use, including bending, stretching, compression, and friction. The fabric’s resilience is contingent upon its material’s capacity to tolerate said impact.

The ability of textiles to withstand elements that deteriorate the structure over time is known as their mechanical properties. In specialized materials science laboratories, indicators for each of the aspects have been determined through experiments.

Apart from these markers, physical attributes of textile materials are also significant: the capacity of fabrics to conduct air, take in moisture, expel vapor, generate static electricity, withstand moisture absorption, and gather dust.

Transparency, shine, and color are some of the properties of materials’ optical properties. Indicators of technology include stretch coefficient, sliding, shedding, shrinkage, and attraction. The combination of these characteristics provides insight into the material and the likelihood of its application in a specific product category.

List of mechanical properties

Fabrics’ mechanical characteristics consist of:

  • strength;
  • elongation;
  • wear resistance;
  • creasing;
  • rigidity;
  • pilling;
  • drapeability.

Let’s examine each of these attributes in more detail and how they affect the qualities of textiles.

Tear strength

Tear strength is one of a fabric’s key properties. Textiles made with a basic (plain) weave technique exhibit high rates of this characteristic. The parameter is contingent upon the fiber thickness, thread twisting technique, and ultimate finishing. Tear strength is decreased by boiling, bleaching, and dyeing. The indicator rises as a result of felting, merchandising, and finishing.

Tear strength is the capacity of a textile to bear loads without breaking. The warp and weft threads determine the indicator. Samples are tested in laboratories to produce results.

A force stop is used to stretch the fabric strips after they are fixed on a universal tensile testing machine. The arithmetic mean, which acts as the primary parameter, is calculated from the data on the warp and weft.

The fabric’s elongation and tensile strength are assessed simultaneously. The material strip’s elongation is measured during the tests and recorded on a unique scale.

The strength of synthetic fabrics is high. Indicators for linen fabric are higher than those for wool samples. However, linen’s tensile strength is lower. Woolen materials therefore deteriorate more slowly.

Indicators of plastic and elastic elongation are also used to evaluate the quality of textile materials. The first is distinguished by the fabric’s apparent deformation while in use. A higher elastic elongation indicates that the fabric is dimensionally stable, wrinkle-free, and rapidly regains its original shape.

The way that the threads are twisted, how they are processed, how they are structured, and where the fibrous composition comes from all affect how elastic the fabric is. All phases of the clothing production process are impacted by an indicator like the elongation of textiles. Elastic fabrics should not be stretched when being cut in order to prevent potential distortions.

Wear resistance

Wear resistance is the capacity of a material to resist mechanical, chemical, biological, and physical forces. The indicator is dependent upon multiple attributes:

  • type and fibrous composition of threads;
  • method of weaving;
  • finishing.

There is no force more destructive than friction. Particularly when there is wear on the elbows, in the crotch seams, and along the bottom of the sleeves and pockets, there is a violation of integrity. Experts recommend selecting fabrics with a composition that includes synthetic fibers to enhance wear resistance.

The canvas’s structure may be weakened by the following physical and chemical elements: sunlight, water, heat, perspiration, and the use of bleaches and aggressive chemicals. Wear resistance is also lowered by biological factors, such as microbial exposure, rotting processes, and moth damage.

Pilping, or the appearance of pellets, is a sign that abrasion has started on a textile’s surface. Piling is common in materials with short fibers, knitwear, lavsan threads, and blended fabrics with cotton weft.

Stretchability coefficient

The stretchability coefficient serves as a gauge for the fabric’s level of elasticity. This parameter affects the fit. Usually, technological attributes are cited.

When designing and cutting, the coefficient matters. You can use the following method to measure it: Get a sample that is 10 by 10 cm in size. Next, fold the fabric piece in half along the weft. Stretch the cloth starting at the ruler’s zero point, then note the value.

Kr = D1/D2, where D1 is the sample length prior to elongation and D2 is the sample length following elongation, is the formula used to calculate the parameter. The sample was, for instance, stretched by 15 cm. Kp then equals 10/15, or 0.66.

POG (Cr) x 0.66 is the reduction of all transverse values to obtain the best fit to the figure during cutting. This is how you use the product’s girth and width measurements. The length doesn’t change.

Slip

The degree of motion of layers of matter in relation to one another is called sliding. Prior to cutting fabrics, it is crucial to consider this indicator. Cutting is done on multiple layers of material at once under production conditions.

The smoothness of the fibers and the weaving technique determine how much slip there is. Long rapport thread overlaps and a silky surface both lead to more slip. Rough and pile fabrics are worthless.

Drapability

Drape is the ability of a fabric to create even, supple folds when it is suspended. This property determines how the product looks. Here, the material’s stiffness, deformation resistance, and wrinkleability are crucial factors to take into account.

Soft, wrinkle-free materials that are reasonably light but sturdy are ideal for draperies. Shape-able materials are flexible. The kind and thickness of the threads, as well as how they are finished and woven, determine how well they can form rounded folds.

Rigidity

Technologists view a fabric’s rigidity as a negative mechanical property. These kinds of fabrics limit movement when worn. The fabric’s ability to withstand shape changes is known as its rigidity. It complicates production technology by causing cutting tools and sewing needles to heat up strongly.

High-rate fabrics do not drape; instead, they hold their shape well. Flexibility of the fabric is the opposite of rigidity.

Crumpleability

The ratio of plastic to elastic elongation and the fibrous composition determine a fabric’s crumpleability. In textiles with high indicators, bending and deformation cause wrinkles and creases to appear.

Wet materials are less able to drape. These materials have little to no elasticity or plastic lengthening that is greater than the elasticity.

Thermal protection properties

The capacity of textile materials to retain the heat produced by the human body is known as thermal security. When defining this parameter, the following characteristics are considered:

  • fabric thickness;
  • the structure of the material;
  • breathability;
  • thermal resistance of the package (layers of material);
  • Clothing design.

Thermal conductivity is the opposite characteristic. Wool, lavsan, piles, and fabrics with combing all have a strong ability to withstand heat. When building, the model’s weight plays a crucial part. Heavy objects are uncomfortable and have a negative impact on liberty. For this reason, the textile industry uses light porous materials for insulation when making winter clothing.

Shrinkage

Two signs of changes in a fabric’s linear dimensions when exposed to heat and moisture are shrinkage and stretch. At the product design stage, these parameters are considered.

The ability of threads to shrink in size when treated with wet heat or washed is known as shrinkage. Short and medium-length natural fibers are most vulnerable to it. In order to prevent product deformation after washing, it is crucial to consider the shrinkage of each layer when designing multi-layered apparel.

Drawing is the material’s capacity to grow along the weft and decrease along the warp linear dimensions following WTO. With blended textiles, this occurs. For instance, in textiles with untwisted viscose fibers in the weft and cotton warp threads. Non-standard volumetric shapes in products are made through drawing.

Edge fraying

Fraying is the result of threads in the fabric’s structure not being fixed enough. This characteristic is essentially the outcome of the threads’ displacement at the cut edge. The mismatch in the coefficients of friction, the adherence of the threads to one another, and the fiber origin are the causes of varying shedding for various types of fabrics.

The textiles with chemical compositions tend to shed the most, while cloth, wool, and worsted materials tend to shed the least.

Physical properties of fabrics

The following values of the physical properties of fabrics are taken into consideration when designing and sewing clothing:

  • hygroscopicity;
  • water resistance;
  • thermal protection;
  • vapor permeability;
  • air permeability;
  • dust capacity;
  • electricity.

Dust capacity

The ability of a fabric to draw in and hold onto dust, resulting in dirt buildup on the surface, is referred to as its dust capacity. The structure, fibrous composition, density, and finishing all affect this quality. Dust can be drawn to and accumulated on loose woolen materials, mixed with pile and pile, and synthetic materials with a high electrification index.

Hygroscopicity

Hygroscopicity is a variable measure of the environment’s ability to absorb moisture. Its value fluctuates depending on the circumstances. Materials with a high hygroscopicity are preferred for summer apparel. To keep the product from getting wet, use low and medium for winter apparel.

Air permeability

Textiles with air permeability allow air to pass through, allowing the layer to be ventilated. In order to establish a cozy microclimate in the undergarment layer, this parameter is crucial.

Fabrics with good air exchange are selected for products intended for children. Low air permeability materials are chosen for winter clothing’s surface layer to provide blow-out protection.

Vapor permeability

The human body releases vaporized water. A greenhouse effect results if they are not eliminated from the skin’s surface. The material’s capacity to allow vapor buildup to escape into the surrounding air is known as vapor permeability. Materials with a porous structure and natural fabrics serve as the best indicators. Wool has excellent thermoregulation but removes vapors slowly.

Electrification

The buildup of static electricity brought on by a high concentration of negatively charged surface particles is known as electrification. Materials made of synthetics have the highest capacity. The technology uses different kinds of fibers that form different charges in order to reduce electrification.

Pilling

A negative indicator of the fabric’s low wear resistance is pilling. This phenomenon detracts from the product’s aesthetic appeal. The process of friction-causing fiber ends rolling into lumps on the surface is known as pilling.

Choosing the appropriate material for various applications requires an understanding of the mechanical and physical characteristics of fabrics. The performance and longevity of textiles used in apparel and other products are directly impacted by these qualities, which include strength, elasticity, and resistance to wear.

Every type of fabric has distinct qualities that are frequently listed in tables or descriptions for convenience of comparison. Designers and consumers alike can make well-informed decisions by understanding how these factors affect fabric behavior.

When selecting a fabric for casual wear, athletic wear, or special events, considering its mechanical properties can help guarantee that the material will satisfy your demands for comfort, durability, and style.

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Sergey Litvinov

I have been working in the field of textile art for over 20 years. I am passionate about textile design and create unique things inspired by traditions and modern trends. In my articles, I talk about how you can use fabrics to create unique and stylish things with your own hands.

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