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Fibre to fabric-introduction

To know and understand the clothes we wear it is necessary to understand the materials and processes that go into making a fabric. One need not go into a detailed in-depth textile study. An overview and conceptual knowledge is enough to make one realise the complexity of fabric production. Since we are dealing with handlooms we will focus on the commonly or widely used materials and processes in the handloom products of India.

The fibre to fabric broadly can be divided into four stages – fibre, yarn, fabric construction and finishing. There are other stages which we feel should be considered along with this process. These are the previous stage of fibre production and processes involved in their manufacture or production and post stages of surface ornamentation techniques.

Fibre is the basic product or raw material used in the manufacture or making of a cloth, natural fibres like cotton, wool or silk have been used for centuries by mankind to make non-woven or woven textiles. flax was the first known fibre to be used for making a fabric by humans, much later cotton and wool were discovered and woven into cloth.

The fibre usually is of staple length, few centimeters or inches and cannot be used in its natural form for weaving a cloth. Hence the small length fibres are spun or reeled by twisted around each other to form a rope like structure, this rope like structure when made into thin fine ones is known as yarn. Shorter the fibre length more the number of twists required.

Yarns today are made in many different ways and specifications for different purposes, textures and finishes depending upon the requirement of the textile and its usage. This spinning of yarn can be done manually which we refer to as hand spun or khadi in India or machine spun which is commonly used in most textiles.

Next stage is the weaving process, where the yarns are interlaced together to form a cloth. To make a cloth a very basic device was developed – the loom. Loom is one of the oldest device/mechanisms developed by humans which has lasted centuries in their oldest forms. India is well known for its varied and intricate handloom weaves across the globe. Every region has its own distinctive loom, weave, motif vocabulary, technique of weaving, colour sensibilities and design aesthetics which are unique and represent the natural flora, lifestyles and cultures of their regions.

The fabric once made and taken off the loom may be ready for use or may require certain finishing. Like calendaring, applying starches, ironing, dying, printing. Many of these can also be considered as surface ornamentation along with painting, embroideries, embossing etc.