Greetings, My name is Dawne and I am in need of 95% Rayon, 5% spandex apparel fabric blend at 160gsm that stretches 4 ways. Typically what type of knit accomplishes this: tricot fabric, weft fabric, warp fabric and or jersey fabric? Thank you, Dawne By: Dawne
Posts Tagged ‘Rayon’
First there was rayon, then nylon. They weren’t very lovable, despite the hype promoting their advantages. Thanks to technology not only have they become acceptable, but they laid the groundwork for generations of new synthetics. For some reason, early rayon and nylon tend to be passed over by most vintage fabric collectors. They are not suitable for quilting nor heirloom sewing nor much in demand for street wear. It is probably the theatrical and historical costumers and to some extent doll dressers who most seek these fabrics. Up to 1960 synthetic names were marketed far enough apart to be solidly identifiable and recognizable – the rayons, nylon, orlon, dacron, acrilan and vicara. We knew what to do with them, how to sew with them; what to expect of them. Then beginning in the early 1960s fiber construction took on a whole new meaning and from that point on most of us felt we needed a degree in textiles and Latin to navigate the fabric stores. As the histories of rayon and nylon are interesting, this column talks to their development rather than the fabric. From rayonne to artificial silk to rayon Of all the synthetics rayon is probably the most confusing and misunderstood and received the worst press. To begin with, rayon is not a true synthetic. It is made from cellulose, the solid part of cell walls for plant life. Cellulose for rayon is obtained from wood pulp and cotton linters which are short fibers left on the cotton seed after the long fibers have been removed. There are three processes used in its manufacture to produce viscose, cuprammonium and acetate. Each has its own special properties. Rayon has been around for more than 250 years but not as a fabric. The term rayon has only been with us since 1924. The idea to artificially duplicate the silk worm process was advanced in 1665 by an English scientist. It lay dormant until 1754 when a French scientist reported it was possible to make varnishes into threads which imitated silk. More than 100 years later another Frenchman, Count Chardonnet, produced the first fiber having commercial success as a textile. In 1884 rayonne was born from his nitrocellulose process. Right on its heels the cuprammonium process was developed, a third in 1982 by two Englishmen called viscose , followed by acetate. The Chardonnet process is no longer in production. Rayonne was more widely known as artificial silk. The name was outlawed in 1924 and the name rayon was given…
In the British world of antiques, a divy is a diviner, one who can tell it’s the genuine article upon sight. Perhaps you’ve experienced a shiver down your spine when you find a vintage fabric; you just know it’s old and the real thing at first glance. So, your divy instincts having performed admirably, you know you have something old, but exactly how old and and exactly what is it? Fabric identification without the aid of selvage markings, provenance or an expert can be tricky. Most of the time there is no positive answer. But there are clues to put you somewhere in the ballpark. Often width, color, design, weave and appearance can be good indicators. Widths, while iffy and weak signals, nevertheless can generate a time frame. Generally, by the early 1930s narrow widths were replaced by 36″ to 39″ for most all American dressmaking cottons and by the early 60s the standard was 42″ to 44″ though some 36″ widths cottons lingered on for another decade. One notable holdout is Liberty of London lawn still being manufactured in 36″. This can be a deterrent in pinpointing fine old lawn, particularly with retro designs now in vogue. Regardless, finding natural and early synthetic fabrics in 36″ to 39″ or narrower widths should trigger your inner alarm system into action. Color, designs, patina and fancy weaves are stronger giveaways. Old catalogs, ads, pattern and fashion magazines like the Delineator, reference books such as Dating Fabrics by Eileen Trestain, 1998, plus your personal knowledge are useful tools for a decade-by-decade comparison of fabrics. Unwashed old cottons seem to impart a certain glow or patina, mostly due to mellowing and special finishes now outdated. Novelty and variations on basic weaves can help define fashion trends of the day. For instance, iridescent chambray and basket-weave cottons were the absolute rage in the late 1940s-early 50s; finding those fabrics in 36″ is a good clue to their age. Fabric typing can be downright frustrating. Some plain-weave cottons such as batiste, lawn and nainsnook are still with us but whether old or vintage, their similarities after washing make them virtually indistinguishable from each other. Two other long-gone family members, mull and longcloth, are nearly indistinguishable from nainsnook and lawn whether new or washed. Voile with its raspy-tongue feel and frosty soap scum appearance is easily identifiable; however it is still being manufactured. Old voile had wide satiny selvages; most today are narrow. The separating line for muslin and percale is when thread count…
Definition of Silk Velvet Fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel. The word ‘velvety’ is used as an adjective to mean “smooth like velvet”. Velvet can be either synthetic or natural. 100% Silk Velvet is very expensive and can cost several hundred dollars. This is why most velvet fabric have blends and one of them can be rayon. Silk Velvet- Rayon Blend Rayon silk velvet fabric is a plush, supple and invitingly luxurious blended fabric with an excellent drape. Lighter in weight than many other velvets, rayon silk velvet fabric has a loose and full-flowing style that is sensual and inherently well-suited for formal wear, dresses, capes and wraps. Rayon silk velvet can be hand washed in cold water, but dry cleaning is recommended.
I have a fabric that is purple and I need it to be light blue. It’s 65% Rayon/33% Polyester/2% Lycra. What would be the best method to go about bleaching it and then dying it? Leeca
I have a great rayon/lyrca dry clean only dress. Its midnight blue with a what used to be white part around the neckline. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize it was dry clean only until several wears and washes in, and the white portion of the dress is now more of a pinkish blueish white color. Is it possible to bleach this section back to white, and if so, how?
The correct term for bamboo fabric is bamboo rayon. This fabric has been around since the 1980’s and is now more popular due to the claims that it is an eco fiber. This cellulose regenerated fiber has the feel of other cellulose regenerated fibers such as Tencel but bamboo rayon has the additional advantage of the bamboo plants rapid growth and endless growing season. Claims that bamboo rayon has microbial properties are exaggerated. In manufacturing this fabric, the bamboo pulp is dissolved and converted to a liquid compound then back to a fiber by extrusion through a spinneret. After spinning into yarn and weaving into a fabric, this fabric is biodegradable after an extended period of time. Each consumer should be aware of the type of process used to produce this type of rayon. The USA Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning to consumers regarding bamboo Fabric. Bamboo-based Textiles, Actually Made of Rayon, Are Not Antimicrobial, Made in an Environmentally Friendly Manner, or Biodegradable http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/08/bamboo.shtm
