Selection Of Fabric For Upholstery Curtains, Draperies And Their Characteristics

Furniture and Furnishings 3(1+2)

Lesson 13: Exposure To Furnishing Matereials And Accessories Alone With Its Importance

Selection Of Fabric For Upholstery Curtains, Draperies And Their Characteristics

Textiles Fibers for Fabrics and Floor Coverings

Fiber Chief uses Characteristics Care
Wool
  • Blankets
  • Carpets
  • Drapery and upholstery fabrics
  • Springs back into shape; requires little pressing
  • Great versatility in fabrics
  • Has insulating capacity increasing with fabric thickness; hence fabrics can be warm
  • long-wearing
  • Dry cleaning usually preferable
  • Will shrink and felt in presence of moisture, heat and agitation, as in laundry
  • Must be protected from moths and carpet beetles
Silk
  • Drapery and upholstery fabrics
  • Natural luster
  • Strong
  • dyes well
  • Moderately resilient, naturally resistant to wrinkles, readily returns to shape
  • More expensive than man-made (filament) silky yarns
  • Dry cleaning usually preferable
  • Careful hand laundry possible with some items
  • Protect from prolonged exposure to light
  • Can be attacked by moths, carpet beetles
Linen
  • Table linens
  • Drapery and upholstery fabrics
  • other household fabrics
  • Beauty and luster endure through frequent, hard laundering
  • Does not shed lint
  • More expensive than cotton
  • Wrinkles easily unless treated to resist wrinkling
  • Resistant to dye-type stains
  • Limited only by finish, dye, construction of item’
  • Iron at high temperature; avoid pressing in sharp creases
  • Avoid risk of mildew
Cotton
  • Household fabrics carpets
  • Drapery and upholstery fabrics
  • Versatile
  • Durable
  • Withstands frequent, hard laundering
  • Easily ironed at high temperature
  • Inexpensive
  • Limited only by finish, dye, and construction
  • Generally may be machined-washed and dried
  • Avoid risk of mildew

Man-Made Fibers

Acetate
  • Drapery and upholstery fabrics
  • Fiberfill
  • Drapes well
  • Dries quickly
  • Inexpensive
  • Subject to fume-fading

  • Will glaze and melt at a low temperature in ironing or pressing
Azlon
  • This experimental protein fiber group has not yet been used for decorator fabrics. Scientists continue to search for better fibers in this group which might be used for such fabrics.
Metallics
Gold
Silver
Lurex
  • Drapery and upholstery fabrics
  • Decorative threads
  • May tarnish
  • May melt at low temperatures
Rayon
(conventional)
  • Drapery and upholstery fabrics
  • Some blankets, carpets, table coverings
  • Absorbent
  • Inexpensive
  • Moderately durable
  • Lacks resilience; wrinkles easily
  • Flammability a danger in brushed or napped fabrics
  • Dry cleaning often required
  • Can be laundered, but does not withstand treatment that can be given cotton or linen
  • Tends to shrink and stretch
Rubber Lastex*
  • Stretch slipcovers
  • High degree of stretch and recovery
  • Damaged by oils and light
  • Wash frequently with mild soap or detergent
  • Avoid constant overstretch
Spandex
Glaspan*
Lycra*
Vyrene*
  • Stretch slipcovers
  • High degree of stretch and recovery
  • Resists abrasion
  • Resistant to body oils
  • May be machine laundered with warm water.
  • Dry lowest heat, shortest cycle
General Characteristics of the man-made fibers listed below:
  • Moderate to high strength and resilience
  • Resistance to moths and mildew
  • Sensitivity to heat in ironing
  • Dimensional stability; resistance to shrinking or stretching
  • Tendency to accumulate static electricity in cold, dry weather
  • Nonabsorbency; easy to wash, quick- drying
  • Resistance to nonoily stains, but body oils penetrate the fiber and are hard to remove
  • Pleat retention because of thermoplastic qualities
  • Nytril and Vinal fiber groups are still in experimental stages.
  • Nytril has been tried in blends where an elastic fiber is desirable and vinal has been tried where a wool-like texture is desirable, but no serious application of these fibers to decorator fabrics has yet been developed.

Distinctive Properties

Acrylic
Acrilan*
Creslan*
Orlon*
Zefran*
Zefkrome*
  • Carpets
  • Pile fabrics
  • Blankets
  • Soft hand
  • Resistant to wrinkling
  • High bulking power
  • Silky texture, if desired
  • Resistant to effects of sunlight
  • Remove oily stains before washing
  • Waterborne stains easily removed
Modacrylic Dynel*
Verel*
  • Deep-pile and fleece fabrics
  • Carpets (in combination with acrylic)
  • Soft and resilient
  • Resistant to wrinkling
  • Resistant to chemicals
  • Nonflammable
  • May be ironed at extremely low temperatures only
Nylon
  • Carpets
  • Upholstery fabrics
  • Exceptional strength
  • Excellent elasticity
  • Permanent shape retention
  • Woven fabrics often hot and uncomfortable to wear
  • Oily stains should be removed before washing
  • Washes easily
  • Care must be taken to maintain whiteness
  • Press at low temperature
Olefin DLP*
Herculon*
Vectra*
  • Seat covers for autos, outdoor furniture
  • Carpets
  • No water absorption
  • Low melting temperature


Polyester
Dacron*
Fortrel*
Kodel*
Vycron*
  • Curtains
  • Fiberfill
  • Sharp pleat and crease retention
  • Some have resistance to pilling
  • Exceptional wrinkle resistance
  • Oily stains should be removed before washing
  • Easily washable
  • Care should be taken to maintain whiteness
  • Needs little ironing or pressing
Saran
Rovana*
Saran*
  • Seat covers for autos, outdoor furniture
  • Screening; awnings
  • Luggage
  • Resists soiling and staining
  • Resists weathering
  • Flame-resistant
  • Blot Stains; rinse with clear water
  • Sensitive to heat
Vinyon
  • Mixed with other fibers for heat bonding
  • Resistant to chemicals, sunlight
  • Nonflammable


Glass
Fiberglas*
  • Drapery fabrics
  • Nonflammable
  • Resistant to wrinkling, sunlight
  • Permanent shape retention
  • Drip dry
  • Avoid all rubbing
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Last modified: Wednesday, 21 March 2012, 6:22 AM