APPAREL MANUFACTURING - I 3(1+2)

Lesson 12 : Supporting Materials

Interfacing

Is the term used to describe heavier supporting fabrics with more stiffness or greater body. Since the fabric is heavy, it is intended to serve the purpose of preventing stretch and adding body to only portions of the garment to support exaggerated silhouettes, and to act as a cushion to bulky seams. If the term interfacing appears in the yardage chart, construction details will show the supporting fabric used in only portions of the garment and yardage amounts will be relatively low. Interfacings provide support, stiffness and shape retention to isolated areas like necklines, lapels and button stands, collars, cuffs, yoke and waist bands. An interfacing can be applied to the entire garment but is usually applied only to parts
When choosing interfacing, the four points should be considered:

• It should be slightly lighter in weight than the garment fabric.
• The material chosen should react in the same way as the garment fabric to washing, ironing and dry cleaning.
• It should be either the same colour as the garment fabric, or a colour which will not show through the material.
• It should be fairly closely woven and preferably non-fraying.

Interfacing fabrics

1. The hair canvases

These are special interfacing fabrics which are given stiffness and body by the addition of hair fibres; the type and percentage of hair fibers influence the stiffness and body of the fabric. They are excellent for use with suiting and coating fabrics.

2. A 100 percent polyester woven interfacing

This is available and one can expect the polyesters to become increasingly popular for interfacing as well as underlining fabrics. Fine rayons, nylons and terylenes make useful interfacings for garments made from man-made fibres.

3. Indian Head and cotton percale

These are dress fabrics which can be used for interfacings when circumstances demand a coloured fabric; special interfacing fabrics are available only in white, black and neutral beiges and grays.

4. Muslin

This is inexpensive cotton fabric, most versatile supporting fabric because it is available in many grades and weights. Muslin is not heated with easy care finishes and so it requires pressing after washing or dry cleaning.

5. Silk: Organza makes a luxury interfacing for fine silk dresses.

6. Self fabric

It may be sufficient in some cases (e.g., a blouse front) to place a further piece of the garment material in position as interfacing.

7. The non-woven interfacings

These are made in a wide range of weights and fibres and some are available in black and white. These are dominant fabrics which will cause the unit of the costume to take on the character of the interfacing rather than the fabric. There are varieties that are more pliable, but no interfacing of the non-woven type is sufficiently pliable for interfacing shaped areas of the garment. The use of non-woven interfacings is limited to those circumstances where a dominant interfacing is required to build an unusual silhouette or to provide maximum strength for stiffening belts and waist bands. Interfacings with an adhesive back, which can be bonded to the fabric of the garment by pressing, are available in woven and non woven types. Stitch-witchery, a very lacy fusible can be used to interface very light weight fabrics.

All the fusible interfacings offer the advantages that; basting can be eliminated and when pressed together, the two fabrics truely act as one, disadvantages that; the bond may break with wear and cleaning and the interfaced area becomes somewhat less pliable. Adhesive interfacings are recommended only for interfacing small units in quickly constructed utilitarian garments.