Q2: Laminated, Quilted, Braided Fabrics Flashcards
Laminated fabric:
A multicomponent fabric composed of one or more layers of fabric joined with an adhesive or foam; alternatively, a foam-backed fabric
Quilted fabric:
Two or more layers of fabric joined by stitching or ultrasonic bonding
Braided fabrics:
A narrow textile, with selvages or sealed edges, that is formed by plaiting several strands of yarn or strips of fabric
Multicomponent fabrics
Bonded and laminated fabrics
There are three basic ways of laminating.
In foam bonding, polyurethane foam is used to bond two pieces of fabric together. A thick layer of foam contributes to the warmth and thickness of the textile.
The second method involves sticking an appropriate thickness of foam to the back of a fabric (foam-backed fabric).
The third method involves the use of an adhesive to join the layers of fabric. These fabrics are also known as bonded fabrics.
Breathable, lightweight, waterproof fabrics can be made by laminating a membrane to a face fabric, using an adhesive.
A woven fabric is often laminated to the inner side of the membrane. These multicomponent fabrics are used for all weather clothing.
When buying bonded or laminated fabrics, the consumer should make sure that the fab- ric layers are sealed together firmly and that the grain lines (where applicable) coincide. Particularly in the case of foam-backed fabrics, the foam is sometimes used to disguise the poor quality of cheap, inferior fabrics.
Multicomponent fabrics
Quilted fabrics
A quilted fabric consists of two or more layers of fabric joined by stitching.
Traditionally, quilted fabrics consisted of three layers: the face fabric (called the top) that was often pieced (patches of fabric sewn together);
the batting or wadding in the centre (nowadays a polyester-bonded fibre fabric, but traditionally a wadding of cotton or woollen fibres);
and a backing fabric.
The layers can be joined by hand stitching, by knotting a piece of thread or string through all the layers or by machine stitching. Today quilted products can also be produced by chemical quilting or ultrasonic bonding.
Narrow fabrics
Braided fabrics
Braids are not manufactured on a weaving loom with a definite warp and weft, but consist of three or more yarns plaited together.
Braids can be flat or circular.
Braids have many industrial uses, but the end products we are most likely to be familiar with include shoelaces, insulation for electric wires, parachute cords and decorative trims.
