Woven Fabrics - Fairchild Books

the same appearance as when the fabric is turned so
that the edge that was at the top is at the bottom. Thus,
it usually does not make any difference in appearance
with these fabrics if a garment is made with its parts
placed from top-to-bottom or if its parts are turned 180°
and placed bottom-to-top. In fact, most mass-produced
apparel is cut this way to interlock patterns efficiently.
Nevertheless, this could be undesirable because there
may be a slight difference in color or luster that is not
noticeable in a smaller piece of fabric but is obvious in
the full garment.
Yarns Per Inch: A Measure
of Fabric Quality
The yarns per inch in a fabric is given by two numbers
with an × between them. For example, 80 × 74 (pronounced
“eighty-by-seventy-four”) means 80 yarns per
inch in the warp and 74 yarns per inch in the filling.
The first number is for warp yarns per inch and the second
is for filling yarns per inch. A fabric with the same
number of yarns per inch in both directions is said to
be square. An 80-square print cloth has 80 ends and 80
picks per inch. The yarns per inch in the warp and in
the filling is known as the fabric count, fabric density,
or cloth count.
Yarns per inch is a measure of fabric quality. Two
broadcloths may differ in price because one has more
yarns per inch. A higher number of yarns per inch gives
the fabric more strength, more weight, better hand,
reduced possibility of yarns shifting out of place (yarn
distortion; see p. 324), and better abrasion resistance.
Increasing the yarns per inch also increases the cost of
the fabric.
The type numbers given for sheeting are based on
the number of yarns per square inch. The sum of the
yarns per inch in the warp and the yarns per inch in the
filling is referred to as the type number. For example, if
sheeting has 100 ends and 100 picks per inch, the type
number is 200 (100 plus 100). It is also referred to as 200count.
For other fabrics, the value is given as 100 × 100,
and not as a sum.
Historically, manufacturers of sheets with a cloth
count of 100 × 100 made of single yarns would indicate
a 200 thread count on the package. Recently some
manufacturers of sheets have counted ply yarns as two
separate yarns when indicating the thread count. Thus
the same sheet made of 2 ply yarns might indicate a 400
thread count. This confusion triggered a concern for
the industry as well as the retailers and resulted in a
FABRIC SCIENCE
A 96 F
Figure 5.6
Percale sheets by Martha Stewart Collection for Macy’s.
class action suit and settlement. Thread count has long
been recognized by consumers as a tool to determine
quality (Figure 5.6). A contradiction in cloth count
causes doubt and confusion for consumers.
To learn how to determine the yarns per inch of a
woven fabric, see page 309.
Determining the
Weave of a Fabric
Woven fabric is analyzed to determine the weave. It
is done by determining the order in which the yarns
interlace. Fabric is usually analyzed on the face side,
but sometimes the weave may be more clearly seen on
the back. To determine the weave of the fabric, every
interlacing is examined to determine whether the warp
yarn or the filling yarn is on the surface. The weave may
be illustrated on graph paper indicating the location of
the warp yarn on the surface. If the warp yarn is on the
surface of the fabric, it is indicated by marking in one
box on the graph paper; if the warp yarn is on the back
of the fabric, the box is left empty. Refer to page 314 for
further information.
The vertical and horizontal rows of squares are the
same size. A weave diagram only shows the order in which
the yarns interlace (Figures 5.7a–c). The weave diagram
does not show the relative number of yarns per inch
between warp and filling, nor does it indicate the yarn
size and type. Thus sheeting fabric, voile, overcoat fabric,
and lining could all have the same weave diagram but
entirely different appearances and end-use applications.