JUE FABRICS

Jute fibre is often called hessian, jute fabrics are also called hessian cloth, and jute sacks are called gunny bags in some European countries. The fabric made from jute is popularly known as burlap in North America.

JUTE CULTIVATION
The suitable climate for growing jute (warm and wet climate) is offered by the monsoon climate during the monsoon season. Temperatures ranging 20 ºC to 40 ºC and relative humidity of 70%-80% are favourable for successful cultivation. Jute requries 5-8 cm of rainfall weekly with extra needed during the sowing period.

White Jute (Corchorus capsularis)
In several historical documents (especially, Ain-e-Akbari by Abul Fazal in 1590) during the era of great Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542–1605) states that the poor villagers of India used to wear cloths made of Jute. Simple handlooms and hand spinning wheels were used by the weavers, who used to spin cotton yarns as well. History also states that, Indians, especially Bengalis used ropes and twines made of white Jute from ancient times for household and other uses.

Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius)
Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius) is an Afro-Arabian variety and a member of the Mallow Plant family (same family of Marshmallow). It is quite popular for its leaves that were used as ingredient of an okra slimy Arabian potherb called Molokhiya (ملوخية = of the kings). The Jewish Book of Job mentions this vegetable potherb as Jew's Mallow.

Tossa Jute Fibre is softer, silkier, and stronger than White Jute. This variety astonishingly showed good sustainability in the climate of the Ganges delta. Along with White Jute, Tossa Jute was also being cultivated in the soil of Bengal from the start of the 19th century. Currently, the Bengal region (West Bengal, India and Bangladesh) is the largest global producer of the Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius) variety.

History
For centuries, Jute has been an integral part of Bengali culture, which is shared by Both Bangladesh and West Bengal of India. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, much of the raw jute fibre was exported to the United Kingdom, where it was then processed in mills concentrated in Dundee ("Jute Weaver" was a recognised trade occupation in the 1901 UK census), but this trade had largely ceased by about 1970 due to the entrance of synthetic fibres.

Magaret Donnelly I, was a jute mill landowner in Dundee in the 1800's. She set up the first jute mills in India. In the 1950's and 1960's when nylon and polythene were rarely used, the United Pakistan (then the world leader in Jute products) was earning money through jute of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. It was called the Golden Fibre of Bangladesh, when it used to bring major portion of the foreign currency reserve for Bangladesh. But, as the use of polythene and other synthetic materials as a substitute for jute started to capture the market, most economists said that jute industry is experiencing a decline.

When the Pakistan and India became separate countries in 1948, the tension rised between these two countries and Pakistan decided to stop exporting Jute to the Indian Jute mills. The Indian Jute Industry started to shrink and the Pakistani Jute Industry started to rise. India then went into Jute production, and is currently the largest producer or cultivator of Jute.

For several years, farmers in Bangladesh burnt their crops as they did not get an adequate price. Many exporters that were dealing with jute found other commodities to deal with. The jute related organisations and government bodies also experienced closures, change, and fund cutting. The long decline in demand forced the largest jute mill in the world (Adamjee Jute Mills) to close. Latif Bawany Jute Mills, the second largest, is still running but was nationalized by the government from prominent businessman, Yahya Bawany. But the farmers of Bangladesh surprisingly did not stop growing jute, mainly due to demand in the internal market. Recently, (2004-2006) the jute market turned back again and the price of raw jute increased more than 50% due to high demand of jute products worldwide.

During 1941, Henry Ford tested the strength of a car trunk made from soybean fibre. The trunk was made of soy-protein plastic reinforced with glass, which was stronger, lighter, and more flexible than conventional car panels. This experiment revolutionised the use of natural fibres in the Automobile Industry and made cars lighter to burn less gasoline. The previously used glass fibre proved to be very heavy and emitted poisonous gas when burnt. Therefore, most people died of poisonous gas inhalation, not by wounds during car accidents. This fact has driven the European Union to ban the use of glass fibre in automobiles. When Henry Ford's experiment gained huge response, the automobile companies started to search for other bast fibres, as soybean fibre had problems in moulding. They found that, flax was the best bast fibre for the automobile interior production.

It has been shown that flax, jute, and hemp fibres contain characteristics such as ductile structure and stiffness per unit of weight that result in benefits during side impacts. But, jute was recognised as the next to the best at a quite late time. In some cases, jute has become the better option than flax in producing car interiors. Moreover, jute proved to be the most cost effective fibre in this sector, as jute is the cheapest vegetable fibre with very high tensile strength. However, there are contrasting information regarding this history. Some say that, the car trunk of soy-protein plastic reinforced with glass was invented by an African American employee of Ford Motor Company[citation needed]. Other uses for natural fibres now includes composite production of sheet moulding compound, resin transfer moulding, and vacuum pressing techniques and injection.

Jute has entered various diversified sectors, where natural fibres are gradually becoming better substitution. Among these industries are paper, celluloid products (films), nonwoven textiles, composites (pseudo-wood), and geotextiles.

Uses
Jute is the second most important vegetable fibre after cotton; not only for cultivation, but also for various uses. Jute is used chiefly to make cloth for wrapping bales of raw cotton, and to make sacks and coarse cloth. The fibres are also woven into curtains, chair coverings, carpets, area rugs, hessian cloth, and backing for linoleum.

While jute is being replaced by synthetic materials in many of these uses, some uses take advantage of jute's biodegradable nature, where synthetics would be unsuitable. Examples of such uses include containers for planting young trees which can be planted directly with the container without disturbing the roots, and land restoration where jute cloth prevents erosion occurring while natural vegetation becomes established.

The fibres are used alone or blended with other types of fibres to make twine and rope. Jute butts, the coarse ends of the plants, are used to make inexpensive cloth. Conversely, very fine threads of jute can be separated out and made into imitation silk. As Jute fibres are also being used to make pulp and paper, and with increasing concern over forest destruction for the wood pulp used to make most paper, the importance of jute for this purpose may increase. Jute has a long history of use in the sackings, carpets, wrapping fabrics (cotton bale), construction fabric manufacturing industry.

Traditionally Jute was used in traditional textile machineries as textile fibres having cellulose (vegetable fibre content) and lignin (wood fibre content). But, the major breakthrough came, when the automobile industry, pulp and paper industry, and the furniture and bedding industry started to use jute and its allied fibres with their non-woven and composite technology to manufacture nonwovens, technical textiles, and composits. Therefore, jute has changed its textile fibre outlook and steadily heading towards its newer identity, i.e. wood fibre. Because, as a textile fibre, jute has reached its peak from where there is no hope of progress. But, as a wood fibre, jute has many promising features [1].

Jute has entered various diversified sectors, where natural fibres are gradually becoming better substitution. Among these industries are paper, celluloid products (films), nonwoven textiles (for car interiors and other uses), composites (pseudo-wood), and geotextiles.

Geotextile is another fact that made this agricultural commodity more popular in the agricultural sector. It is a lightly woven fabric made from natural fibres that is used for soil erosion control, seed protection, weed control, and many other agricultural and landscaping uses. The geotextiles can be used more than a year and the bio-degradable jute geotextile left to rot on the ground keeps the ground cool and is able to make the land more fertile. Methods such as this could be used to transfer the fertility of the Ganges Delta to the deserts of Sahara or Australia [citation needed].

Moreover, jute can be grown in 4-6 months with a huge amount of cellulose being produced from the Jute hurd (Inner woody core or parenchyma of the Jute stem) that can meet most of the wood needs of the world. Jute is the major crop among others that is able to protect deforestation by industrialisation.

Thus, jute is the most environment-friendly fibre starting from the seed to expired fibre, as the expired fibres can be recycled more than once.

Diversified byproducts which can be cultivated from jute include uses in food, cosmetics, medicine, paints, and other products.

Features
Jute fibre is 100% bio-degradable and recyclable and thus environment friendly.
It is a natural fibre with golden and silky shine and hence called The Golden Fibre
It is the cheapest vegetable fibre procured from the bast or skin of the plant's stem
It is the second most important vegetable fibre after cotton, in terms of usage, global consumption, production, and availability
It has high tensile strength, low extensibility, and ensures better breathability of fabrics. Therefore, jute is very suitable in agricultural commodity bulk packaging
It helps to make best quality industrial yarn, fabric, net, and sacks. It is one of the most versatile natural fibres that has been used in raw materials for packaging, textiles, non-textile, construction, and agricultural sectors. Bulking of yarn results in a reduced breaking tenacity and an increased breaking extensibility when blended as a ternary blend.
Jute plant is derived from a relative of the Hemp (Cannabis) plant. However, Jute is totally free from narcotic elements or odour
The varieties of Jute are: Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius) and White Jute (Corchorus capsularis)
The best source of Jute in the world is the Bengal Delta Plain in the Ganges Delta, most of which is occupied by Bangladesh.
Advantages of jute include good insulating and antistatic properties, as well as having low thermal conductivity and a moderate moisture regain. Other advantages of jute include acoustic insulating properties and manufacture with no skin irritations.
Jute has the ability to be blended with other fibres, both synthetic and natural, and accepts cellulosic dye classes such as natural, basic, vat, sulfur, reactive, and pigment dyes. As the demand for natural comfort fibres increases, the demand for jute and other natural fibres that can be blended with cotton will increase. To meet this demand, it has been suggested that the natural fibre industry adopt the Rieter's Elitex system, in order to modernize processing. The resulting jute/cotton yarns will produce fabrics with a reduced cost of wet processing treatments. Jute can also be blended with wool. By treating jute with caustic soda, crimp, softness, pliability and appearance is improved, aiding in its ability to be spun with wool. Liquid ammonia has a similar effect on jute, as well as the added characteristic of improving flame resistance when treated with flameproofing agents.
Some noted disadvantages include poor drapability and crease resistance, brittleness, fibre shedding, and yellowing in sunlight. However, preparation of fabrics with castor oil lubricants result in less yellowing and less fabric weight loss, as well as increased dyeing brilliance. Jute has a decreased strength when wet, and also becomes subject to microbial attack in humid climates. Jute can be processed with an enzyme in order to reduce some of its brittleness and stiffness. Once treated with an enzyme, jute shows an affinity to readily accept natural dyes, which can be made from marigold flower extract. In one attempt to dye jute fabric with this extract, bleached fabric was mordanted with ferrous sulphate, increasing the fabrics dye uptake value. Jute also responds well to reactive dyeing. This process is used for bright and fast coloured value-added diversified products made from jute.


Coarse Jute fabric is the most popular fabric that is used for making sacks all over the world. Apart from this, jute bags, jute mattress for bedding, jute ropes and paper are also common to see. Numerous uses truly make the Jute one of the most versatile fibers gifted to man by nature that finds various uses in the form of handicrafts, bags, rugs, carpets. Next to cotton, jute is the cheapest and the most important of all textile fibers. Furthermore it is the strength characteristics of jute that makes it so demanding in rope and yarn industry. Jute cultivation provides work for millions of farmers, landless laborers, industrial workers and provides jobs for many others, indirectly.

Because of low cost, more strength, high production level and renewal tendency, jute fabric is the one of the most popular natural fabrics.


Jute Fabric History in India
In India the production of jute is not new. It was the English traders who first of all found out the importance of jute and regarded it as a good substitute to hemp and flax that are quiet expensive fabrics. Kolkata in West Bengal is and was the hub for the jute fabric production as raw material here is easily available. So in 1855, Kolkata saw the first jute mill in the year 1855. By 1869 there were five mills and by 1910 the number rose to 38 such mills. After partition most of the jute fiber growing part turned to Pakistan but India soon had made a remarkable growth in the production of raw material. Now this industry has fully grown and all the jute fabric suppliers, manufacturers and jute fabric exporter's need are taken care by the various associations.

To further promote the jute industry in India, the Jute Manufactures Development Council was established in 1983 by the Act of Indian Parliament under the Government of India. Jute Manufacturers, Jute Suppliers, Jute Exporters from India with the overall jute industry were benefited a lot by the Jute Manufacturers Development Council. JMDC is doing all sorts of efforts in uplifting the better marketing of the jute products. With this manufacturing of jute fabric in Delhi, Jaipur, Gujrat and other states is also getting popular along with Kolkata who are now entering into big market of natural fabric.
Improvement in the Jute Fabric
In the beginning jute fabric was only used for making bags and sacks but later on its usage in garments and in textile furnishings had also been explored. So from the coarse jute fabric, finer fabric called burlap or hessian were produced. This has give a real growth to Indian jute mills. Hessian is also popular as jute fabric UK.
Processing of Jute
As the raw material for jute fabric is grown in different parts of the state and country so the difference in the color, strength and size is natural. The first jute process is batching where all the raw fibers are blended to give uniform strength and color. Then to remove any barky portion from the fabric jute and to make it completely plaint, jute is treated with oil and water emulsion in the spiral fluted rollers. After this in breaker or finisher cards, the jute fiber length is reduced and these are then transformed to 5" to 6" wide ribbons called sliver. Silvers are then twisted to form rove on to bobbins. This is then used to spin the jute fabric.
Characteristics of Jute Fabric
Jute fabric is made from the long, soft and shiny fiber that are spun into grainy but strong threads. Jute is one of the cheapest natural fibers, and is second only to cotton in the amount produced and variety of uses. Jute fibers are composed primarily of the plant materials cellulose, lignin, and pectin that makes it half textile fiber and half wood. Both the fiber and the plant from which it comes are commonly called jute. Also known by the name of hessian, jute fibers can have off white to brown color.

Jute textile is also known for its resistant towards weathering where it can with stand harsh weather and wetting without loosing its strength. It is easy to print, dye, the jute fabric that make it a versatile fabric.
Uses of Jute Fabric
The uses of jute are manifold although the traditional use remains in packing as sacking, hessian and carpet backing. These light weight yarns are to be used in value added textile applications like upholstery, furnishing, garments and bags etc, are just a few examples.
•Jute is used chiefly to make cloth for wrapping bales of raw cotton
•Jute textile is used to make gunny sacks and gunny cloth. In European countries the jute bags are also called gunny bags.
•The fibers are also woven into curtains, chair coverings, carpets, and burlap.
•Very fine threads of jute are made into imitation silk as thus can be found in high quality cloth.
•The fibers are used alone or blended with other types of fibers to make twine and rope.
•Fine fabric made from jute across the world and more popularly in America is known as burlap that is used to make cloth, garments and bags.
•Fabric jute is also used to make canvas that are used for protection from rough weather.
•Wool jute that is the quality of wool as well as jute is chiefly used to make carpets, bath rugs, and durries. Wool jute rugs are getting very popular. These wool jute rugs , carpets and mats are available in various designs and dyed in almost every color to make them more presentable. But the natural look of wool jute is preferred by the consumers who have the taste for natural home and textile furnishings. Pottery Barn is the most popular brand selling wool jute durries and rugs.
•Jute cotton is mainly used to make bags, rugs and sarees. Jute cotton fabric is finer because of cotton blends in jute. Garments made from jute cotton are getting popular and one can see these in ramp these days. Jute cotton breathes air as it allows sir to pass through it. It is also known for its jute properties like resistance towards bacteria and high on flexibility and durability. Shower curtains, living room jute curtains, are also made from jute cotton fabric. Jute cotton and wool jute are also used to make bed spreads , bed covers, pillow covers, jute blinds and other such accessories to decorate your home.
Jute Fabric Suppliers
In India there are numerous jute fabric suppliers who are chiefly located in Kolkata, West Bengal. But jute fabric suppliers can also be found in the other states of India. Few main Jute fabric suppliers are Indarsen Shamlal (P) Ltd, Debonair Fashions Pvt Ltd, Kashmir Craft Creations, Vijay Corporation, Sanjarr International, V-tech Marketing, Polytex Linen Cotton Limited and Ganapati Udyog.

Jute fabric wholesale suppliers keep the quality of jute fabric in mind before manufacturing the fabric and making different products out of it. Jute manufacturers and jute fabric suppliers complete range of jute yarn, jute handspun yarns, various designs and colors of jute fabric along with other fabrics.

Exporters of jute fabric also make jute cloth, jute yarns and other jute material.
Jute Manufacturers
Jute manufacturers not only make the jute fabric and jute textile but also make wonderful jute products that are bought by the consumers all across the world. These products by the jute manufacturers include jute twine, jute yarn, jute ropes, jute coil, jute slippers, bags, kurtas, garments et al
The few jute manufacturers are listed here:

•Boss Communication Pvt. Ltd. [Maharashtra,India]
•Eco Jute Pvt Ltd [West Bengal,India]
•M P International [West Bengal,India]
•Maaz International [Delhi,India]
•Nature Design Concepts [Delhi,India]
•Shabanam Exports [West Bengal,India]
•Varsha Fibre-Fab Industries [Maharashtra,India

TEXTILE FURNISHING

Textile furnishings is the chief component of interior decoration of your home that is also called soft furnishings or home furnishings. Interior decoration with textile furnishings is all about textile, fabrics, color etc. To furnish a home, every type of fabric can be used that is available in vast range of colors, designs, patterns & style. You think of anything you will find it on fabric. In so much variety you really need to scratch your brain cells & work creatively.


To work on the textile part for home decoration, you must first of all decide the color & fabric that you need for different rooms. Think what you like & dislike in terms of color & style. Say your liking can be towards bright color or you can have taste towards all natural & earthy colors. Also involve your family in this. Take suggestions from kids to decorate their room.


You can start with one room, finish it and then pick the next one. In this way your work will be more organized and will give the desired results of interior decoration. Like, if you are thinking to furnish your bedroom then you can consider textile furnishings as floor throws, bed sheets, pillows, bed spreads, carpets, curtains for windows, bed comforters, mattress covers etc. You will find every color of rainbow here. Even the price vary a lot with brands and styles.


Now each room has its specific requirements. So check out for options of textile furnishings. Also along with the color & fabric, check for the style you wanna go for. It can vary from traditional, casual to modern. You will find numerous books, online websites that can make your journey even more smoother.


What is required in textile furnishings
Textile furnishings for interior decoration is not only meant for ornamentation but also for strength & safety. So you should always check the fabric that you are going to use. Now the use of fabric is entirely your choice but make sure to use right kind at right place. For example


•Shower curtain fabric must resist water and should have anti mild property
•Curtains in any room must have anti fade tendency
•Bedding fabric must be soft, comfortable, wrinkle free, pest resistant
•Fabric that you are going to use in kitchen must be flame resistant
•Bath mats, carpets or mat for any other purpose and floor item should be anti slippery
So basically it is the purpose and place where you are going to use the fabric will decide its quality. To buy any textile or home furnishing fabric for home decor better to check for which room and purpose you are going to use it. This will help you in finding the most suitable fabric for home decor.


Achieve Style by Using Textile Furnishings For Interior Home Decoration
You can use different combinations and fabrics to create a style for your home decoration. If you have elegant furniture and marvelous flooring then you must need a home furnishings that match the entire decor.


•For curtain you can use satin if you like free flows. You can also use corduroy if your taste is more towards thick fabric. Corduroy fabric comes in various damask styles that look wonderful. In market you will also find organza curtain that can be used with thick fabric or you can go for the ready made cotton curtains to change the whole look.
•You can use natural bed sheets and bedspreads and on that use varied colored pillows and comforters. In this way you can change the entire look of your bedroom
•For drawing & dining room furnishings you can use table mats, table runners, dining cushion covers that are in harmony.
•Carpets are the great way to enhance the look of any room where they are used. Small rugs can be placed near to bed, and a full carpet in the living or drawing room.
•Bathroom is place where you can also experiment with the textile furnishings. Use colorful shower curtains, matching bath rugs, bath mats & hand towels
. You can really give it a personal touch and make bathroom a personal retreat.
In this way you can make use of all the available textile furnishings for your interior decoration. If required you can also take the assistance of interior designer.

Indian handlooms

'Indian Handlooms', a term that spells exquisity, ebullience and enunciate a multifarious equip of excogitating designs, both ethnic and modernistic. Providing livelihood to 90 million people, the level of artistry and intricacy achieved by Indian handloom fabrics is unparalleled and beyond the scope of modern machinery, preserving its heritage and culture.

With a long tradition of excellence in its craftsmanship, Indian handloom is said to have dated back to the ancient ages. The earliest Indian fragment of cloth (before the Christian era) with a hansa (swan) design was excavated from a site near Cairo. Later excavations from Harappan sites revealed a scrap of coarse madder dyed cloth and a terracotta spindle whorls which evidenced their expertise over handlooms, Indian handlooms, to be more specific.

The turning point of Indian handlooms and its weavers is said to be India’s independence i.e. 15th of august, 1947. The Charkha acted as a symbol of national regeneration, as propagated by Mahatma Gandhi, and the focus on the weavers of Indian handlooms during the Indian freedom movement was largely responsible for the breakthrough. And at the dawn of independence, Indian handloom industry became the largest cottage industry of the country, a point of recognition which is still maintained.

Indian handlooms cater to the needs of a diverse cultural ethos ranging from exquisite fabrics to popular items of mass production for daily use. A village without a weaver is a myth in the Indian scenario; millions of looms across the country are busy producing the traditional beauty of a precious heritage called Indian handlooms.

Undoubtedly cotton gave the splendid weavers of Indian handloom their resplendent expression but silk and woolen cloths also originated during the pre-Vedic era, endemic to India. In the world of handlooms there are muslin of Chanderi, silk brocades of Varanasi, the ikats from Andhra and Orissa, the tie and dye from Rajasthan and Gujrat, the phulkari and khes of Punjab, jacquards from Uttar Pradesh, the phenek, tongam and bottle designs from Assam and Manipur, and lots more. Indian handloom continues to be craft oriented, even though it was circumscribed by a limited choice of processing and technology.

The Indian handloom industry mainly exports fabrics, bed spreads and covers, quilts, shams, pillow covers, curtains, towels, table linen, cushions and pads, tapestries and upholsteries, carpets, etc, the whole lot needed in making a house a home.Looking back, the story of the Indian handlooms in the last fifty years is one of patient nurturing of an industry which touches upon the livelihood of millions of Indians.

Little efforts were given to develop the Indian handloom sector during the first half of the present industry. The handloom weavers were pitted against modern textile mills. Their ingenuity and skill contributed to their success in preserving the long tradition of excellence of Indian handlooms.And in today's date Indian handlooms are going global in a big way and have found support in the designer community. "Handlooms represent not just an industry but the cultural heritage of India. It needs to chart out a road map for itself. Designers can play a major role in promoting handlooms. However, so far we have not been able to utilize our own resources to cope up with the changing lifestyles and aspirations.

The handloom industry and the fashion designers should work in coordination to initiate yet another 'swadeshi' movement," Rathi Vinay Jha said at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week held in the capital recently. A rich and resilient media of ethnic expression, Indian handloom is given is due respect by the government too.

National awards are given every year to master weavers in recognition of their excellence and contribution. An expression which deserves to be respected and preserved, Indian handlooms has been subsumed into the national and ethnic design vocabularies of the world.

Weaving

Weaving is the textile art in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads, called the warp and the filling or weft (older woof), are interlaced with each other to form a fabric or cloth. The warp threads run lengthways of the piece of cloth, and the weft runs across from side to side.

Cloth is woven on a loom, a device for holding the warp threads in place while the filling threads are woven through them. Weft is an old English word meaning "that which is woven".

The manner in which the warp and filling threads interlace with each other is known as the weave. The three basic weaves are plain weave, satin weave, and twill, and the majority of woven products are created with one of these weaves.

Woven cloth can be plain (in one color or a simple pattern), or it can be woven in decorative or artistic designs, including tapestries. Fabric in which the warp and/or weft is tie-dyed before weaving is called ikat.

The ancient art of handweaving, along with hand spinning, remains a popular craft. The majority of commercial fabrics in the West are woven on computer-controlled Jacquard looms. In the past, simpler fabrics were woven on dobby looms, while the Jacquard harness adaptation was reserved for more complex patterns. Some believe the efficiency of the Jacquard loom, with its Jacquard weaving process, makes it more economical for mills to use them to weave all of their fabrics, regardless of the complexity of the design.

Process

An Indian weaver preparing his warpIn general, weaving involves the interlacing of two sets of threads at right angles to each other: the warp and the weft. The warp are held taut and in parallel order, typically by means of a loom, though some forms of weaving may use other methods. The loom is warped (or dressed) with the warp threads passing through heddles on two or more harnesses. The warp threads are moved up or down by the harnesses creating a space called the shed. The weft thread is wound onto spools called bobbins. The bobbins are placed in a shuttle which carries the weft thread through the shed. The raising and lowering sequence of warp threads gives rise to many possible weave structures:

plain weave,
twill weave,
satin weave, and
complex computer-generated interlacings.
Both warp and weft can be visible in the final product. By spacing the warp more closely, it can completely cover the weft that binds it, giving a warpfaced textile such as rep weave. Conversely, if the warp is spread out, the weft can slide down and completely cover the warp, giving a weftfaced textile, such as a tapestry or a Kilim rug. There are a variety of loom styles for hand weaving and tapestry. In tapestry, the image is created by placing weft only in certain warp areas, rather than across the entire warp width.

Ancient and traditional cultures

Prehistoric woven objects and weaving toolsThere are some indications that weaving was already known in the Palaeolithic era. An indistinct textile impression has been found at Pavlov, Moravia. Neolithic textiles are well known from finds in pile dwellings in Switzerland. One extant fragment from the Neolithic was found in Fayum at a site which dates to about 5000 BCE. This fragment is woven at about 12 threads by 9 threads per cm in a plain weave. Flax was the predominant fibre in Egypt at this time and continued popularity in the Nile Valley, even after wool became the primary fibre used in other cultures around 2000 BCE. Another Ancient Egyptian item, known as the Badari dish, depicts a textile workshop. This item, catalogue number UC9547, is now housed at the Petrie Museum and dates to about 3600 BCE. Enslaved women worked as weavers during the Sumerian Era. They would wash wool fibers in hot water and wood-ash soap and then dry them. Next, they would beat out the dirt and card the wool. The wool was then graded, bleached, and spun into a thread. The spinners would pull out fibers and twist them together. This was done by either rolling fibers between palms or using a hooked stick. The thread was then placed on a wooden or bone spindle and rotated on a clay whorl which operated like a flywheel.

The slaves would then work in three-woman teams on looms, where they stretched the threads, after which they passed threads over and under each other at perpendicular angles. The finished cloth was then taken to a fuller.

Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) points to numerous Biblical references to weaving in ancient times:

Weaving was an art practised in very early times (Ex. 35:35). The Egyptians were specially skilled in it (Isa. 19:9; Ezek. 27:7), and some have regarded them as its inventors.

In the wilderness, the Hebrews practised it (Ex. 26:1, 8; 28:4, 39; Lev. 13:47). It is referred to in subsequent times as specially the women's work (2 Kings 23:7; Prov. 31:13, 24). No mention of the loom is found in Scripture, but we read of the "shuttle" (Job 7:6), "the pin" of the beam (Judg. 16:14), "the web" (13, 14), and "the beam" (1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 21:19). The rendering, "with pining sickness," in Isa. 38:12 (A.V.) should be, as in the Revised Version, "from the loom," or, as in the margin, "from the thrum." We read also of the "warp" and "woof" (Lev. 13:48, 49, 51-53, 58, 59), but the Revised Version margin has, instead of "warp," "woven or knitted stuff."

American Southwest

Weaving a traditional Navajo rugTextile weaving, using cotton dyed with pigments, was a dominant craft among pre-contact tribes of the American southwest, including various Pueblo peoples, the Zuni, and the Ute tribes. The first Spaniards to visit the region wrote about seeing Navajo blankets. With the introduction of Navajo-Churro sheep, the resulting woolen products have become very well known. By the 1700s the Navajo had begun to import yarn with their favorite color, Bayeta red. Using an upright loom, the Navajos wove blankets and then rugs after the 1880s for trade. Navajo traded for commercial wool, such as Germantown, imported from Pennsylvania. Under the influence of European-American settlers at trading posts, Navajos created new and distinct styles, including "Two Gray Hills" (predominantly black and white, with traditional patterns), "Teec Nos Pos" (colorful, with very extensive patterns), "Ganado" (founded by Don Lorenzo Hubbell), red dominated patterns with black and white, "Crystal" (founded by J. B. Moore), Oriental and Persian styles (almost always with natural dyes), "Wide Ruins," "Chinlee," banded geometric patterns, "Klagetoh," diamond type patterns, "Red Mesa" and bold diamond patterns. Many of these patterns exhibit a fourfold symmetry, which is thought to embody traditional ideas about harmony, or hózhó.

Amazonia
In Native Amazonia, densely woven palm-bast mosquito netting, or tents, were utilized by the Panoans, Tupí, Western Tucano, Yameo, Záparoans, and perhaps by the indigenous peoples of the central Huallaga River basin (Steward 1963:520). Aguaje palm-bast (Mauritia flexuosa, Mauritia minor, or swamp palm) and the frond spears of the Chambira palm (Astrocaryum chambira, A.munbaca, A.tucuma, also known as Cumare or Tucum) have been used for centuries by the Urarina of the Peruvian Amazon to make cordage, net-bags hammocks, and to weave fabric. Among the Urarina, the production of woven palm-fiber goods is imbued with varying degrees of an aesthetic attitude, which draws its authentication from referencing the Urarina’s primordial past. Urarina mythology attests to the centrality of weaving and its role in engendering Urarina society. The post-diluvial creation myth accords women’s weaving knowledge a pivotal role in Urarina social reproduction.[2] Even though palm-fiber cloth is regularly removed from circulation through mortuary rites, Urarina palm-fiber wealth is neither completely inalienable, nor fungible since it is a fundamental medium for the expression of labor and exchange. The circulation of palm-fiber wealth stabilizes a host of social relationships, ranging from marriage and fictive kinship (compadrazco, spiritual compeership) to perpetuating relationships with the deceased.

Islamic world

Girls weaving a Persian rug, Hamadan, circa 1922. Note cartoons at top of loom.Hand weaving of Persian carpets and kilims has been an important element of the tribal crafts of many of the subregions of modern day Iran. Examples of carpet types are the Lavar Kerman carpet from Kerman and the Seraband rug from Arak.

An important innovation in weaving that was developed in the Muslim world during the Islamic Golden Age was the introduction of foot pedals to operate a loom. The first such devices appeared in Syria, Iran and Islamic parts of East Africa, where "the operator sat with his feet in a pit below a fairly low-slung loom." By 1177, it was further developed in Al-Andalus, where having the mechanism was "raised higher above the ground on a more substantial frame." This type of loom spread to the Christian parts of Spain and soon became popular all over medieval Europe.
Europe
Dark Age and Medieval Europe
Weighted-warp looms were commonplace in Europe until the development of more advanced looms around the 10th-11th centuries. Especially in colder climates, where a large floor loom would take up too much valuable floor space, the more primitive looms remained in use until the 20th Century to produce "homespun" cloth for individual family needs. The primary material woven in most of Europe was wool, though linen was also common, and imported silk thread was occasionally made into cloth. Both men and women were weavers, though the task often fell to the wife of a farming household. Fabric width was limited to the reach of the weaver, but was sufficient for the tunic-style garments worn in much of Europe at the time. A plain weave or twill was common, since professional weavers with skills to produce better fabrics were rare.

Weaving was a strictly local enterprise until later in the period, when larger weaving operations sprung up in places like Brugges, in Flanders. Within this setting, master weavers could improve their craft and pass skills along to apprentices. As the Middle Ages progressed, significant trade in fine cloth developed, and loom technology improved to allow very thin threads to be woven. Weaver's guilds (and associated craft guilds, like fullers) gained significant political and economic power in some of the bigger weaving cities.

Colonial America
Colonial America was heavily reliant on Great Britain for manufactured goods of all kinds. British policy was to encourage the production of raw materials in colonies. Weaving was not prohibited, but the export of British wool was. As a result many people wove cloth from locally produced fibers in Colonial America.

In Colonial times the colonists mostly used wool, cotton and flax (linen) for weaving, though hemp fiber could be made into serviceable canvas and heavy cloth also. They could get one cotton crop each fall, but until the invention of the cotton gin it was a labor-intensive process to separate the seeds from the cotton fiber. Flax and hemp were harvested in the summer, and the stalks rendered for the long fibers within. Wool could be sheared up to twice yearly, depending on the breed of sheep.

A plain weave was preferred in Colonial times, and the added skill and time required to make more complex weaves kept them from common use in the average household. Sometimes designs were woven into the fabric but most were added after weaving using wood block prints or embroidery.

Industrial Revolution
Main article: Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
Before the Industrial Revolution, weaving remained a manual craft, usually undertaken part-time by family craftspeople. Looms might be broad or narrow; broad looms were those too wide for the weaver to pass the shuttle through the shed, so that the weaver needed an assistant (often an apprentice). This ceased to be necessary after John Kay invented the flying shuttle in 1733, which also sped up the process of weaving.

Great Britain
The first attempt to mechanise weaving was the work of Edmund Cartwright from 1785. He built a factory at Doncaster and obtained a series of patents between 1785 and 1792. In 1788, his brother Major John Cartwight built Revolution Mill at Retford (named for the centenary of the Glorious Revolution. In 1791, he licensed his loom to the Grimshaw brothers of Manchester, but their Knott Mill burnt down the following year (possibly a case of arson). Edmund Cartwight was granted a reward of £10,000 by Parliament for his efforts in 1809.[5] However, success in power-weaving also required improvements by others, including H. Horrocks of Stockport. Only during the two decades after about 1805, did power-weaving take hold. Textile manufacture was one of the leading sectors in the British Industrial Revolution, but weaving was a comparatively late sector to be mechanised. The loom became semi- automatic in 1842 with Kenworthy and Bulloughs Lancashire Loom. The various innovations took weaving from a home-based artisan activity (labour intensive and man-powered) to steam driven factories process. A large metal manufacturing industry grew to produce the looms, firms such as Howard & Bullough of Accrington, and Tweedales and Smalley and Platt Brothers. Most cotton weaving took place in weaving sheds, in small towns circling Greater Manchester and worsted weaving in West Yorkshire - men and women with weaving skills emigrated, and took the knowledge to their new homes in New England, in places like Pawtucket and Lowell.

The invention in France of the Jacquard loom, enabled complicated patterned cloths to be woven, by using punched cards to determine which threads of coloured yarn should appear on the upper side of the cloth.

America, 1800-1900
The Jacquard loom attachment was perfected in 1801, and was becoming common in Europe by 1806. It came to the US in the early 1820's, some immigrant weavers bringing jacquard equipment with them, and spread west from New England. At first it was used with traditional human-powered looms. As a practical matter, previous looms were mostly limited to the production of simple geometric patterns. The jacquard allowed individual control of each warp thread, row by row without repeating, so very complex patterns were suddenly feasible. Jacquard woven coverlets (bedspreads) became popular by mid-century, in some cases being custom-woven with the name of the customer embedded in the programmed pattern. Undyed cotton warp was usually combined with dyed wool weft.

Natural dyes were used until just before the American Civil War, when artificial dyes started to come into use.

fabric selection

Selecting the right fabric is very confusing because of the overwhelming and tremendous selections available. As you go over the different types of fabrics, the first thing that catches your attention is the splashy colors. Then you start to gain interest in their textures and weaves. The options are just too many which is why being informed about fabrics is very important to have a sewing project that is successful.

Types Of Fabric According To Its Fiber Content

The fiber content of fabric generally determines how comfortable the fabric it once worn, and how you can properly take care of the garment. Below is a list of the types of fabric with its corresponding fiber content.

Natural Fiber Fabrics - These include cotton, linen, ramie, silk and wool.

Man-Made Fiber Fabrics - Examples are acetate and triacetate, acrylic, nylon, olefin, polyesters, rayon, and spandex.

Leathers And Suede's

Synthetic Suede's

Vinyl's

Furs


Natural Fiber Fabrics

These are made from materials found and grown in nature. The fibers used come from silkworm cocoons, animal coats, leaves, and stems. These types of fabrics are recyclable and are biodegradable. In recycling, fabrics are shredded again to fibers, and re-spun into a coarse yarn before finally weaving or knitting them. The most common recycled fabrics is wool. Additionally, cotton can also be recycled and then created into mattress fillings, wiping cloths, and carpet backings.

Cotton

This is popular for its appearance, versatility, performance, and comforts. Cotton is available in varied fabric weights, patterns, colors, prices, and weaves. Cottons basically come from seedpods of cotton plants. These plants are grown in places with warm climates with enough rainfall. Cotton fibers are carefully put to a boil to vary its length. The longer the length, the more expensive they are.

Hemp

This is produced out of the cannabis Sativa plant. The process of making hemp starts by separating the fibers of the Sativa plant and then weaving it to form yarns and fabrics. The finest hemp fabric is produced in Italy. Hemp appears linen like and wrinkles easily.

Linen

This type of fabric is made from stalks of the flax plant, the strongest among all the vegetable fibers. Linen is two to three times stronger than cotton. Its fibers can range from two to thirty-six inches long. In making linen, the fibers are first spun to form a yarn, which is woven to become a fabric. This fabric comes in a variety of weights.

The lightest is the handkerchief, and the heaviest is the linen suiting. Because of its ability to absorb high amounts of moisture, linen is best for hot and humid climates. The more linen is washed, the more it becomes softer and smoother. The smooth surface of the linen is due to its natural wax content.

Ramie

This is a soft, hairy fiber with almost similar qualities as those of linen. Ramie is frequently blended with some other types of fabrics either man-made or natural. Ramie also has a high luster and comes in a natural white color. Since it is quick absorbent, it is very quick to dry.

Silk

Known as the queen of all Textiles:, silk is a sensuous and luxurious cloth that is made out of cocoons of the silkworm. There are generally two types of silkworms namely: commercial or cultivated, and the wild.

Wool

This is a natural anima fiber that is made from animal coats. The fibers of wool can easily curl which makes it spongy because of the spaces it creates when it curls. Wool is warm to wear during the summer, and cool in the winter. It absorbs moisture and is water repellent, flame resistant, and it resists wrinkling.

Batik

This is a man-made fiber that is either 100% rayon or 100% cotton. Batik is created thru a dyeing process that is based from a wax applied to the fabric.

Batiste And Voile

Batiste is a man-made fabric known for its soft and semi-sheer characteristics. It can be polyester, cotton, or cotton blend. This type of fabric is very lightweight, durable, washable, and comfortable. This is used as under linings, or for heirloom sewing, but this is also ideal for interfacings, lingerie, and blouses. Additionally, voile is similar with batiste, only it is crisper and comes in a great variety of colors.

Choosing the right fabric is indeed overwhelming because of the many options you can consider. Take time to identify which fabric will work well before you finally decide to purchase.

A loom is a machine or device for weaving thread or yarn into textiles. Looms can range from very small hand-held frames, to large free-standing hand looms, to huge automatic mechanical devices. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese used looms as early as 4000 BC.

The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but the basic function is the same.

HANDLOOM

Elements of a foot-treadle floor loom

1.Wood frame
2.Seat for weaver
3.Warp beam- let off
4.Warp threads
5.Back beam or platen
6.Rods – used to make a shed
7.Heddle frame - heald frame - harness
8.Heddle- heald - the eye
9.Shuttle with weft yarn
10.Shed
11.Completed fabric
12.Breast beam
13.Batten with reed comb
14.Batten adjustment
15.Lathe
16.Treadles
17.Cloth roll- takeup


The earliest looms were wooden vertical-shaft looms, with the heddles fixed in place in the shaft. The warp threads pass alternately through a heddle and through a space between the heddles (the shed), so that raising the shaft raises half the threads (those passing through the heddles), and lowering the shaft lowers the same threads -- the threads passing through the spaces between the heddles remain in place