Fabric Buyers Guide

On Fabric Quality

• Check the fabric content to see what maintenance it requires to keep looking good. Make sure that its something you will have no difficulty doing and its something you want to do.
• Let your sense-of-touch be your judge. Fabric must feel pleasant inside and out.
• Squeeze a handful of fabric for wrinkle reaction. Before buying, ask yourself if its really something you need.
• Fabrics that drape smoothly flows smoothly.
• Quality made linen, organdy, organza and taffeta must look and stay crisp.

Things to remember

• Buy always the best quality that you can afford.
• Don't ignore workmanship.
• Make sure you have the poise to carry through whatever you wear.
• Too tight clothing is not comfortable even if it looks extremely good on you.
• Too tight clothing tends to break fast.
• Check for stretching of the garment. Elasticity must be checked before buying.
• Watch out for fabrics that may shrink, expand or discolor.

Fabrics that may shrink or expand

Cotton, Linen, Rayon

Fabrics that may discolor or bleed

Silk , cotton, linen

Fabrics and their properties

Woven Cotton : Including prints, solids, corduroy, cotton suede.

• Preshrink all woven cotton before cutting to avoid the 1-2% residual shrinkage, i.e. wet the fabric thoroughly by hand or machine and dry in a dryer or let drip dry
• Most cottons are machine washable unless otherwise marked. Use warm or cool water rather than hot for best color performance.
• Most cottons are machine dryable one they have been preshrunk. Us a warm dryer rather than a hot one and do not overdry.
• A fabric softener will reduce wrinkles.
• Finishes, such as crease resistant, means that wrinkles should shake and hang out easily; permanent press and wash and wear finishes mean that little or no ironing is necessary after washing.
• Finish silk screened cotton with white backgrounds should be tested for color fastness by washing a scrap before laundering the garment. Wash separately in cool water and allow to drip dry or dry in a cool dryer.
• Quilted cottons-hand wash and drip dry.
• Cotton suede and cotton velveteen-if marked washable=hand wash in cold water and drip dry.

Cotton Knits :including doubleknits, singleknits, velours and terry.

• Absolutely preshrink all of the above cotton knits before cutting.
• After preshrinking, machine wash and dry in warm water on the gentle cycle or hand wash in warm and drip dry.
• If velour is washed by machine in warm on the gentle cycle, dry by machine to restore the nap. Use a warm dryer.
• Finish silk screened cotton knits and velours-wash in cold water by hand and drip dry or machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle and dry in a cool dryer.
• Terry-wash by hand or machine in cool water. Drip dry or dry in a cool dryer.
• Use ball point needles on all knits for best performance.

Woven Cotton/Polyester :

• Machine wash and dry in warm water on the gentle cycle. Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron.

Cotton/Polyester Knits :

• See cotton knits.
• Possible shrinkage should be less. Most cottons are machine dryable once they have been preshrunk. Use a warm dryer rather than a hot one and do not overdry.

Woven Polyester :

• No preshrinking is necessary.
• Machine wash in warm water on the gentle cycle.
• Dry in a warm dryer-a hot one may set wrinkles. If removed when dry, should need no ironing.
• Use synthetic or cool setting on the iron during construction.

Polyester Knits : including doubleknits, singleknits and warp knits.

• See woven polyester.
• Use ball point needles for best performance.

Polyester/Nylon And Polyester/Rayon Knits :

• No preshrinking is necessary.
• Machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle or wash by hand in cool water and do not wring.
• Drip dry or dry in a cool dyer and remove immediately when dry.
• Should need no ironing; during construction use a synthetic or cool setting.
• Use ball point needles for best performance.

Woven Nylon : Olana

• No preshrinking necessary.
• Machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle or wash by hand in cool water and do not wring.
• Dry in a low to warm dryer and remove immediately when dry or drip dry.
• Should need no ironing; during construction, use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron.
• Use a fine needle for best performance.

Nylon Knits : including Antron jerseys, Olana jerseys and Banlons

• No preshrinking is necessary.
• Wash by hand in cool water or by machine in cool water on the gentle cycle. Do not soak or wring. Drip dry or machine dry in a cool dryer and remove immediately.
• Interlock stitch knits can run. Always stay stitch raw edges and never stretch the raw edges while working on the garment.
• Use ball point needles for best performance.

Nylon/Acetate Knits :

• See nylon knits.

Woven Acetate :

• Acetate is usually dry cleaned. If marked washable, test a scrap for color fastness. If fast, hand wash in cold water and drip dry.
• Some woven acetate is guaranteed machine washable on the company board. If so, wash in cold water on the gentle cycle with gentle suds.
• Use a very cool iron.

Woven Acrylic : including challis, crepe and brushed wovens.

• No preshrinking is necessary.
• Wash in warm water by hand or machine on the gentle cycle.
• Drip dry or dry in a warm dryer and remove immediately.
• Should need little or no ironing; during construction use a very, very low setting on the iron.

Acrylic Knits : including doubleknits, singleknits, printed jerseys and ribknits.

• Doubleknits machine wash in warm water on the gentle cycle and dry in warm dryer.
• Singleknits hand wash in cold water and block to shape.
• Printed jerseys hand wash in cool water and drip dry or machine wash in cool water on the gentle cycle and dry in a cool dryer.
• Ribbed knits hand wash in cold water and block to shape unless guaranteed machine washable on the company board.
• Use ball point needles for best performance.

Acrylic/Polyester Knits :

• Doubleknits machine wash in warm water on the gentle cycle.
• Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron during construction.
• 50% POLYESTER/50% RAYON
• Hand wash cold or dry clean only.
• 100% RAYON VISCOSE
• Dry clean only.

Woven Wool And Woolen Blends :

• New washable wools wash in cool water by hand or machine on the gentle cycle. Do not soak or wring. Drip dry.
• Regular wools and woolen blends dry clean.

Wool Knits : including doubleknits and singleknits

• Dry clean only
• Use ball point needles for best performance.

Wool/Polyester Knits :

• Hand wash in cold water and block to shape or dry clean. Do not soak or wring. Use ball point needles for best performance.
• Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron during construction.

Velvet Types :including velveteen, fancy velvet, panne and chenille.

• Velveteen: dry clean unless marked washable. If so, hand wash in cool water and drip dry.
• Fancy velvet-dry clean only
• Panne and chenille types dry clean only.

Faux Furs And Faux Suedes :

• Dry clean fake furs and fake suedes.
• Use a synthetic or cool setting on the iron on the "wrong" side.

Burlap :

• Preshrink if the item is going to be washed in the future. Wash in cold water.

Vinyl :

• Wipe clean with a damp sponge.
• Vinylized finish cotton can be pressed on the cotton side with a cool iron.

Tapestries And Needlepoints :

• Dry clean only.

Casements :

• Those marked PVC, a synthetic, are hand washable in cold water. All others are dry cleanable only.