What is Chambray fabric - properties, description and application

Benefits of chambray fabric

• wear resistance (products made from this fabric can withstand various loads and are also designed for everyday use)
• hygroscopicity (the material absorbs moisture well, while the human body feels comfortable and comfortable)
• high density (thus creating resistance to various scratches and snags)
• antistatic;
• hypoallergenic (such fabric will not create any discomfort in use, it does not irritate the skin and does not emit unpleasant odors)
• simplicity and ease of care (products made from this fabric will not require any additional effort. This contributes to the distribution and accessibility of this material)
• the ability to use at any time of the year (due to this quality, things made from this material are considered universal)
• accessibility (today such products have an affordable price, so almost anyone can afford them)
• long service life (taking into account the above advantages, this material can last for many years with proper care)

Chambray today

The material is incredibly popular today. It supports the “heritage” trend, it reads both the “military past”, and the urban style, and the faded country sky. Today, the fabric is produced not only in blue, but also in another, usually natural color - white, gray, beige or brown. It is used to make shirts that are pleasant to wear and wear-resistant. They are good for summer and warm mid-season.

Stylish, non-staining items are appropriate for business and home environments. Fashion allows them to be combined with cargo shorts or an airy tulle skirt. However, when choosing a set of denim and chambray, take care of different shades of blue in the products.

Iconic models of youth clothing are created from this material: dresses in sports or country style, sundresses, tunics, blouses, multi-tiered long or laconic short skirts, overalls.

Shoes are also made from lightweight fabric, and the designers' experiments culminated in the production of swim trunks, bandanas, bags, baseball caps, scarves and pocket squares.

Denim fabric is loved by everyone for its practicality and attractive appearance. It goes well with silk, chintz and other materials, and together they create almost any composition.

How afgalen differs from other fabrics, what makes it unique, read here.

Types of chambray

Most manufacturers produce 100% cotton chambray. However, there are fabrics with synthetic or natural additives. Synthetic threads make the fabric wrinkle-resistant and increase strength.

The natural fibers commonly used are flax or hemp. The first gives the fabric a matte shine, as well as bacterial properties. Hemp fiber adds strength and rot resistance to the material. This option significantly reduces the cost of chambray, since the cost of producing the fiber is minimal.

Clothes care

The products are easy to care for.

• They are not afraid of numerous washings in an automatic machine and drying in a drum. At the same time, things do not shrink or fade. Manufacturers recommend washing them at 40°C.
• Things practically do not wrinkle; if necessary, they can be ironed like cotton fabric.

The diversity, versatility and practicality of chambray explains its unfading relevance. The material has not gone out of fashion for two centuries. Products made from this fabric are real lifesavers that prove your sense of style and impeccable taste.

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The history of chambray

The fabric was invented in northern France in the 16th century. The city of Cambrai is considered its homeland. This is where the name of the material came from in a somewhat distorted version. The fabric was originally made from flax, and then replaced with natural cotton fibers.

According to the production technology, chambray resembles denim. It consists of using a cross-weave white thread in the weft, and a colored thread in the warp. The threads are evenly intertwined, so the fabric does not have a clearly defined seamy side. The structure of chambray is similar to cambric.

The breathable properties of the new fabric were primarily appreciated by the clergy. Later, bed linen, handkerchiefs, tablecloths and even children's clothing were made from the fabric.

Until the 19th century, the material was used to sew collars and cuffs of linen shirts. In 1901, chambray began to be produced into clothing for the US Navy, which was worn until the end of World War II.

In the 20th century, uniforms for the American proletariat began to be made from the fabric, for which the workers were nicknamed “blue collars.”

Chambray remains popular today. The development of technology has made it possible to produce products not only in blue, but also in white, grey, beige and brown. Today, the fabric is used to make stylish, wear-resistant shirts that can be worn both at home and at work. In addition, iconic youth clothing is produced from this fabric: dresses, sundresses, blouses and skirts. Lightweight fabric options are used in shoe production. In addition, textiles can be found in swimming trunks, bandanas, bags, scarves and shawls.

Description and composition

Chambray is of natural origin and is made primarily from cotton. Initially, when it first appeared (it happened in France in the 16th century), it was made from linen, but in the 19th century it turned out that it was more profitable to produce chambray from cotton. Cotton material has better characteristics, is easier to dye, etc.

But the dye does not completely adhere to the cotton fibers, which is why the finished fabric looks like melange. Some fibers are brighter in color, while others are paler. This is a feature of the material that makes it easy to distinguish chambray from other fabrics.

Clothes made from this material are thin, but quite dense. Therefore, sewing summer clothes from chambray is common. The tags of these products also say “chambray”.

Advantages of the fabric:

• light and soft;
• irons well and is not afraid of high iron temperatures;
• goes well with many types of clothing;
• allows the skin to breathe and is easy to wear even in hot weather;
• does not rub or stretch even after a long time;
• does not fade or fade if you follow the care conditions;
• Suitable for allergy sufferers and children, because it does not contain synthetic fibers.

Flaws:

• It wrinkles a lot during washing and wearing (but can be ironed without any extra effort).

How to care for chambray fabric

Chambray is one of the most picky fabrics, so the requirements for its care are standard, as for any natural fabrics. If you follow these recommendations, your items will be in perfect order and will retain their original appearance throughout their entire service life.

How to wash chambray

The optimal water temperature for washing clothes and chambray products is no more than 40 degrees Celsius. At higher temperatures, the fabric may shrink, which can no longer be corrected. In addition, textiles may lose their shape and softness. For washing, you can use not only liquid gels, but also powders. The main thing is that they do not contain bleaching agents, otherwise the clothes may fade. The fabric withstands spinning well in the washing machine. Products can also be pressed manually. However, try not to twist them too much. While clothes are wet, the fibers become brittle and can become damaged.

How to dry chambray

Tumble drying is allowed, but in this case ironing the product will take a longer period of time. You can dry your clothes like regular clothes. The fabric is not afraid of heating devices, but it is better to avoid this if possible. One of the main recommendations is not to dry things in direct sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation can have a negative effect on the rich color of things.

How to iron chambray

To make ironing easier, it is better to dry clothes on hangers. Iron the chambray on the “cotton” setting. Wrinkles on things can be easily smoothed out by using damp gauze or a towel.

So, chambray is actively used for the production of fashionable, as well as youth and incredibly attractive clothing. A large assortment and a successful combination of products made from this fabric in a variety of styles allow you to choose the most optimal option, taking into account individual preferences. This material has not lost its relevance over the years. Following the instructions for caring for chambray items will help maintain their original appearance, so the items will last you for many seasons.

What are they sewing?

Almost all wardrobe items are made from chambray. The production of shirts and blouses is more common than others, but you can also find shorts, trousers, and even ties on sale! But stylists believe that due to the specific color of the fabric, there should only be one chambray item in the look. If you wear a shirt and shorts at the same time, you will be too colorful.

High fabrics: chambray

Over the past few years, we've all seen the heritage trend take off in men's fashion. It is obvious no matter where you turn: rough denim, faded T-shirts, camouflage and military have become practically the style norm for most. One of the basic reincarnated materials of the new style was thick cotton chambray fabric.

Chambray is loved for its external similarity to denim, but with greater lightness and breathability, and literally everything is sewn from it: shirts, outerwear and trousers, as well as handkerchiefs, scarves and ties. And even shoes. Such a surge in the popularity of chambray can be traced back to the moment of its creation.

Chambray fabric appeared in the 16th century in the French town of Chambry (French: Chambry) near the border with Belgium and became a kind of “lightweight” alternative to the heavy denim of southern France. Although both fabrics are based on the principle of using a white weft (cross weave) and a colored - usually blue - warp, in denim the cross thread runs under two or more warp threads. In chambray, the weft and warp intersect evenly, thread on thread. As a result, denim is distinguished between a front and a back side: the outer side is mostly blue warp, while the “back side” is given the whiteness of the wefts. Thus, the fabric is softer and suitable for multi-purpose use.

While denim is typically reserved for jeans, work shirts and outerwear, chambray has been used more creatively since its invention. Initially, due to its lightness and breathability, it was loved by clergy of various calibers. Next, the French came to the logical conclusion that chambray could replace linen in the production of bed linen, tablecloths, handkerchiefs and even children's clothing and linen. Due to its structure, chambray is somewhere in the middle between denim and linen in terms of strength. For this reason, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, linen shirts were often enhanced with chambray collars, cuffs, and frills.

It was thanks to its increased strength that chambray was “adopted” by the American military at the end of the 19th century. Changes in 1901 to the military regulations of the US Navy established chambray shirts and denim trousers, and in 1914 these changes extended to both officers and sailors. The new uniform - chosen solely for its practicality - lasted until the end of the Second World War.

As for the present, chambray can be found in pride of place in almost every brand that is inspired by the heritage trend. The military “past”, the possibility of various uses, the lightness and yet strength of chambray have ensured this fabric a place - mainly in the form of shirts - in the spring-summer and autumn-winter collections of such brands as WTAPS, A Bathing Ape, OriginalFake, Chimala, NEIGHBORHOOD, Supreme, J.Crew and others.

Converse, Vans and Nike have used chambray in their iconic Chuck Taylor All Star, Era, Half Cab and Air Force 1 shoes, while Wings + Horns, Woolrich, Opening Ceremony and Levi's have used chambray in outerwear. Apolis Activism showed chambray swim trunks, and Maiden Noir showed all kinds of accessories: bandanas, bags, baseball caps, scarves and pocket squares. Many brands are also experimenting with different chambray color options.

Judging by the trends for the spring-summer 2013 season, it is clear that chambray will linger in the men's wardrobe for a long time, since items from it have already appeared in the collections of Beams +, J.Crew, White Mountaineering, Ovadia & Sons, J. Press, Mark McNairy and FACTOTUM .

Based on materials from: hypebeast.com