Textiles play an important role in the home space. This includes almost all fabric products: for the kitchen (pot holders, tea towels, tablecloths), living room (decorative pillows and covers, blankets, carpets), bedroom (bed linen, bedspread) and bathroom (towels, bath mats, bathrobes).
We will talk about the main types of textiles and the most relevant materials with which you can competently decorate your interior.
Types of materials
Various everyday items are created from textiles: towels, curtains, covers, bedding. Fabrics are used in both manufacturing and home crafts. The following types of textiles are distinguished:
- natural;
- mineral;
- artificial.
The first type of fabric is made from animals and plants: wool, fur, silk, cotton, linen. Plant materials are considered the most valuable. Their unique properties make it possible to wear clothes during warm periods. Natural textiles are loved by connoisseurs of environmentally friendly fabrics. Clothes made from them are easy to wash, but wrinkle quickly.
Mineral textiles are in demand for creating work clothes. It contains glass, basalt, asbestos. Thanks to these components, products acquire the necessary properties. Glass is used in the creation of ropes, nets, and cables. The use of mineral material in the manufacture of precious stones is popular.
Clothing is made from synthetic textiles. The most popular materials include nylon, polyester, acrylic, lurex, lycra. Their advantage is affordability compared to other fabrics. They are great for people with allergies because they do not cause irritation.
What textiles are suitable for home
Let's talk about current natural textiles that are suitable for home interior design.
Cotton
Cotton is considered the most common textile fiber in the world, accounting for a significant share of all textile production - about 80%. The advantage of this material is a high level of quality, long service life and affordable price. The leading cotton producers are India, China and the USA.
Thanks to the popularity of cotton, a variety of cotton fabrics with different weaves of fibers have appeared.
- Poplin
- thin, dense, very pleasant to the touch cotton fabric with a textured surface with a small rib. It is believed that the highest quality cotton poplin is produced in India. Since such textiles do not fade and withstand many washes (up to 200), color prints and designs are often applied to them.
- To produce percale
, the cotton thread does not twist, so the fabric is even and smooth. Despite all the lightness and softness, the fabric has a high density, holds its shape perfectly and retains heat: so, on percale bed linen you will not freeze, but you will not sweat either. Although the material can withstand up to 400 washes, it behaves very capriciously during cleaning - it is important to strictly follow the care instructions indicated on the label. As a rule, it costs more than other cotton fabrics.
- For children's textiles (diapers and bed linen), cotton is most often used. muslin
. Ultra-thin breathable fabric is distinguished by a plain weaving method: cotton threads are additionally twisted to give softness and smoothness. In addition to the fact that the lightweight material will not cause allergies, it will give the child comfort throughout the day.
- Satin
- dense durable textiles that retain their appearance for a long time. The softness and shine of the fabric is often compared to silk. Typically, cotton sateen is used for sewing bedspreads, bed linen and curtains. Satin can be woven from synthetic materials or silk, but a reasonable option in terms of price/quality is cotton textiles. The hypoallergenic material can withstand up to 400 washes without losing color and is easy to iron.
- Today velvet
used mainly for decorative textiles: furniture upholstery, bedspreads, decorative pillows and covers. Durable, pleasant to the touch material is easy to care for, retains heat well and, like all cotton fabrics, does not cause allergic reactions.
Wool
Animal hair is used to produce wool. For example, cashmere and mohair are made from the wool of mountain goats, alpaca is made from llamas, and angora is produced from the shearing of rabbits.
A common type of material in home textiles is merino wool.
. Sheep of the same breed have the finest fleece (for example, human hair is several times thicker). That is why the canvas is particularly soft, smooth and thin.
sheep wool is also especially popular on the market.
. Dense material is valued for its high strength and heat retention. But at the same time, textiles lack lightness and tactile smoothness, unlike the above types of wool.
The properties of textiles vary depending on its type, but some qualities remain unchanged - strength, softness, and most importantly - any wool retains heat perfectly.
Silk
Despite the thinness and lightness of the fabric, silk is much stronger than other types of fabrics. The material absorbs moisture well, dries quickly, and does not need to be ironed—if washed properly, the fabric retains its smoothness and shine. It also has excellent thermoregulating properties: thin silk will be a good option in cold weather, but in summer it will not create any discomfort - the temperature is regulated naturally, and the protein structure of the material is safe for allergy sufferers.
Textiles obtained from silkworm threads have only one important drawback - high price. That is why silk/semi-silk fabrics of various weaves are popular - dense flowing satin, textured crepe, chiffon and dupont, which is characterized by increased rigidity.
Linen
The modern trend towards environmental friendliness has made linen one of the most popular fabrics today. According to The Independent, searches for linen have increased by 46% since January 2021.
Linen is used everywhere in the interior today: from kitchen towels to bed linen. The key to such success is an endless list of properties: an environmentally friendly, completely recyclable material with high thermal conductivity and breathability. In addition, flax is a natural antiseptic. It has been proven that pathogenic microflora and fungal spores do not survive on it. Previously, flax was used for wound dressings; nowadays, surgical threads are made from it. This is why it is practical and sterile to use linen kitchen towels. Durable fabric is completely antistatic, hypoallergenic and can withstand more than 300 washes!
Home textiles include all fabric products that surround us indoors: from hand towels to sofa upholstery. Textiles can be natural, artificial (made from natural raw materials), synthetic or mixed (natural fibers + synthetic or artificial threads). When decorating the interior, give preference to natural fibers: cotton, wool, silk or linen.
Textile production
The first fabrics began to be created in ancient times. At first, people wore clothes made of cotton, linen and wool. Weaving came about through weaving. Modern production technologies and machines make it possible to produce a large number of different types of canvas. Fabrics can be either household or industrial. If we classify them according to their purpose, they are divided into linen, dress, and costume. If the fabrics contain fibers of the same type, then they are considered homogeneous.
For children, textiles, knitwear, calico, chintz, and madapolam are usually chosen. The materials do not cause allergies and are therefore excellent for creating comfortable clothing. Cotton fabrics, including linen, satin, and flannel, are very popular.
Bibliography
- Ierusalimskaya A.A. Dictionary of textile terms. St. Petersburg: State University Publishing House, 2005. -96 p.
- Orfinskaya O.V., Golikov V.P., Shishlina N.I. A comprehensive experimental study of textiles from the Bronze Age of the Eurasian steppes // Textiles of the Eurasian Steppes (Editor-in-Chief N.I. Shishlina). M.: Proceedings of the State Historical Museum, issue 109, 1999. P. 58-185
[1] The work was carried out at the Center for the Study of Historical and Traditional Technologies (headed by V.P. Golikov), which now no longer exists.
Knitwear
Textiles, the fabrics of which can be of different types, are convenient for sewing any clothes. One of the practical materials is knitwear. It is created from the interweaving of loops, and the result is a high-quality fabric.
Many consider knitwear and other textiles to be the most comfortable materials, and this combination is excellent for making comfortable clothes. Knitwear is ideal for sewing items for work and leisure. It is indispensable in creating hats, toys, and household items. Knitwear differs from other materials in that it can stretch in different directions. It is elastic, soft, hygroscopic.
Shoes
It's time to talk about what textiles in shoes are - after all, each of you has probably bought a similar product at least once.
Listing the advantages and disadvantages will help you understand what shoe material means! Let's start with the positive qualities that characterize the products:
- Lightweight and light weight - ideal for long-term wear;
- Provides excellent air exchange - a good solution for hot weather;
- Absorbs moisture perfectly and remains dry;
- Does not cause allergic reactions (if the material is natural). These shoes are suitable even for the little ones;
- Easy to care for – no additional products are needed, just plain water and soap;
- Easy to paint, which means buyers have the opportunity to choose from a huge range of colors;
- Relatively low cost.
Are there any disadvantages? They are characteristic of any thing:
- Easily hints;
- If dried incorrectly, they may fade or shrink;
- Not durable enough - boots last several seasons.
What is included in the list of manufactured products? These are both adult and children's types of shoes:
- Sneakers;
- Sneakers;
- Sandals;
- Slip-ons;
- Felt boots;
- Sandals;
- Ballet shoes;
- Slippers;
- Sneakers;
- Shoes and much more.
Now you must understand what kind of material this is - shoe textiles. It's time to move on to an equally important part of the review, and discuss the differences from other types of fabric.
We give recommendations on how to remove machine oil from clothes in 2 minutes.
Twisted materials
Textiles, which come in a variety of fabrics, include spun materials. They can be silk, linen, wool. They are created in the likeness of fiber. Threads used to create fabrics can be bleached, starched, and dyed. That is why a variety of clothes are sold.
Threads come in different types, differing in thickness and colors. Specific needles are used for each. After the threads are created, different things are made in factories. The result is cozy, high-quality clothing.
Wicker materials
Not everyone knows that woven materials are included in the textiles section, and that such fabric is used in the creation of clothing. These include braided braid and soutache. Each type of material has its own pros and cons.
In woven braid, the threads are intertwined at a certain angle. Thanks to this, the finished fabric stretches easily and can be used in various projects. The braid can be silk, cotton, wool or mixed.
Not many people know that soutache is included in textiles, and that such fabric is used to make beautiful and high-quality clothing. It is presented in the form of a silk cord, which is actively used for finishing things and creating original products.
Fabric classification
Depending on the method of production, textile fibers are divided into two
main groups: natural and chemical (non-natural).
- Natural. The name itself suggests that we are talking about fabrics that are directly related to nature. Of course, the expression “created by nature” will not be entirely true in this case. They are created by man, but from natural raw materials. Thus, cotton is produced from plant fibers of the cotton plant, flax is made from the skin of a plant of the flax family. Wool is the collected and processed hair of animals. The raw material for silk is the cocoon of the silkworm.
- Unnatural. Non-natural fabrics include chemical fibers, which are obtained by converting the raw material into a spinning solution (melt), forcing it through very small holes - spinnerets - into a certain external environment, for example, air, acid, etc. After exiting the spinnerets, a filament of chemical fiber of unlimited length is formed, which is called a filament filament. The thickness of the thread depends on the size of the spinnerets. Chemical fibers are divided into organic (artificial and synthetic) and inorganic (mineral).
Inorganic (mineral) threads include glass and metal threads.
Lurex (alunite, metlon). The raw material is thin wire of soft metals. Used to give materials a certain external effect.
Fiberglass is created on the basis of silica (from silicate glass) with additives. After special treatment it becomes plastic. Most often used for technical purposes.
Window textiles
The materials are used not only for sewing clothes, but also for making household items. Any room will look more original if there are beautiful curtains hanging on the windows. Moreover, these can be not only classic curtains, but also draperies and lambrequins. All of these materials are created from textiles.
For different styles, certain colors, patterns and textures of curtains are used. This is what emphasizes the taste of the owners. Linen is perfect for creating a classic style. If ethnic design is required, then organza and brocade are suitable. And silk is suitable for high-tech. Textile materials create real home comfort.
Textiles are used to create bed linen, towels, bedspreads and many other things. The materials are of excellent quality, convenience, and originality. Textile clothing will be a wonderful gift for those who appreciate comfort.
What is home textile fashion?
It’s hard to even call it fashion. Rather, trends that change every 2-3 years. At the same time, a change can rarely be noticed; rather, it is the development of one general direction.
For example, at the moment the general direction in design is a minimum of brightness and a maximum of calm and subduedness. Pastel shades of primary colors and abstract prints or plain home textiles. Large, bright floral patterns, images of people and animals are a thing of the past.
Of course, there are exceptions; nowadays the choice on the textile market is so great that everyone will find something to suit their taste.
