Understanding Textiles - Tapa dura

The text seeks to provide basic information on the structure, processing, and properties of textiles. The approach of the book, as signaled in the title, "Understanding Textiles, Sixth Edition," is to understand how the components of textiles fiber, yarn, fabric, dye, and finish--contribute to the performance of products for specific end uses. Rather than being predominantly descriptive in our approach, we emphasize the "why" behind fiber, yarn, and fabric characteristics to help students understand and predict textile properties and performance. The text is most suitable for an interactive, analytical approach to learning the basics of textiles structures and textile performance.

In this revision of our book, we further emphasize how the properties of the different components of a textile fabric affect the performance of the final product. As a textile is built from fiber, then yarn, then fabric, so the text strives to build an understanding of how each contributes to product performance. The concept of "putting it all together" encourages students to think of a textile fabric in terms of the sum of its parts, rather than of the separate components. Two features in the book help to accomplish this. First, properties of fibers, yarns, and fabrics are summarized under the headings of "Durability," "Appearance," and "Comfort." The summaries discuss the effects of fabric components on these areas of performance that are important in the selection of textile fabrics. A second feature is the presentation of case studies of specific end use textile products. The case studies describe what properties are important for a specific textile end use and detail the considerations in selecting the appropriate fiber, yarn structure, fabric construction, and/or finish for that end use. Students are encouraged to analyze other end use products in a similar fashion.

The revised text also features updated material on production, processing, and use of textiles. New fibers, such as lyocell and a number of high performance fibers, are presented. Advances in processing, dyeing, and finishing are also described. To provide emphasis for these or to pique student interest in a particular area, Consumer Briefs (boxed material that highlights a particular consumer product or products) are included in selected chapters.