What are textiles?

The term textile encompasses a wide range of products made from staple fibres or continuous filaments. Textiles are found in a wide range of end-uses, including surgical goods and geotextiles, but in the context of this course they are used to produce a wide range of fabrics and garments for the fashion and clothing industry, particularly for the active sportswear market.

The properties of textile fabrics are determined by a number of factors such as;

• Type of fibre
• Fineness of the fibre
• Shape of the fibre
• Type of yarn
• Count (fineness) of the yarn
• Method of construction of the fabric
• Nature of the finishing to which the fabric is submitted.

Textiles must be functional and must fulfil the requirements of their end-use. Ideally they must have the correct balance of properties for their intended use, although in practice an adequate compromise is achieved which is appropriate for their use.